Srinagar

Even amidst the strained relations between Kashmir’s Hindus and Muslims due to the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism of three decades, a heartening example of unity in diversity is touching the hearts of people as a Muslim father-son team is taking care of a Hindu temple in Srinagar.

Nisar Ahmad Alai and his father are both speech and hairing impaired. They have been taking care of the Shiv Tirath temple, a small shrine in the Zabarwan hills overlooking Dal lake in Srinagar for six years.

Both of them have been taking the responsibility of tending to the premises of the temple and protecting it.

J&K | Speech and hearing impaired Muslim father-son duo takes care of a temple in Srinagar

They're working as caretakers for a long time now and are responsible for its protection. It's a sign of Kashmir’s brotherhood which is every citizen's moral responsibility," said a local pic.twitter.com/znbv1O2ocd

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2022

The father-son duo take good care of the temple and also interact with devotees. Locals say the devotees coming to the temple have never raised objection to a Muslim as a caretaker.

Nisar cleans the premises, tends the gardens and grows vegetables in the temple courtyard.

The locals believe that this temple is a symbol of mutual brotherhood of Kashmir. "He has been working as a caretaker for a long time and is responsible for taking care of it. It is a sign of Kashmir's brotherhood which is the moral responsibility of every citizen," said Firdous, a local.

Earlier a similar instance