Save Sharada! Demands for regular prayers at Sharada Peeth in PoK

Bengaluru, May 6: The Save Sharda Temple Committee founder Ravinder Pandita has demanded that the prayers at Sharada Peeth in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir should resume. Pandita has demanded the govt of India and Pakistan to allow Hindu pilgrims to travel to Sharada temple, across border.

 

 

 

 

Save Sharda Temple Committee founder, Ravinder Pandita has questioned that when all the religious shrines in conflict zones never stopped worshiping, why it was stopped in Sharada temple for the past 72 years, which was a major seat of learning in the ancient India. He has also demanded that the govt of both India and Pakistan should allow Hindu pilgrims to travel to Sharada temple, across border.

 

Addressing the press conference, he said “Ever since the Kartarpur Gurudwara was reopened after 72 years, the Indian and Pakistan govt who sat across the table, formed a draft and that was signed. We say that if Kartarpur has been reopened, why not Sharada." He further pointed out, "I myself travelled to Kartarpur, why I am not allowed to travel to Sharada Peeth.”

 

 

 

 

 

According to him, Ravinder Pandita was twice denied permission by the Indian govt to visit the ancient Sharada Peeth; 2005 and 2018 respectively. While talking about the rejuvination of the ancient monument that the Save Sharada Temple Committee has voluntarily taken up, Pandita said the temple at the Sharada base camp at Teetwal on the LOC is being built in approx. 500 sq yds.

 

The land was discovered and demarcated by the local residents who are also assisting in constructing the temple, he explained. He also said that his mission is being supported by many including the Sringeri Sharada Peeth in Karnataka. The Peeth has approved the map of the temple and are offering panchaloha statue of Goddess Sharada and other support for the reconstruction and reclamation of this temple. The superstructure of temple is being sculpted in Bengaluru, which will be transported to Teetwal, said Pandita.

 

 

The new temple will also accommodate a Sikh Gurudwara as it used to exist in 1947, before the barbaric Islamic invasion of the valley during the independence. The Save Sharada Temple Committee founder said that revenue records showed there was Sikh land as well.