The diary game. A Day of Condolence, Prayer, and Quiet Reflection in Winter Kashmir

Hello, dear friends! How is everyone doing? I hope you are all well and enjoying your time with your loved ones, no matter where you are. Today, I want to share another day of my life with you all. I hope you find some time to read my post and that you find it enjoyable enough to upvote.

I had to get up early in the morning because today, once again, we had to visit my sister-in-law’s home as she had lost her paternal grandmother a few days ago. We have a tradition of staying with the bereaved family for at least three days to comfort and console them and to share their grief and sorrow. For this reason, I woke up very early and started my day by offering prayers, which help me remain peaceful and calm throughout the day and keep me positive, enabling me to face challenges with the right attitude.

After completing my prayers, I made my ablutions and headed back home, where I went straight to bed to get some warmth, as the cold temperature made me feel a bit chilly. I got up again when breakfast was ready, and I am truly thankful to my mother. She works in such harsh conditions to make our lives easier. Despite the severe winter cold in Kashmir Valley, she prepares our breakfast early in the morning without any concern for herself.

After finishing my breakfast, I started getting ready. As we had to leave, I also had to pick up a few people along the way—my maternal uncle, my cousin, and my aunt. I had already called them to be ready on the road to save time. While on my way, I picked them up from their respective spots and we proceeded towards our destination.

Upon reaching there, we went straight to stay with the family. After some time, it was time for afternoon prayers. For that, I visited the famous shrine of the Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani, located in the Charar-e-Sharief area. Being present there feels like a blessing. The saint dedicated his entire life to spreading religion and imparting wisdom through his famous poetry, which presents a complete way of life. Scholars even consider his poetic work as the Kashmiri translation of the Quran, as his verses convey similar messages.

Being in and around the shrine allowed me to seek blessings and maintain a divine connection. The place has its own unique vibe, filled with peace and calm that has a soothing effect on the soul. I spent a good amount of time there before returning to my sister-in-law’s house, where we had some tea and stayed until evening.

Later, we left for our home. As it was evening, the temperature had dropped further and the cold had started engulfing the valley. To keep warm in the car, I turned on the heater but couldn’t keep it on for long, as it gave me a headache-like feeling and forced me to turn it off. I reached home in the evening, took some rest, and then went out to buy groceries from the market.

After returning from the market later in the evening, I had my dinner. After spending some time on social media, I went to sleep and called it a day.

Thank you for going through my post. Have a great time ahead.