Spire of Khanqah-e-Moula shrine damaged in fire

Mehbooba orders safety audit of shrines

SRINAGAR: Kashmir's one of the most revered shrines, Khanqah-e-Moulla in Khanyar caught fire on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday resulting in the damage to the main minaret (spire). The rest of the building comprising of wooden marvel, however, remained untouched by the blaze.
The burning of the main minaret triggered emotional scenes at the premises of the shrine with many elderly, youth and women seen at the site in tearful eyes.
Meanwhile, the incident had Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti rushing to the spot in the afternoon after flying from Jammu, cancelling all her appointments in the winter capital.
After visiting the shrine, Mehbooba asked for immediate restoration work at the shrine, directing to complete it within the shortest period of time; while later in the day, while chairing a high level meeting, she directed the authorities to conduct a safety audit of all the shrines in the Valley.
As per the witnesses, the blaze occurred due to the lightening at 01:00 am in the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday.
Witnesses said that Parvez Ahmad, one among the Khadims (caretaker) who resides in the lawns of the shrine was the first who saw the blaze.
He came out from his house and called everyone to douse the fire, witnesses said.
They said that the fire tenders were immediately called to douse the flames.
As many as 22 fire tenders along with pumps were dispatched to the spot immediately to douse the flames, they said.
As soon as the fire incident occurred, hundreds of locals including men, women, youth rushed to the streets to battle the flames.
Witnesses said that hundreds of people living adjacent to the shrine came out from their residential houses to battle the flames.
Locals hailed the efforts of Fire and Emergency Services officials, saying that they did a wonderful job and doused the fire efficiently. "The employees risked their lives and managed to save the rest of building," locals said.
They said that the flames that started at 01:00 am ended at 04:30 am, leaving the minaret completely damaged.
Officials said that the cause of fire is being ascertained.
"We are accessing the damage caused due to the flames which occurred most likely due to lightening during the night," they said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti rushed to the spot in the afternoon after flying from Jammu and visited the shrine.
Cancelling all her engagements, Mehbooba Mufti air dashed to Srinagar early morning and straight away drove to the shrine of saint in the Shahr-i-Khaas.
The Chief Minister went round various areas of the shrine complex to assess the quantum of damage. She sought a detailed appraisal from the local administration regarding the fire incident.
Interacting with the members of the management committee and devotees, Mehbooba Mufti said the shrine of Hazrat Amir i Kabir (R.A.) symbolizes the pluralistic ethos of Kashmir society from which every citizen of the State draws spiritual solace.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the safety and protection of all the shrines of the Valley, the chief minister directed all the departments concerned, including the Wakf Board, Fire and Emergency Services, police and Srinagar Municipal Corporation to jointly conduct the safety audit and come up with precautionary measures to protect these places of reverence.
Mehbooba directed installation of fire hydrants, smoke alarms, CCTVs and other precautions to prevent occurrence of fire at any shrine in the state, an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said the chief minister, who is also the chairperson of the Wakf Board, directed immediate start of the restoration work at the Khanqah-i-Moula shrine and to complete it within the shortest period of time.
She asked the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to come up with the drawings within two days so that the restoration work is initiated.
"Money would be no constraint in the completion of the restoration works at the shrine, which she described as civilisational soul for the people of the state," she said.
Mehbooba said with the joint efforts of the local administration and the people of the area, the fire at the shrine complex was not let to spread.
She expressed appreciation for the local youth who came forward and prevented the fire from spreading while directing the local administration to prepare list of such volunteers so that they would be suitably rewarded.
Mehbooba was informed that regular prayers at the shrine would commence from Thursday after completing the cleaning, drying of the floor and laying of new furnishing at the shrine.
The chief minister also directed the concerned agencies to expedite the restoration works at the Dastageer Sahib shrine at Khanyar so that the devotees are facilitated at the earliest.
The INTACH and the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) offered to carry out the restoration work at the shrine free of cost in view of the importance of its for the people of the state.
The meeting decided that the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, would monitor and supervise the restoration works at the shrine personally to get these completed in time.
Meanwhile, other political leaders and Islamic clerics also visited the shrine.
Those who visited the shrine includes, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Minister for Education Syed Altaf Bukhari, MLA Khanyar, Ali Muhammad Sagar, MLC Khursheed Aalam and Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman and Jamia Masjid's head cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.