AKHNOOR, June 17
To mark the celebrations of 199th Coronation Day (Raj Tilak Divas) of Maharaja Gulab Singh, J&K Dharmarth Trust organized a simple but impressive function on the right Bank of River Chenab, Jeo Pota Ghat, in Akhnoor on Wednesday, abiding by the social distancing and other norms.
On this day, Maharaja Gulab Singh was administered ‘Raj Tilak’ by the Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh at ‘Jeo Pota Ghat’ on June 17, 1822 AD and became the first Maharaja (King) of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State. He is also the founder of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State.
The function started with the offerings of floral tributes by Mubarak Singh, President of the Trust to the portrait of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Raja Gualb Singh.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, a good number of prominent persons enthusiastically attended the programme while observing the social distancing. The gathering as usual would have been much higher with excellent participation but due to this pandemic the event was marked with low key.
The picture portrays the ceremony in which, ‘the Lion of Punjab’, himself applied Raj Tilak to his most trusted Dogra General Gulab Singh and appointed him Maharaja of Jammu on this day. Priests of the Trust performed the rituals amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras.
‘Jeo Pota Ghat’ is one of the many Ghats situated on the right bank of mighty River Chenab, the other being Pehra, Gurgi Pattan and Harmandar (named after Hari Mandir) situated downstream. The Ghat got its name from the ‘Jeo Pota’ tree the botanical name of which is ‘Putranjiva Roxburghii’ of Euphorbiaceae family under the shade of which the Raj Tilak ceremony of Maharaja Gulab Singh took place.
Paying rich tributes to Maharaj Gulab Singh, Mubarak Singh, President of the Trust recalled the laudable achievements of Maharaja Gulab Singh who is best known for extending boundaries of India outwards far & wide while rest of the great rulers / warriors of India fought within India and just about altered the boundaries whereas Maharaja Gulab Singh extended the Indian boundaries deep into areas ruled by Afghans, Tibetans and Chinese for which the people of J&K are very much proud.
Singh said that contribution of Maharaja for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir would remain incomparable in coming times. He described him as a visionary, brave and enterprising ruler who did justice to all and treated the public as his own family members. His memories shall remain evergreen in the minds of every person of J&K with great honour, he added.
Dr. Karan Singh, Chairman Trustee, in his message, complimented the organizers and the public for their participation in revival of Dogra heritage. He recalled the Dogra rulers for giving an efficient administrative system such as Jamabandi, Mandirs, Masjids and Gurdwaras with land, Sarais, Pathshalas, schools and dispensaries.
SDM Akhnoor, Gopal Singh; Dr Sat Pal, Secretary Dharmarth Trust and Varinder Singh Jamwal, Additional Secretary were also present.