Sita’s sanctuary suffers neglect
Ram Tirath Temple, also known as Bhagwan Valmiki Asthan, is one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimage sites in the holy city of Amritsar. Believed to have existed since the time of Ramayana, the site holds immense historical and religious importance.
Located around 12 km from Amritsar on the Amritsar-Chogawan road, it was said to be the hermitage of sage Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayana. According to various historical accounts, Sita took refuge here during her exile from Ayodhya and gave birth to her twin sons, Luv and Kush, at this very place. Sage Valmiki imparted education to the twins here, the site where he also penned the sacred epic, Ramayana.
To preserve the sanctity of this revered shrine, the then SAD-BJP government constructed a magnificent temple at a cost of Rs 115 crore. The temple was opened to the public in 2016, three years after its foundation stone was laid.
The temple is surrounded by a sacred sarovar, which is connected to the Parikrama via a wide bridge. In addition to this, around 11 acres of land were also developed in close proximity to the shrine. However, nearly a decade later, the temple is in urgent need of attention. With no maintenance operations undertaken, the sanctum sanctorum is now plagued with water leakage at multiple points.
“The current government has done nothing, while the complex is rapidly deteriorating due to lack of upkeep,” said Shashi Gill, president of the Paavan Valmiki Tirath Action Committee.
The temple complex includes the sarovar, which is is believed to have been dug by Lord Hanuman at the request of Sita, and several smaller temples . The temple complex also houses the Luv-Kush Pathshala and a historic baoli (stepwell) associated with Sita. In November every year, a 10-day fair is organised that draws a huge number of devotees who pay obeisance at this historic site.
Due to neglect, tiles have started coming off the walls and the water treatment plants of the sarovar are not functioning properly. The sound system in the temple has malfunctioned and the air conditioning units have been non-functional for a long time.
Kumar Darshan, chairman of the committee, alleged that the temple has not been provided with a dedicated power hotline. “Just like the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple, the government should provide a power hotline connection for Valimiki Tirath Asthan,” he added.
Although the government has formed and inducted new members in the Paavan Valmiki Tirath Asthan Shrine Board for the temple’s upkeep, the overall situation remains disheartening, he added.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the district administration has already written to the state government regarding the power hotline. She added that Lopoke Sub-Divisional Magistrate has been deputed to oversee and resolve the temple’s issues.
She added that several issues like salary disbursements, cleanliness of the sarovar and repair of bathrooms have already been resolved. “The administration will soon carry out nishandehi (demarcation) to remove any encroachments,” she said, adding that she has instructed the acting General Manager (GM) to inspect the malfunctioning sound system.
“We have requested the Tourism Department, which is the nodal agency for major funding, for permission to advertise for the post of GM so that routine operations can be handled efficiently. In the meantime, we have given the charge to the District Social Justice Officer,” she added.
Amritsar