Opening of Kartarpur corridor has led to a clamour for similar pilgrimage passage to revered Sharda Peeth shrine in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Leading the chorus is former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti who has formally written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue with Pakistan on the priority basis.
"Sharda Peeth in Pakistan 'administered' Kashmir is an outstanding relic of Kashmir's glowing history. Though it generally connects the people here with their cultural and intellectual roots, for the Kashmir Pandits it is an important place of pilgrimage which was frequented by them till Independence. Their urge to open it for pilgrimage has been projected ever since reopening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. Kartarpur has encouraged the Pandit community to see a possibility of the pilgrimage to Sharda Peeth in the same spirit," Mehooba said in a letter to Modi on Saturday.
The letter follows the meeting of Kashmiri Pandits' delegation with Mehooba, requesting to take up the issue with the Centre so that the centuries-old pilgrimage route to PoK from J&K is reopened akin to Kartarpur corridor.
"A delegation of the committee of Pandits fighting for opening of Sharda Peeth pilgrimage met me the other day to press for pleading the case with you. I am sure you would kindly have this request considered on priority…," she said.
Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed the move and urged other political parties to follow suit and write to the Prime Minister as well.
Know The Temple
- Situated 207 kms north of Muzaffarabad (capital of PoK) in Athmuqam Neelam Valley
- Located near the confluence of Kishan Ganga River and Mudhumati stream
- The shrine, in present form, established by King Lalitaditya in 724 AD
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 "Sharda Peeth")
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