Srinagar, June 16: For leading Cardiologist Dr U Kaul, Wednesday was an unusual day. The veteran medico was spell-bound and overwhelmed to know that just a few kilometers from his ancestral village Hawal in district Shopian, there was an exemplary atmosphere of unity and brotherhood.
It was a phone call from Dr Kaul’s close friend Mir Muhammad Shafi from village Pinjura that made him aware of how a female Kashmiri Pandit banker Neelam was quite popular among the people of the village. Dr Kaul says the banker and her husband, popular among the villagers, highlight the age-old unity between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims.
“Pinjura (Pinzur) is a village in district Shopian about 9.5 kms from our village Hawal. It is a beautiful orchard village in the Himalayas. Shopian, which is a big town and now the headquarter of the district, derives its name from a distortion of the word Shah-Payan (Royal Stay). It had a historic importance due to being situated on the ancient imperial route the Moghul Road connecting Lahore to Srinagar. If you look at Pinjura pictures these days the media will show you only killings, hatred and anarchy,” posted Dr Kaul on Facebook.
As per Dr Kaul, the first-hand account by his friend Mir Muhammad Shafi of the women’s empowerment and communal harmony created by banker Neelam is a positive story that must be shared widely.
“Read now the life in Pinjura and the harmony there as it exists today. Mrs Neelam, a Kashmiri Pandit employee of the J&K Bank is the most sought-after person for the transactions. My friend Mohammad Shafi, an orchard owner, narrated to me the happenings of this morning at 10.15 am. There was a crowd standing outside the bank refusing to enter because Neelam had not come. When she arrived a bit late, everybody entered and got their work done. All customers were out within 30 minutes, smiling and content. Mr Shafi after reaching his office called the Manager of the bank Mohammad Ayub, who told him she is the backbone of the branch consisting of several other clerks,” posted Dr Kaul. As per Dr Kaul, Neelam’s husband is a teacher in an adjoining village and is equally popular among the villagers. Neelam is a hardworking banker who dedicatedly works to ensure that the clients who visit the bank branch leave with a smile on their face, said Mir Muhammad Shafi. “It is quite heartening to have such a dedicated person in the bank branch who is hardworking and ensures that people who visit the branch get the best possible treatment,” says Shafi.