New Delhi

After 33 years, the prayer bells are chiming again in the 120-year-old Ganesha temple in Handwara, a town in North Kashmir. The temple was renovated and opened by the Temple management committee with the active help of Muslims,

The temple had no visitors all these years since Kashmiri Pandits had fled their home as terrorism was on the rise and targeted killings of civilians including Kashmiri Pandits were common in Kashmir in the early nineties.

Greater Kashmir newspaper quoted President of Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Handwara, Ashok Kumar saying they had received huge support from local Muslims of Razdan mohalla for reopening the temple.

Young Kashmiris shared the news about reopening of the temple by posting it on Twitter:

A testimony of existing brotherhood and communal harmony in #Kashmir valley!!

Century-old Hindu temple re-opened for prayers after 33 years in #Handwara, with huge support from local Muslims in reopening of the temple. pic.twitter.com/YTrkTN6n5a

— RuksanaBegum786 (@RBegum786) October 4, 2022

He said the temple was in a dilapidated condition when the local Muslim offered to help the Hindus restore it.

Kumar said that local Muslims, including clerics, visited the temple to suggest ideas for its restoration and renovation.

Expressing his gratitude to the local people, Kumar said that the Muslims who carried out the renovation work of this temple refused to accept wages for their work. This, he said, is a great gift from the Muslim community living in the area to their Hindu neighbours.

The temple has new idols as the old ones had got damaged due to neglect and disuse. The idols have come from Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

So when the temple was reopened on Ramnavmi day, both Hindus and Muslims were at a ceremony that marked the reopening of the temple.

There was great enthusiasm among the Kashmiri Pandits and at the same time they were grateful to the Muslims. The devotees distributed Tehri (yellow rice) as Prasad, as used to happen before 1990. On this occasion, members of the civil society stood side by side with the Pandits many of whom had come from Jammu and other parts of the country.

According to local people the prayers will be offered at the temple regularly. “We are happy, it will strengthen the relations between the two communities. “This place was covered with bushes and shrubs. We are excited that it will be active again,” a local said.

According to Kumar, before the restoration of this temple, he met the local people here and sought their help in the restoration of the temple. They were too happy to chip in, he said.

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During the renovation process, the local administration helped us and provided all assistance as and when required. The locals have asked the police to provide security for Kumar.