Hazratbal Shrine Tensions: Faith, Politics, And History Collide

Kashmir’s Hazratbal Shrine is in the spotlight after protests erupted over a plaque showing India’s Ashoka emblem. The shrine holds a sacred relic believed to be Prophet Muhammad’s hair. The site has a long history of faith, politics, theft, and protest. A 1963 relic theft triggered mass unrest, shaping Kashmir’s political future and identity.