First, Srinagar recorded the coldest night in 30 years and became a winter wonderland. Now, the Shital Nath temple, closed due to militancy and outmigration of Hindus has once opened its doors to devotees after 31 long years. On the auspicious day of Basant Panchami, the temple situated in the Habba Kadal area reopened on February 16. Read on to find out more.
Revered Shital Nath Temple Of Srinagar Reopens Doors After 31 Years
Shital Nath Bhairav Mandir in Srinagar was burned down by militants in 1991. Militancy and outmigration of Hindus resulted in the temple doors staying shut for three decades. And now finally after 31 long years the revere Shital Nath temple has once again opened its doors to devotees. A devotee, Santhosh Razadan, who visited the temple to offer prayers stated that they received huge support from locals especially the Muslim community for the temple reopening. She stated to ANI, “Shital Nath temple reopened after 31 years. People used to come here before to offer prayers but it was closed due to militancy. Hindus residing near the temple had also left. Locals mostly belonging to the Muslim community helped us.”
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Jammu and Kashmir: Shital Nath temple in Habba Kadal area of Srinagar reopened after 31 years on the occasion of Basant Panchami yesterday.
"The temple was closed due to militancy and outmigration of Hindus. Today, we decided to offer puja here," a devote said. pic.twitter.com/iLkdtRC3Qh
— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2021
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Locals From Muslim Community Helped With Cleaning The Temple & Brought Puja Items
To mark the reopening of the temple, devotees performed a special pooja. Ravinder Razdan,one of the organizers of the Shital Nath temple pooja stated that the people from the Muslim community brought pooja items and even helped them to clean the temple. According to NDTV, Razdan stated, “Our Muslim brother and sisters brought pooja items. We used to do this pooja every year. Baba Sheetal Nath Bhairao’s birth anniversary falls on Basant Panchami that is why we celebrate this day with fervour.” The caretaker of the temple, Ravindra Nath expressed his happiness on the temple reopening and appealed to the government to bring back the Pandits to Kashmir.
