Katra | Jammu | 18-11-2011 :: Vaishno Devi temple is nearly an assumed million year old that was studied by geologists. It is not possible to predict the exact age of the temple. Vaishno Devi temple is not mentioned in the Rig Vedas, but mountain T rikoot is mentioned in the Vedas. The worshiping of Shakti started in Puranic period. The first mention of Maa Shakti (Mahamaya Shakti – Supreme Mother Power) is in Mahabharata. This was mentioned by Arjun when he prayed to Mother Goddess on advise of Krishna he said “Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye”. This means prayer to Shakti who resides in the mountains of Jamboo. So we can assume that this is the reference to Vaishno Devi temple, which is located in Jammu. May be, Jammu in old times was called as Jamboo.
It is also believed that Pandavas were the first to construct temple of Goddess adjacent to the Trikoot Mountain and the five stones inside Vaishno Devi temple is said to be symbols of Five Pandavas. Oldest reference for Vaishno Devi temple is when Guru Govind Singh goes there from Purmandal. Purmandal is a pilgrimage center which has an old foot track for Vaishno Devi temple. Vaishno Devi temple is believed to be the place where skull of Sati fell. Some do believe that right arm of Sati felled here and Vaishno Devi temple also have the stone shaped human hand called as Varad Hast which means “the hand that gives blessings”.
This cave temple has a very popular following from people of all faiths. Among the most revered of shrines, and the oldest in the region, it entails a 13.5 km trek from Katra which in turn is 50 km from Jammu. The route up to the shrine consists of both tiled paths as well as st eep staircases, and the devout often walk bare-feet up the Trikuta Mountain. Several shrines, wayside stalls for snacks and beverages and water-points dot the route. An important temple, midway at Adhkunwari, marks a major center of obeisance where the goddess is supposed to have spent nine months on her journey up the mountain.
But in the name of Development and procurement of magnesium ore from Trikuta Hill of the Shivalic range with in the periphery of Trikuta wildlife sanctuary, the Central Govt. and other related bodies have given the nod for magnesium mining out of a conspiracy hatched by Vatican Operator Sonia Maino Gandhi and the Pak operators with Omar Abdullah.
Actually, the Jammu and Kashmir government's proposal for mining 12,40,000 tonne per annum of high-grade magnesium deposit in land owned by the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board near the pilgrimage site, and setting up of a 30,000-tonne per annum magnesium plant have got the Centre's nod.
The go-ahead came after the state government advocated a proposal to de-notify the 31.40sq km Trikuta wildlife sanctuary in the vicinity of the project site, and the Union environment ministry ratified it in April.
The existence of the wildlife sanctuary nearby had made it mandatory for the state to approach the National Wildlife Board's standing committee seeking clearance for mining. Supreme Court orders require that all projects falling within a 10-km radius of any wildlife sanctuary or national park be cleare d by the standing committee of the PM-chaired NWB.
In a two-pronged move, the state government first asked for the sanctuary to be de-notified in April. The NWB's standing committee permitted the de-notification of the sanctuary with a rider: the state government should notify twice the area elsewhere as a sanctuary. Then, in October the state government moved another proposal to set up mining operations near the delisted sanctuary.
Minutes of the April meeting of the standing committee record that the state board for wildlife and the state's chief wildlife warden had recommended the proposal.
However, some non-official members on the standing committee objected to it. Prerna Singh Bindra, one such member, said: "This de-notification sets a bad precedent." But after the meeting of the standing committee in October last, it is found that the proposal was to mine in non-forest private land under the ownership of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Mining was proposed for only 17.92 ha out of a total mine lease area of 485.30 ha of private land. The lease agreement is between the shrine board and the Jammu and Kashmir Mineral Development Corporation. The proposal was cleared by the state wildlife board and the state's chief wildlife warden, and did not require any felling of trees. J&K chief wildlife warden said at the meeting that the state government had already started the process of identifica tion of areas to be notified as new sanctuary in lieu of Trikuta Wildlife Sanctuary.
As a matter of fact, Omar Abdullah is hatching plans to destroy the famous Vaishno Devi temple. Plans have been made to start mining activity very near to the sacred Temple. The crooks have managed to secure a no objection from the Ministry of Environment. All Hindus should unite against this diabolical move to destroy the environment surrounding Vaishno Devi temple. It will not be a surprise if some extremist elements use the mining route to destroy the temple itself. Militants are trying to evict all Hindus from J&K. The pilgrimage centers are enabling Hindus to unite and resist the militants in J&K. The diabolical idea is to pollute the surroundings and eventually destroy the temple itself so that pilgrimages to Vaishno Devi temple ceases. It is our appeal to all Hindu brothers and sisters and the Hindu organizations to join and start a movement to stop this dangerous mining project. We should also approach the Supreme Court to get a stay against the Central and J&K government's ill motives to this age old Hindu Shrine of Vashno Devi, which is still disseminating its power to keep Hindu vibes in J&K against the total aggression by the Islamists and the Chinese. Omar has to be kept under watch. He wants to withdraw AFSPA (Armed forces Special Powers Act 1958), start mining activity arou nd sacred Hindu pilgrimage centers, dilute vigilance on borders, what is the deep rooted plan? The Christian lobby in New Delhi and the Pakistan lobby in Srinagar are always trying to offer J&K to Pakistan in a designer platter.
If a huge oil reserve is found under the Jama Masjid in New Delhi or Gold reserve is found under the Azmir Shariff, do the Govt. give a nod to start the related projects there ? Govt. Should rethink as our magnesium reserves and the resource is not in a acute crisis at all or the Trikuta sourc e of magnesium is mot the last option to retain our industrial and economical development. But, Amarnath Yatra and Vaishno Devi Darshan in J&K are the retaining Life Line of integrity and the existence of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India most practically and surest possibility.
STOP MAGNESIUM MINING AT VAISHNOMATA TEMPLE SITE AND SAVE JAMMU & KASHMIR AND HINDUTVA IN BHARAT.
