Srinagar:Upholding the age-old communal harmony, the residents of Khanqah-e-Sokhta Nawakadal in Shaher-e-Khaas on Monday performed last rites of a Kashmir Pandit woman— who belonged to lone family of the minority community in the area.
Pall of gloom descended the area when Doora Pajnu (65) wife of Omkar Pajnu breathed her last on Sunday evening. She is survived by her husband and a son and his family. In wee hours today, 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 busy making arrangements for Nauroz festival, however they rushed to the house of bereaved family and shared their grief. Noted Islamic scholar Moulana Abass Ansari, who resides in the area, was among the first to reach out to the bereaved family. Moulana Ansari and his son Molvi Masroor Abass 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 an Imam of Masjid Sharief at Nawa Kadal.
“We have shared joys and sorrows with Kashmir Pandits. We feel like our own family member has passed today,” said Zamir Ahmad of Khanqah-e-Sokhta.
Senior PDP leader Moulana Imran Raza Ansari, a local who is also Chief Patron of Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association and MLA Zadibal Abid Hussain Ansari condoled the demise.
“Her death has pained us. Pandits and Muslims lived harmoniously at Khanqah-e-Sokhta”, said Abid Hussain Ansari and Dr Amjad Ansari erstwhile residents of Khankah-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 sacrificing celebrations of Nauroz festival,” said Susheel Pajnu, son of the deceased.
Pertinently, few years ago, the inhabitants of Nawa Kadal had also performed last rites of a Pandit woman Sushila Kaul, who was living alone in her house there.
Courtesy muslim issue