Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo formally opened the Shital Nath Temple during a ceremony held in Srinagar's Basant Bagh neighbourhood in September. The temple is believed to date back several centuries.
Speaking at the reopening ceremony, Dulloo — who belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community — described the site as the oldest temple in Srinagar and one carrying deep historical significance, adding that preserving such heritage was a duty the community held. The Chief Secretary noted that the structure had sustained damage in a fire in 1991, a period when an armed insurgency was taking hold across Kashmir and a large number of Hindu residents from the minority community relocated to Jammu and elsewhere in the country.
Dulloo attributed responsibility for keeping the temple operational following the Pandit exodus — along with the organisation of religious observances tied to Janamasthami and Basant Panchami — to the Sanatan Dharam Sabha.
Jagdish Bharadwaj, who serves as a sevadar at temples in Srinagar, noted that government-led renovation work at older temple sites had drawn support from both political and religious figures in Kashmir. He also pointed out that Kashmiri Pandits, security personnel, and employees from Jammu and various central government departments were among those visiting and praying at these sites. Bharadwaj told a broadcaster that the refurbishment work had drawn more worshippers back to these temples.
Bharadwaj also pointed out that, apart from periodic visits by worshippers, the temples in the valley have largely sat unattended while the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits — pledged by successive administrations over the years — has yet to materialise. He added that the sites ought to be protected from land encroachment and unauthorised occupation, and said ongoing assistance from both the Lieutenant Governor and the chief minister is being sought on a regular basis.
Bharadwaj noted that the Dharamarth Trust, headed by Karan Singh, has undertaken restoration and revival work across a number of temple sites.
Jawalal Koul, who looks after the Shital Nath temple and has been away from the valley for health reasons, noted that the site draws Kashmiri Pandit worshippers during festivals as well as government staff posted in Srinagar. Officers have been deployed to watch over the temple grounds — a sprawling, brick-fenced expanse that includes a two-storey structure showing signs of wear.
Restoration work on temples that stood empty following unrest in Kashmir has been taken up by both government bodies and various trusts, even as the broader question of Kashmiri Pandit resettlement in the region remains unresolved. Temple restoration work across Kashmir was also carried out through the Srinagar Smart City initiative during 2023.
Work on restoring temples, shrines, mosques, and other heritage structures across Jammu and Kashmir got underway through a government programme dedicated to the revival, restoration, preservation, and upkeep of architectural and cultural heritage. A total of 427 projects spanning restoration, upkeep, and revival work received administrative clearance across the Jammu and Kashmir territory between 2019 and 2026, with the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums providing oversight throughout the process.
Three phases structured the rollout, according to Chanchal Sharma, who holds the post of Deputy Director of Culture. Of the 33 projects launched under Phase I, 16 reached completion while the remainder continued. Phase II saw 73 renovation and revival projects initiated, with 8 having concluded and the balance still under way. Sharma disclosed to a news outlet that 321 projects had received approval under Phase III for the 2026–2027 period.
The funds are allocated through the capital expenditure budget of the union territory administration. Two oversight bodies have been put in place — a district-level panel reporting to the Deputy Commissioner and a union territory-level body operating under the Chief Secretary — to evaluate and authorise locations earmarked for restoration, reactivation, and upkeep.
Records held by the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums place the total number of state-protected monuments in Jammu and Kashmir at 54, with 30 of those sites falling within Jammu division and the remaining 24 located across Kashmir Valley. Across Kashmir, a total of 65 locations — spanning religious sites alongside other heritage properties — have been brought under formal protection status.
Shubhan Wali, a Kashmiri Pandit whose family roots lie in Chanapora, Srinagar, expressed the view that restoring temples could draw members of the community back to their places of worship, adding that such efforts might also play a part in nurturing the broader cultural identity associated with Kashmiriyat.
Around 6,000 state-owned flats, kept under security watch, house people from the minority group. Under a central government initiative known as the PM Package, positions have been set aside and filled by members of the Kashmiri Pandit community as part of a broader effort to support their resettlement.
