Emotional return of Kashmiri Pandits marks a symbolic step toward healing, even as the path to full rehabilitation remains long
INAYAT QAYOOM
KACHWA BARAMULLA, MAY,01/
When the doors of the Ganesh Temple at Kachua in Baramulla opened after 36 years, they did more than allow devotees to step inside—they released memories that had been locked away for decades.
For many Kashmiri Pandits who gathered there, this was not just a visit to a place of worship. It was a return to a life interrupted in 1989, when fear forced them to leave behind homes, neighbourhoods, and a way of living that had endured for generations. Some stood in silence, others wept quietly. In that moment, the distance of three decades seemed to collapse into a single, overwhelming feeling of belonging—and loss.
Such moments carry undeniable emotional power. They remind us that Kashmir’s story is not only about politics and policy, but about people and the lives reshaped by conflict. The presence of local residents alongside returning devotees also offered a glimpse of a shared past that still lingers beneath the surface.
Yet, emotion alone cannot complete the journey that this reopening has begun.
While the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Syed Fakhruddin Hameed termed it a sign of normalcy, he assured the people that District Administration will give full support to rebuild the temple and we will make Yatri Niwas also here.
For many displaced families, normalcy remains a distant idea. A temple can reopen in a day; rebuilding trust, security, and a sense of permanence takes far longer. The question that quietly follows such events is whether these visits can one day become homecomings.
The answer lies in sustained effort—ensuring safety, creating opportunities, and fostering genuine reconciliation at both the governmental and community levels. Without that, such occasions risk remaining powerful, but isolated, reminders of what once was.
Still, it would be a mistake to dismiss the significance of this day. In a region where history often feels heavy and unresolved, even small steps matter. The reopening of the Baramulla temple is one such step—fragile, emotional, and necessary.
It speaks of return. But it also speaks, just as strongly, of the long wait that continues.SNS