The sounds of temple bells have once again resonated at the centuries-old Sheetalnath Temple, a place where Mahatma Gandhi once glimpsed a ray of peace and unity. Kashmiri Pandits expressed the same hope at the rival historic temple.
When the era of militancy started in 1992, this temple was burnt for the first time. The militants weren’t satisfied they burnt it once again in ‘93. After that, we completely closed this temple, And then, in February 2022, on February 22, 2022, we reopened this temple. The Central and state governments took over here, and we have opened a temple here now, in 2022, they started work, and today look, in 2027, after 5 years Smart City has done a very good job, built a very good temple for us, and built a good havanshala. Here, this locality was such that there were 115 Hindu homes, it was their temple, and there were only 25 Muslim homes.
Because the installation here is of Sheetalnath Bhairavnath, we started to worship here, worshiping Bhairavnath,. Because this is the only temple where there is political significance, right from here, every function of Kashmiri Pandits used to start. Because it has been renovated, we can worship here today.
Ravinder Aansdhan, a native of the same place who had come from Delhi for this function, said: “I am a resident of here, a resident of this very locality. “Sathu” refers to water there used to be water everywhere here. This is a step toward the return of the Kashmiri community, and we are also organizing a “Song of Return” in November in Srinagar, alongside visiting various historical streets across India.
Then it caught attention everywhere. This was the area where Kashmiri Pandits used to gather. Right here, Mahatma Gandhi had seen a ray of hope. Right here, Jawaharlal Nehru had lectured. Madhok Ji spoke here, Veer Savarkar, L.K. Advani, and after that, our State’s Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad Sahab used to come here, celebrated Janmashtami, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah used to come, Farooq Abdullah used to come, things used to go on like this. But we have to preserve it. For this, the State Government, Central Government, and UT should come forward and help us. Only then will it happen, right? When land sharks started grabbing into it, these Muslim brothers called me I come from Delhi, and we protected the temple and saved the temple from them. This represents a structural formation of pilgrimage sites in Kashmir, where Sheetalnath Bhairav is one of the eight Bhairavs counted around the Hari Parvat area. They are understood to be the eight children of the Goddess, and this area is called Sheetalnath. This place has a long-standing tradition where locals, residents of the neighborhood, and nearby people whose presiding family deity (Isht Devta) is Sheetalnath Bhairav come to perform rituals and prayers. In our community, the Kashmiri Pandit community is categorized into eight different sets of deities. We have Anandeshwar Bhairav, these people have Sheetalnath Bhairav, while others have Toshraz Bhairav, Mangaleshwar Bhairav, or Bokhat Keshwar Bhairav. The entire region of Srinagar was divided into these eight areas, and these deities were worshipped as the protectors of those respective areas. Regarding the antiquity of the temple, it is as ancient as Hari Parvat itself, and no one can pinpoint its exact age some say hundreds of years, others say thousands, but it remains one of the most ancient surviving places. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the committee for taking the initiative to revive this sacred space. We hope that children will play here in peace again and that happiness and joy will return to this land, and we pray for their blessings. This song will be performed everywhere as a message for everyone who wishes to return. What is happening here is perhaps by the grace of the Almighty that happiness is returning to this soil once again”. These steps mark a meaningful and hopeful development. By restoring these sacred sites, the government is not only honoring the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of the Kashmiri Pandits but also sending a strong message of inclusion and belonging. Such efforts can help to heal old wounds, strengthen trust, and create an atmosphere of security and acceptance, encouraging more families to consider returning to their ancestral homeland and contributing once again to the social and cultural fabric of Kashmir.
Today, childhood memories got refreshed once again. It’s Very good, feeling today It shows Kashmiriyat never ends, Kashmiriyat always remains, culture always stays alive. Dilip Langoo, a devotee, said: “The grand festival celebrated today is dedicated to Sheetalesh Bhairav and Sheetalnath Shiva. The ground and the road you see today were completely underwater.
