This Article is From Feb 01, 2010

J&K: Muslims revive Hindu shrine after 20 years

J&K: Muslims revive Hindu shrine after 20 years
Srinagar: Twenty years after Kashmiri Pandits left their home land, there are still some families trying to protect their roots.

Viqar Ahmad was not even born when Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley, but today this Class X student is on the forefront to protect and preserve a Hindu shrine in downtown Srinagar, painting the walls of holy spring Bairav Naag with saffron colour.

"I was showing that it belongs to Hindus and there cannot be any illegal occupation on this," Viqar said.

Last week, a land Mafia had tried to grab this spring and land around it, but Muslims of the locality resisted and handed it over to Pandit community. And as the Pandits performed special prayers at the spring shrine after 20 years, hundreds of Muslim stood firm behind them.

"People of the native came to us and begged rather that you should come and take responsibility of and the position of your shrine," said Dr T N Ganjoo, Chairman Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti.

The Muslim neighborhood of downtown Srinagar has also saved Pandit Spring temple from land mafia and revived it after 20 years. They are now going to form joint management committees to look after these shrines and temples in Srinagar.

Ironically, the young generation who have never lived with Pandits are more eager to see the Pandit community back in the Valley. They say the restoration of the Spring Shrine has made their locality proud.

"I want to see them back and want to become friendly with them," said a resident Sajad Ahmad.

And those Pandits who never left the Valley say they have been vindicated.

"We are not fools that we are living in the Kashmir valley for past 20 years. We were correct at that time and we are correct this time also," said Sanjay Tickoo, president, Kashmiri Pandit Sagarash Samiti.

The step brings a new hope and promise that nothing can break the centuries old bond between the two communities in Kashmir.
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