Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha left officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) fuming after he performed prayers at the ruins of the eighth-century ancient Martand Sun temple at Mattan in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
In the past three days, this has been the second religious ceremony held at the ASI-protected “site of national importance”.
As a norm, no religious prayers are held at the ASI-protected sites across India unless it is an operational place of worship, said a senior ASI official, on condition of anonymity.
“We received a communication from the Anantnag deputy commissioner that L-G Sinha was visiting the Martand Sun temple on Sunday. We were asked to keep the area neat and clean and there was no mention of any prayers to be held,” he said.
A former ASI official said prayers were allowed only at protected sites which were functioning places of worship at the time the ASI took charge of them.
He gave examples of Jamia mosque, Srinagar, and Fatehpur Sikri mosque, which were taken over by the ASI when they were functioning places of worship.
According to Rule 7(1) of the 1959 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, meetings, receptions, parties, entertainment or conferences could not be held at a protected monument without permission in writing from the central government. Rule 7(2) says this should not apply to any event held “in pursuance of a recognised religious usage or custom”.
The former ASI official said successive governments in the past had adopted the practice of not permitting religious activities at the ASI-protected sites that were not functional places of worship.
“In the current circumstance in Jammu and Kashmir, I don’t think anyone in the ASI could say no to the L-G,” he said.
Sinha on Sunday visited Anantnag and took part in the auspicious ‘Navgrah Ashtamangalam puja’ at the ancient Martand Sun temple in Mattan, read a government press release.
The local police had been informed that prayers were “forcibly” held at the temple even as the ASI officials had objected to it, the ASI official said.
“The saints who had come from Tamil Nadu and other places forced us to allow prayers inside the main temple despite objections,” he said.
He said the Director General of the ASI had been informed about the violations that happened at the protected monument.
The puja was held in the presence of saints, members of Kashmiri Pandit community and locals.
The Martand temple is the oldest of the Sun temples in India and a symbol of invaluable ancient spiritual heritage.
After the prayers, Sinha said the government is committed to protecting and developing ancient sites of cultural and spiritual significance.
Former BJP legislator Surinder Ambardar and prominent saints from different regions of the country were present on the occasion.
Sinha was accompanied by Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Pandurang K Pole, Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar, and Anantnag DC Piyush Singla.
Hindu groups had been pressing for opening the temple for worship.