Diwali turns sombre for Rajasthani families who lost their Kashmiri ‘brother’

Srinagar, Nov 08: The festival of lights brought an unusual silence to the roadside toy stalls outside Children's Hospital and JVC Hospital in Srinagar this Diwali. The colourful toys remained untouched, the stalls stayed closed and families who had travelled from Rajasthan to earn a living in Kashmir chose not to celebrate. For them, Sunday was not a day of festivities but one of mourning. Umer Hajam, a Kashmiri man who had stood by them for nearly five years, died in a road accident at Haji Bagh, Sharifabad, on Sunday morning. His death left behind a void that the families say cannot be filled. Umer was not merely a neighbour or a fellow vendor to these Rajasthani families. Over the years, he had become a brother, a companion and a source of support in a place far away from their homes. His kindness had turned an unfamiliar city into a place where they felt they belonged. Speaking to *Rising Kashmir*, Rani, one of the women from the families, recalled how Umer never allowed differences of religion or region to come between them. "We have been coming to Kashmir for the last five years to earn a livelihood for our families. During this period, we became close to Umer Hajam of Soibugh village. He never treated us as outsiders. He always considered us members of his own family and would tell us that we were his brothers and sisters," she said. Umer sold Kashmiri masala and traditional bread outside Children's Hospital, where the families also operated their toy stalls. Their daily interactions gradually grew into a close bond, built through small gestures of care and years of sharing everyday experiences. Rani said Umer would often bring food for them and make sure they were looked after. His affection, she recalled, was particularly evident during Raksha Bandhan, when he would tie Rakhi with all four sisters in the family. "He used to bring Kashmiri masala and roti for our families almost every day. We are four sisters in our family, and every year on Raksha Bandhan, he would lovingly tie Rakhi with all four of us. He never made us feel that we belonged to another state or religion. For him, we were his family," she said. For Rani, the loss is deeply personal. The place where they once sat together and worked every day will now remind them of the brother who is no longer there. "Today, I have lost my brother. We used to sit together and sell toys outside the hospital every day. Now, we will have to sit there alone. His death has left a huge emptiness in our lives. We will never forget him," she said. Another member of the families, Gopal, said their relationship with Umer had gone well beyond friendship or business. They had shared their joys and sorrows for years, and he had become an inseparable part of their lives in Kashmir. Recalling their last conversation, Gopal said Umer had promised to join them for Diwali and bring sweets for everyone. "On November 7, we had come from Rajasthan. Umer told me, 'Gopal, tomorrow is Deepawali. I will come tomorrow with sweets for all your family members, and we will celebrate the festival together.' I never imagined that he would leave this world before the festival," he said. Instead of the promised sweets and celebrations, the families received the news of his death. Gopal said they rushed to JVC Hospital after learning that Umer's body had been brought there following the accident. "When we reached the hospital and saw his body covered with a white cloth, all our family members started crying. At that moment, we realised that we had lost someone who was not just our friend but a member of our family," he recalled. The families subsequently shut their stalls and decided not to celebrate Diwali. Gopal said the shock was so deep that nobody in their families had eaten anything after hearing the news. Their bond with Umer, he said, had never been limited by religious differences. He participated in their festivals, while they joined him and his family during Eid. They had also visited his home in Soibugh several times. "He celebrated our festivals with us, and we also celebrated Eid with him. We had visited his home several times. He was a wonderful human being who respected everyone, irrespective of where they came from or which religion they followed," Gopal said. The families said they would visit Umer's home in Soibugh to offer condolences and stand by his bereaved family. Rani said their grief had been compounded by thoughts of Umer's two young children, an eight-year-old daughter and a very young baby, who would now grow up without their father's presence. "We are deeply worried about his children. He was not only taking care of his own family but was also looking after all of us. His children have lost their father, and we have lost our brother," she said. As Diwali lights illuminated homes across Kashmir, the stalls that once brought together people from different regions and faiths remained shut. The man who had promised to bring sweets would not return, and the families who had waited to celebrate with him were left mourning his absence. For these Rajasthani families, Umer's legacy lies not in grand gestures but in the everyday kindness through which he made them feel at home. The Rakhi he tied, the food he shared, the festivals they celebrated together and the promise of Diwali sweets have become memories they say they will carry for the rest of their lives. "We have lost our brother, and today we are brotherless," they said.