The crimson evening skies of the holy month of Shravan reverberated with the resounding and melodious voice of internationally acclaimed singer Seema Anil Sehgal, as Jammu witnessed her first-ever festival of bhajans at Panjvaktar Mandir, from 10 July to 28 August. This was the first Monday of the sacred month, and that was the inaugural concert of the Sawan Mahotsav held at this holy shrine.
” We are very fortunate that Seema Ji agreed to sing the inaugural concert although she was in mourning. This could happen only because of the divine directions received by her from Bhagwan Shiv. Her beloved mother had died only recently “, said Suresh Kumar Sharma, the “receiver” appointed by the court for the temple property, which is the subject matter of a civil dispute. The retired and respected judge further expressed : her flawless and inspiring performance with a soulful purity of expression set a high benchmark for other artists to follow and emulate.
Year 2007 was a game changer for this ancient temple of Bhagwan Shiv in Jammu. That is the time Mahant Paras Ram Giri, the head priest of this shrine of devout Hindus, died of a cardiac arrest. He had, apparently, appointed no successors.
A committee of prominent citizens drawn from religion and social fields was formed. It appointed Prabuddha Das ( Panjvaktar Giri ), a disciple of the deceased Mahant, to manage the affairs of the temple. A short time later, someone named Avdheshanand of Joona Akhada, Delhi, also staked a claim to the enormous property of the temple.
That is when a local devotee named Ashok Gupta went to the court. The court ruled status quo to be maintained and allows Prabuddha Das to continue. Sometime in September 2008, Prabuddha Das sold 20 Kanals and 5 Marlas of the temple land of 25 Kanals, through a POA ( Power of Attorney).
After intervention by the court, Prabuddha Das was put under arrest and operation of this POA was stayed. That is when the best thing happened to this sacred shrine of the Hindus. In December 2008, the court appointed retired sessions judge Suresh Kumar Sharma as the “receiver” of the court. A “receiver” is a person appointed by a court of law to manage property pending the outcome of litigation.
That immediately changed the rules of the game. This devout Hindu “receiver” made it his life mission to save the property from the self-motivated sharks who remained dormant for the next 12 years
” In the year 2020, a conglomerate of builders’ lobby, backed by bureaucrats and politicians was instrumental to show 10 Kanals of temple land as municipal land. Soon enough, the JDA ( Jammu Development Authority ) floated a tender, through NHAI ( National Highway Authority of India ), to build a three storey parking lot plus a three storey commercial complex ( CC ) on this misrepresented parcel of land”, informs Suresh Sharma. “It entailed a lease of 62 years for the CC and 10 years lease for the parking lot”, he adds.
Judge Suresh Sharma sat on an indefinite dharna in the temple premises against this blatantly atrocious manipulation of the temple property. Eventually, better sense prevailed on the manipulators within two days, and the tender notice was withdrawn. The JDA even tendered a written apology for the fiasco.
Intervention by the court put a stop to all this politico-legal muddle. That changed the entire gameplan. New rules of the game were framed by the “receiver”.
It is worthwhile to update ourselves about the history of this holy shrine of Jammu city. Legend has it that sometime in the middle of the 14th century, during a digging of the land in Jammu city, the workers struck upon a Shivling in stone. Digging was immediately stopped and all proposed construction was abandoned.
A temple was constructed at that place by the ruler of the time, Raja Mal Dev, and dedicated to Bhagwan Shiv. What we see today as Shivalay on Panjvakhtar Road in the old city is the reconstructed structure Raja Ranjit Dev built around the year 1751.
This temple is known by many names like Shivalay ( abode of Bhagwan Shiv ), Panjvakhtar Mandir and Rupayon Wala Mandir, meaning the temple where silver one rupee coins are embedded in the tiles. Panjvaktar refers to a five faced representation of Bhagwan Shiv.
There is an interesting tale how this temple came to be known as the Rupayon Wala Mandir and why the one rupee silver coins were embedded in the tiles of the temple.
Maharaja Ranbir Singh, father of Pratap Singh, did not want him to succeed after him as a ruler of the state. Ranbir wanted his younger son Amar Singh to rule the state after him. He thought Amar Singh was smarter than Pratap Singh.
Ranbir Singh had apprised the British of his desire about the eventual succession. But, the British had other designs in mind. When Ranbir Singh expired on 12 September 1885, the British installed Pratap Singh as the next ruler. But, as a part of a devious design, the British staged his deposition, within four years of his coronation. They alleged Pratap Singh was planning to murder his brother Amar Singh, and was also in liaison with the Russians against the British. These allegations were later proved false and the Maharaja was duly reinstated. But, the damage had already been done to the reputation and goodwill of the king.
Pratap Singh was enraged with the humiliation and false allegations thrust upon him by the British. To register his disdain, disrespect and scorn, he embedded in the tiles of the floor of the temple the silver coins showing the British crown or the face of the king so that for generations, his subjects will trample them under their feet ! That is what I will call a majestic blow with an everlasting impact.
Judge Suresh has since brought in qualitative changes in the management of the temple. He has allowed 25 students of Sanskrit vidyalya, Bantalab, to live in the temple premises. Since these students study Hindu religion shastras, he has sought their help in conducting the temple puja in prescribed ways, twice a day.
The students conduct the pujan amidst chanting of the shlokas, which adds to the feeling of divinity for the visitors. For students, it is a revision of the shastras learnt and for temple and the visiting bhakts, it is a great feel. Blissfully, there is no loudspeaker used to broadcast the shlokas. Expenses for their boarding and lodging are borne by the temple since the year 2011.
I met Suresh Sharma, for the first time, in the month of May when a havan was being performed in the temple premises. While exchanging views, I made a mention how regular musical singing is conducted in the temples of southern parts of the country, especially in the state of Tamilnadu. I also recalled how bhajans used to be sung in our own Raghunath temple, though in different measures.
I recounted to him how fortunate I have been to spend times in the southern parts of India, in Hyderabad, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Bhajan singing is very popular in the Hindu temples, especially in Tamilnadu. People like to visit temples after an evening bath, dressed in clean, fresh clothes, ladies wearing the Jasmine garlands in their hair. Bhajans are mostly shlokas and the hymns from the revered Hindu scriptures.
Suresh Ji told me he had been toying with the idea of holding regular bhajans’ singing in the temple. That is when the idea of holding a Sawan Mahotsav was cemented and a promise elicited from Seema Anil Sehgal to sing a solo concert of devotional songs.
This is the first time that a festival of devotional songs has ever been held in a temple in Jammu. For eight Mondays of the month of Sawan, regular bhajan singing was held. In all 16 singers presented devotional songs, ably accompanied by five musicians who played for all the concerts. Neither the singers nor the musicians charged a penny.
Besides Seema Anil Sehgal, these singers performed at the Mahotsav : Vijay Sambyal, Ridhima Banerjee, Pankaj Pradhan, Rakesh Kalotra, Mukteshi Sharma, Rajkumar Behrupia, Jasmeet Kaur, Priyanka Bali, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit, Rahul Sharma
Chinmei Sharma, Roshi Shaminotra
Prof Kusha Sharma, Dr Poonam Sharma.
Musicians who accompanied the singers are : Purshotam ji – Mridang , Vinay – Tabla,
Amarjeet Singh – Vilon, Rakesh Anand- Flute, Vijay kumar -Tabla. Besides , we were treated to a performance each of Bharatnatyam ( Pallabi Das Ghosh ), and Kathak ( Priya Dutta ), choreographed to devotional songs.
Readers of this column may like to recall that the holy month of Sawan usually has four to five Mondays every year. But, this year, we had an extended Sawan that ran into two months, which gave us eight Mondays of musical bliss.
On an average, three hundred devotees enjoyed the bhajan sandhyas on every Monday evening, for two months. It speaks volumes for the meticulous planning and dexterous execution that the devotees were blessed with a tastefully prepared “prasad” every Monday. The finale “prasad” was very beautifully packed in a bright, printed cardboard box, befitting the occasion. Attention to these small details comes from a loving heart and vast experience.
Henceforth, devotees of Bhagwan Shiv can look forward to a blissful calendar, . They shall be treated to a regular music concert of devotional songs, each month, at the Shivalay, followed by the Sawan Mahotsav every year, as informed by the “receiver” of the temple, Suresh Kumar Sharma, ably assisted by his team members Deepak Kumar, Ashu Tosh Sharma and Sanjay Tikoo. Rajkumar Behrupia conducted the entire festival with appreciable competence.
I am a devout Hindu and a hardcore Jammuite. For me , such endearing utilisation of temple premises and funds for revival of traditional singing of religious and devotional songs, orchestrated by prescribed temple rituals, heralds a ray of hope for better times. For records, I have never received temple “prasad” so tastefully prepared and beautifully packaged, anywhere in the country !
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