Muslims join Hindus as Raghunath Mandir in Srinagar hosts first Ram Navami pooja in 36 years
Srinagar (PTI): The Raghunath Mandir in the Habba Kadal area of the city came to life on Thursday, as Hindu devotees were joined by their Muslim neighbours for the first Ram Navami pooja at the century-old temple in 36 years.
Although renovation and restoration work are still underway, the temple management committee organised the pooja to mark Ram Navami.
"The Ram Navami pooja is being held at this temple for the first time in 36 years. Some of us have come from Jammu, but there are so many across the country and abroad who supported the restoration works by donating," said Sunil Kumar, general secretary of the management committee.
He mentioned that the "Murti Sthapana" (installation of the idol) at the temple could not take place due to the ongoing work.
Regarding the potential return of Kashmiri Pandit migrants to the valley, Kumar stated that such a return would not be possible without the support of the Kashmiri Muslim community. "It would not take even a year for the government to rehabilitate us, but Kashmiri Muslims need to support our return," he emphasised.
Ghulam Hassan, a local Muslim, was also present at the temple to join the celebrations. "Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims are brothers. We have lived together for decades," he said.
Special prayers were held at various temples in the city, including the Shankaracharya temple, to celebrate Ram Navami. Tourists and security forces joined the small local Hindu population in the festivities.
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Bagalkot: Siddaramaiah made false promises to farmers, alleges B.Y. Vijayendra
Bagalkot: BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of making false promises to farmers affected by the raising of the Almatti dam height, and sought clarity on compensation and fund allocation, The New Indian Express reported.
Addressing media persons while campaigning for the bypolls in Bagalkot city, Vijayendra questioned the government’s announcement of convening a special cabinet session to address farmers’ issues.
“How much funds have actually been released? The government should explain the status of the Upper Krishna Project,” he said.
He further said that the government had, around four months ago, promised compensation of Rs 40 lakh per acre for irrigated land and Rs 30 lakh per acre for dry land to farmers likely to lose their land.
Vijayendra demanded that the government disclose how much of the promised compensation has been disbursed so far.
