To highlight their age old tradition, people of Bhadarwahcelebrated Subar Dhar Mela as a prelude to Baisakhi Festival, a symbol of NagCulture in mountainous Bhadarwah Valley with full religious fervor and gaiety.
Thousands of devotees paid obeisance at ancient Subar NagTemple located at a height of 12,000 feet from sea level, the doors (Kewaar) ofwhich were opened on Sunday on the eve of pre Baisakhi Festival celebration.
The ancient festival which marks the beginning of spring inthis hilly region, symbolising the ancient Naga cult of Bhadarwah is consideredthe first Bhaisakhi festival in the country, as in other parts of the state orelsewhere in the country, the spring festival will be celebrated tomorrow.
The traditional celebrations started early in morning withthe opening of the Kewaars of 700-year-old Subar Nag Temple at Subar Dhar area, 30 Km from Bhadarwahtown followed by sacrificing of Rams. Hundreds of Nag devotees converged athill top meadow surrounded with snow peaked mountains, after trekking 12 kmsteep hill to pay obeisance to the lord Subar Nag.
On this occasion, dozens of sheep were sacrificed as perancient custom.
Head priest of the historic temple said, “This festival hasnot only the religious importance but this is also the most ancient festival ofthis area. Devotees from the different parts of the valley arrive here withholy mace to have blessings of Lord Subhar Nag at this 700 years old temple,the Kewaars (Doors) of which were thrown open for the devotees this morning”.
According to reports, a total of 15,000 devotees had darshanat the ancient temple including 8,500 women and 6, 500 men devotees
Holy mace (Charri Mubarak) from Chinta , Shourara andBhalara reached the temple at 2 pm after which people started clebratingBasakhi festival with traditional Dekhu dance. Community food (Langar) wasserved to all the devotees by the volunteers of Chinta Village besideadministration had made adequate security arrangements for the safety ofdevotees.
However, some devotees expressed displeasure over “poor”facilities for the pilgrims, including shortage of drinking water facility androad connectivity issues. They appealed administration to provide properdrinking water facility in and around the temple.
“I came here for the first time. It’s really amazing toparticipate in the first Baisakhi Mela. Beside religious importance, this placehas got enough potential to be developed as a major attraction for pilgrimageas well as landscape tourism,” said a female devotee from Jammu, KamalKour, adding that there should be proper road connectivity and other facilitiesto attract more pilgrims.
Bhaderwah is famous for its unique Nag culture, ancienttemples and numerous high altitude pilgrimages, tourism players and pilgrimagetravel bloggers are of the opinion that Bhadarwah Valley, which is also knownas Nagbhomi, have got all the ingredients to attract pilgrims in large numbersround the year and have appealed to Bhadarwah Development Authority (BDA) andtourism department to showcase the potential of Bhadarwah to give boost to thetourism industry.
Meanwhile, a head priest died on the way to Subar Nag templein the morning.
According to SHO Bhaderwah, Munir Khan, Bodh Raj (70) son ofNand Lal of Himote, Bhadarwah died on the way to Subar Nag Temple at Sat Dallaat about 11 am due to heart attack.