‘Dashar Maha Kumbh’ held in Valley after 75 yrs

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 14

Under the shade of a sacred Chinar tree at the confluence of the Jhelum river and Sindh stream, Kashmiri Pandits today prayed for their dead at Shadipora in Ganderbal district. Both migrant and non-migrant Pandits had gathered at Shadipora, some 20 km from the summer capital, for the ‘Dashar Maha Kumbh’, which was held after 75 years.

The devotees, besides taking a holy dip in the river, were seen praying before a Shiva Lingam under the Chinar tree, which they believe never sinks and even rises during floods.

“We prayed for our deceased today. Shadipora has always been of immense religious significance to us as one can find a ‘sangam’ (confluence) of two rivers here. Today, we came here for the Dashar Maha Kumbh that was witnessed after 75 years. The tree at Shadipora is very sacred and never sinks. During floods, it raises itself,” said Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir president Chunni Lal Bhat.Bhat said more than 12,000 devotees gathered at Shadipora as the Kumbh was taking place just two days after the Mela Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla that draws migrant Pandits from all over the country annually.Well known singer Dhananjay Koul, who is based in New Delhi, also prayed at the Kumbh. He said it was heartening to see a huge rush of devotees. “I last came to Shadipora as a kid. Today, I was overwhelmed to see so many Pandits praying there. It reminded me of times (before migration of Pandits) when we used to celebrate our festivals freely,” he said.

Pandit leader Sanjay Saraf, who is the national spokesperson of the Lok Janshakti Party, said Pandits would regularly come to Shadipora to immerse the ashes of the deceased and offer ‘shradh’. “Though the Kumbh was last witnessed here 75 years back, we would come to Shadipora frequently before the eruption of militancy to immerse the ashes of the deceased and offer shradh,” he said.