Srinagar, May 15: Kashmiri Pandits on Friday returned to the historic Nand Kishore Temple in Sumbal area of Sonawari to participate in the annual Sumbli Mawas festival after a gap of several decades, with many devotees becoming emotional while revisiting their native place.
The two-day religious congregation, being held on May 15 and 16, drew devotees from Jammu and various other regions to the temple.
Several members of the community recalled memories associated with Sumbal and adjoining villages where they had spent their childhood before migrating from the Valley in the early 1990s.
Participants termed the occasion spiritually and emotionally significant, saying the return to the temple after nearly 36 years had revived their cultural and religious connection with their ancestral roots and traditions.
Devotees also appreciated the local administration and police for making adequate security and logistical arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
