Sambhal: For the first time in 46 years, a 'bhandara' (community meal) was organised in the recently discovered Kartikeya Mahadev temple in Khaggu Sarai of Nakhasa in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district.
A large number of devotees gathered at the temple to offer prayers and then collected 'prasad' at this bhandara on Saturday. Ever since the temple was reopened on December 14, rituals, including aarti, are being continuously performed here. Also, devotees are coming to this temple daily to worship. On Saturday, after performing bhajan-kirtan and a maha aarti, a bhandara was organised here. Bhog was offered to Lord Bholenath and then prasad was distributed to devotees.
The police and administration reopened the Kartikeya Mahadev temple, which had been shut since 1978, after stumbling upon a covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive. After which, the temple was cleaned and idols of Lord Hanuman and Shiva were found inside it. Then, a well was spotted in the temple premises and efforts were initiated to excavate it. During which, three damaged idols of Parvati, Ganesh and Lakshmi were found about 15 to 20 feet inside the well.
The DM had written to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) requesting carbon dating for the idols to determine their age. Earlier on Friday, a team of ASI officials reached Sambhal and conducted surveys at five pilgrimage sites, including the Kartikeya Mahadev temple, and 19 wells. The survey had continued for over nine hours.
Notably, this temple is located in Mohalla Khaggu Sarai, which falls in the constituency of SP MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq.
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