Srinagar: Upholding the age-old tradition of communal harmony, the residents of Khanqah-e-Sokhta Nawakadal in Shaher-e-Khaas on Saturday 16th May 2020 help to performed last rites of a Kashmir Pandit who belonged to lone family of the minority community in the area.
Pall of gloom descended the area when breathed his last on Saturday morning. Omkar Pajnu is survived by his son and his family. People from majority community called an emergency meeting of management committees of Masjid Sharief Khanqah-e-Sokhta and Masjid Sharief Syed Muhammad Mosvi (RA) to finalise arrangements for last rites.
Even though people were staying at their respective homes due to COVID19 pandemic,
however they rushed to the house of bereaved family and shared their grief. Noted Islamic scholar Moulana Masroor Abass Ansari, who resides in the area, was among the first to reach out to the bereaved family. Moulana Ansari finalized arrangements for the last rites.
The Muslims participated in the funeral procession and accompanied the Pandit family to the cremation ground at Karan Nagar. After performing last rites of the deceased, the locals spend the day with the bereaved family.
“Islam teaches us to maintain brotherhood and harmony. It was our duty to reach out to our Pandit neighbours in this hour of grief,” said Imams of both Masjids at Nawa Kadal.
“We have shared joys and sorrows with Kashmir Pandits. We feel like our own family member has passed today,” said Tariq Ahmad Mir of Khanqah-e-Sokhta.
The bereaved family expressed gratitude to their Muslim neighbours. “We did not feel that we are alone in the area. It is only because of our Muslim neighbours that we could bear this irreparable loss. We will never forget that they shared our grief during the pandemic,” said Susheel Pajnu, son of the deceased.
Pertinently, few years ago, the inhabitants of Khanqah-e-Sokhta had also help to performed last rites of late Pajnu’s wife.