Srinagar, April 18: There were no loud cheers at the Srinagar Hajj house on Saturday morning. Only the soft sound of prayers, the wail of a daughter letting go of her mother’s hand, and the sight of old men wiping tears they could no longer hide.
The first batch of 431 Hajj pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir was leaving for Saudi Arabia. But this was not a joyous send-off. It was a farewell soaked in longing, fear, and hope.
As the departure time neared, families huddled together. Some recited the Quran. Others simply held each other in silence. And then, one by one, the pilgrims made a promise — they would not pray only for themselves.
“I will pray for everyone — for our Kashmir, for Iran,” said a 67-year-old from Tral. “Tears are flowing, but my heart is heavy for those who cannot even go to Hajj because of war. Iran, Palestine, our own boys in Kashmir… I will raise my hands for all of them.”
Near the security check, 58-year-old Hajja Aisha Begum embraced her granddaughter so tightly that the child began to cry too. “I don’t know if I will come back,” she whispered. “But before I stand on Arafat, I will beg Allah to stop the bombs in Iran and bring peace to our valley. That is my real Hajj.”
Another pilgrim, Ghulam Nabi Dar, 71, walked towards the gate with slow, heavy steps. He stopped midway, turned around, and looked at his sons one last time. “We cry because we love,” he said, wiping his face with his white shawl. “But my first dua in Medina will not be for myself. It will be for the mothers of Iran who have lost their children, and for every mother in Kashmir who has buried her son.”
By the time the gate of the Hajj house closed, the outside was filled with people waving white handkerchiefs — a Kashmiri symbol of grief and goodbye. Some women broke down. A few men stood frozen, hands raised in silent prayer.
“They are leaving with empty water bottles and heavy hearts,” said Bilal Ahmad, whose 65-year-old mother was among the first convoy. “She told me before boarding — ‘If my prayer ends the war in Iran, I have done enough.’ Then she walked away without looking back.”
Several other elderly pilgrims recited verses from the Quran while waiting to board buses to the airport.
“It feels like Allah has invited us to His house. We waited many years for this moment,” said Ishtiyaq Ahmad, a pilgrim from Srinagar.
A woman who came to see off her parents said it was a “blessing for the whole family.” Another relative, Suhail, said, “We only pray that all pilgrims complete Haj in good health and return safely.”
The Executive Officer of the Haj Committee, Dr. Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, said arrangements for transportation, baggage handling, medical screening, and documentation were put in place to ensure a smooth departure.
“The process has remained smooth since morning,” he said.
Pilgrims have been advised to report as per allotted timings and carry their passport, visa copy, vaccination card, and standard baggage while avoiding banned items.
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