Peace & Economy beyond Faith: A Case Study of Sharda Temple

This study is focused on the importance of Sharda temple as a source of peace and stability for achieving viable socio-economic advancement by promoting the spiritual and cultural tourism in the region. The rich tradition of Kashmir has promoted religious tolerance through adoring the holy places by the people of different religions as Sharda Temple is one of the classical examples of this religious harmony, which was built in diverse phases while ancient Sharda civilization had a deep impact on the lives and culture of the people of the Kashmir for many centuries. The temple has been completely deserted after the partition of British India in 1947 as all Hindus migrated to the other side of the Line of Control (LoC). Due to ignorance, this temple has been damaged which renders this archaeological asset endangered; hence, the government should take exceptional measures towards its preservation and conservation. The reciprocal political restrictions are discouraging for the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim pilgrims to visit their respective holy sites across the LoC which are against the international human rights law (freedom of thought, consciousness and religion). Hereafter, both India and Pakistan should design a joint mechanism to ease the crossing on LoC for religious pilgrims and visitors which will not only generate revenue but also support in building peaceful atmosphere for managing the regional conflicts.