Devoted to harmony

As pilgrims throng a multi-religious complex on the LoC, it evokes curiosity among Pakistanis

- SANJIB KR BARUAH/KUPWARA

ONE MOUNTAIN RIVER, two names—the Kishanganga in India and the Neelum in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir PoK). A small bridge connects the two banks and thereby the countries, but a white line in its middle denotes the divide—no person on either side is allowed to cross the line.

Just across the gurgling waters of the Kishanganga, skirting the last Indian border outpost at Teethwal in Kashmir’s Kupwara, Pakistani trucks and civilian vehicles can be seen gently negotiating the slopes of the Lower Neelum Valley. Look up from the Indian position, and one can spot several newly constructed buildings, marked by fluttering flags.

“These are restaurants and resorts that have come up recently, in the past six to eight months, mainly to cater to the growing number of people from the other side who come to see the congregation of Indians this side of the Line of Control LoC),’said a security officer.

Pakistanis have long been curious about Indians and their way of life. But what is bringing Pakistani tourists to the border now is an under-construction complex in Teethwal that houses a temple, a