{"id":6085,"date":"2026-04-16T08:47:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/2026\/04\/16\/why-many-kashmiris-are-donating-gold-breaking-piggy-banks-for-iran\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T08:47:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T08:47:06","slug":"why-many-kashmiris-are-donating-gold-breaking-piggy-banks-for-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/2026\/04\/16\/why-many-kashmiris-are-donating-gold-breaking-piggy-banks-for-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Why many Kashmiris are donating gold, breaking piggy banks for Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir \u2014<\/strong> The gold earrings were a gift from her father on her birthday just months earlier. But on March\u202f21, as South Asia marked Eid\u2011ul\u2011Fitr, Masrat Mukhtar handed them over to an aid collection effort to help civilians in Iran trying to survive the US-Israel war on the country.<\/p>\n

She was one of many in Indian-administered Kashmir who paused their customary rituals and celebrations on the auspicious day to contribute cash, household items, and personal assets for a people more than 1,600 km (1,000 miles) away.<\/p>\n

Her cousins followed, each bringing items of personal value. Families offered copper utensils, livestock, bicycles, and portions of savings. Children broke their piggy banks, sharing savings they had carefully collected over several years. Shopkeepers and traders handed over parts of their earnings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe give what we love. This brings us closer to them,\u201d said Mukhtar, a 55-year-old woman from Budgam in the central part of Indian-administered Kashmir, before referring to a name by which the region has historically also been known. \u201cThis is what Little Iran does for its namesake. The bond persists through time and conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n

That bond, rooted in more than six centuries of historical connections, has taken on a much more overt presence during the war \u2013 drawing recognition from Iranian authorities, and concerns over certain fund collection methods from Indian officials.<\/p>\n

\"Cash
Cash donated for Iran at a collection drive in Indian-administered Kashmir [Junaid Bhat\/Al Jazeera]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One daughter\u2019s wealth, to another daughter<\/h2>\n

In Zadibal, a Shia-majority area of Srinagar \u2013 the biggest city in Indian-administered Kashmir \u2013 73-year-old Tahera Jan watched neighbours contribute copper pots.<\/p>\n

\u201cKashmiris traditionally collect these utensils for their daughters\u2019 weddings. We chose to give them instead to daughters who lost mothers and sisters in the attacks,\u201d Jan said.<\/p>\n

Sadakat Ali Mir, a 24-year-old mini-truck driver, contributed one of the two vehicles he drives for his livelihood. Other contributors offered bicycles, scooters, and other essential items. Children, including nine-year-old Zainab Jan, handed over piggy banks.<\/p>\n

To be sure, that Shia constitute between 10 to 15 percent of Indian-administered Kashmir\u2019s population is a factor in why the war in Iran resonates so deeply in the region. But donations for Iran have extended well beyond Shia. Several Sunni families observed simpler Eid meals, redirecting household resources towards Iranian relief. Some shopkeepers closed early, while families adjusted daily routines to contribute.<\/p>\n

Political and religious figures also participated. Budgam lawmaker Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi donated a month\u2019s salary to the relief effort. Imran Reza Ansari, a Shia scholar and leader of the People\u2019s Conference party, noted public participation across communities.<\/p>\n

Similar donation campaigns in support of Iranians have also been reported from Pakistan, Iraq and other countries.<\/p>\n

But at the heart of this outpouring of support for Iran in Indian-administered Kashmir \u2013 which also witnessed large rallies after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 \u2013 are rare cultural ties that Kashmir and what was then Persia have shared for centuries.<\/p>\n

\"Shiite
Women arrive carrying kitchenware to donate at a relief drive for Iran in Budgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, Monday, March 23, 2026 [Mukhtar Khan\/ AP Photo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Little Iran\u2019<\/h2>\n

Sufi scholar Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani arrived in Kashmir from Hamadan in Iran in the 14th century, introducing religious practices, art forms, and Persian literary traditions. Persian architectural influences appear in historical mosques, and the Persian language has shaped local literature.<\/p>\n

Irshad Ahmad, a scholar of Central Asian studies, said donation drives drew on this historical reservoir, with prayers, rituals, and art forms reflecting longstanding ties. Kashmir has historically been referred to as Iran-e-Sagheer, or Little Iran.<\/p>\n

The donations carry personal and cultural meaning beyond financial value, said experts. \u201cPeople are not only parting with objects; they are sharing emotional continuity,\u201d Sakina Hassan, a lecturer on humanitarian practices in New Delhi, said.<\/p>\n

More than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran during the war, which is on pause at the moment amid a fragile ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. The first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad last week broke down without a deal, and mediators are working on pushing the two sides towards new talks. The ceasefire is set to expire next Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\"A
A volunteer auctions a donated copper vessel to raise cash for a relief drive for Iran in Budgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, Monday, March 23, 2026 [Mukhtar Khan\/AP Photo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Millions in donations<\/h2>\n

The scope of donations from Kashmir is significant. Estimates from local authorities place the value of contributions at up to six billion rupees ($64m), including cash, gold, jewellery, household items, livestock, and vehicles.<\/p>\n

Collection points in Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla \u2013 another major city \u2013 and the region\u2019s northern districts were staffed by volunteers documenting donations.<\/p>\n

Small contributions, including coins, piggy banks, and utensils, make up a large portion of total aid in terms of volume. Syed Asifi, a volunteer managing central Srinagar collections, said even individuals with limited means brought what they could.<\/p>\n

Medical kits were assembled by local doctors, and supply drives were organised by students and educational institutions based on assessed needs in Iran.<\/p>\n

The Iranian embassy in New Delhi acknowledged contributions in a post on X: \u201cWe sincerely thank the kind people of Kashmir for standing with the people of Iran through their humanitarian support and heartfelt solidarity; this kindness endures.\u201d A video shared by the embassy showed a widow donating gold she had kept as a memento of her husband, who died 28 years ago.<\/p>\n

That post was subsequently pulled down by the embassy, though the mission later posted again, thanking the people of India and Kashmir.<\/p>\n

The embassy added that Kashmir\u2019s contributions constitute a substantial portion of donations from India, with local sources estimating the Valley\u2019s share at more than 40 percent of the total.<\/p>\n

\"Jewelry
Jewellery donated by women for an Iran aid drive in Indian-administered Kashmir [Junaid Bhat\/Al Jazeera]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Security concerns<\/h2>\n

But while the majority of donations are directed towards humanitarian purposes, Indian authorities have raised concerns about potential misuse. Jammu and Kashmir Police and the State Investigative Agency (SIA) have said some funds collected through door-to-door drives by unverified individuals could be diverted to local networks of separatists and armed groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople depositing money directly to the Iranian embassy should not be worried,\u201d said a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity. \u201cCollections by middlemen without transparent monitoring may not reach the intended recipients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Authorities have also asked volunteers to maintain records to ensure compliance with fundraising regulations.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a reason for this concern, say Indian authorities.<\/p>\n

They point to the example of 2023, where funds collected in southern Kashmir \u2013 ostensibly for humanitarian purposes \u2013 were allegedly instead funnelled towards rebel groups. Organisers of the Kashmir drives for Iran maintain that all efforts are humanitarian.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir \u2014 The gold earrings were a gift from her father on her birthday just months earlier. But on March\u202f21, as South Asia marked Eid\u2011ul\u2011Fitr, Masrat Mukhtar handed them over to an aid collection effort to help civilians in Iran trying to survive the US-Israel war on the country. She was one of … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}