[Reader-list] Muslim undertaker for Kashmir’s Hindus

[Nitesh Bhatnagar]

Muslim undertaker for Kashmir's Hindus

Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
Monday, February 18, 2008  03:08 IST
DNA: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1151454

SRINAGAR: Under the majestic chinar in a cremation ground, Mohammad
Yasin Dar, 55, has lit a bonfire to stay warm on a nippy February
morning. He has spent a larger part of his days at the place for 10
years.

A devout Muslim, he has embarked on an unusual mission—to perform last
rites of the dead of Kashmir's minuscule Hindu population.

"Earlier, it was a pathetic situation here. There was no one to
cremate bodies of Hindus as everyone was afraid. Cops would ferry the
dead in dingy vans and lit the pyre in a callous manner," said Dar.

After Kashmiri pandits migrated from the valley in 1990, there was no
one to take care of the dead of those who stayed back. Official
figures reveal 34,878 Kashmiri pandit families are registered as
migrants in Jammu.

"I remember in 1990, police brought the body of a Hindu youth and
there was no one to conduct his last rites. This haunted me and I
decided to take care of the cremation ground," said KL Wali, president
Hindu Welfare Forum. Later, he roped in Dar.

Dar, a father of three, is paid a monthly honorarium of Rs3,000 by the
crematorium's management. The 55-year-old also pressurised the
management to restore temples set on fire by militants.

"I had a dream in which a Hindu goddess commanded me to restore her
temple in the cremation ground. As I had no means, I told the
management to do it else I would not stay here," quipped Dar.