Vikramaditya takes stock of fire incident in Gulmarg Shiv temple

Gulmarg, June 06: Upon hearing about the devastating fire that engulfed the ancient Shiv Temple, commonly known as Maharani temple, in Gulmarg, Vikramaditya Singh, former MLC and trustee of the J&K Dharmarth Trust, immediately flew down to Srinagar and directly reached Gulmarg to take stock of the situation on Wednesday.

The fire incident has tragically reduced the historic structure to ashes.

This temple, constructed in 1915 by the late princess of Dharamkot state in Gujarat, the grandmother of Vikramaditya Singh, holds deep sentimental value for the royal family of Jammu and Kashmir.

The  Chairman Trustee, Dr Karan Singh ji, along with Trustees of the J&K Dharmarth Trust and members of the royal family, has expressed deep grief and anguish over this untoward incident. “The fire incident not only a significant loss to the cultural and religious landscape of the region but also a deep personal loss to the family,” he said.

During the visit, Additional Secretary, Consulting Engineer, and other officials of the Trust accompanied the Trustee.

Vikramaditya Singh conducted a detailed inspection of the damaged temple site and held discussions with DIG North Baramulla, Vivek Gupta, as well as local administration officials including the Tehsildar and SDPO to inquire about the cause of the fire. Although the official records from the Fire and Police Departments are yet to be received, preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.

The Trustee reiterated his profound sorrow and grief at the site of the charred remains of the temple. “This is not just a loss of a historic and religious monument, but a personal and family loss that affects us deeply,” he said, adding, “This temple, built by my late grandmother, was a testament to our heritage and faith.”

Vikramaditya Singh assured that the Trust would take full responsibility for the reconstruction of the temple, with plans to restore it to its original glory. He stated that the administration was very cooperative, and the reconstruction work would commence very soon. He directed the officials accompanied to clear the debris as soon as possible and make all possible efforts to complete the maximum reconstruction work before the forthcoming winter.

He mentioned that the chairman trustee had given clear instructions to prioritize the reconstruction of this temple. He also mentioned that the idols of deities damaged in the fire incident would be immersed in the Sindhu river after performing traditional rituals.

He urged the public not to pay attention to rumours and unconfirmed reports circulating on social media related to this unfortunate fire incident.