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Shiv mandir symbol of faith for more than 150 yrs

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More-than-150-years-Ancient-Ling-with-Asian-Map

More-than-150-years-Ancient-Ling-with-Asian-Map

More than 150 years old Shiv temple; ling having an Asian Map on it Situated in the heart of Upper Kaithu region, near Police Line, stands an ancient Shiv Mandir as a symbol of religious faith for more than 150 years.

Shimla: “We can also clam it to be every more primeval as this land initially during the Raj days belonged to the Gorkhas’, who came with the Britishers and settled in this area. Considering the foundation stone of the Gorkha School that is October 21, 1911, the temple was there even before that and Gorkhas of the area use to worship there,” informed Keval Ratan Rana (84 years old), resident of the area.

There is an interesting story in context to the Shiv Ling in the temple as Chander Mohan Sharma, temple priest shares, “It is said that once a sage came and rested on this land being connected with natural source, he thought about making flower beds. While digging the soil his tool banged against a stone which immediately changed its colour and seemed exactly the way when any human gets a bruise after receives a strong blow.”

Ever since it is considers that it was Shiv’s form as all the surrounding area was a crimination ground and as per the mythology says, Shiv use to often penance at such places. According to Sharma there is a vast variety of snakes that guard the temple but however they never harm any human.

150-years-old-Shiv-temple

Standing on the private land, the land owner D.N. Sood; however the temple land has been donated by his family; shares the history of the temple saying, “In the year 1880s my father and uncles came to this place also know as Lama Villa Gorkha Muhalla. Somewhere in around 1900 all of them collectively bought this land and the temple was already there, though there was nothing remarkable about its infrastructure. Over the years we developed the committee to maintain the temple and in the past few years temple has witnessed number of religious activities.”

“With the passing of time our family also constructed Lama Villa dharamshala, having 4 sets for the people to stay but since there are not many people coming from to pay homage there are being occupied as a residence and if development is done then we all are willing to get them vacated as per the agreement signed by us with the corporation in the past”, says Sood.

pujari-shiv-mandir-shimla

“There are three natural water sources in the temple, which never dry up but one of them has been locked down as people started polluting the water source. The one which runs straight inside the temple is named Shiv Ganga. We have also connected taps to this natural water source outside the temple for the benefit of the surrounding residents of the area during the time of water scarcity”, informed Sood further.

Though Sood also considers temple’s Shiv ling to be its unique feature that makes this temple stand apart from rest of the other old temples but with a different opinion. He says, “If one takes a close look at the Ling, one can see Asia map on it. Over the years no one has ever even touched the ling or tried to do anything unnatural with it to give it two colours and appear like an Asia’s map. I think an archeological department people should come and test its authenticity and should give this miraculous wonder its due respect by making people all around the world aware about it.”

According to him there were statues drowned in the water which were taken out by the people and unfortunately were not preserved, otherwise they could have helped in establishing and tracing the original time when the temple was consecrated as in the current times one is only able to estimate the approximate time on the basic of few evidences like Ghorkaha School’s foundation stone.

Art & Culture

Use Offerings Made at  Himachal’s Hindu Religious Institutions Only For Hindus, Employ Only Hindus: HP Govt

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offerings at himachal pradesh's religious places

Shimla-The Additional Chief Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Language, Art & Culture Department has issued a notification barring the use of offerings made at the Hindu religious places or institutions for non-Hindu Communities.

Directions in this regard have been issued to Commissioners (temple) under Section 27 of the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.

“All the receipts or offerings including gold and silver of the Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments shall be used only for the purposes pertaining to the welfare and other activities relating to only Hindus. No receipts or offerings shall be used for the purposes associated with activities relating to Non-Hindus,” the notification said.

Further, now, no non-Hindu person would be given any sort of employment at the Hindu religious institutions/places.

“All the officers and officials including the personnel related to security etc. whether appointed or deputed or taken on outsourcing basis shall be out of the persons professing the Hindu religion only,” the notification said.

No further clarification was provided regarding the intended purpose of this move.

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Kullu Dussehra 2021: All Religious Ceremonies to be Allowed, But No Commercial and Cultural Events

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Kullu dussehra 2021

Shimla-The International Kullu Dussehra would be organised from 15th October to 21st October, 2021, the Himachal Pradesh Government informed today after holding a meeting regarding the same.

The HP Government has decided that all deities would be invited for the Dussehra festival. Orgnaization of all religious ceremonies would be allowed traditionally, but the cultural and commercial activities would not be held.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over meeting of State Level Kullu Dussehra Committee. Directions were given to ensure proper security system, uninterrupted electricity supply and adherence of Covid-19 guidelines.

It was also decided in the meeting that Language, Art and Culture Department would provide an additional amount of Rs. 10 lakh to district administration Kullu for organising Kullu Dussehra festival.

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Art & Culture

Wah Re Corona: Himachali Folk Artist’s Lyrical Satire is Factual Rendition of India’s Agonizing Catastrophe

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wah re corona

Shimla-Otherwise blatantly vocal and distinctively mass-mobilizing government of India is suddenly in the most subdued self after its proclaimed victory over the deathly virus; participation in uncontrolled election rallies; and permitting maha melas. The stalwarts are in the hiding, while helpless citizens – who voted them into power not once but in landslide victories twice – are dying due to lack of oxygen, poor – unavailable – medical facilities, and the denial stance of the ignorant in the helm.

Drawing a comparison between the fatal coronavirus and the mismanagement of the entire situation by the appalling government; a Himachali folk artist has released a factually appropriate lyrical satire that will tickle your mind and leave you to imagine what has brought this catastrophe onto us. The song is written by Rameshwar Sharma and music by Lalit Sauta. 

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