9 day 'Yagya' to be organised in Kargil from July 18

Jammu, June 21: A nine-day 'Maha Yagya' and 'Sarvdharm poja', being organised to commemorate more than 500 martyrs who sacrified their lives during the Kargil War, will begin at the Drass sector in Kargil on July 18.

The 'Yagya' also marks the seventh anniversary of the 'Operation Vijay', which was launched by the Indian Army to evict intruders from Drass sector in Kargil in 1999.

Talking to reporters in a press conference here today, Swami Balak Yogeshwar Das said large number of people, including 200 martyrs' families from all religions, will also take part in the 'Maha Yagya'.

He said that the 'Yagya', being organised by the 'Atimaha Vishnu Yagya Samiti'--a religious trust working for the promotion of communal harmony, will comprise a ''Hawan,'' recitations from the Bhagvad Gita, the Quran, the Bible, Guru Granth Sahib and Buddhist prayers.

The 'Yagya' will be held at near Tiger Hill, Batra Top, Battalik Hill and Tololing Hill-- which witnessed to fierce struggles between the Indian Army and Pakistan-sponsored intruders.

Families of 'Parmveer Chakra' winners, Captain Vikram Batra (from Himachal Pradesh) and lieutenant Manoj Pandey (from Uttaranchal) and Army Sena medalist Major Ajay Singh Jasrotiya (from Jammu and Kashmir) would also participate in the function.

The Swami has appealed to every Indian citizen to light a lamp on July 26 in the memories of the jawans.

UNI