Jammu: To mark the World Heritage Week, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Jammu Chapter in collaboration with Dharmarth Trust and JMC’s Urban Forestry Division conducted maiden heritage walk, photo exhibition of heritage temple, cleanliness drive and tree & plants cutting and shaping activity here in historical Shri Raghunathji Temple.
The students of School of Hospitality & Tourism Management (SHTM)-University of Jammu and NSS students of GGM Science College participated in the event.
On the occasion, Advocate Ajay Gandotra, President J&K Dharmarth Trust, who was the Chief Guest, flagged off the heritage walk along with S.M Sahni (KAS Retd), Convener Intach Jammu Chapter, Dr C.M Seth Co Convenor Intach J&K, Ashok Kumar Sharma (SSP Retd) Secretary J&K Dharmarth Trust, Kirpal Singh Life Member INTACH, Dr Suvidha Khanna and Prof Deepali Mahajan senior faculty members.
The Temple Priests conducted a heritage walk and showed each and every part of Raghunath ji Temple which is the heritage temple of North India and is the pride of Jammu.
Welcoming the guests and participants including students, S.M Sahni briefed about the importance of Shri Raghunathji Temple as a heritage site and for being the biggest temple of undivided north Indian states. This religious destination was selected for organising the event to connect the younger generation with the most important heritage temple of Jammu–the City of Temples.
Dr CM Seth, in his address, explained about the architectural heritage of the temple complex with national heritage, trees, water bodies and the scientific approach adopted by the erstwhile rulers of Dogra dynasty while constructing this important temple. He also threw light on the vision of Maharajas to make Jammu as North India’s Kashi.
Addressing the students, Ajay Gandotra, President J&K Dharmarth Trust said that the Trust is managing about 114 temples in Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haridwar. He threw light on the role of Trust in preserving the rich cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
Later, an art workshop was conducted in which more than 100 heritage temples of J&K were showcased. Local craft was also displayed in which local folk handicraft works like Bina, Chabbri and other products were displayed to enrich the knowledge base of the students. Administrative Officer Dharmarth Trust, Manmohan Singh and Assistant Manager Raghunath ji Temple, Sandeep Kumar were also present.
