Amid heavy snowfall, Kashmiris open doors of mosque for stranded tourists
Srinagar: In a heartwarming display of Kashmiri hospitality, locals in Gund, on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway, opened the doors of a mosque to shelter a group of travellers stranded due to heavy snowfall.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a dozen tourists from Indian Punjab found themselves caught in the snowfall on Friday while returning from the Sonamarg area, officials said.
Their vehicles became stuck in the snow and with no nearby hotels and local houses too small to accommodate the group, Gund residents opened the doors of the Jamia Masjid, allowing the tourists to stay there for the night, officials added.
“It was the best possible solution as the mosque has a hamaam, which stays warm throughout the night,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.
The Jamia Masjid at Gund is located less than 10 kilometers from the site of a terrorist attack in Gagangir, where six people — five non-local labourers and a local doctor — were killed in October this year.
The tourists expressed their gratitude to the locals for their help. “We were stuck in the snow, and you came to our rescue. We are extremely thankful to all of you,” one of them said.
Another tourist added, “Everyone should visit Kashmir to experience its hospitality. Everyone here is kind and it is safe to visit. Please come to this paradise on earth.”
All Parties Hurriyat Conference senior leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq praised the gesture and said it was heartening to see Kashmiris open their mosques and homes to stranded tourists amidst heavy snowfall.
“This gesture of warmth and humanity reflects our longstanding tradition of hospitality and helping others in times of need,” he said on X.
