Twelfth-gen priest vows to remain at Dhaka temple amid violence | Dehradun Information

Shekhar Lal Goswami presents prayers at Sri Sri Siddheswari Kali Mandir in Dhaka on Friday (Left), Goswami (in blue) with college students on the temple in Dhaka (Proper)

DEHRADUN: Shekhar Lal Goswami, 73, a Twelfth era household priest of the over 5 centuries previous Sri Sri Siddheswari Kali Mandir located at a distinguished locality in Dhaka, says he gained’t budge amid all of the violence and experiences of assaults on the minorities in his nation. “I gained’t go away this temple come what could… I’ve seen worse,” Goswami advised TOI on Saturday.
The septuagenarian recalled the incidents when he was “kidnapped twice from the 583-year-old temple by Pakistani troops in 1971, earlier than occurring to hitch the Mukti Bahini power to combat within the liberation conflict, with the help of the Indian Military”.
“After I was kidnapped the primary time, I used to be round 20 years previous and was providing prayers in entrance of Maa Kali in a priest’s apparel. I used to be blindfolded and bundled right into a jeep by Pakistani troops. I’d then given up hope of returning. However they launched me. Eleven days later, the troops took me once more. They needed to make me flee my land… However then I got here again alive each occasions because of Maa Kali’s blessings,” stated Goswami.
The temple is at current being guarded by a gaggle of scholars together with members of the bulk neighborhood, who stated they’ve “vowed to guard the person and mandir.”