Just 500 metres away from POK, a lot of activities can be seen happening nowadays in Jammu and Kashmir’s Titwal village. An ancient temple and gurudwara along with a mosque are being constructed, which is becoming an example of brotherhood.
After the partition in 1947, the ancient Sharda Peeth temple and its compound and gurudwara were damaged in tribal attacks ( mostly known as Kabali attack). Since then, this land was lying deserted. But the majority community, who are Muslims, kept this piece of land as it is. In the year 2021, the villagers handed over this land to Kashmiri Pandits when they reached the Neelam river for the annual Sharda Peeth Yatra and worship.
In the month of December 2021 traditional worship was done on this land and the Save Sharda Committee constituted a temple construction committee, to renovate this temple. The committee included three local Muslims, one Sikh and Kashmiri Pandits.
On March 28, the construction of Mata Sharda temple has started in this Titwal village of North Kashmir, but along with this temple, construction of a Gurudwara and a mosque has also been started. Officials of save Sharda Committee (SSC) said that we want to set an example of brotherhood here.
Ravindra Pandita says, “We have found the remains of the damaged temple and Dharamshala and Gurudwara which was damaged by tribles in 1947, and it would be good if we re-build temple, Dharamshala and Gurudwara again, this was base camp here of annual sharada peeth pilgrimage. He added people and the administration are fully supporting. When we came here for annual pilgrimage, people gave us this land back and we demarcated it and decided to build temple and again. We formed temple construction committee in which three are Muslim, one is Sikh and rest are Kashmiri Pandits.”
Adding to that he said, “I can see the full support of the people here. It can also be a rehabilitation plan because temples and shrines are our nerve centres. We want that Sharda Center should also be made here so that people will come to know about its historic background.”
Not only it were Muslims who maintained the brotherhood, but Kashmir Pandits also answered in the same language, the ancient temple land, not only renovations of temple and gurudwara is happening but a mosque is also being built, so that the message of brotherhood goes to the world from this small village. The plan is to build a Sharda Peeth Center also here so that people from all over the world come here because Sharda Peeth isn’t only connected to Hinduism but the people of following buddhism also believe in this a lot.
Surinder Mirza (Kashmiri Pandit) says, “Good work always creates history and we see a ray of hope here. It looks like a small village but what is happening here is part of a much bigger campaign and message. There is a desire in the hearts of the people here that once again the same era should come when Hindus and Muslims lived together. And we have plans that there should be a study center attached to Shardah Peeth so that many people visit this place and it becomes the center of attraction like It was before Partition.”
The plan and model of the temple has already been approved by the Sringeri Dakshin Math and the granite stones used in the temple are being brought from Karnataka. The interesting thing is that this temple, gurudwara and mosque is being construted by a local Muslim of Titwal who thinks that it is a rewarding work and only the people of the villages are involved in its construction.
Ajaz Khan Titwal resident who is constructing it said, “I am a member of Sharda Mandir Construction Committee. We are three Muslims and five Pandits in this committee. We are very proud, we want to go back in 1947. Before 1947, there was a temple here, there was also a Dharamsala and there was also a Gurdwara, now we want that the old tradition should be restored, we Hindu Muslim Sikh Christian should live together” adding to that he said, “I want creat history after years people should say that Ajaz Khan was a Muslim who built a temple, a gurudwara and a mosque.”
The residents of Titwal believe that it was a trust of a Hindu community which we kept alive and we guarded this land for seven decades and gave them back when they came here. Locals want that once again all religion people should live together here. It is believed that by the construction of this temple, Titwal, who has lost its glory and is a backward village now a days , will be prosperous again in the same way as it was before the partition.
Zameer Ahmed local resident said, “We have heard from our forefathers, they always remember these people, there used to be a big brotherhood but when (Kabali) tribal from Pakistan came here, they did not deatroyed only Hindus properties but also the Muslims properties. He added, “Titwal happened to be bussiness Center before partition Khatri and Sikh people had a big business here. Here Hindus and Muslims used to live like brothers but unfortunately the country was divided.
We are very happy that today our neighbors came back, today a temple is also being built in our neighbourhood. we want our village to be like that what it was before partition. The government should do efforts to get them settled back here.”
Sharda Peeth is the Kashmiri name of Goddess Saraswati. And it is in POK’s Sharda district. This place is the highest pilgrimage place for Kashmiri Pandits and followers of Adhi Shankariyachariya. There used to be an annual pilgrimage till 1947. It is not only a temple but Sharda Peeth is considered in one of the worlds oldest and ancient universities. The Save Sharda Peeth Committee says that it was earlier a pilgrimage site for the folliwers of Buddhism, but Adhi Shankaracharya gave a new birth to Hinduism there. This committee is fighting from last 15 years that annual pilgrimage should be started again like Kartarpur corridor is opened. They want there should be pilgrimage tourism between India and Pakistan.
Ravindra Pandita (President of the Save Sharda Peeth Committee) says, “It is my demand and I fight that the Shadarah Peeth Yatra should be opened because the Sharda Peeth has become a ruin now. We want PoK permit should be amended. Those whose relatives are not on that side should also be allowed to go because our faith is attached there with this temple.”
Sharda Peeth is considered as the “Maha Shakti Peeth,” most powerful it is worshiped as the greatest religious place. The demand for restarting the yatra which stopped since 1948 is now gaining momentum. On the annual journey from Titwal, like the Amarnath Yatra, Chadi Mubarak was taken to the Sharda Peeth temple and Save Sharda Peeth Committe is planning a huge festival on the annual pilgrimage day in titwal. Many central and state politicians are also supporting for reopening of Shardah Peeth pilgrimage.
