News Brief
Rajasthan: Temple Of War-Time Legend, Jaisalmer's Tanot Mata, Reopens To Public After Operation Sindoor
Tanot Mata Mandir (Major Gaurav Arya X)
The 1,200-year-old Tanot Mata Temple, located near the India-Pakistan border in Jaisalmer, will reopen to the public on Friday after being temporarily closed due to recent cross-border tensions, ToI reported.
Daily worship rituals had continued during the closure, led by BSF-appointed priests.
“During the entire time, the everyday work of the temple had continued. There was no break. The villagers were allowed to visit the temple, but there were certain restrictions. However, it is now open for all the devotees..." DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore of BSF Sector North, quoted by ANI.
The reopening comes as border conditions have stabilised, allowing not only the Tanot Mata Temple but also the Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum to resume normal operations for visitors.
During the war, Pakistani forces dropped hundreds — some say over 3,000 — bombs near the Tanot Mata Temple, hoping to destroy it and gain a military advantage. But in what many believe was a miracle, not a single bomb exploded near or on the temple. The temple stayed completely unharmed. Soldiers and local people saw this as a sign of divine protection from Tanot Mata.
The temple's reputation for miraculous protection was reinforced during the 1971 conflict. Once again, despite heavy shelling and artillery fire in the vicinity, the temple was untouched. During the famous Battle of Longewala, a small Indian force successfully defended against a much larger Pakistani armoured division. Many soldiers credited their survival and victory to the blessings of Tanot Mata. The Pakistani tanks became immobilised in the desert, giving Indian forces a crucial advantage.
