STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday lauded the Navratri puja held at the Sharda temple in Kashmir, where it was performed for the first time since 1947, saying it signified the return of peace in the valley.
The Home Minister said the puja at the temple marks the rekindling of the nation’s spiritual and cultural flame under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Monday, Navratri Puja was held at the newly built Sharda temple located along the LoC in Teetwal in Kashmir. The temple was inaugurated by the home minister on March 23 this year on the same piece of land and on the same pattern where the temple existed in pre-partition days.
“It is a matter of profound spiritual significance that for the first time since 1947, the Navratri pujas have been held in the historic Sharda Temple in Kashmir this year.
“Earlier in the year the Chaitra Navratri Puja was observed and now the mantras of the Shardiya Navratri puja resound in the shrine. I was fortunate to reopen the temple on 23rd March 2023 after restoration,” Shah said on X.
“This not only signifies the return of peace in the valley but also marks the rekindling of our nation’s spiritual and cultural flame under the leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji,” he added.
A large number of pilgrims from all over the country attended the puja.
National television channel India TV reported that for the first time since independence, a Navratri puja was held at the historic Sharda Devi Temple close to the Line of Control in Teetwal village in Kupawara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The celebration was held on the first day of Sharad Navratri and this historic event drew a significant number of pilgrims from across the country. The ancient temple of Sharda is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and lies in ruins in the Neelam Valley of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The temple is devoted to the Hindu goddess Maa Sharda, often considered an incarnation of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. According to legend, the temple was originally built by the Pandavas during their period of exile. It is also believed that King Lalitaditya Muktapida, who governed the region during the 8th century, later undertook the renovation of the temple.
The Maa Sharda Devi Temple holds significant religious importance for Hindus, particularly within the Kashmiri Pandit community. Devotees from various parts of India visit the temple to seek blessings and offer their prayers to the Goddess. It is believed that it represents the spiritual location of the goddess Sati’s fallen right hand.