Anantnag: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, today threw open the ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Uma Bhagwati for the devotees at Brariangan in Shangus Tehsil, Anantnag.
The temple has been reopened after a gap of nearly 34 years.
The Union Minister was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid, Senior Superintendent of Police Anantnag, Dr G V Sundeep Chakravarthy, officers from the district administration and office bearers of Uma Bhagwati Asthapan Trust.
During the re-opening ceremony, the idol of goddess Uma, brought from Rajasthan was placed in the sanctum sanctorum.
The Union Minister, while addressing the gathering of devotees, expressed confidence that a large number of devotees shall visit the temple on its re-opening. He said that the government’s commitment towards a developed J&K and the UTs own syncretic culture shall go a long way to develop J&K into a prosperous and peaceful region.
Notably, Uma Bhagwati temple at Brariangan is an ancient shrine where devotees used to come in large numbers from different parts of the J&K to pay obeisance to the Goddess. The temple is situated amidst five springs including “Brahma Kund, Vishnu Kund, Rudhra Kund and Shiv Shakti Kund”.
The idol of goddess Uma, which was brought from Rajasthan, was placed in the sanctum sanctorum amid chanting of religious hymns.
Locals, both Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims, expressed happiness over the restoration of the temple.
“We are here to help our Pandit brethren in whatever way possible,” local resident Gulzar Ahmad said, adding that he was happy that a religious function was held at the temple after 34 years.
