The two communities, Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits, have often proved that communal harmony can still exist despite a bloody past.

Recently, people from both communities shared yet another excellent example of brotherhood as they helped perform the last rites of two Kashmiri Pandit women. 

This event took place in South Kashmir in the Kulgam district.

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As soon as everyone heard the news of the demise of two women, Chand Rani, 80, (wife of BardriNath) and Kaushali Devi, 83, (wife of JankiNath), the Muslim community, within no time, offered help to the families in doing the last rites.

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Ghulam Mohhudin Shah, a part of the Muslim community, helped with most things, including setting up the cremation pyre and assisted with carrying the earthen pot to the cremation ground. At the same time, other Muslim locals helped with further minute details.

Ramesh Kumar, a Kashmiri Pandit, mentioned that both these communities are two different faces of the same coin. He also said that their bond is eternal. He said, “The brotherhood and communal harmony is everlasting and these gatherings are one such example of it.”

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Even though it was the families who did the last rites, it was the local Muslim community who helped with everything else.

This is not the only time when both the communities shared examples of brotherhood. Earlier, Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits both performed the last rites of a woman at Tahram village as well. They carried out all the formalities in line with Kashmiri Pandits for the deceased lady.

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A similar incident took place in December 2020 when Muslims in the Wussan area helped perform the last rites of Naath Ji. In fact, the community gave shoulders to the deceased Pandit's coffin and arranged everything for the funeral.

Both Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims have time and again set such heartwarming examples. It's truly a lesson for everyone to live peacefully with no wars based on religions.

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