Heritage on Verge

Heritage on Verge
Deewan Mandir: A Saga of neglection

Yash Khajuria

Jammu, Nov 04 : Call it a gift of negligence that the institution which has proven platform to in numerous of bollywood personalities including Legends Om Parkash, Prithvi Raj Kapoor and K.L Saigal from Jammu is presently got converted into a “Goshala” to a larger extent due to encroachment that’s too with the support of JDA and apathy of successive state government ruled there.

This divine institution is nothing else, it is the old and ancient Deewan Mandir situated at Prade Jammu. This temple is more than 125 years old and is the place from where a number of artists of Jammu started their career by participating and playing role in the “Ramlila” which was started their before the independence.
The temple is world wide famous for is Ramlila which is as old as it was and for producing bollywood personalities from Jammu. Also an “Akhara” ground is there behind the temple where a construction work of GYM is going on.

 But the present condition of this temple is miserable in every sense due to encroachment by the masses within the premises of temple who has converted the temple into a “Goshala” by tiding their animals with the grills fitted to preserve the ancient sculptures in the temple and by throwing animal and domestic waste within its premises.

Not only the premises these encroachers have also encroached the main street by tiding their animals due to which it has became difficult to walk on that street which is the only path to the said temple.
Taking to TNI  Varun Vasundra, Trustee Dewan Mandir Trust disclosed that the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) is responsible for this miserable condition of the temple upto a great extent. He said that JDA had forcibly acquired the land of temple for the construction of parking slot and had agreed to provide two security guards, two pujaris and to bear all the renovation cost of the temple for the lifetime.
He said that in the earlier phase JDA started renovation of the temple and installed some heavy focus lights for the decoration of this historic temple but later the electric connection of the lights was disconnected by the PDD on non receipt of bill from JDA.

Also the renovation work started by stopped at midway after which a case was lodged in the court of Law and after 6 years legal battle court ordered JDA to pay Rs 48 lacs as compensation for the land acquired, but till date the compensation is laying in the court due to no real owner of the temple.

He further that there is a “Akhada” land behind the temple but now with the financial assistance from MLA Ashok Khajuria modern gymnasium hall is being constructed there but no one is paying attention towards the historic temple on whose name the Akhada is known.

He uttered that on the repeated request to Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) they send their employees few days ago who left after little cleaning and on been asked to provide cleaner they said that it is a private temple and demanded to pay Rs 6000 monthly for that.
He expressed than on being a historic and eminent temple government has to show its interest for its renovation and decoration as it is the honour and pride of the Jammu.