300-yr-old Radha-Krishna temple in Jammu in shambles
Jammu | Thursday, Sep 2 2010 IST
 

As the festival of Janmashtami is being celebrated with religious fervour and enthusiasm across the country today, a historical Radha-Krishna temple in this winter capital, which is second rarest temple of its kind in Northern India, is craving for attention due to its pathetic condition.

Built some three-centuries ago by the Maharajas of Jammu, the historic temple is believed to be second in the northern India, first being in Mathura, where an idol of Rukmani (Lord Krishnas wife) has been placed with the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha.

Though the festival of Janamashtami was celebrated with fervour across the country and temples were illuminated with lights and decorated with buntings and flowers, the historical Radha-Krishna temple is seeking immediate attention from the government and its caretakers.

''The temple was constructed during Maharajas' time, some 300 years ago but it is unfortunate that today nobody bothers to preserve our history,'' Suram Chand, a resident told UNI.

''Nobody is taking care of the dying heritage despite the temple being under the Dharamarth Trust, which manages affairs of many other religious spots in the city,'' he said.

However, the residents of the locality around the temple believe that Maharani Charkan, wife of Maharaja Pratap Singh, after taking bath in river Suryaputri, used to offer prayers at this temple.

''We wanted to pray and offer prayers at the temple on the occasion of Janamashtami but it is sad when we found the temple closed in the morning,'' Usha Kumari, another resident lamented.

She said people throng Radha-Krishna temples on Janamashtami to pay obeisance but the temple despite being a rarest, is closed on such an auspicious occasion.

''Surrounded by bushes, grass and trees, condition of the building housing the temple is deteriorating day by day with no body bothering to preserve the rare heritage,'' she said.

The woman, however, alleged that due to an internal bickering and dispute among the trust members the temple had not got any attention for many decades.

The Maharajas of Jammu had constructed five temples namely Radha Krishna (Pakki Dhakki), Laxmi Narayan (Panjtirthi), Gada Dhari (Dewana Mandir) and two temples of Lord Shiva near Peerkho 300 years ago.

-- (UNI) -- 02DR53.xml

 

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