Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: Temples and Shrines Prabandhak Committee (TSPC) Tral Awantipora Kashmir and its subsidiary Navdal Tirath Committee (NTC) have reiterated its appeal to Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to include at least three persons from Kashmiri Pandit community in the Pratham (first) Poojan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji to be conducted on June 3.
In a statement, president of the Committee, Dr Ramesh Bhat said that the Navdal shrine situated in Tral Pulwama is linked to visarjan (immersion) ceremony of holy Amaranth Ji Yatra as per the various religious texts on ancient Kashmir which are testimony to it.
He said prior to turmoil the Hindus of the area used to welcome the pilgrims during annual yatra and holy mace every year. The people used to host Sadhus, saints and pilgrims during the annual yatra at various shrines in the Tral tehsil as per age old tradition prevailing from Puranic period.
He said now the mechanism of yatra has totally changed and SASB has taken the control of annual pilgrimage which the Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed but the Committee is reiterating its appeal to SASB to respect the sentiments and faith of the community and include its representatives in the Pratham Pujan. The same tradition is being followed in Uttarakhand in case of holy Kedar Nath Ji, Badri Nath Ji and Chardham yatra where the pooja is performed as per local tradition and the local people are not being ignored at all.
He also demanded that the Navdal be re-linked to Visarjan ceremony on the culmination of holy Amarnath yatra to keep the age old tradition of Kashmir alive.
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