Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits visit Martand sun temple in J&K's Anantnag to perform 'pind daan'

Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits visited the Martand sun temple here in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday to perform "pind daan" as part of the Banmass Mela and prayed for peace for the souls of their departed ancestors.

Ashok Siddha, the president of the mela management committee, said he is thankful to the local Muslims and the Anantnag district administration for extending full support for the conduct of the event.

"I am thankful to the locals. The Muslim brethren has supported us. I have been engaged in this for the last four years and I am thankful to the Muslim community. I am also thankful to the district administration," Siddha said.

He said the Kashmiri Hindu community also celebrates Krishna Jhoola at the temple every year, during which the Muslim community extends wholehearted support.

"We also celebrate Krishna Jhoola and the Muslim community actively supports that festival as well. They distribute fruits here. This is an example of communal harmony and peace," Siddha said.

He said while the festival is observed every three years, he has not seen such a rush since 1990.

"We celebrate this every three years, but I have never seen so many people coming here since 1990. We have established a ghat (for pooja) and also constructed toilet facilities for the devotees," Siddha added.

Meenakshi, one of the devotees who performed "pind daan", was all praise for the locals.

"We do pind daan for our ancestors so that their souls are blessed. The locals are good, we have good relations with them," she said.

Jawahar Lal Pandita, an elderly Kashmiri Pandit, said "The locals have extended cooperation" to the minority community.

A local Muslim man from Mattan said the south Kashmir town has been "an abode of peace and communal harmony and will continue to remain so".