(Image source from: India Times)

On February 14, 2019, the entire world was shaken on perceiving deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district that has killed over 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel.

The suicide attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terror outfit, that was also accountable for multiple blasts earlier.

The aftermath of a terror attack has been gruesome with protests carrying out across the world against Pakistan harvesting terrorists. As war-mongering and hate among communities spread, there was an overall narrative to embrace India for its diversity and stand by its pillars of strength which include secularism and democracy.

In a bid to spread peace and love in the war-ravaged zone, Pakistanis and pundits have come together to restore an 80-year-old temple at Achan village in Pulwama district. The temple was abandoned years ago and it is located just 15 km from the suicide attack on CRPF convoy.

The temple and the mosque lie side by side, however as the mosque remained abuzz with worshipers and devotees, the temple stayed deserted ever since Hindus fled militancy in the valley in the 1990s.

The temple which has six Kanal compounds is being renovated and before long an idol will also be placed inside the sanctum sanctorum.

                        (Image source from: India Times)

Though the restoration work had to be halted following the Indo-Pak border tensions, the work resumed on auspicious festival of Maha Shivratri on March 4 where Muslims served Kashmiri Kehwa tea to everyone at the temple.

Bhushan Lal, who is supervising the works with local Muslim Auqaf Trust told News18, “We want to revive it to its previous glory when hundreds would pour into the village to listen to the chanting of hymns.”

The team has an entire plan at the ready. First, they will need to level the ground, paint the main gate and then install the deity. The dome will also be restored within a few weeks. “I wish we could relive the old days. I appeal to our Pundit brothers and sisters to come back to the village,” said a villager Mohammad Yunus.

The Muslims who are looking after the work said that they are doing this to make their Pundit brothers feel acceptance and they shouldn’t feel that their temple is incomplete.

By Sowmya Sangam