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3 min readJammuMar 27, 2026 07:00 AM IST
A devotee poses for a picture while offering prayers on the reopening of Raghunath Temple during the Ram Navami festival, in Srinagar. (PTI)
A temple that remained shut for over 35 years in Srinagar was reopened on Thursday with grand Ram Navami celebrations.
While the Raghunath Mandir in the Habbakadal locality was shut when militancy forced many Kashmiri Pandits to leave the Valley, its reopening on Thursday was attended by several members of the community, as well as other residents of the area and officials from the civil and police administration.
“We are celebrating Ram Navami here after many years. This has happened with the cooperation of all — the civil administration, police, the residents of the area and the people who manage the affairs of this temple,” Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labroo said at the reopening ceremony.
“This month, we celebrated Navratri, Navroz, and now we are celebrating Ram Navami. All these festivals have been celebrated in a harmonious atmosphere with positive collaboration,” he added.
The Raghunath Mandir in Srinagar is a historic temple that holds great significance for Kashmiri Pandits. It was built in 1857 by Maharaja Gulab Singh on the pattern of the Raghunath Temple in Jammu. However, when militancy erupted in the Valley in the early 1990s, and Kashmiri Pandits left, the Srinagar temple, like many others, was shut.
In 2020, renovation and restoration of the temple started under the Smart City project, and the task was entrusted with the J&K Tourism Department, which collaborated with the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (INTACH) for the restoration project.
Local residents, including those from the Pandits and Muslim communities, welcomed the reopening of the temple.
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“It (the temple) has long been part of our culture and heritage, and we are happy that it has been thrown open for Ram Navami again,” said 72-year-old Abdul Rashid, a resident of nearby Fatehkadal. He added, “We wish that our Kashmiri Pandit brothers also return to the Valley and live among us like in the past.”
The committee entrusted with managing the affairs of the temple marked the reopening ceremony with grand Ram Navami celebrations reminiscent of the past. They said that idols will be placed in the temple in the coming months.
“In past, the Ram Navami festival was celebrated here with great fervour, but that stopped 36 years ago,” said Bharat Raina, the president of the committee. “For decades, the temple was in a bad shape and after its renovation, we celebrated the Ram Navami here.”
Raina said that if the Raghunath Temple could be reopened after over three decades, other temples can also be restored and revived.
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He praised the administration for listening to their concerns and the local Muslims for their support.
“These celebrations show the spirit of brotherhood between communities. We have been here for the past four days, and our Muslim neighbours have stood by us throughout,” he said, adding that it seems that the time is ripe for the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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