Floods ravage cremation ground  in Jammu, ashes of four cremated bodies washed away

Jammu, Sep 5 (PTI) With the ashes of four people getting washed away along with most of the goods of the oldest Jogi Gate cremation ground in Jammu city during the floods of the river Tawi, the management has made an urgent call to volunteers and the public to come forward with manpower and financial support to rebuild 'Swarag Dhaam'.

The Swarag Dhaam, with its several ghats, temples and spaces for meditation, rituals and prayers, was converted by the floodwaters into a mound of debris and silt. The floodwaters not only damaged infrastructure but also washed away the ashes of the cremated bodies.

Scores of workers, labourers and machines are working tirelessly to clear six to eight feet of muck, debris and damaged structures at the ghat, located on the banks of the river Tawi, named Surya Putri, for the past four days.

"We urge people and volunteers to come forward to support in the clearance of muck and debris besides rebuilding the Swarag Dhaam back to its operation," Seva Samiti general secretary Rakesh Kumar Sharma told PTI.

He said the Samiti needs financial support to restore and rebuild the place.

The floodwaters tore through the Tawi-facing wall of the cremation shed, damaging several other concrete structures for cremations, ghats, wood banks, temples, carriage vehicles, benches, records and other utilities and office materials on August 26, he said.

"There is huge silt, muck and debris all over the place, including temples of Shiva, Brahma, Vaishno and Maha Kali buried under them," he said.

"We require a large number of volunteers and labourers to clear the area. Despite several JCBs working on it, it is difficult to clear the site. We need labourers to manually clear it," Sharma added.

With most people in the locality either sleeping or preparing to rest, the Jogi Gate temple management had kept a close watch on the gushing river while the cremations of Pritam Chand of Hari Nagar, Anil Kumar Puri of Janipur, Veeran Wali of Rehari Colony and Kiran Bamba of Resham Ghar Colony were underway, to ensure that the ravaging river did not wash away the ashes of the departed.

"But in a sudden rush of water, these were washed away, leaving behind a thick sheet of muck over the cremation platforms," he said, adding, "We had informed the families to collect them, but by the time they arrived, the waters had swollen further." However, six other pots of ash kept in the locker were saved from getting washed, he said.

Vinod Sharma, a caretaker at the temple, said the shed was inundated during the devastating 2014 floods as well, but the river swelled 12 feet higher this year.

"I have never seen the river reaching these heights before," he said, unable to confirm whether ashes had been lost in the 2014 deluge that caused widespread destruction. PTI AB KSS KSS