Unique Nurpur temple remains obscure because of govt apathy

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, March 21

The historical Brijraj Swami temple, situated in the Nurpur Fort, is the only shrine where an idol of Meera is worshipped alongside Lord Krishna’s. The temple, which was built in the 16th century, has immense tourism potential, but successive state governments have failed to bring the historical temple as well as the Nurpur Fort on the state’s tourism map.

Krishna with meera

• The historical Brijraj Swami temple, situated in the Nurpur Fort, is the only shrine where an idol of Meera is worshipped alongside Lord Krishna’s idol
• As per a popular belief , Meera worshipped Lord Krishna and when the king of Nurpur Jagat Singh (1619-1623) went to Chittorgarh in Rajasthan and got the idol of Lord Krishna, which is now at the temple, as a return gift from the king of Chittorgarh
• Successive state governments have failed to bring the temple, which was built in the 16th century, and the Nurpur Fort on the state's tourism map

No infrastructure advancement has been made for attracting tourists visiting the Kangra valley. Situated on the foothills and gateway of the Kangra valley, the temple has immense religious as well as historical tourism potential.

No display signboards or hoardings have been placed on the inter-state Kandwal barrier in Nurpur, to acknowledge tourists or pilgrims coming from other states in the Kangra valley to pay their obeisance at Brijeshwari, Chamunda and Jawalaji temples in Kangra district. The pilgrims visiting these temples pass through the area without noticing the presence of this historical temple in Nurpur town.

People from the lower Kangra region have immense faith in Brijraj Swami temple which is hardly a kilometre from the Pathankot-Mandi national highway-154. Before organising any family function, locals visit the temple to seek blessings of Lord Krishna. Following the persistent demand of the then local MLA Rakesh Pathania, the Prem Kumar Dhumal-led government had declared the Janmashtami festival, which is celebrated in the temple with great religious fervour, as a district-level fair. Pathania, who was the Forest Minister during the previous Jai Ram Thakur government, was successful to list the festival as a state-level fair in 2021. A state-level fair was organised with immense religious fervour in August 2022.

The role of local philanthropist and former municipal council president late RK Mahajan, who had started celebrating the Janmashtami festival in this historical temple for the past many years by setting up free stalls in the temple premises, cannot be ignored.

As per a popular belief, Meera worshipped Lord Krishna and when the king of Nurpur Jagat Singh (1619-1623) went to Chittorgarh in Rajasthan and got the idol of Lord Krishna, which is now at the temple, as a return gift from the king of Chittorgarh. Along with this, he also brought a moulsari (fruit-bearing plant) tree. It dried up on the way back, but was put to life through a ‘puja’ and chanting of mantras, it is said.

The idol of Lord Krishna is still preserved in the temple and is worshipped by pilgrims. The idol of Lord Krishna playing a flute is a matchless beauty.

The devotees visiting the temple daily to pay their obeisance and participating in evening ‘aarti’ have urged the state government to bring the temple and Nurpur Fort on the tourism map of the hill state as the historical place has vast potential to attract tourists. They have also demanded requisite infrastructure and wide publicity for attracting tourists.

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