by Humaira Nabi
SRINAGAR: On a frosty Friday morning, Rameez Ahmad, a 28-year-old driver, began his day early, chauffeuring two honeymooning couples from Srinagar to Sonamarg. The couples were eager to experience the famed “Golden Meadow”. Visiting from Bangalore, they were disappointed by the absence of snowfall in Srinagar and decided to venture into Kashmir’s upper reaches to experience the winter magic.
“They were longing to see snow,” Rameez recalled. “When it didn’t snow in Srinagar, they asked me to take them to Sonamarg instead.”
The group planned to spend a few hours at Sonamarg and return to Srinagar by 3 PM. But as the day unfolded, nature threw a curveball. Heavy snowfall blanketed the roads, trapping travellers and turning their picturesque outing into a harrowing ordeal.
“We left Sonamarg on time,” Rameez said. “But as we approached Ganderbal, the snowfall became relentless. Vehicles clogged the highway as tourists scrambled to return to Srinagar, creating a massive traffic jam.”
Rameez and the couples were stuck, cold and hungry, in the midst of a whiteout all through the night. By the time they managed to move a short distance to Gagangeer early the next morning, they were greeted by an extraordinary sight, locals standing along the roadside, offering help to stranded travellers.
“I’ve been driving for many years, but I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Rameez said. “We were served noodles, tea and omelettes and were given Kangris and blankets to warm ourselves. I felt proud of being a Kashmiri.”
“Once we left and were travelling back to Srinagar, they were all praises for Kashmir and its people.”
The group was not the only one to experience this warm hospitality from the locals. On Friday afternoon when Kashmir received unexpected snowfall, more than the snowfall what made to the headlines of local and national news portals was the hospitality shown by the locals towards the tourists who were stuck in snow on the Srinagar- Ganderbal national highway.
Stories of hospitality unfolded across the snow-covered highway. In Gund, a village just a few kilometres from Sonamarg, more than a dozen tourists from Punjab found themselves stranded in heavy snow, their vehicles immobilised on roads. With no nearby hotels and local homes too small to accommodate such a large group, the residents of Gund stepped up in an extraordinary show of hospitality. They opened the doors of the Jamia Masjid, providing stranded travellers with a safe place to stay overnight.
Inside the mosque, tourists gathered in the hamam, to warm themselves. Residents were seen worked tirelessly to ensure their comfort, offering food, tea, and warmth to them.
Next morning, Videos of these heart-warming moments flooded social media, garnering widespread praise for the hospitality of the locals.
“We thought we were going to die,” one tourist said in a video. “But you people saved our lives. Aapne hume jeevandan diya hai (You’ve given us a new life).”
“We thought it was the perfect solution. We kept the wood in the hamam burning throughout the night, providing a much-needed refuge for the stranded travellers,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.
In Kangan, another village ahead of Gund, a local family hosted several stranded tourist families overnight, offering them food and warmth. The tourists, including women and children were seen relishing meals.
Ashutosh Sharma, a tourist from Delhi, recalled the terrifying night of his journey through the snow. “We left Sonmarg at 3 PM when the snowfall began. As we slowly made our way forward, inch by inch, uncertainty about our safety gripped us,” Sharma said. “By 2 AM, we reached Kangan, where a kind family urged us to stay at their home. My family and I nearly leapt out of the car in relief, eager for the warmth and safety they offered. The hospitality we received was beyond anything we could have hoped for. I will never forget this family and their incredible generosity.”
In some places along the National Highway, hotel owners even offered free accommodations to ensure the safety and well-being of stranded tourists. Tehsildar Gund, Manzoor Ahmad, revealed that more than 1,000 tourists were fortunate to experience the warmth and hospitality of the local residents. The gesture was widely appreciated by both the administration and leaders for their unwavering hospitality.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, praised the gesture, describing it as heartening to see Kashmiris opening their mosques and homes to stranded tourists amidst heavy snowfall.
Heartening to see Kashmiris opening their Masjids and homes to stranded tourists amidst heavy snowfall. This gesture of warmth and humanity reflects our longstanding tradition of hospitality and help in times of need. pic.twitter.com/pkEeF1oLBG
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) December 28, 2024
“This gesture of warmth and humanity reflects our longstanding tradition of hospitality and helping others in times of need,” he remarked on X.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti also took to social media to applaud the “humane” actions of locals in assisting the stranded tourists.
Stranded tourists in Ganderbal found an unexpected yet welcoming refuge at a mosque last night. Kashmiris aren’t only human but humane too. Wish media would stop perpetuating the stereotype that grabs eyeballs & instead throw light on how hospitable Kashmiris really are. pic.twitter.com/e703NkSdNw
— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) December 28, 2024
“Stranded tourists in Ganderbal found an unexpected yet warm refuge at a mosque last night. Kashmiris aren’t only human, but humane too. I wish the media would stop perpetuating stereotypes that grab eyeballs and instead highlight how hospitable Kashmiris truly are,” Mufti posted on X.
Khursheed Alam, PDP leader, also praised the generosity of the locals.
“It is heartening to witness that Kashmir’s long-standing tradition of hospitality is alive and thriving. Despite the challenges posed by snowfall, including water and electricity shortages, the people of Kashmir have shown remarkable generosity, making the region proud once again,” he said.
Kashmir’s hospitality has got it the tag of being the ‘warmest place on earth’. During the 2008 Amarnath land row, thousands of pilgrims were hosted by the residents on Ganderbal as well as Anantnag side.
