Sringeri Priests Perform Ritual Bath at Sharada Temple Near LoC in Kashmir

Priests from the Sringeri Math performed the third Varshik Abhishek (annual ritual bath) at the Sharada temple in Teetwal, located near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir , ahead of its proposed consecration ceremony.

According to organisers, around 30 priests conducted the ritual, which was organised by the Save Sharada Committee in collaboration with Sringeri Math. The event was attended by hundreds of pilgrims , marking one of the larger religious gatherings at the frontier shrine in recent years.

The Sharada temple site in Teetwal holds deep symbolic importance as part of the broader cultural legacy linked to Sharada (Saraswati) worship in Kashmir , historically associated with the ancient Sharada Peeth tradition , once a major centre of learning in the region.

Located close to the LoC, the temple has also come to represent efforts aimed at reviving and reconnecting the shared cultural and spiritual heritage of Kashmir, which was historically accessible across what is now the India-Pakistan divide. The annual ritual and ongoing consecration process are seen by organisers as part of this revival movement, seeking to restore the site’s religious prominence.

Save Sharada Committee convenor Ravinder Pandita described the ceremony as a “historic milestone,” thanking the participating priests and devotees for their involvement in what he termed a significant step in the temple’s restoration journey.