J&K Dharmarth Trust celebrates 201st Raj Tilak Divas of Maharaja Gulab Singh 

AKHNOOR, June 17: J&K Dharmarth Trust today paid glorious tributes to the great Maharaja of J&K, Gulab Singh while celebrating his 201^st Coronation Day at Jia Pota Ghat in Akhnoor.

On the occasion, Brig (Retd) J.S Rajput, Member Secretary Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Trust, Varinder Singh Jamwal, Additional Secretary of J&K Dharmarth Trust, Sham Lal Sharma, former minister, Bharat Bhushan Bodhi, Chairman DDC Jammu, Suraj Singh Bhau, Vice Chairman DDC Jammu, Col JP Singh, KP Singh, Sunaina Mehta Joint Director Tourism, Jammu, Brig (Retd) R S Jamwal and Members of Yuva Rajput Sabha were also present.

Pertinent to mention here that on June 17, 1822, Maharaja Ranjit Singh administered the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh, who then became the first King of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State and substantially contributed in its development and ensured public welfare.

The function commenced with paying of the floral tributes to Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharaja Gulab Singh. Brig (Retd) J.S Rajput performed the Main Pooja on behalf of the Royal Family amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras by the priests of the Trust.

Speaking on the occasion, Brig J.S Rajput said that the contribution of founder of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Gulab Singh is unimaginably significant because unlike other rulers who changed boundaries of the country from within, this great monarch expanded India far and wide by conquering parts of China, Tibet and even Afghanistan.

While dwelling on the contributions of Maharaja Gulab Singh, he said that the great king was not only the warrior and able administrator but also a secular person as there was complete freedom of worship during his regime. He said that Maharaja Gulab Singh never forgot his roots and was approachable by his ‘Praja’.

“The Maharaja abolished the system of bonded labour and also banned Sati Pratha and female infanticide. He re-organised the industry in Kashmir valley and introduced a new law providing relief to the workers besides rationalizing the system of taxation”, he maintained, adding that the contributions made by the founder of Dogra dynasty are immaculate and remarkable which make people of J&K to feel proud and contented.

Later, Halwa Prasad was also distributed among the participants.