A belief that Jesus survived the crucifixion and spent his last years in Kashmir? A belief that Jesus survived the crucifixion and spent his final years in Kashmir has led to a ruined temple in Srinagar making firmly on the must-visit tourist circuit of India.
Rozabal shrine, Srinagar
Jesus is reputed to be buried in the shrine of the execution in the capital of Kashmir
In the streets of downtown Srinagar is an old building known as the sanctuary Rozabal.
In one part of the city where Indian security forces are patrolling regularly, or peering from behind check-posts is sacks of sand.
There are still occasional clashes with militants or stone-throwing children, but the security situation has improved recently and the tourists are back.
When I searched for Rozabal two years ago, the taxi turned around a minor Muslim tomb in a city of many mosques and mausoleums, the driver asking for directions several times before we found it.
The shrine, on a street corner, is a modest building stone with a pitched roof traditional Kashmir on several levels.
A guard took me in and encouraged me to inspect the small wood in the room, with its trellis-like, perforated screen.
Through the cracks I saw a gravestone covered with green cloth.
When I returned to the sanctuary recently, however, it was closed - its gate padlocked, because it had attracted too many visitors.
The reason? Well, according to an eclectic mix of New Age Christians, Muslims and Orthodox fans of The Da Vinci Code, the tomb contains the remains of a candidate for the visitor the most important of all time in India.
Crazy Professor '
Officially, the tomb is the burial place of Youza Asaph, a medieval Muslim preacher - but a growing number of people believe it is actually the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.
Map showing the location of Srinagar
They believe that Jesus survived the crucifixion Easter there are about 2,000, and ended his days in Kashmir.
"What could they do? They had to close it," Riaz said.
His family home almost dominates the sanctuary, and he is contemptuous disdainful of the notion that Jesus was buried there.
"This is a story spread by local merchants, simply because some mad professor said it was the tomb of Jesus. They thought it would be good for business. Tourists come, after all these years of violence.
"And then there was in the Lonely Planet, and too many people started coming.
"And a stranger ..." I looked for excuses, broke a bit of fall at home with him. That is why it is now finished. "
At the signal, an Australian couple appeared unwashed and exhausted, the latest edition of Lonely Planet travel in India, which, of course, carried the story of Jesus' tomb, with some reservations about nuts and blasphemy.
They asked me to take a picture of them outside the temple - but have not been desperately disappointed it was closed.
The tomb of Jesus was just another place to check on their tourism in India must-visit list.
famous meeting
Buddhist monastery, Srinagar
The remains of a Buddhist monastery, some believe that Jesus visited
The ruins of a Buddhist monastery in a spectacular location mid-way through a mountain north of Srinagar are not, however, mentioned in the Lonely Planet.
It's a place I had been able to go, because, as a police officer said he was "infested with terrorists."
But the keeper seemed prepared for the arrival of mass tourism, with 50 words in the English language and its stock hidden in old terracotta tiles for sale.
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Posted on February 28, 2010.
