A ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ceremony was held at a long-abandoned Shiva temple in a Muslim-majority locality, organized by right-wing groups like Bajrang Dal and All India Karni Sena. The ceremony, which included chanting Hanuman Chalisa, took place on Wednesday night amid tight security. People from nearby areas participated in the event.
Gyanendra Singh Chauhan, state secretary of All India Karni Sena, explained how they found the temple. “We spotted the temple during a drive to identify abandoned places of worship,” he said.
Sapna Saraswat, a local resident, joined the ceremony and shared her thoughts: “We came to know about this abandoned temple, cleaned the area, and helped with the puja.”
The ceremony has also sparked political concerns. Former Aligarh Mayor and BJP leader Shakuntala Bharti expressed her worries about the temple’s condition. “Hindu sentiments were hurt after discovering the temple in disrepair with encroachments on its land. I have written to the Chief Minister to ask for a proper survey to remove encroachments and restore regular puja,” Bharti said.
Fateh Mohammad, a local Muslim resident, was involved in restoring the temple’s temporary electricity connection. He shared the temple’s history: “The temple was built around 50 years ago. For years, people performed puja here until about five years ago when it was abandoned.”
Despite the religious divide, Mohammad mentioned that the Muslim residents in the area supported the temple’s revival. “We support the restoration efforts and will help in maintaining the temple,” he said.
Other locals, like Pradeep Bablu, explained the reason behind the temple’s decline. “Hindu families slowly moved out due to overcrowding and poor conditions. I was the last Hindu family here and moved a decade ago. No puja has been performed at the temple for the past five years,” Bablu said.
Zakir, another resident, added, “Hindu families left and removed the idols from the temple. It has been neglected for the last five years.”
The Additional District Magistrate (City), Amit Kumar, assured the public that the temple’s puja will be carried out regularly. “We will take necessary measures to ensure peace and harmony in the area,” he said.
