Historic Hindu temple reopens after 27 years in Kashmir

Historic Hindu temple reopens after 27 years in Kashmir

The centuries old Vetaal Bero temple in the highly-sensitive area that had been shut after most pandits were forced to migrate to Jammu and other parts of the country due to militancy in 1990, was reopened on Thursday.

 Jogi langar (canteen where food is served for sadhus) in Rainawari area of Srinagar, the locality in the heart of old city that was once home to a high number of Kashmiri pandits, is again reverberating with the sound of temple bells after 27 long years.

The centuries old Vetaal Bero temple in the highly-sensitive area that had been shut after most pandits were forced to migrate to Jammu and other parts of the country due to militancy in 1990, was reopened on Thursday.

"After the migration of Kashmiri pandits, the area of the temple was illegally sold by Dharmatma Trust to a local property dealer. When residents in the area came to know about it, they informed Kashmiri pandits of the locality in Jammu, who responded with swift legal action and the area was recovered from the property dealer," Rajindra, who resides near the locality

The Martand Sun Temple was a Kashmiri Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (The Chief solar deity in Hinduism) and built during the 8th century . Martand is a different Sanskrit name for the Hindu Sun-god. Now in ruins, the temple is located five miles from Anantnag in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.