After 34 years, bells ring again at Srinagar’s historic Sheetalnath temple
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "After 34 years, bells ring again at Srinagar’s historic Sheetalnath temple")
Srinagar’s historic Sheetalnath Temple Photograph: (WION| Idrees Lone)
Srinagar’s historic Sheetalnath Temple has been restored after 34 years, reviving memories and hopes of homecoming among Kashmiri Pandits.
After decades of silence, the bells of Srinagar’s centuries-old Sheetalnath Temple are ringing once again. For Kashmiri Pandits, the restored shrine is more than a place of worship; it is a doorway to childhood memories, a connection to the past, and the possibility of homecoming.
Inside the historic Sheetalnath Temple, in the heart of Srinagar, devotees gathered once again as prayers filled a space that had witnessed worship, festivals, political gatherings and community life before years of violence and displacement. For the Kashmiri Pandit community, the reopening of the temple has stirred memories that had long remained suspended between the past and the present.
Under the ‘Smart City’ Srinagar Heritage Revival Scheme, the historic Sheetalnath Ji Bhairav Temple has been renovated and restored, receiving a fresh look and modern amenities after 34 years. Officials said safeguarding and preserving such heritage sites for future generations is a collective responsibility.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who inaugurated the renovated temple, underscored its profound historical and spiritual significance. He noted that Sheetalnath is revered as one of the eight Bhairavas believed to protect the city of Srinagar.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said, “The Sheetalnath Ji Bhairav Temple is centuries old. It is believed to be one of the ‘Ashta Bhairavas’, the eight manifestations of Bhairav entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the city. When the temple, along with its havan-shala (ritual fire pavilion), was gutted by fire in 1991, the Sheetalnath Ashram Sabha worked tirelessly towards its restoration and revival. While some repair work began in 2011, Srinagar Smart City Limited undertook the task of renovating and upgrading the temple in 2023 under the Smart City Project. That process has now been completed. This initiative goes beyond the Smart City Project alone. It is part of a broader scheme by the Department of Culture aimed at restoring heritage monuments, including temples, mosques, Sufi shrines, gurdwaras and non-religious structures. Heritage means cherishing our legacy and passing it on to the next generation. This is our heritage, and as a society, it is our responsibility to protect it and hand it over to future generations.”
Emotions ran high as devotees recalled that the shrine had been visited by several prominent figures from across the country and Jammu and Kashmir. They also recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s visit, saying that he had seen a ray of hope for peace and unity at the site.
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Ravinder Anasdhan, a local resident who travelled from Delhi to attend the event, said, “I am a native of this very area. When the era of militancy began in 1992, this temple was set on fire for the first time. The militants were not satisfied with that; they burned it down again in 1993. After that, we completely closed the temple, only to reopen it on February 22, 2022. We resumed prayers and worshipped Bhairav Nath, as the idol of Sheetalnath Bhairav Nath is installed here. That is when it caught everyone’s attention.”
Beyond its religious significance, Sheetalnath’s historical role has transformed the temple into an important community hub. Events were traditionally held here on occasions such as Janmashtami and Basant Panchami. It was not merely a place of worship; the wider community would gather here, while social and cultural events were also held on the premises.
