Evacuation of Govindajee during WW-II commemorated
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 11 2014 :
During the Second World War, the sacred idol of Shree Shree Govindaji was evacuated from the Manipur Palace and premised for around 80 days at a Mandop situated at Uchekon in Imphal East.
The idol of the Govindaji was worshipped at the Mandop of late Gurumayum Tombi Sharma of Uchekon Laikon from 11th May to 30th July 1942.The day on which Govindajee idol entered the Radha Madhava Devata's temple was commemorated today at Uchekon Laikon in Imphal east under the aegis of 'Anisuba Lanjaoda Shree Shree Govindaji Lengthabiramba Ningsing Khubam Seva Committee' with a function marked by performance of Women Sankirtan presented by the All Manipur Rasesori Pala Marup.
MLA Thongju Assembly Constituency Thongam Biswajit, Retired IAS officer P.Bharat, Historian RK Jhalajit and President of Rasesori Pala Marup Dr.Ch.
Jamini Devi took part in the observance.
Debendrakumar Singh from Wangkhei Konsam Leikai Imphal, who had personally witnessed the evacuation of the Lord's idol during the 1942 war, also narrated the ordeal during the observance.
Reiterating the religious and historical importance of the site where the Lord took shelter for a brief period, Dr.Ch.
Jamini appealed to all concerned to extend possible assistance in erecting a 'Memorial Pillar' along with a Memorial Park to mark the historic event.
Continual bombings at Imphal during the Second World War compelled the then queen Shyamasakhi and her youngest son Ghanendrajit (Khedasana) to shift the Lord's idol to a safer place.
It was on 10th May 1942 that the idol of Shree Shree Govindaji was evacuated and kept at the Mandop of late Aribam Anou Sharma of Bamon Leikai for a night only to move to the temple at Uchekon Laikon the next day.
Shree Shree Govindajee was thus worshipped at the temple from 11th May 1942 for a brief period and restored to the palace temple on 30th July 1942 .
The Seva Committee is planning to develop the heritage site as a tourist centre.