Kashmir’s Syncretic Culture On Display Again As Pandits Welcome Their Muslim Brethren Back From Haj Pilgrimage

In a heart-warming gesture, a group of Kashmiri Pandits on Saturday welcomed the first batch of Haj pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia and recited praises for Prophet Mohammed at the airport here.

The group of Kashmiri Pandits stood outside the terminal building of the Srinagar international airport and welcomed the first batch of 145 Hajis who reached here in the morning on the first return flight from the annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia to the Valley.

The Pandits congratulated the Hajis for completing the pilgrimage and sought their blessings. They offered roses to the pilgrims.

The members of the Kashmiri Pandit community also recited ‘naats’ (eulogies) to Prophet Mohammed.

A video of the gesture went viral on social media.

The video was posted on Twitter by PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan, who himself belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community.

“Our Kashmiri Pandits welcoming Hajis at Srinagar airport today by singing traditional Naat seeking the blessings of Prophet. This is our syncretic culture believers of Islam are enablers of Amarnath Yatra & the followers of Shavism are messengers for unity,” Bhan wrote on Twitter.

In the past as well, Kashmiri Pandit singers like Vijay Malla have sung some of the most popular Muslim eulogies and Muslim singers have done similar with devotional songs to Hindus.

The 145 pilgrims consisted of 80 men and 65 women.

Over 6,000 pilgrims from J-K have gone on the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year. The Haj resumed this year after a gap of two years due to Covid-19.

The last return flight carrying pilgrims from J-K will arrive here on August 2, according to officials.

(With PTI inputs)