ELECTIONS '98
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Muslims or Hindus, we are all brothers here!

Shouts of ''Jai Amarnath, jai Bholanath'' rent the air as people from villages around the Pahalgam-Chandanwari road in Jammu and Kashmir cheer on the pilgrims in their arduous trek to the Amarnath shrine.

It does not matter to Hindu pilgrims that most of the people who shake hands with them are Muslims. Nor does it matter to the villagers that the devotees are Hindus.

For years the Hindus and Muslims in this part of the state have led a symbiotic life. The porters, the horsemen and the palanquin bearers, who carry the old and infirm to the shrine, are mostly Muslims. It is business as usual for them as it was for generations of their families. There is no hint of animosity or hatred on their faces.

This correspondent who undertook a journey to the Amarnath shrine, where the ice Shivalinga lies, found that most of the vendors serving hot coffee, tea and biscuits were Muslims. He found no inhibitions whatsoever among the Hindus in accepting the servings.

In fact, rows of shops located below the holy shrine are doing brisk business, selling prasad (food offered to the gods). Most of them, again, are manned by Muslims!

At Panchtarani and Sheshnag, the Muslims have pitched tents and are providing all amenities to the pilgrims. On cold nights, they would be at hand to hand out blankets and fire from chullahs to those in need.

It is interesting to note that despite the presence of langars, where food is served free, most of the pilgrims preferred to dine with their Muslim brethren, in tents.

UNI

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