Devotees Struggle to Access Sufi Shrine in Bandipora Highlights Development Concerns

Bandipora, The predicament faced by pilgrims journeying to the revered Baba Dawood Khaki (RA) shrine in Bandipora has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the development policies in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since August 2019. Despite promises of progress and infrastructural improvement post the abrogation of Article 370, residents and visitors continue to grapple with inadequate access to this significant spiritual site.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the absence of a proper road to the Baba Dawood Khaki shrine, also known as Chaar Yaar, situated in the scenic Brar village overlooking Wular Lake, has significantly hindered devotees’ ability to visit. Local residents recounted the challenges of traversing the undeveloped paths to the shrine, situated atop a hillock, which involves a strenuous climb due to the lack of vehicular access.

The local community highlighted that although two road projects were initiated years ago, neither has reached completion, leaving the path to the shrine in a state of neglect. Shrine caretakers and villagers have reportedly made several appeals to the authorities, which have thus far been ignored, exacerbating the sense of abandonment and raising questions about the allocation of development resources in the region.

The shrine of Baba Dawood Khaki holds immense cultural and spiritual significance, not only to the inhabitants of Bandipora but to followers of the Sufi tradition far and wide. The difficulties faced by pilgrims underscore broader concerns regarding the prioritization of development projects in IIOJK, particularly in areas of importance to the Muslim majority population, following the controversial political changes enacted by the Modi government in August 2019.

This situation serves as a poignant illustration of the broader discontent with the central government’s approach to development and governance in IIOJK, amidst ongoing debates about the region’s political status and future.

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