Ashish Parashar, alumnus of Saraswati Shishu Mandir Shaganj Agra, takes up the inititiave to renovate Malla ka Chabutra cremation ground

By going to the Shakhas of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and being in the company of the people associated with the Sangh, I felt within myself the desire to do something for the nation and the society.

There are 5 big cremation grounds located in Agra, one of which is Malla ka Chabutra cremation ground, which is situated in the very center of the city, but due to lack of proper care, it became famous by the name of Mal Ka Chabutra.

It is built on about 10000 meters of space, out of which about 90% of the space was impossible to use due to unauthorized tombs and garbage piles and it had become a favorite place of the undesirables of the area.

Because it is the responsibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party councilor and this place comes in my own area and due to working in many multinational companies after completing education from Shishu Mandir in my childhood and later higher education, there was a feeling of doing something new and challenging in the mind.

Associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, our Pranta Prachar Pramukh Shri Keshav Dev Sharma ji and Pranta Karyakarini Sadasya Shri Ashok Kulshrestha ji, recognizing my curiosity to do something for the society, inspired me to renovate the platform of Malla.

One had to go here only when someone died in the area, but for the first time on June 1, 2020, I entered this campus with the dream of renovation. The heart trembled as soon as I entered, there was a pile of filth all around, a raw drain passing right in the middle of the premises and unauthorized construction, but the mind for renovation was made, so I started preparing a blueprint for renovation.

In this sequence, on July 24, 2020, a letter was given to Mr. Naveen Jain, the famous mayor of Agra, for cleaning the cremation ground. Cleaning work started and about 147 dumpers of waste came out. Taking the work forward, after mutual consultation, a tree plantation program was decided here. And then on September 1, 2020, the tree plantation program was completed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Sanjojak (Environmental Activity) Shri Rakesh Jain ji and Prant Pracharak Sri Harish Rautela ji.

On this historic day, our Mayor Naveen Jain announced the construction of an electric crematorium, a paved drain and a satsang building in this complex. And then the country was hit by Coronavirus and we got involved in various aid related arrangements here and the renovation work stopped.

But during this period, after a lot of brainstorming that this cremation ground should be completely renovated, for the first time under the cooperation of the society and the government (PPP model), its complete blueprint was made and with the support of the respected members and prominent people of all the society, on March 1, 2021, Satyavadi Raja Harishchandra Moksh Dham Renovation Committee was registered. 

As soon as the effect of the first wave of Corona subsided, on June 26, 2021, the foundation stone of this work was laid by Shriman Mahendraji Bhai Saheb, Kshetra Pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, West Uttar Pradesh.

After this the most important work was the displacement of the mausoleums built here. In this work, the members of the committee and especially the Sah-Sachiv Shi Rakesh Jatav ji went door-to-door to inquire about the mausoleums built there and agreed to co-operate in the displacement and restoration work of the mausoleums.

After this, in the first week of December, a three-day program was prepared for the displacement of the mausoleum, in which a Havan was performed on the first day, worship at Kachla Ghat (Kasganj) on the second day and on the third day, Havan was performed by taking the soil of the mausoleums in the mausoleum made with the help of the society.

After that, the caravan of work started, as soon as the santions were done by the government. It was inaugurated on November 15, 2022 by Shri Harish Rautela, the Pranta Pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Seeing this whole work, respected people and social organizations came forward and appealed for cooperation to build two gates in the premises, construction of temple, construction of pyau, construction of place for dead body etc. Regular visit were done to see the restoration work done by the government and society. 

Respected members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Shri Suresh ji (Akhik Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh), Shri Pramod Chauhan ji (Prant Sampark Pramukh), Shri Satish Agarwal ji, Shri Vijay Goel ji (Vivag Sah-Sangh Chalak), Shri Pankaj Khandelwal ji (Vivag Karyavah) and the movement and guidance of social workers Shri Sunil Vikal ji (Chairman Kshetra Bajaja), Shri Ashok Goyal ji, Mukesh Jain ji, RK Nayyar, HS Mann, etc. and their appreciation boosts our morale.

An electric crematorium is going to be established here soon, for the use of which a resolution letter will be filled from house to house so that the environment can be protected and people can lead a healthy life.