Teetwal hamlet in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district witnessed the glow of numerous earthen lamps on Sunday as Diwali marked its first celebration at the Mata Sharda Devi temple in 75 years, according to the event’s organizer. Prayers were conducted at the reconstructed temple, situated in the area along the Line of Control (LoC). Ravinder Pandita, Head and founder of the Save Sharda Committee, expressed joy over the historic celebration, highlighting the temple’s renovation and reopening on March 22.
Pandita extended an appeal to the government, urging the opening of Sharda Peeth, akin to Kartarpur Sahib. Following Diwali rituals, the community gathered outside the temple to revel in the festivities, bursting firecrackers.
The reconstruction of the ancient temple and its surroundings aimed to revive the centuries-old pilgrimage route to the Sharda Peeth temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Sharda Peeth, located in Sharda village along the Neelum River, holds significance as a major center of learning and is considered one of the 18 revered temples in South Asia.
The Save Sharda Committee played a pivotal role in rebuilding the temple and a Sikh gurdwara after reclaiming the site. The temple’s inauguration took place on March 22 this year, marking a significant milestone in the restoration efforts. Pandita shared that the temple, previously demolished during past attacks, had a dharmshala and a Sikh gurdwara on the same plot, both destroyed during tribal raids in 1947.
Teetwal, once a traditional pilgrimage route to Sharda Peeth, ceased operations in 1948 following tribal raids and partition. The recent Diwali celebration at the Mata Sharda Devi temple reflects a resurgence of cultural and religious practices after decades of interruption.
