Insta
Centre To Spend Over Rs 84 Crore Under Swadesh Darshan Scheme For Development Of Ancient Religious Shrines In J&K
Swarajya Staff
Oct 14, 2019, 10:15 AM | Updated 10:15 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
More than Rs 84 crore will be spent for development of Sudh Mahadev and Mantalai - ancient religious monuments and temples in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a senior Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader said on Saturday (12 October).
BJP national vice-president and in-charge of J&K Avinash Rai Khanna said the Union tourism ministry under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme has sanctioned the "Integrated Development of Tourist facilities at Mantalai-Sudh Mahadev-Patnitop under Himalyan Circuit,” reports NDTV.
The highly revered Shud Mahadev temple is located at a distance of 42 km from Patnitop and 112 km from Jammu. Legend has it that after bathing at a spring called Gouri Kund, just short of Sudh Mahadev, the Goddess Parvati would worship the Shiv-ling here that is believed to be at least 3000 years old.
The temple also houses a black marble statue of local Shiva and Parvati along with a Trishul of Shiva.
A few kilometers further ahead of Sudh Mahadev is Mantalai (1450 meter) surrounded by lush deodar forests. As per legend ,it is the place where lord Shiva got married to goddess Parvati. An excursion through the woods to Naina Devi 5 km from Mantalai provides excellent views of the mountain landscape all round.
Khanna added that the project would not only attract tourists but will boost economy of the local populace.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.