Vicharnag Temple Reconstruction Praised, But Community Seeks Greater Role in Management

Jammu, July 23, 2025: A meeting of prominent Kashmiri Pandits was held today under the chairmanship of Shri M.K. Yogi, General Secretary of Vishva Kashmiri Samaj, to discuss in detail the affairs relating to the historic Vicharnag temple. While the members expressed profound appreciation for the recent initiation of development work at the holy site, they also voiced concerns about the need for greater community involvement in the project’s oversight and future management. The gathering lauded the efforts of Chief Secretary Shri Atal Dulloo for laying the foundation stone for the new Vicharnag premises, a project backed by a significant government grant of five crore rupees.

The Vicharnag temple holds immense religious and cultural significance as a traditional pilgrimage center for Kashmiri Pandits, who for generations would gather in thousands to pay obeisance to the deity on the auspicious eve of Chaitra Navratra. The members lamented that over the last thirty five years, the sacred site has unfortunately suffered from encroachment and a severe lack of proper maintenance and protection. In this context, the government’s initiative for the reconstruction is seen as a monumental and welcome step. However, the attendees felt it was desirable that prominent Kashmiri community stalwarts such as Shri Kuldeep Khoda, Dr. Ashok Bhan, Swami Kumar Ji, Professor Ashok Aima, Professor A.N. Sadhu, Shri Raj Nehru, Shri Sushil Wattal, Shri Ashwani Kumar, and Shri Anil Bhat should have been formally invited to the foundation stone laying ceremony. Their presence, it was felt, would have been graceful and prestigious for the entire community. While acknowledging that this may not have happened for some reason, the members strongly put forth the suggestion that these, and other similar community members, must be actively involved in the management of the temple both during its reconstruction and after its completion.

The meeting also served as a platform to articulate several key demands essential for the temple’s sanctity and security. The members called for the immediate eviction of all encroachers from the temple lands and the deployment of permanent security personnel at the site. They also stressed the need for assured and safe arrangements to facilitate the pilgrimage of devotees on all auspicious occasions. Furthermore, the meeting called for bringing the Vicharnag temple onto the official tourist map of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and reiterated the long-pending demand for the passing of the Hindu Temples and Shrines Bill without any further delay.

The committee took the opportunity to express its deep gratefulness to the Honorable Governor of Haryana, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya; the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha; and Vishva Kashmiri Samaj Convener Shri Kiran Wattal and Shri Raj Nehru for their active and instrumental roles. It was at a Navreh function last year, organized with their support, that the Honorable Governor of Haryana had announced he would take up the matter of allotting funds for the development of this five thousand one hundred year old holy temple. The significant gathering was attended by members of various sanasthas including Shri Ravi Ji Jogi, Dr. M.K. Razdan, Shri Kuldeep Raina, Shri U.K. Handoo, Shri B.L. Jalali, Shri Sanjay Tickoo, Shri Sanjay Raina, Dr. T.K. Bhat, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Bhat, Shri Ramesh Kumar Jaad (Bhat), Shri Kamal Krishan Ganjoo, Shri Ashwani Bhat, Shri Shuban Krishan Bhat, Shri Krishan Ji Koul, Shri M.K. Bhat, Shri Ashok Kumar Dhar, Shri Anil Bhan, Shri Sunil Pandita, Shri Tej Krishan Dhar, and Shri M.K. Raina.