G.L. Khajuria
But, whatsoever legends are affiliated to this sacred spot, the fact remains that it was hoary past. The spot is of utmost prominence and Shakti in the northern part of India where devotees in Lakhs assemble over here to have holy Darshan, pay obeisance and obtain blessing. Even great Guru Nanak had visited the spot.
The Village Purmandal is populated on either side of Devika River which with revolving wheel of time many more temples were constructed during Maharaja’s regime. But with the exploding population and heavy biotic pressure, the areas surrounding the spot have turned barren despite the fact that the Govt. Deptt. of all hues have put in all out efforts to rehabilitate and bring back to its pristine grandeur and glory but all in vain. Even the historically old religious structures which form an important part of our national heritage stand neglected and are descertifying impending dooms day. Apart from historic temples, there are old Sarais and Havellis having the same status. During Maharaja’s regime (Dogra rulers ), it was earnmarked to construct a cluster of sequential temples from ‘Utterbehni’ to Purmandal where the reminant material (Iron Girders and their allieds ) stand spanning the two sacred spots, and after dogra rulers all remained silent. Here the Govt. needs to take up the matter to save and invigorate this sacred spot of our national heritage. Restoration of dilapidated temples, Havelis, Sarais to its pristine grandeur is the call of the hour and glory as devotees/ tourists from far and wide areas come here for holy Darshan, pay obeisance and obtain blessing.
The area is just like that of ‘Kashi’ (U.P) and as such dead bodies of locality around are cremated and one need not go to Haridwar for immersion of ashes and as per local parlance are sured a place in heaven (Gati locally spoken). Miraculous are the ways of God that the renmances of ashes are nowhere visible and disappear in the sandy ‘ Devak’.
The holy river needs to be rehabilitated by ensuring ecological balance by way of massive afforestateion work on the barren hill-tops, catchments areas and here the Forest, Horticulture, Sericulture and other sister Departments have to pick up the thread sincerely for this pious cause and its monitoring be ensured by accountability commission. The works executed over couple of years back are no where in sight and lakhs of money went to drain.
Classic clean lines campaign, shall have to be launched by one and all to make ‘Devak’ neat, clean and green, imposition of fine who littler the sacred spot and its surrounds. It is imperative and this shall have to be ensured by consitituting a committee to assist Dharmarth Trust, apart from planting multihued flowering plants, climbers and creepers on either side of the river, particularly those best suited to site. Water conservation, construction of ponds, tanks, boalis and other water bodies /Ghats are warranted to be constructed. During my last visit to Purmandar, I observed that a man from Punjab with this associates had engaged labourers for the construction of a bathing Ghats most keenly. Apathetic altitude of our people and Govt deserves to be blamed for the act of negligence. When the outsider from Punjab is devotedly on this pious job what hinders we people and the Govt? It is rather a matter of shame.
Conclusively, therefore, imperfect and unawareness in our grey matter need to be revived to enhance the beauty of our old religious heritage and bring back to its pristine grandeur and glory by one and all so that our coming generations may not abuse us for utter act of negligence which our earlier rulers / ancestors have bestowed upon us. And lastly I add here the last line “How senseless seems to me the man who has seen his neighbour ill, old and dead, and yet remains happy and is not shaken by fear” ….Ash- Vaghosha.
(Concluded)