The Maharani temple in Gulmarg, immortalised by the Jai Jai Shiv Shankar song from the movie Aap Ki Kasam starring Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz, was gutted in a fire on Wednesday, leaving thousands of devotees heartbroken.

Most of all its former Muslim priest and caretaker, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, 65.

Officials said the administration, assisted by local people, tried to extinguish the pre-dawn fire but could not save the century-old temple, which suffered extensive damage.

A preliminary probe suggests a short circuit caused the fire.

Built in 1915 by Mohini Bai Sisodhia, wife of Kashmir's last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, the temple stands atop a mound, surrounded by lush green meadows during the summers, at the centre of the "Gulmarg bowl".

The temple on fire. Picture shared by Omar Abdullah on his social media handle. Sourced by The Telegraph

Karan Singh, son of Maharaja Hari Singh and chairman of the Dharmarth Trust which manages the temple, expressed anguish over the devastating fire. His son Vikramaditya Singh, also a trustee, visited the temple on Thursday for stocktaking.

"This temple, built by my late grandmother, was a testament to our heritage and faith,” he said, calling it a personal loss and promising reconstruction.

When most of the Kashmiri Pandits fled the Valley in the early 1990s after militancy broke out, the temple was left without a caretaker.

Sheikh, a resident of Dandmooh in adjoining Wagoora block, volunteered to look after the temple. He was in his 30s then.

In the absence of regular pujaris, Sheikh doubled as a priest, performing aarti and reciting verses from the Gita to the occasional devotee visiting the temple. He, however, remained a devout Muslim.

“He retired three years ago, after which pujariji (Purshotam Sharma) took over. After his retirement, he directed me to serve as the chowkidaar. He said it would strengthen Hindu-Muslim unity,” Sheikh’s son Waseem told The Telegraph over the phone on Friday.

“My father was heartbroken when he heard about the fire. Hours after the fire, he visited the temple and came again yesterday. He broke down while narrating his association with it. We are all saddened by the fire,” Waseem added.

Social media has been abuzz with pleas calling for the temple’s reconstruction. Many have offered to contribute.

“Rani Temple in Gulmarg gutted in fire last night. I as a proud Muslim would donate my one month’s income for the reconstruction of this Temple,” Rafqat Sonwaire, a former spokesman for the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, posted on X.