13 years on, Pandits fan flames of peace

‘‘It’s never happened in the past 13 years’’, said SK Tikoo, general secretary of the Hindu Welfare Society. ‘‘Even Muslims contributed to today’s havan. Though there is still fear among us, there is also hope.’’

Since 24 Kashmiri Pandits were massacred at Nadimarg in South Kashmir last March, all festival celebrations had been kept low-key by the 8,500 Kashmiri Pandits remaining in the Valley.

‘‘We are still haunted by those images from Nadimarg; if we have survived it’s because of the Muslims here who have defended us all along. But we can’t stay here for long as problems facing us are becoming intolerable,’’ says Tikoo.

Still, there’s a determination to stay on.

Ratni Bhat (45), a housewife from Srinagar’s posh Barzalla suburb, prayed with her children around the holy fire. ‘‘Have we grown up here just to flee our land’’, she asked.

She admitted that they were very scared — and complained that the community had been left to fend for itself by the state government. ‘‘We too need a healing touch. We just can’t pack our bags and march to a life in exile. No way.’’

The anger revolves round the government’s failure to deliver on its promise to build small settlements at district headquarters for the displaced minority members. ‘‘From 1996 to 2002, 62 of our people were killed. And after the Nadimarg carnage this government said it would ensure our safety. But nothing has been done to make us feel safe’’, Tikoo said.