Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed the Navgrah Ashtamangalam Pooja at the ancient Martand temple in Anantnag’s Mattan on May 8. The auspicious puja was performed in the presence of Hindu saints, members of the Kashmiri Pandit community and local residents.
Shri Manoj Sinha has termed the event a truly divine experience. According to the reports, a Kerala priest who guided the pooja said the special Navgrah Ashtamangalam Pooja was for the peace and prosperity of the whole world and particularly for the county and Kashmir valley.
“Mahatmas and religious saints who used to come here earlier to do meditation, their traditions are being carried forward. This pooja is for world peace, for India’s peace, and for Jammu and Kashmir’s peace. In Kashmir, many temples were broken and the Gods are angry with us so this is an attempt to make them happy so that peace is prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir and in India,” media quoted BJP leader Surinder Ambardar as saying.
The last grand Hindu ritual that had been performed at the Martand Sun Temple was during the visit of the Mathadhish of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi, Shrimad Samyamindra Tirtha Swamiji in Apr 2021.
According to Kalhana, the Martand Sun Temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida in the eighth century AD. According to Jonaraja as well as Hasan Ali, the temple was destroyed by Sikandar Shah Miri (1389-1413) in a zeal to Islamise the society under the advice of Sufi preacher Mir Muhammad Hamadani.
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