Kashmiri Pandits demand Kartarpur like corridor to visit Sharda Peeth

After recent remarks of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sharda Peeth, ‘Save Sharda Committee’ hopes a Kartarpur-like corridor would permit devotees to visit the abode of Hindu Goddess Saraswati across the Line of Control (LoC).

The ancient temple of Sharda is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and lies in ruins in Neelam Valley of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Even though there isn’t much evidence to pin-point the temple’s origin, it is believed to have been constructed during the Kushan Empire in the early 1st century.

“We have a permit for travel across the LoC but it is only for J&K residents. The permit has been in force since 2007 after the Vajpayee- Musharaf summit,” said Ravinder Pandita, head and founder of ‘Save Sharda Committee Kashmir’, a pressure group for the reopening of Sharda pilgrimage.

However, Pandita said they want an amendment in the LoC permit rules on the lines of Sikh pilgrimage to Nankana sahib in Lahore that is held annually through Kartarpur corridor. “The opening of the Kartarpur corridor has added a new dimension to the issue and rekindled hopes for early reopening of Sharda Peeth,” he said.

As per LoC permit rules, only relatives living across LoC are allowed to travel on special occasions via Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch- Rawlakote routes. But those devotees who do not have relatives living on either side of LoC can’t cross.

Pandita said this has deprived not only J&K Hindus but Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and others as well. “Cross LoC heritage and religious tourism must begin. We should have cross LoC pilgrimages on both sides of the LoC including Sharda Peeth yatra that was last held in 1948,” he demanded.

During his recent visit to Jammu, Rajnath Singh while referring to the Sharda Peeth, had said: “How can it be that Baba Amarnath in the form of Shiva is with us and Mother Sharda Shakti is on the other side of LoC.”

For a long time, Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) have demanded for a corridor similar to Kartarpur. In 2021, residents of Titwal village, 500 metres from the LoC on the Indian side, handed over a piece of land to the ‘Save Sharada Committee’ for the construction of the temple.

About 136 km away from the ancient site, a temple, a masjid and a gurdwara is reportedly being constructed on this land.

“The annual yatra which happened to be before 1947 is gaining momentum now as the Muslims handed over land at base camp in Teetwal village to Hindus where Dharamshala and Temple used to be,” he added.

In September, 2021, when Hindus came for annual pilgrimage, the land was handed over to them after more than 70 years.