Tribal Rung community object to installation of Lord Shiva, Nandi statue at Om Parvat
Tribal Rung community object to installation of Lord Shiva, Nandi statue at Om Parvat
B.D. Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, June 15
The tribal Rung community of Garbiyang village has refused to permit the installation of 3 tonne statue of ‘Lord Shiva’ and ‘Nandi’ in front of ‘Om Parvat’ in Vyans valley on Indo-China border in Pithoragarh district on the ground that they are nature worshipers and cannot permit installation of artificial statues in their land.
The ‘Adi Kailash 20-20 trust’ claiming to be working towards spreading Sanatan Dharma, has reached here to install these statues.
“Besides the violation of our believe of only worship natural statues, the installation of any artificial statues cannot be permitted on ‘Amawasya day; (June 15) and specially this year when a mega cultural festival, named ‘Jumli Hya Samo’, which is celebrated after every 2th year, is to be celebrated in Vyans valley this year,” said Prakash Gunjiyal, president of Rung Kalyan Sanstha.
“The said group, that had reached here to install statue of ‘Lord Shiva’ and ‘Nandi Maharaj’, without the permission of Rung Kalyan Sanstha and wanted to violate our believe of worshiping ‘Lord Shiva’ in it’s natural form, is trying to break our traditional believe, that cannot be tolerated,” said Prakash Gunjiyal, president of Rung Kalyan Sanstha, Dharchula, the representative body of Rung tribal people from all 3 tribal valleys of Vyans, Darma and Chaudans in Pithoragarh district.
The tribal cultural body chief said that the as soon as they got infortmation that some persons, wanted to install statues of ‘Lord Shiva’ at ‘OM Parwat’ in Vyans valley and have reached up to Garbadhar27 km beyond Dharchula and did not sought any permission from local tribal community, they objected to the administration and the local administration called back the vehicle that was carrying the statues to Dharchula.
” Even in future we will not permit such people who want to install artificial statues in places of tribal belief and help the hitherto serene land to become another Kedarnath,” said Prakash Gunjiyal.
Ashish Joshi, SDM of Dharchula said that when he got information that some people, wanted to install statues at ‘Om Parwat’ region and have not taken no objection certificate from concerned Gram sabha and Rung cultural association, we have called them back to Dharchula.
“It is matter between the Rung organisations and the concerned trust, the administration cannot give permission to the trust, until the concerned Gram sabha and tribal association gives them NOC,” said the SDM.
