The Kashmir valley is a land of unity in diversity where people from many religious, social and cultural backgrounds harmoniously live together. The unity in diversity in Kashmir valley is very famous all over India as it has been never exposed to any threat of religious violence. This capability of Kashmiri people to live in peace and harmony with each other is ‘Kashmiriyat” that has won the hearts and minds of innumerable people all over the world. The Kashmir valley is the only region in which people of all communities live in peace, prosperity and brotherhood and moments of happiness, pain and sorrow are being shared equally by all communities. During Partition of India, almost all regions of India witnessed communal violence and bloodsheds were common and thousands of innocent people lost their lives and homes but the Kashmir valley was the only region where people from various communities showed exemplary communal harmony and lived in peace, prosperity and brotherhood. Despite muslim majority population in the Kashmir valley, the minority communities, Sikhs and Hindus always feel safe, secure and comfortable with the Muslim majority population due to tradition of hospitality and friendliness. All communities feel proud of living together and helping to each other. Mahatma Gandhi had once quoted, “if there is a ray of hope for humanity, it is there on the soil of Kashmir.” Kashmir valley always remained peaceful and the small percentage of sikh population lived peacefully under the protection and care of their Muslim neighbours. For the past many years, many attempts have been tried to create wedge among Sikh, Hindu, and muslim communities in the Kashmir valley and more recently, many outsiders tried very hard to create rift between Muslim and Sikh Communities for their vested intrests and political gains but all their peace and communal harmony threatening attempts failed due to very strong bond of love existed between the Sikh and Muslim communities since very long time and that mutual bond of love and harmony is very resistant and unbreakable. The people of Kashmir never allowed anybody to vitiate communal harmony, which has been hallmark of Kashmir’s composite culture and ethos. Religious harmony, peace and brotherhood are running in the blood of all Kashmiri people and they all loved to live with harmony and peace.
The Kashmir valley Muslims are performing cremation of Hindus and Sikhs on their deaths and are upholding the centuries old tradition of unity and brotherhood among the three communities. Local Muslim villagers make special arrangements in performing last rites and ferry firewood for helping the families to cremate their dead ones. The Hindus and Sikhs also help muslim families and take part in the last rites of muslim dead bodies. All the communities take part in each other’s marriages and festivals and their mutual help and bond has become example for all outsiders to follow. Hate speeches and venomous anti-Muslim or anti Sikh campaigns have no place in the Kashmir valley. People of Kashmir valley are well educated and matured and they know what is right and what is wrong, and what are their rights and duties. Kashmir is known for the amity and brotherhood. All Muslims respect and love sentiments and faith of Sikhs who are part and parcel of Kashmiri culture. Without Sikhs, the Kashmir culture is incomplete. It is the responsibility of the religious scholars, Civil Society, Youth of Kashmir valley to keep alive the tradition of kashmiryat, communal harmony and mutual help irrespective of religions and to defeat enemies of communal harmony and to present to the world that all Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus of Kashmir valley are always one and peace lovers. Let’s us pledge to keep the same communal harmony as it has existed in the valley since very long time and stay united against outsider people who try to foment communal trouble and violence through their nefarious tactics for their personal gains and to save the kashmir valley and its famous Kashmiriyat all times for the better and peaceful future of all the communities.
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