PAMPORE: Tehsildar Pampore Zuber Ahmad Bhat along with Tehsil official Mir Murwat Hussain and others on Sunday visited the residence of local pandits in various areas of the tehsil Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district to greet them on Herath.

They visited the Drangbal locality of Pampore and Ladhoo village of Pampore Tehsil where they met with Pandit families and offer them Herath greetings.

The Tehsildar Pampore also visited the Mata Jawala Ji Temple Khrew. The officials distributed sweets among the pandit families during the visit.

The pandit families thanked the Tehsildar Pampore for showing a good gesture towards them.

Tehsildar Pampore Zuber Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir Reader that they visited a few Pandit families in Pampore, Ladhoo and Mata Jawala Ji temple Khrew areas of Tehsil Pampore.

“This is one of the prominent festivals observed by Pandits and as neighbors, it was our moral duty to visit them and offer them greetings on this day,” he said, adding that the host Pandits received them warmly.

“Today we are celebrating Herath after performing Puja on the first day, today on Salam we are being greeted by our Muslim neighbours,” Sunil Kumar Pandita, a local resident of Pampore told Kashmir Reader, adding that their Muslim neighbours have always supported them.

“They stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our grief and happiness, not only but this has been like this from old times,” he said, adding that his family was very happy after Tehsildar Pampore Zuber Ahmad, revenue official Mir Murawat Hussain, Muneer Ahmad and Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din visited and greeted them in person.

“Zuber Ahmad is a competent revenue officer and a great human being, he visited us today with his employees and it gave me immense pleasure,” Sunil said.

On this occasion, he prayed for peace and prosperity of the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tehsildar Pampore, Zuber Ahmad, assured them of full support from their local administration. He also told them to contact the local administration if they face any inconvenience and needs intervention by the administration.

Maha Shivratri, locally known as Herath, was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety in Pampore Tehsil like in other parts of Kashmir.

BILAL HABIB