Nearly after four decades after its encroachment by Bangladeshi Muslims, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 5 inaugurated the permanent building of the prehistoric Dhalpur Shiva Mandir in Sipajhar Revenue Circle in Darrang district. He also inaugurated the guest house and pujari griha constructed along with the temple.
The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government evicted the encroachment in the historic Dhalpur Shiv Mandir in September 2021. Hundreds of Bangladeshi-origin Muslim families were evicted from the temple premises, which they encroached on during the late 70s.
The Dhalpur encroachment started during the late ’70s. Local Assamese people said ‘Organiser’ that only 37 Muslim families were from Nagaon district till 1979. The 5000 years old Dhalpur Shiva Mandir is at the top of the Dhalpur hill in the middle of the river Brahmaputra. The Kirat community established the Cave Mandir during the 4th century. The Archaeological Department has discovered many age-old structures at the Mandir site. Mandir management committee general secretary Dharmakanta Nath told ‘Organiser’ that the plains of the Dhalpur hill were farmland of Hindu dairy farmers until 1979.
Under the patronage of Congress in the late ’70s from 37 Muslim families in 79, the Dhalpur area was filled with several hundreds of Muslim families by the end of 1981. The encroachers’ first target was the age-old Shiv temple and its land. By 1981, when the Assam agitation was on the rise, Muslim Congress leaders brought 100s of Muslim families to Dhalpur. They first encroached on the 180 bighas of land that belong to the Shiv temple, Dharma Nath added. They initially cut down the big trees on the temple campus and looted various valuable particles belonging to the temple.
In February 1983, Muslim miscreants killed the priest of the temple Siba Das. Another priest, Kartik Das, fled to a nearby Assamese village. Deceased priest Siba Das was declared a martyr of the Assam agitation, as he was one of the 855 martyrs of the long agitation.
During his first visit to Dhalpur on June 7, 2021 after becoming Chief Minister, Dr Sarma said that he would help in creating a permanent structure of the Shiva Mandir at Dhalpur, which has been existing since prehistoric days. So fulfilling his promise, Chief Minister on June 5 dedicated the Mandir to the devotees.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said that visiting the Shiva Mandir in the pristine milieu of Dhalpur is a heavenly feeling for him. “I really feel blessed to have got the opportunity to inaugurate the prehistoric Shiva Mandir at Dhalpur along with a guest house and pujari griha”.
Chief Minister Dr Sarma offered prayers to Lord Shiva and prayed for the well-being of all sections of the people of the state. He also said that for the convenience of the devotees of the state to visit the Shiva Mandir and offer their pujas, a good quality road along with three bridges will be built in the Dhalpur area. Moreover, since the area is flood-prone, an embankment will be built to save Dhalpur from recurring floods.
Dr Sarma also said that the Garukhuti project in the Darrang district is associated with the pride of the people of Assam. Therefore, the State government will do everything possible to give the project a successful shape. The Chief Minister, during his visit, also held a discussion with the office bearers of the Mandir Management Committee in the presence of CEM KAAC Tuliram Ronghang, MLA Sipajhar Paramananda Rajbongshi and General Secretary Dhalpur Shiva Mandir Managing Committee Dharmakanta Nath and discussed all issues towards solving all the problems that the Shiva Mandir is facing. He said that all the problems would be solved on a priority.
On the occasion of World Environment Day today, Chief Minister Dr Sarma also planted saplings at the Mandir premises. He said that his government had been consistently working towards ensuring a clean and green environment for future generations where everyone enjoys a high quality of life. He also called upon all to contribute towards building a shared, sustainable and safe future on this occasion. A host of devotees and people from all sections were present on the occasion.
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