A Sacred Journey of Unity, Faith, and Brotherhood
Farooq Brazloo
The Himalayas whisper their ancient call once more. The Amarnath Yatra, that timeless pilgrimage of devotion, beckons millions of Sanatani Hindus to the icy sanctum of Lord Shiva. For generations, we Kashmiri Muslims have stood at the heart of this sacred journey—guiding, serving, and embracing the yatris with a love as vast as our valleys. This is not mere tradition; it is the living testament of Kashmiriyat, the Sufi spirit that binds faiths in harmony. Yet today, shadows of mistrust loom, casting doubt where none should exist. It is time for India to rekindle this bond, to forge a path of unity. The “Amarnath Express 2025″—a free, seamless train service from Delhi, Jammu, and every corner of Bharat to Srinagar—must become reality. Not just as a mode of travel, but as a steel artery of secularism, pumping the lifeblood of trust, devotion, and brotherhood across our nation.
A Legacy of Love: Kashmir’s Unbroken Welcome
In the quiet dawn of Pahalgam, Mohammad Shafi, a weathered pony-wallah with hands roughened by three decades of service, adjusts the saddle for another pilgrim. His eyes, warm as the first light on the Lidder River, meet mine. “Baba Amarnath is our guest,” he says, voice trembling with pride. *”We serve him as we would our own.”* His words are not an exception; they are the rule. From the langars of Baltal to the tea stalls of Sonamarg, Kashmiri Muslims have poured their hearts into this pilgrimage—feeding, sheltering, and guiding devotees through treacherous paths.
Yet, in recent years, an insidious narrative has crept in—one that paints us as outsiders in our own land. The abrogation of Article 370 was meant to integrate Kashmir fully into India, to dissolve artificial barriers. And yet, whispers of division persist. The Amarnath Express 2025 can silence them. Imagine: a train thundering across the plains of Punjab, climbing the rugged Pir Panjal, its carriages alive with the chants of “Bam Bam Bhole!”—each stop a chance for Kashmiri hands to offer water, fruit, and the simple, sacred gift of a smile. This is not just logistics; it is diplomacy of the soul.
A Pilgrim’s Struggle: Why the Amarnath Express Must Run
For Ravi Kumar, a sun-baked laborer from Uttar Pradesh, the journey to Amarnath is a battle fought with calloused hands and emptied pockets. Last year, he saved every rupee, only to be battered by landslides, exploitative bus fares, and the cruel whims of weather. *”It broke me,”* he confessed, his voice heavy with exhaustion. *”But when Baba calls, what choice do I have?”*
His story is not unique. Thousands—elderly, poor, yet devout—undertake this pilgrimage with nothing but faith as their currency. The national highways to Jammu and Srinagar are merciless, crumbling under rain and snow. Why must devotion demand such suffering? The **Amarnath Express 2025** would be their salvation: a free, safe passage, where the only struggle is the one within—the surrender to Lord Shiva’s call. No pilgrim should be denied darshan because of poverty or peril.
A Steel Lifeline of Secularism
Picture this: The **Amarnath Express 2025** departs Delhi at dawn, its windows framing the golden spire of the Akshardham Temple before slicing through the heartland of Bharat. In Gujarat, a group of farmers boards, their lips moving in silent prayer. In Tamil Nadu, a grandmother clutches her jholi, her first journey beyond her village. And when the train finally hisses to a halt in Srinagar, it is not just passengers who disembark—it is hope, unity, and the unshakable truth that Kashmir is India, and India is Kashmir.
At every station, Kashmiri Muslims wait—not as spectators, but as hosts. They hand out kehwa in tiny clay cups, press packets of walnuts into tired hands, and whisper, “Aapka intezaar tha.” (We have been waiting for you.) This is the India we must reclaim—one where faith is not a wedge, but a bridge.
A Call to Action: Let 2025 Be the Year of Harmony
The Government of India must act—not next year, not in some distant future, but now. The Amarnath Express 2025 is more than a train; it is a manifesto of mutual respect. It is Bilal, my cousin, who spent a blizzard night carrying blankets to stranded yatris near Baltal. “We had to help,” he said, as if there were no other option. Because in Kashmir, there isn’t.
Let this train roll in 2025, packed with pilgrims chanting, laughing, praying. Let it be the proof that after the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir is not just a territory on a map—it is the heartbeat of India’s secular spirit. Let every yatri return home with not just the blessings of Baba Amarnath, but the unshakable knowledge that in Kashmir, they have family.
Conclusion: One Land, One Family, One Future
We Kashmiri Muslims are ready. The langars are stocked, the roads cleared, the hearts open. The Amarnath Express 2025 must run—not as a favor, but as a right. A right for every Hindu to reach their shrine with dignity. A right for every Kashmiri to say, “This is our duty, our joy.”
Let the whistle of this train be the sound of a nation healing. Let its wheels carve not just tracks, but destiny. And when the last pilgrim steps onto Kashmiri soil, let the world see what we have always known:
Baba Amarnath does not belong to Kashmir. Kashmir belongs to Baba Amarnath—and to every Indian who calls him Lord.
“Bam Bam Bhole!” The chant is our promise. The train must be our answer.
(Note: Farooq Brazloo trade unionist, and storyteller. His pen cuts through injustice with empathy and grit—turning struggles into narratives that demand change.
