After 31 years of being shut down, the Shital Nath Temple located in the Habba Kadal area of Srinagar reopened on Tuesday (16 February).
The famous temple was closed to devotees 31 years ago due to rampant terrorism and the persecution of Hindus in the Kashmir valley, reports Hindustan Times.
Jammu and Kashmir: Shital Nath temple in Habba Kadal area of Srinagar reopened after 31 years on the occasion of Basant Panchami yesterday.
— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2021
"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
After nearly a lifetime of waiting, the temple was finally reopened on the Hindu festival of Basant Panchami. A special pooja was performed at the temple to mark the occasion.
“We used to do this pooja every year. Baba Sheetal Nath Bhairao’s birth anniversary falls on Basant Panchami and that is why we celebrate this day with fervour,” said Santosh Razadan, a devotee who came to offer prayers at the temple.
Hindus living in Jammu and Kashmir for centuries have been persecuted and many of the temples have been desecrated in various Islamic invasions of the region. Several ancient temples, including the Martand Sun temple, Sharda Peeth, etc were destroyed and the idols desecrated by Islamic invaders, while the original inhabitants were forcibly converted, enslaved and killed.
The rise in violence by Islamic militants saw a mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pundit community from the region. The region also went on to witness several acts of violence committed against Hindus by their Muslim neigbours.
According to figures released by the Jammu and Kashmir government in 2012, “Of the 438 temples in the Valley, 208 had been damaged over the years,” the state government said in a written reply to the state assembly in response to a question posed by a BJP MLA.
Srinagar became the epicentre of acts of Muslim vandalism with 57 temples being damaged, with Anantnag district a close second with 56 temples having suffered the brunt of Islamic iconoclasm.
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