Pulwama: Muslims, Hindus come together to restore 80-year-old temple

Several Muslims and Hindus, particularly the Pandits, in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir have come together to restore a temple in Achan village. The 80-year-old temple is located just 15 kilometre away from the site of the terror attack on the CRPF jawans.

According to several news reports, the temple restoration work had stopped after the attack led to the harassment of Kashmiris and widespread tension. It again started on Maha Shivratri, with Muslims Kashmiri Kahwa to everyone at the temple, which is just beside Jama Masjid.

“Our heartfelt desire is that old times return which was here 30 years ago when temple bells rang here and on other side, the call of Azaan came from the mosque," said Mohammad Younis, a resident, to NDTV.

The attempt to restore the temple comes despite the fact that there is only one Pandit family in the village, who approached the Masjid Auqaf committee because of the dilapidated condition of the temple.

“Our neighbours who are Muslims are doing it because they respect this temple,” said Bhushan Lal, another resident. According to the report, his younger brother Sanjay Kumar exclaimed that their Muslim neighbours had become more important to them than their relatives in other villages. We live like brothers, he said.

Mohammad Maqbool, who is looking after the restoration work, says, “We are making efforts to restore this temple because we believe our Pandit brothers should not feel that their temple is incomplete.”