Diplomat Correspondent
Budgam,(DD)In a poignant display of cultural resilience and spiritual reconnection, Kashmiri Pandits returned to the revered Wasak Nag Pracheen Mandir in Kullar village of central Kashmir’s Budgam district to perform a Hawan after a gap of 40 years. The sacred fire ritual marked an emotional homecoming for members of the community, who were displaced from the Valley in the early 1990s.
The event saw participation from dozens of Pandit families who had travelled from Jammu and other parts of India to take part in the religious observance. Amid the chanting of mantras and the scent of burning havan samagri, the gathering resonated with a deep sense of nostalgia and spiritual fulfillment.
The Wasak Nag shrine, dedicated to Vasuki Nag—a serpent deity revered in Shaivism—is one of the ancient religious sites in Kashmir, believed to date back centuries. Nestled amid pristine springs and hills in the Budgam region, the shrine had fallen into neglect due to the migration of Pandits and years of regional turmoil.
“Performing Hawan here after four decades is not just a return to a place—it’s a return to our soul,” said Ramesh Zutshi, a participant who travelled from Jammu. “This land holds our memories, our roots, and our gods.”
Local Muslims from the area also reportedly extended support and facilitated the gathering, reflecting the age-old bonds of communal harmony that once defined Kashmir’s syncretic culture.
Organisers have appealed to the government and local administration for the restoration and preservation of the Wasak Nag temple complex, suggesting it could become a centre of religious tourism and a symbol of Kashmiri pluralism.
The event was shared widely on social media, with hashtags such as #KashmiriPandit, #HawanAtKashmir, #Budgam, #WasakNagPracheenMandir, and #JK gaining traction.
For many in attendance, the Hawan was more than a religious ceremony—it was a message of peace, return, and reconciliation.(DD)