The three-month Kashmir unrest may have marred the traditional wedding season, but Muslims and Sikhs joined hands to help solemnise the marriage of a Pandit couple in the Valley’s Pulwama district, setting an example of communal amity and brotherhood.

Srinagar, Oct 14, 2016, PTI:

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/575670/muslims-sikhs-help-pandit-couple.html

Aashu Tikoo of Tahab village on Wednesday married Neeshu Pandita of Loswani village, and both non-migrant families were joined by their Muslim and Sikh neighbours.

Their neighbours, mostly Muslims and Sikhs, helped the two families make necessary arrangements like setting up tents, firewood for the wedding feast, attending to guests which included several migrant Pandits relatives.

 ‘Wanwun’ (traditional folk songs) saw Muslim women outnumber the relatives of the couple during the marriage ceremony, while the men were busy decorating the house of the bride and the groom and later helped clean the premises.

South Kashmir bore the brunt of the unrest which started on July 9 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, claiming 84 lives.

The unrest disrupted normal life across the Valley and the wedding season too got spoiled with majority of the weddings remaining a low-key affair. The groom along with ‘baraatis’ (wedding party) comprising his Pandit relatives and Muslim friends, reached the house of the bride around noon on Wednesday and spent almost nine hours there before leaving for his home with the bride.

He was hosted by the bride’s family along with their Muslim and Sikh neighbours in a traditional way despite the prevailing situation.

“We do not feel that we have done anything extraordinary. They are our own people and it is our duty to help each other. That is what Kashmiriyat is about,” the Sikhs and Muslims, who were part of the celebrations, said.