Kashmiri Pandits reopen temple in Budgam after 35 years, local Muslims join ceremony

Guwahati: After a gap of 35 years, Kashmiri Pandits have reopened the Sharada Bhawani temple in Ichkoot village, located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district.

They extended a special invitation to local Muslims, who attended the ceremony as honored guests, reflecting a spirit of communal harmony.

The temple, long neglected after the mass migration of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990, is undergoing restoration with the active involvement of both Hindu and Muslim communities.

A widely shared video captured the pran pratishtha ceremony, where devotees installed an idol of Lord Shiva that had been found within the temple premises.

Worshippers marked the occasion with traditional rituals, including pooja and bhajan singing.

Kashmiri Pandit families, many of whom serve under the Prime Minister's employment package and currently reside in Budgam, have led the efforts to revive the temple.

Local Muslims and the district administration have played a crucial role by helping clean the premises and supporting the reconstruction work.