Srinagar, May 01: A Sikh gurudwara dedicated to Guru Teg Bahadur was thrown open to the public after 75 years at LoC Teetwal in Kashmir.
The gurudwara was reconstructed by the same construction committee that constructed a magnificent Sharda Yatra Temple which was inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah on March 22 at Teetwal.
“The legend says that a Dharamshala and gurudwara would exist here before partition that was destroyed in tribal raids and partition war in 1947. It was only on September 14, 2021, when Save Sharda Committee members led by Ravinder Pandita had gone to LoC Teetwal for the annual Sharda yatra that they came across the locals and army officials who handed over this plot of land to the committee for rebuilding the same,” Save Sharda said in a statement.
The local Muslims had preserved this plot despite the fact that not a single Hindu or Sikh resides in Teetwal, the statement said, adding that the Save Sharda Committee took up the challenge and reconstructed both the temple as well as gurudwara on the same lines as these used to exist before partition.
“As per revenue records, 5 marlas of land are recorded as Sikh land called ‘Ahl-e-Singha’ and 18 marlas as Hindu land called ‘Ahl-e-Hanood’. The land was demarcated and Bhumi Pujan was done on December 2, 2021,” it said.
A large number of Sikhs including women participated in installing Guru Granth Sahib inside the gurudwara amidst chants, thus bringing the lost heritage to its pristine glory, the Save Sharda Committee said, adding that it has dedicated this gurudwara to Guru Teg Bahadur. It also thanked the locals and the LG administration on the occasion.
