KUPWARA: The Indian Army, 160 Infantry Battalion of Territorial Army have renovated the revered Baba Abdullah Ghazi Shrine at Guzeriyal Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir. The ‘Awaam & Jawan’ initiative saw locals from Kupwara working alongside Indian Army personnel.
Kupwara Terriers was approached by locals from Gazriyal for the provision of a covering over the ‘chasma’ (natural water source) used by approximately 300 residents of the village.
The chasma (spring) is located inside the shrine compound which also touches the masjid. The spring is the main source of drinking water to nearly 300 people in the adjacent village.
The villagers were suffering for past many years because the spring was in really bad shape. The water from the spring is also used for agricultural purposes throughout the year.
Kupwara Terriers took up the task of creating a steel shed over the chasma to prevent littering and falling of leaves and dead wood from adjoining trees.
The locals of Gazriyal were extremely thankful and appreciated the gesture of the Indian Army for the construction effort and beautification of the 350+ years old 'ziyarat'.
Sarpanch said, "we are grateful to the 160 Infantry Battalion and CO who took the initiative on our request and made this (chasma) spring functional again. It will definitely be a great help of poor people of villages"
This renovation work was carried out by the Kupwara Terriers to pay tribute to the authentic and ethnic Sufi culture being practised by locals, to preserve Kashmir’s old Sufi tradition and facilitate the manifestation of the Islamic Sufism in Kashmir Valley.
The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by over 100 local villagers from Guzeriyal.
The Indian Army in far-flung areas of the border district of Kupwara has always come to the rescue of the common people, be it a health emergency assistance or any other problem.
