Srinagar

Amidst heavy snowfall and sub zero temperature, the Muslims of village Pargochi in south Kashmir, have scripted a heart warming story of brotherhood by helping the lone Hindu family of the village deal with the death of their patriatch.

Bhaskar Nath, a resident of the village  Pargochi in Imamsahib of north Kashmir, had passed away in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Sciences,  (SKIIMS), Srinagar, and his body was carried home in an ambulance. However, as the road to his village was blocked because of the heavy snowfall, the ambulance stopped half way.

The bereaved family had no clue how to carry the body home that was 10 km away. They informd the neighbours and in no time a beeline of young men from the village and neighbouring ones too were there.

The local young men carried the body of Bhaskar Nath on their shoulers to his home. The neighbours also helped in arranging for the cremation. As the bereaved family had no relative in Kasmir, Muslim men carried the body for cremation ground.

Kashmiri Pandits had to leave their homes in the Valley in 1989 due to violence, religious extremists and targeted killings of members of the community. Some four lakh Kashmiri Pandits have been living outside the Valley for three decades.

Rehabilitations of Kashmiri Pandits is a major challenge for the government in New delhi.

 Rashid Ahmed, a local villager said the villagers were living peacefully “One never felt they (Bhaskar Nath family) are different. We live as good neighbours in the village and join each other in their moments of joy and sorrows – weddings and deaths.”