Couple who performed puja at Sharda temple in POJK felicitated by MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh and Save Sharda Committee

January 27, 2020, New Delhi: Save Sharda Committee Kashmir (Regd.) organized an event in New Delhi today to felicitate Sh. Venkatraman and his wife Sujatha – a Hong Kong based couple who performed puja near Sharda Peeth, last October. The couple flew in to New Delhi to attend the function. The event was presided over by Dr. Jitendra Singh MoS PMO in a packed hall at Kashmiri culture centre in Pamposh Enclave.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Jitendra Singh hailed the efforts of Save Sharda Committee in creating an awareness on the issue. Other speakers included Capt. Sikander Rizvi, Gilgit Baltistan expert and Commodore (Retd.) Dalbir Singh Sodhi, Kashmir expert and author. He said the Govt is committed that POJK belongs to India including Sharda Peeth.

“We want to highlight the Sharda issue at every platform and make the public aware about the historical, religious & cultural aspects of Sharda civilization and Sharda lipi too”, Ravinder Pandita, Head of Save Sharda Committee Kashmir Regd. He lauded the efforts of Civil society of POJK for their efforts in reviving the Sharda Culture & its preservation. A special mention was made about the members of the society namely Rayess Mohd, Tanveer Ahemad, Sadiya Rehman, Haji Shabbir, Afzal Ayuob, Khawaja Abdul Ghani amongst others.

It may be noted that Save Sharda Committee is pressing for reopening of Sharda Peeth in PoK and has been in touch with GOI, Pakistan and POJK authorities in this regard. “We intend to hold more such exhibitions in India & abroad to highlight the issue. We held similar exhibition in Prayagraj Kumbh mela this year, in Bangalore, New Delhi and intend to do the next exhibition in Bangladesh” said Ravinder Pandita.

“We are pressing for a mutual understanding of religious tourism between SAARC countries to allow pilgrims of these countries to visit Sharda peeth and in this connection an exhibition was held in Kathmandu Nepal recently. We have also presented a memorandum through Kartarpur Gurduwara Prabandhak committee to Govt. of Pakistan for resumption of Sharda Peeth yatra on the lines of Kartarpur on 24th Nov. 2019” said Ravinder Pandita. On the occasion Sh. Venkataraman presented Save Sharda Committee a shawl he got from POJK. A large gathering from various parts of life attended.

Flowers were laid on the Shila ( Pious stone & soil) got from Sharda Peeth in PoK through the civil society across LoC. On this occasion Save Sharda Committee gifted a framed photograph of Sharda Peeth to the visiting couple. Earlier, Bhajans in praise of Swami Nand lal ji were sung by the budding child artists of the community. A documentary on recent developments on re-opening of Sharda Peeth, POJK was also screened at the event. An exhibition was also staged on Sharda Peeth & Civilization comprising of 30 rare pictures on Sharda Civilization.

Swami Nand Lal Ji – a Kashmiri saint, was the last to sit on this peeth upto 1948. Swami Ji had to move to Tikker in Kupwara after the tribal raids and ever since no J&K Hindu has gone there, nor any pilgrimage held.