Dr Jitendra among others pay obeisance
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 11: Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh with independent charge of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh visited Kashmireshwar Bhawan in Noida to pay obeisance to Sharda Mata Murti that is on way to Teetwal in North Kashmir from Sringeri Mutt Karnataka.
Save Sharda Committee Kashmir (SSCK) began a trans nation yatra of carrying Sharda Murti from Sringeri in Karnataka to LoC Teetwal in North Kashmir on 24 January. The yatra has reached Noida after stay at Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Gurgaon.
Earlier, on invitation of Sringeri Dakshnayam Sharda Mutt, SSCK received Panchloha ( 5 metals) Sharda Murti for newly constructed Sharda Temple at LoC Teetwal. The members of SSCK are carrying the Murti in a newly purchased and decorated vehicle from Kashmiri Pandit Bhawans enroute various cities as per tour itinerary.
Notable at Noida Kashmiri Bhawan was presence of members of Yatra Temple construction committee, Ajaz Khan, Sardar Joginder Singh, Iftikhar Ahmed, who had come all the way from Teetwal with their families to join Sharda Yatra. SSCK head, Ravinder Pandita and Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh felicitated them on the occasion.
A large number of devotees are thronging the Bhawan at Noida daily. The yatra is scheduled to move next to Faridabad, then to Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar,Jammu and finally to Kashmir. In Jammu the Sharda Murti Chariot will reach KP Sabha Apmphalla on February 17 at 12:30 PM and will remain for darshan at Sharda Temple, Bantalab from 17 to 23 February.
Head of SSCK , Ravinder Pandita said the Sharda Yatra temple, Teetwal, Kashmir is located on the pilgrimage route to Sharda Peeth PoJK. From ancient times, an annual pilgrimage to the Sharda Peeth took place on the Ashtami (eighth day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase) of Bhadrapada month of the lunar calendar. A holy mace (Charri Mubarak) would be taken out from Teetwal to Sharda Peeth. This was the official pilgrimage to Sharda Peeth, out of the four traditional routes (Keran, Liddervan-Jumangarh, Gurez, Teetwal), he added.
Pandita said the Sharda Yatra temple at Teetwal was destroyed/burnt down in the aftermath of the partition and the subsequent Tribal invasions which also resulted in the holy pilgrimage being abandoned. A Gurudwara stood adjacent to this temple which was also destroyed. The locals preserved and handed over this plot to Save Sharda Committee Kashmir on September 14 in 2021, he added.
Pandita said the Panchloha Sharda murti will be consecrated at Teetwal temple on Chaitra maas Shukla Paksh Pratipada on Navreh( Ist. Navratra) March 22 this year.
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