Kupwara, Jun 03 (KNO): Amid the spiritual Kheer Bhawani festival celebrations, the Kashmiri Pandits at frontier Kupwara district echoed a heartfelt message, saying they don’t want to come as tourists under security cover anymore, but as residents, who once lived peacefully with their Muslim neighbours.
Welcomed with flowers and warmth, many returning Pandits, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said they were moved by the hospitality of local Muslims and the efficient arrangements by the district administration.
“We don’t want to come here as tourists with security cover,” said Satish Kumar, a Jammu resident, originally from Guchii village in Kupwara. “We want to live here as we used to, among our Muslim brothers. Enough of being visitors in our own land,” he said.
Kumar criticised successive governments for failing to create an environment that enables the safe and dignified return of the Kashmiri Pandit community. “For 35 years, we have been told that normalcy will return. The governments make promises, but it’s the people who hold the real power. We make governments, not the other way around.”
He called for a people-led initiative to ensure the safe return of Pandits, stressing that collective will and community unity can achieve what politics has failed to do. “We feel like Kashmiri Pandits are ‘Dandit’—punished—in our own country. It’s time we, the people, take the lead.”
Another devotee, Chandra, originally from Manigam Ganderbal, who visited the Kupwara temple for the first time, shared her emotional experience, said, “The love and warmth from the locals touched us deeply. At no point did we feel like strangers. I pray for peace in the Valley so that we can reunite with our Muslim friends and brothers.”
Echoing similar sentiments, another devotee said, “We are not divided by religion as we are connected by hearts and roots. We long for the days when we exchanged sweets on Eid and Herath, and when Iftaar meant Muslims offering us dates and we offering walnuts in return.”
A Pandit leading the prayers said, “Kashmir is our Reshwaer, our paradise where we lived in harmony. We pray not just for peace, but for a return to that brotherhood.”
It is noteworthy that the local Muslims also participated in the festival, standing shoulder to shoulder with their returning neighbours in a show of communal solidarity.
“We are here to support and welcome them,” said a local. “They should not be afraid. The situation is peaceful now. We want them back, not as visitors, but as our neighbours, as family, as part of us.”
A Pandit, hailing from Jammu, applauded the Kashmiri Muslim community, calling them “fantastic and mind-blowing.” He added, “It pains us to recall the day we left our homes. But seeing this unity gives us hope. We pray this time it is not a goodbye”.
Pertinently, the district administration in Kupwara, led by the Deputy Commissioner, ensured smooth and secure arrangements for the event. “We are honoured that the devotees have shown confidence in our efforts,” the DC said while joining the prayers — “Kashmir is a symbol of brotherhood and resilience. It is heartening to see that spirit alive today”.
Notably, the shrine in Kupwara, like others across the Valley, has become a symbol of hope, healing, and potential return for a community displaced since the turmoil of the late 1980s and early 1990s—(KNO)