As the floods in Kashmir began to abate, the gap between the media narrative and the situation of the ground has become more visible. The media has failed to highlight the immense courage displayed by Kashmiris, locals say, and the fact that residents of the troubled state have generously reached out to their neighbours, regardless of religious or community identity.
That is obvious from the story of 87-year-old Kaushalya Kaul and her daughter Urvashi Puri, one of Srinagar’s few Kashmiri Pandit families. The rising waters left the Kauls stranded in their home on Exchange Road for nine days, along with their caretaker. On Monday, they were finally rescued by a group of local volunteers.
“When the water started to fill in our house, we moved to our second floor and from day one we have remained there,” said Urvashi Puri. Through their ordeal, they were provided with regular water and food by young volunteers.
Some wariness
The family was wary of leaving because Kaul can barely walk. “But then these volunteers assured to take my mother out safely and I agreed,” Puri said.
On Monday, another Pandit family had also been rescued. The team took 12-year-old Savna Kaul to a nearby hospital after she had fractured her leg during the floods. Her father Arvind Kaul and grandfather PN Kaul were also rescued.
“These small gestures of humanity will fill the void that has divided the two communities for last two decades,” said one volunteer. “I feel that it is time to show the world the meaning of Kashmiriyat” ‒ a word that encapsulates the pride in their state and the values of harmony that Kashmiris cherish.
No one spared
The floods have not spared anyone. Sikhs, Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits have suffered, and have all joined hands to help their neighbours. Inderjeet Singh, a Sikh resident of Srinagar’s Rawalpora area, is one of them. He is a strong swimmer, which helped him carry out many rescue missions and distribute relief materials.
“These are times of crisis,” Singh said. “We need to help each other like we always have. I rescued many Muslim people who were stranded inside their houses. Similarly many Muslim youth saved many Sikh families in Rambagh and Jawahar Nagar. These things are setting an example to the people outside Kashmir who are always hell-bent on spreading communal disharmony here.”
Like Singh, many Kashmiri Pandits are helping to distribute relief material in Srinagar. “We should stop believing what others tell us,” said a Pandit man named Punit Kaul, who has helped rescue ten Muslim people so far. “The situation on ground is completely different than what people say. And yes things like these are a boost for communal harmony in Kashmir which I believe has always been there.”
Sheikh Saaliq is a freelance Journalist. His Twitter handle is @Sheikh_Saaliq.
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That is obvious from the story of 87-year-old Kaushalya Kaul and her daughter Urvashi Puri, one of Srinagar’s few Kashmiri Pandit families. The rising waters left the Kauls stranded in their home on Exchange Road for nine days, along with their caretaker. On Monday, they were finally rescued by a group of local volunteers.
“When the water started to fill in our house, we moved to our second floor and from day one we have remained there,” said Urvashi Puri. Through their ordeal, they were provided with regular water and food by young volunteers.
Some wariness
The family was wary of leaving because Kaul can barely walk. “But then these volunteers assured to take my mother out safely and I agreed,” Puri said.
On Monday, another Pandit family had also been rescued. The team took 12-year-old Savna Kaul to a nearby hospital after she had fractured her leg during the floods. Her father Arvind Kaul and grandfather PN Kaul were also rescued.
“These small gestures of humanity will fill the void that has divided the two communities for last two decades,” said one volunteer. “I feel that it is time to show the world the meaning of Kashmiriyat” ‒ a word that encapsulates the pride in their state and the values of harmony that Kashmiris cherish.
No one spared
The floods have not spared anyone. Sikhs, Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits have suffered, and have all joined hands to help their neighbours. Inderjeet Singh, a Sikh resident of Srinagar’s Rawalpora area, is one of them. He is a strong swimmer, which helped him carry out many rescue missions and distribute relief materials.
“These are times of crisis,” Singh said. “We need to help each other like we always have. I rescued many Muslim people who were stranded inside their houses. Similarly many Muslim youth saved many Sikh families in Rambagh and Jawahar Nagar. These things are setting an example to the people outside Kashmir who are always hell-bent on spreading communal disharmony here.”
Like Singh, many Kashmiri Pandits are helping to distribute relief material in Srinagar. “We should stop believing what others tell us,” said a Pandit man named Punit Kaul, who has helped rescue ten Muslim people so far. “The situation on ground is completely different than what people say. And yes things like these are a boost for communal harmony in Kashmir which I believe has always been there.”
Sheikh Saaliq is a freelance Journalist. His Twitter handle is @Sheikh_Saaliq.
