(Pic by Shilpa Thakur)
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: An impressive “Shobha Yatra” was taken out in the city on the eve of Mahashivratri on Monday.
Ajatshatru Singh, Trustee J&K Dharmarth Trust along with his wife Ritu Singh flagged off Shobha Yatra on the eve of Maha Shivratri here at Ranbireshwar Mandir.
On the occasion, President J&K Dharmarth Trust, Advocate Ajay Gandotra and Secretary Dr Gopal Parthasarthi Sharma also accompanied Ajatshatru Singh during the flagging off of the Yatra. Earlier, Ajatshatru Singh and his wife performed Puja Archana and other rituals at the Ranbireshwar Mandir.
Interacting with media persons, Ajatshatru said that the Shobha Yatra has been organized after a gap of two years due to Covid constraints. He anticipated that now the clouds of Covid have gone and it is likely that the Amarnath Yatra will also be held with traditional fervour as devotees from all across the country and even abroad are eagerly waiting to pay obeisance at the cave shrine of Baba Barfani.
He said that the extraordinary efforts of Narendra Modi government have brought in lot of development in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which never happened in the past.
The Shobha Yatra was organized by Onkar Sharma (Nandi Ji), President of Shri Ranbireshwar Mandir Welfare Committee (SRMWC) in collaboration with Dharmarth Trust on the eve of Maha Shivratri Festival.
President Dharmarth Trust Advocate Ajay Gandotra said that the Trust has taken phenomenal steps to face-lift the religious shrines of J&K and is continuously working to provide state of the art facilities to the devotees visiting the temples and shrines in the UT of J&K.
The Shobha Yatra commenced from Shri Ranbireshwar Temple and after passing through all main Bazaars of the old city viz. Indira Chowk, Hari Market, Raghunath Bazaar Chowk, Raghunath Bazar, City Chowk, Old Hospital Road, Purani Mandi, Link Road, Jain Bazaar, Mubarak Mandi, Upper Bazaar, Pacca Danga, Moti Bazaar, Parade Chowk finally culminated again at Shri Ranbireshwar Temple.
The route of the procession was decorated with buntings and flowers at various points while people showered petals as the religious procession passed through the markets.
People and saints from different areas of the city, participated in the huge procession, which consisted of tableau depicting mythical scenes and events related to the marriage of Bhagwan Shiva with Parvati.
Yudhvir Sethi, J&K BJP Vice President, who also participated in the Shobha Yatra, said that temples are places of historic significance add to the grandeur of Jammu besides connecting people of all faiths.
People drawn from different sections of society who participated in the Shobha Yatra reflect brotherhood and spiritualism that can be showcased around the globe, he said adding that such programmes strengthens the moral bonding amongst people of different faith and religion.
Describing Jammu as a symbol of communal harmony and secularism, he said all efforts must be made to strengthen the secular fabric of the region, which is pluralistic in nature.
He said that it is a result of this attitude that Jammu is well known across the nation for maintaining communal harmony and brotherhood amidst diversities in religion and faiths. He added that in the current times when the anti national and anti-social elements are hell bent upon disturbing the communal fabrique, it is essential for the people of Jammu not to be led away by the provocative statements of such elements and maintain communal harmony at all costs.
Yudhvir Sethi appealed to one and all to uphold the traditional values of brotherhood and coexistence and together identify, isolate and defeat the elements who are bent upon disturbing peace and harmony in Jammu.
He called for collective efforts for steering the Union Territory to the pinnacles of development, progress, peace and prosperity. He said the BJP Government at the Centre is endeavoring for uplift of the people of Jammu and Kashmir irrespective of caste, creed and colour.