Ganderbal, September 26: J&K Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi on Saturday said the renovated Rayil Ziyarat Sharief at Gund in Ganderbal district has been developed from scratch, describing its transformation as part of the Board’s wider effort to upgrade shrines and make them more welcoming for devotees.
Speaking to reporters after formally inaugurating the shrine, Andrabi said the condition of the shrine when the Waqf Board first visited the site had prompted the Board to undertake its complete reconstruction rather than merely an upgrade.
“When we came here for the first time, there was nothing here. The condition of the place was difficult to describe. We decided that this shrine should be developed and made worthy of the people associated with it,” she said.
Andrabi said the Board’s focus was not limited to construction but also aimed at providing devotees with a peaceful environment for worship and reflection.
She said facilities had been created for worshippers, including spaces for sitting and parks, while separate arrangements had also been made for the distribution of tabarruk, sadqa and nazr-o-niyaz.
Responding to a question about the recent controversy surrounding Tehri, Andrabi said there was “no controversy” over the practice and stressed that such traditions should be carried out respectfully at shrines.
“Without sadqa and nazr-o-niyaz, our lives are not complete. We should perform it every day and bring it to the Dargah. We have also created sheds where it can be distributed so that there is no disorder or disrespect,” she said.
On the development of other shrines under the Waqf Board, Andrabi said Waqf assets should be viewed as properties dedicated in the way of Allah and that their preservation and development was a collective responsibility.
“Whether it is a mosque, a Dargah or any other Waqf asset, it belongs to the people and is dedicated in the way of Allah. Everyone should contribute towards making these places better,” she said.
Andrabi said the Board had undertaken development works across several shrines since 2022 and credited Waqf officials, engineers, employees and public support for the progress.
“When we came in 2022, there was no planning. We worked day and night. Our officers, engineers and employees prepared plans from the beginning, and today you can see the work before you,” she said.
She also referred to former Chief Minister and Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s recent remarks about the need to develop Dargahs and Ziyarat sites as peaceful places for devotees.
Andrabi said the work carried out over the past four years had brought “some satisfaction”, while acknowledging that much more remained to be done.
Asked about the issue of restoration of statehood, Andrabi declined to comment in detail, saying her mandate was related to the Waqf Board and that she would not speak on a subject outside her domain.
