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| Shivratri revives bond between Kashmiri Pandits & Muslims | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, March 3 : Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, 62, returned after performing 'Umrah' (pilgrimage to Mecca) last month. He lives in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, but his current visit to Jammu has a special purpose and meaning.
He has brought walnuts to greet Girdharilal Daftari, his 68-year-old Kashmiri Pandit friend who lives in Jammu after shifting out of the Valley in early 1990 after outbreak of militancy. Walnuts are traditionally offered by Muslims to their Kashmiri Pandit neighbours and friends ahead of Shivratri. Bhat and Daftari have been friends for over 30 years. The turbulence of time has upset many equations in Kashmir, but the brotherhood between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims has somehow survived.
"How can I forget to be with my friend on an occasion like Shivratri. In good old days, I would look forward to the special feast of fish and nadru (lotus stem) at Daftari's home. The love and affection that went along the food, served on Shivratri, cannot be expressed in words," said Bhat. Since the outbreak of insurgency in Kashmir over 30 years ago, there has hardly been a year when Bhat and Daftari haven't been together on the festival.
In a way, they are like hundreds of other Kashmiri Muslim and Pandit friends. They may not be able to visit each other on Shivratri due to geographical distance, yet continue to share the same feelings of nostalgia. With their intertwined histories, culture and livelihood for centuries, most among the two communities believe they will withstand the present turmoil. |
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