Baglamukhi temple cries for basic amenities

Ashok raina

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Kangra, July 19

The centuries-old Sidh Shaktipeet Baglamukhi temple at the Kotla Fort at a hillock, surrounded by three rivers, lacks basic facilities, such as toilets and bathrooms, thanks to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Asim Sagar, chief priest of the temple, said the five-century-old temple was the place of worship for Raja Ram Chand, king of Guler, and the fort constructed for the protection of the temple by the king dates back to 1500 AD. King of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh too was a frequent visitor to the temple.

Asim said devotees visited the shrine in a large number and held havens.

The priest said the temple building had the water seepage problem. Despite that, the temple authorities were not allowed to rectify it by the ASI. “There is a natural water source near the temple from where water is lifted and supplied to the shrine,” he said.

Asim said Union Minister Chandresh Kumari had visited the shrine and sent funds for the construction of toilets and bathrooms for visitors near the shrine. “Nearly one and a half years have elapsed, but funds were never used by the ASI authorities and might have lapsed,” he said.

He said on the one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been insisting on the ‘Swachh Bharat, Sawast Bharat’, but on the other, the ASI was ignoring the problems faced by pilgrims.

KC Noryal, Superintendent Archaeologist, when contacted twice to know about the problems pilgrims were facing and what was the status of the fort in the ASI records, refused to comment on the issue saying without checking the documents it was difficult to comment. He, however, said the temple was being managed by the local managing committee.