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After the migration of Kashmiri Pandits from a nearby village, two Muslim priests - Mohmmad Abdullah and Ghulam Hassan kept the doors of the Mamalaka temple open and bells continued to toll.
"We not only took care of temple but also held 'aartis' everyday," Ghulam Hasan said.
Besides ensuring the safety of the 3-feet-long black stone "shivaling", Abdullah and Hassan have ensured no devotee goes without prasad even for a single day.
Built by Raja Jai Suria, the temple was once a must stop over for pilgrims going to the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas.
The temple was for long run by a local association of Kashmir Pandits headed by Pandit Radha Krishen.
After his migration from Kashmir in 1989, the temple became a property of the state archaeology, archives and museum department and a protected monument.
While leaving, Pandit gave the charge of the temple to his friend Abdul Bhat, a Muslim, and asked him to keep the gates of the temple open. Keeping the promise, Bhat took care of the temple till his transfer from the area in 2004.
After that Mohammad Abdullah and Ghulam Hassan were entrusted with the task of maintaining the temple.
"We have faith in Lord Shiva. We not only maintained the temple, undertook repairs but also ensured that the temple remains fully functional despite threats from the militants," they said.
"We have fulfilled our task of guarding this shrine for Kashmiri Pandits. It is theirs. We wish they return and take back the control of the temple," they said.
The temple, which has images of Ganesha, Parvati and Hanuman carved in stone, also houses a natural spring.
During the last four years, the number of Hindu devotees to the temple has increased slightly, they said adding these include some visiting Kashmiri Pandit families that left the area as well as tourists.
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Hindus praise muslims who serve in Hindu temples and Hindu boy, muslim girl marriages.Are they willing to praise Hindus serving in muslim mosques and muslim boys marrying hindu girls?
Jus one word to these brothers hats off to you people like you noe how to shut evry body mouth who creates problems between relegions.. Keep it up....
Still Humanity is there in this world... If persons like this are there, there wont be conflict to anybody..
I can say and all Congress,Communist and caastiest seculars will differ that this is also secularism by choice and not as vote fetching gimmick. These Muslim brothers have taken their relegion and commitment to new heights.And a lot of fresh air at last comes from kashmir.Now it is proper to praise the hands doing the goods and lets follow Varun where some goes for wrong.By distinguishing appropriate and appropriate, we can come to middle path.Manmohan and Sonia will have sleepless nights now for havong seen devout muslims not licking their dirty cheeks.
I wish this article did not sensationalize the laudable and volutary acts of the Muslim caretakers by calling them "priests". That sounds too theatrical and unnecessary to me.
What an excellent story. It is good of the muslim priests to offer aarti as well as the hindu folk to continue to worship at the temple. God is everywhere and the sooner we all appreciate each others faith the better for the future.