Fire damages Gulmarg’s century-old Shiv temple

A massive fire broke out at the iconic Shiv temple, also known as Maharani temple, early Wednesday in Gulmarg town of Jammu and Kashmir causing the roof to completely burn down. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, said the officials. The fire tenders could not reach the spot in time due to which the fire engulfed the roof completely even as the structure also suffered some damages, said the officials. Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah meanwhile urged the administration to restore the temple. On X, he said, “Very sorry to hear about the fire in Gulmarg that seriously damaged the famous Shiv Mandir. I hope the administration quickly establishes the cause of the fire & reconstructs this place of great religious (and tourist) significance as soon as possible.” According to locals, the fire gained momentum due to strong winds and the location of the temple. The temple sits atop a hillock in Gulmarg. The temple was built in 1915 for the Maharani of Jammu and Kashmir and Maharaja Hari Singh’s wife Mohini Bai. It has also been the site of filming of Bollywood movies in the early 1980s.