Durga Temple at Kuldabi Sunderbani

Durga Temple at Kuldabi (Sunderbani) is an ancient temple. It is situated at a distance of about 15 Km from Sunderbani town. One has to travel in a Mini Bus via Baja Bain to cover 12 Km and to walk on foot about 2 to 3 Km from Dhok Banyar to reach the temple. However, now a 5 km new road is being constructed under PMGSY from Kalideh to Kuldabi. With the result, the distance from Sunderbani to Kuldabi will be shortened to only 9 Km. On foot journey will hardly be one (1) km.

It is believed that this temple was constructed in the sixteenth century. But there is no evidence about it. It was built with stones and its height was only 12 feet. Now it has been reconstructed and renovated without displacing the original idols of Maa Durga. It has three idols carved on flat stones and have been fixed on the uplifted base. These were built by an expert architect with great care. There three are the idols of Mahakali, Mahaluxmi and Maharaswati. While reconstructing the temple, these idols were not disturbed including the base. These are in the original position, shape and size. The temple has been erected to a significant height with Parikarma attached to it. These carved idols are now painted with different colours making them more attractive. These were painted by a Sadhu with suitable colours, he came here and stayed for few months. He was a good painter as well. He may be a painter turned sadhu. He also painted the pictures of Mahalaxmi and the lion of Maa Durga on the walls of the temple in addition to other paintings.

There is also an idol of Baba Bhairo Nath installed in small temple type housing on the south side of the Temple. The devotees have darshan of Baba Bhairo Nath after worshiping Maa Durga.

It is a holy place of Hindus. The people throng this temple on every Sunday and Tuesday. The devotees are blessed by Maa Durga. The devotees pray for their wishes and these are fulfilled. Many of them are graced with blessings and have turned prosperous. They pray for getting job, for success of their children in various exams and for getting seats in different technical and medical colleges for their wards. Childless couples pray to get issues. Many devotees are get benefitted in one way or the other with the blessings of Maa Durga.

This temple was reconstructed and renovated in 2002-03. It was reopened in 2003 for Darshan on Jyashat Shukla Ashtami (Month of May) after performing Havan and Puja amidst Vedic Mantras followed by Bhandara. Now a Bhandara is being organised every year on Jyashat Shukla Ashtami. This year it was performed on 29th of May 2012. The devotees from Sunderbani, Akhnoor, Nowshera, Rajouri and Jammu attend the function every year.

In Navratras the people of surrounding villages throng this temple and pray for peace, prosperity and satisfaction. Havan is performed and Bhandara is organised on Ram Navmi, the last day of Navratras.

A kitchen has been constructed for this purpose in the premises of the temple. The temple has some kanals of land attached to it. It can be developed as a religious and tourist spot of Tourism Deptt comes to help.
At present the maintenance of the temple is being looked after by a Khajuria (Brahmin) family of Dhok-Banyad whose head of the family performs the puja and acts as Pujari (the Priest). This family is looking after the temple from the ancient times. But family members could not tell the exact year of its construction. Only some elders of this locality narrate the sixteenth century as the period of its construction.
This temple is a symbol of communal-harmony and brotherhood.

By Madan Mohan Sharma

Dharpur in Sunderbani

The Village is situated at a hill top of Barnara, 15 kms away from Tehsil headquarter Sunderbani. The village is covered with dense forest and wild animals like leopard, apes, peacocks, ostriches, snakes etc. The village has historical and social importance as it was a place visited by deities (Devi and Devatas) of Chelda Bradri. After every six months, a Mela congregation is organized in the village and about 15000-20000 people participate in it.

A beautiful temple of Bua Datti known for its faith & rituals is also located in the area which gives the pleasant view of low lying areas abounding with natural waterfalls.

The village is on the hilltop and many low lying areas and villages like Bahmbla, Nahoti, etc are visible from here. It has a natural catchment and feasibility for Tourism. Having serene surroundings, huts can be constructed on hill to add to the beauty of village.

Reach: The place is merely 10-12 kms away from Tehsil. Sunderbani. The main drawback of the non-development of such hilly places is that Government only approves schemes/ projects in such areas but the corrupt employees and contractors befool the people and make its limitation only in papers. 

Habitation: There are a total numbers of 13 families in the village. There are no basic facilities of education, health, water sanitation and road connectivity to this village. The children also face problems to reach their schools. Also, a dozen of the families belonging to nomadic tribes have been totally deprived of their basic privileges for their survival.

School: There is only one school located at a distance of 3½ kilometers from the hilltop to the downwards in Barnara. The students have to descend this hilly and tough terrain to reach the school. 

Atta Chakki: There is no Atta Chakki in the village. The habitants have to get grinded the maize/wheat grains and have to walk a distance of 3½ kms downwards in this hilly area. The pathway is such a slant and kachha that nobody can go ahead a single step even empty handed. They face trouble to fulfill their day to day needs. 

Water :Presently village is having a few natural resources of water and the same is being supplied to Langar, Nohti, Baranara areas. The water tank constructed by P.H.E. Department in the last decade is in wretched condition and still not functional. Also there is no maintenance of the natural resources. These natural springs are on verge of dryness. In summer, the habitants are fully dependent on these natural resources but due to lack of regular maintenance of these resources crisis can be foreseen in the area. Proper maintenance of these resources is urgently needed lest the habitants of the village face water scarcity problem.

Electricity: The village is having electricity facility but there is no regular maintenance of its utility. In case of sudden curtailment or any fault no employee bothers to visit the area to redress the grievances of people and restore the same well in time.

Road Connectivity: The village is located about 1.5 kilometers away from link road (Bambla-Nahoti) and people have to cover this distance on foot through dense forest. Although a project is already under process by P.W.D. for construction of the road but no action has been initiated so far. As the roads are being considered most urgent part of development of any area, the people living here are facing problems due to the non availability of the road and deprivation of their mobility and basic amenities.

Health Centre: The village is having no medical centre. The nearest health centre is about 5 kms from the village. For vaccination of children, the women have to cover this distance on foot. No vaccination camp has ever been organized by Health department in the locality. 

Aaganwari Centre: There are kids in the village and it is difficult for parents to send them through the dense forest for schooling. In this case there becomes a feasibility of Aganwari Centre in the village. The availability of Centre will help these kids for getting the nutrition and education in the school. 

Agriculture: There is a stretch of approx 400 kanals of agricultural land in the village but due to non-availability of road connectivity just 25% to 30% area is cultivated and low yield of food grains is obtained which is not sufficient to meet the daily requirements of area. Out of this land 35% is fertile land to be used for agricultural purpose. The major crops cultivated are maize, wheat, mustard, pulses etc. The people use to plough in the fields using bulls as there is no road and thus having no facility of tractors. 

Horticulture: The climatic condition of the area is favourable for growing fruit trees like mango, Apricot, lemon, apple, Guava, Orange etc. This will increase the income sources of the people but this section is totally neglected. If the area is extended with the facility through Horticulture department and come up with some new schemes it is sure that there would be upliftment in living standard and boosting in economical conditions. 

Medicinal Plants: The Place is full of Medicinal plants like Amla, Harida, Khar, Aloe Vera etc.

In present era, everything is possible but there is only lack of initiative, priorities and a strong will to proceed with multi projects which are an essential ingredient to boost the development process and benefits of the schemes to the common rural folk without any discrimination and deprivation of their basic and fundamental rights. India in real sense can feel pride when the development reaches to a poor man living in the remote corners of the country. I am sure, with zeal and zest, everything is possible for the development of rural areas of country.

But it is unfortunate that the people of this village are living a life which deprives them of the basic facilities like water, electricity, health care facilities, education, road connectivity and other utility etc. 

In the era of 21st century when Man is going to construct structures on Moon and everything has become possible due to advent of computers, the habitants of this village are not having a school, a healthcare centre or any other government facility.

Despite having these problems, people have not been included under SRO 294 and are being considered as "forward". Thus they are denied their basic rights of reservation for backward classes under this SRO which could have been easily extended to the natives of this small village.