Sharda Peeth temple was opened for devotees
Jammu and Kashmir: Today, on the first day of Hindu New Year, big news came out from Kashmir. The Sharda Peeth temple, built only 700 meters from the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, was opened for devotees from today. Sharda Peeth temple has been newly built. Sharda Peeth, located in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, had a temple dedicated to Maa Sharda for centuries but was burnt down in 1947 when the tribesmen invaded Jammu and Kashmir.
Save Sharda Committee was trying to get this temple rebuilt for many years. In 2021, the construction of new temple of Sharda Peeth started and in December 2021 Bhoomi Pujan of the temple was done. This temple is built at the same place where the old temple was. The temple is only 30 kms away from the main Sharda Peeth located in PoK.
Before 1947, Chhari Mubarak used to go from here to Sharda Peeth located in Neelam Valley. However, after 1947 this trend was broken. Today, when the worship started in the newly built temple, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Delhi’s Home Minister Amit Shah also joined the program virtually. Amit Shah said that the reconstruction of Sharda Peeth temple is a historic occasion. Now Jammu and Kashmir as well as the whole country will get the blessings of Maa Sharda.
Statue from Sringeri Math, Karnataka
The idol installed in the Sharada Peetha temple has come from the Sringeri Math in Karnataka. The ancient temple of Sharda Peeth is said to have been established by Adi Shankaracharya. He had brought the idol of Maa Sharda from Sringeri and installed it here, but during the partition of the country in 1947, the tribals burnt the temple. There was also a mosque and a gurudwara near this temple. Mother Sharda is called the adorable goddess of Kashmiri Pandits. The civilization and script of Kashmir was prevalent in his name only. That’s why there is special enthusiasm among Kashmiri Pandits for the reconstruction of the temple.
The documents of the land on which the temple of Sharda Peeth is built were deposited with a Muslim family of Kupwara itself. When the Save Sharda Committee started the campaign to build the temple, the Muslim family handed over the land papers to the Kashmiri Pandits. Ejaz Khan of Kupwara gave a lot of help in getting the temple built. Today, when the worship started in the Sharda Peeth temple, the Muslims of the area also reached. These people said that the reconstruction of Sharad Peeth proves that Kashmiriyat is alive in the valley.
President of Jammu and Kashmir BJP worshiped
On the opening of Sharda Peeth, Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravindra Raina also reached to worship. Ravindra Raina said that the worship of Maa Sharda has started on this side of the border. Now he is hopeful that Kashmiri Pandits will get an opportunity to worship in PoK’s Maa Sharda Peeth as well.
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti also welcomed the inauguration of the Sharda Peeth temple. Mehbooba Mufti said that she had written a letter to the Prime Minister in 2018. It was said that after talking to Pakistan, make arrangements for worship in the Sharda Peeth temple of Neelum Valley.