Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian, Aug 27: Keeping the age-old bond of communal harmony and brotherhood alive, Kashmiri Mulsims performed the last rites of a Pandit woman in Pargochi village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district amid incessant rains.
Hundreds of locals assembled at the residence of pandit woman Uma Devi, wife of late Prem Nath, who passed away after a brief spell of illness at village Pargochi, Shopian this morning.
Muslims arranged all what was needed to perform the last rites of the deceased. Elders, young and children were among villagers who made last rite preparations, locals told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Vicky Pandit , a close relative of the deceased said that Muslims have been part of “our community since a long time but mostly since 1989 when most Pandit families were forced to leave the valley.”
“We never felt we are living in a minority here. We are living here with them with love, keeping alive our decades old bond of brotherhood and harmony,” he added.
He thanked his Muslim community members for always helping them and remaining with them especially in odd times.
Javaid Ahmad, a villager said that they helped the relatives of deceased pandit woman in performing her last rites and that they have been doing the same when members from the pandit community marry. “We live together and share each other’s pain and joy,” he said.
“In the mourning, there were only ten relatives of the deceased, rest were all muslims.”
Muzaffar Ahmad, another local resident, told KNO that religion should not become a barrier in humanity and friendship. “We ensured that last rites of the deceased are performed as per their religious rituals and all was done as per the Hindu religious rituals,” he said—(KNO)
