Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 23: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Jammu Chapter in collaboration with Dharmarth Trust and JMC’s Urban Forestry Division conducted maiden heritage walk, photo exhibition of heritage temple, cleanliness drive and other activities at here in historical Shri Raghunathji Temple to celebrate ‘World Heritage Week’, today.
The students of School of Hospitality & Tourism Management-University of Jammu and NSS students of GGM Science College participated in the event.
Advocate Ajay Gandotra, President J&K Dharmarth Trust was the chief guest, who flagged off the heritage walk along with SM Sahni (KAS Retd), convener and Dr CM Seth co convener of INTACH J&K, Ashok Kumar Sharma (SSP Retd) Secretary Dharmarth Trust, Kirpal Singh Life Member INTACH, Dr Suvidha Khanna and Prof Deepali Mahajan senior faculty members.
The priests conducted a heritage walk and showed each and every part of Raghunath ji Temple which is the heritage temple of North India and is the pride of Jammu.
SM Sahni briefed about the importance of Shri Raghunathji Temple as a heritage site and for being the biggest temple of undivided North Indian States, while Dr CM Seth threw light on the vision of Maharajas to make Jammu as North India’s Kashi.
Ajay Gandotra said that the Trust is managing about 114 temples in Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haridwar. He threw light on the role of Trust in preserving the rich cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also asked students to consider this temple as a marvel of the rich heritage of the region and also feel the essences of its religious significance and the popularity which this site enjoys among the visitors coming from within the country and even abroad. He asked the students to visit other temples of the Trust and explore marvelous architecture.
Later, an art workshop was conducted in which more than 100 heritage temples of J&K were showcased.
Administrative Officer Dharmarth Trust, Manmohan Singh and Assistant Manager Raghunath ji Temple, Sandeep Kumar were also present.