Citizens of Kashmir seek refuge at Sufi mausoleums to escape the deadly conflict
Bakhti Begam makes regular visits to the majestic mausoleum of
Ibn Shehab al-Hamdani, a Sufi from the Hamdan tribe who arrived to Kashmir in
the 13th century spreading the teachings of Islam. The mausoleum,
about 80 km from Begam’s home, is located on the banks of the Jhelum River,
which flows through the heart of Srinagar. She hopes that heaven will respond
to her prayers for the return of her son, who was 25 years old when he
disappeared just days after his marriage.
A photo taken of Begam during her visit to the mausoleum
appeared in a book titled “Witness”, which featured the works of photographers
who covered the conflict in the disputed region between India and Pakistan for
years. The New York Times chose the book as one of the top 10 photo books of
2017.
According to the estimates of some human rights
organizations, 100,000 people have been killed by the conflict in the region
since the 1980s. Many people are afraid to walk the streets for long periods of
time out of fear of being injured in a sudden attack or an explosion from a
bomb planted on the side of the road.
Only a few people venture out after dark, and they are finding
salvation at the Sufi mausoleums to be healed from wounds of war – not only in
Srinagar, but even in places far from the territory. The BBC interviewed some
of those visiting the Sufi mausoleums.
One woman said her health had deteriorated in recent years
because of the death of her son, who was killed during the 2010 protests. She added
that she hears her son’s voice laughing and speaking when it is dark.
Those visiting the mausoleum find serenity and a place where
they complain to their Lord, said Shawkat Hussein, an Islamic studies professor.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), one of the largest active terrorist
groups in the region, is carrying out relentless attacks inside India and against
its security forces in the territory. The most severe of these attacks occurred
in November 2008, when a small group of highly trained and armed members of the
group crossed the border to India's economic capital, Mumbai, and carried out a
series of attacks in 10 locations, killing 174 people and injuring 300 others.
The Pakistani government placed LeT founder Hafiz Saeed
under house arrest in January 2017 after US President Donald Trump pressed
Islamabad.
