Moradabad admin reopens temple closed ‘since 1980 violence’
In his application before the administration, one resident, Seva Ram, claimed that his ancestors had served as priests and caretakers of the temple, situated in the Nagfani area of the city.
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A large crowd gathered around the temple Monday to witness its reopening. THE MORADABAD district administration has reopened a century-old temple that is believed to have remained closed since 1980, when communal violence erupted in the city.
Gauri Shankar Temple is situated in the Nagfani area of the city. During restoration, the administration excavated the inner sanctum of the temple and claimed to have discovered some damaged idols of deities. Renovation work is underway, with plans to restore the temple to its “original state”.
A large crowd gathered around the temple Monday to witness its reopening. Police personnel have been deployed at the site to prevent any untoward incidents.
The entire process began after a resident, Seva Ram, claimed that his ancestors had served as priests and caretakers of the temple. He filed a complaint with the district administration and police on December 27 claiming that he had faced “threats” whenever he attempted to “reopen the temple” and urged them to take action. He further alleged that the land had been unlawfully encroached upon by a person who allegedly purchased the house next to the temple three years ago.
“In my complaint, I said that the temple had been closed since 1980 after the death of my grandfather, Ganga Saran, who was murdered during the riots. My family, along with seven others (family), who lived near the temple, moved to a different location due to threats from residents of another community. After we left, the temple was abandoned,” claimed 41-year-old Seva Ram.
Acting on the complaint, Moradabad District Magistrate Anuj Singh directed Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ram Mohan Meena to inspect the site and investigate the matter. “We consulted members of all communities and there was a consensus that the temple should be reopened. After receiving their agreement, we proceeded with the process,” the SDM said “We unlocked the temple, which had been closed for a long time, and excavated the inner sanctum. Inside, we discovered broken statues of deities…”
Seva Ram has provided the district administration with a purported 1950 map of the temple to help with the restoration.
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