Muslim neighbors host Pandit marriage

courtesy:Daily Rising Kashmir

Abid Bashir
Srinagar, July 28: As the Jammu city continues to remain tense due to a BJP-led agitation in favor of land transfer to the controversial Amarnath shrine board, which is lately turning into an anti-Muslim rioting, Kashmiri Muslims here have set yet another example of communal harmony by hosting Pandit marriage in Habba Kadal on Monday.
The marriage was first of its kind within the miniscule Pandit community of Kashmir over the past 18 years. Most of the invitees were migrant Pandits settled in Jammu. However, they could not make it owing to the strike called by the rightwing BJP.
However, Muslims of the area left nothing behind when it came to making arrangements for the marriage.
Anil’s family that includes her mother Santosh Dhar, brother Sanjay and elder sister who is already married preferred to stay back when scores of Pandits deserted Kashmir when armed rebellion erupted in 1989 here.
Anil Dhar, the bride wedded Sandeep Koul of Islamabad district. Both are teachers. The marriage preparations were at full swing in Anil’s house at Babapora, Habba Kadal over the past three days and it were the Muslim women of the area who added colour to the marriage by singing Kashmiri traditional songs popularly called wanwun.
Santosh had invited almost all Muslim neighbours besides their few relatives residing in Kashmir. Though, there were at least 50 Pandit guest including women and children, it were the Muslims of the area who were seen busy serving tea and making other arrangements setting up a special tent for the groom.
“There is no difference between them (Pandit family) and us. Anil is just like my daughter and it is my foremost duty to overlook the arrangements on this auspicious occasion. We are just like one family. There is no difference at all,” said Abdul Samad, who along with his four family members was busy making arrangements.
Bashir Ahmed, another neighbour said, “We had been eating in a same plate. Santosh is just like my sister and Anil my daughter. My children were brought up in their house. I feel as if it’s the marriage of my own daughter.”
Ahmed said Pandits were part and parcel of Kashmir’s culture and without them Muslims were incomplete.
A Pandit invitee, Maharajkrishan Koul of Ganderbal district and the bride’s colleague said, “On such occasions, I feel my community is alive. I see faces of my fellow brothers either on marriage ceremonies or on festivals. The bride is a pious girl and deserved the best match like Sandeep,” Koul said.
When the groom arrived, scores of Muslim women even those who were not invited started singing, “Asalamualikum saane mahrazai, chane yene gashay allamas aaw,” (O, groom may peace on you. Your arrival has brought light to the world). The Muslim women joined by Pandits showered flower petals at the groom as the bride’s mother performed aarti amid schooner sounds. The groom was accompanied by 60 baratis including 20 Muslims.
Anil’s house wore a striking look as the house was well decorated by a local decorator Reyaz Ahmad. “I could not believe when I received the order for decoration from a Pandit family. It is my first order over the past 20 years. I have never decorated any Pandit house so far,” Ahmed said.
The Muslims stayed till bridegroom left for Islamabad. Local Muslim women of the area joined by Pandit women followed the cavalcade of the bridegroom right up to Habba Kadal main chowk and waved their hands amid prayers for the couple till the vehicle went out of sight.