Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 22 (ANI): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday welcomed the opening of the Sharda Devi Temple near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that Pandits of Union Territory were looking forward to it.

"Opening Sharda Temple is a very good thing. It is something that Kashmiri Pandits were looking forward to and they really wanted it to open. So it's a good thing," PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said at the inauguration of Maa Sharda Temple in Kupwara.

Earlier on March 15, the PDP chief also visited a temple in the Poonch district and offered prayers.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday inaugurated Maa Sharda Devi Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district through video conferencing.

After inaugurating the temple, Shah said, "The inauguration of Maa Sharda's temple is the beginning of a new era and that the architecture and construction of this temple have been done according to mythological scriptures under the aegis of Sharda Peeth.

"The idol of Sharda Maa, donated by the Sringeri Math, has been brought here on a journey since January 24 till it was installed here today. The reconstruction of Maa Sharda's temple in Kupwara is a necessary and important step in the direction of discovery of Sharda-civilization and promotion of Sharda-script."Shah said, there was a time when Sharda Peeth was considered the centre of knowledge in the Indian subcontinent and scholars from all over the country used to come here in search of scriptures and spiritual knowledge.

He said that the Sharda script is the original script of Kashmir, which has also been named on the basis of the mother's (Sharda Devi) name.

"This is one of the Mahashakti Peethas and according to beliefs, the right hand of Maa Sati fell here," he added.

Several dignitaries including Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha were present on the occasion. (ANI)