Dignified Burials for COVID deceased in Kashmir

By Pratishtha Chhetri

Sajad Ahmad Khan helped deal with the mindsets regarding the stigma around Covid-19 deceased.

Sajad's Ahmed Khan's usual route for evening walks close to his grocery store in Bemina

When Sajad Ahmad Khan witnessed a COVID-19 deceased woman was being buried, and found her relatives scared to go near her body or offer funeral prayers, he was moved by the scene and this made him realise, there was an urgent need to manage dignified burials for victims of COVID-19. He ran to his departmental store and took eight Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and gave them to these people who then carried the coffin and buried the lady in the graveyard. Later that day, he posted on his Facebook page -‘Athwaas’ that he can be contacted if any family wanted to ensure a safe burial of a COVID victim.

Sajad receives a phone call for a home delivery

During the lockdown, his was one of the 23 grocery stores in Srinagar that were allowed by the government to operate for a home delivery service. He took this opportunity to help fellow store owners by supplying their goods for them and thus helping them maintain some source of income during the pandemic.

Sheikh Factory, Anjum Masjid, Bemina

Factory where Sajad supplied the material and even the machine to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits in bulk.

He then distributed these PPEs amongst doctors free of cost at the time when government supply of protective gears were falling short. These PPEs were also used by him and his team during burials.

Sheikh Factory, Anjum Masjid

Machine donated by Sajad to help manufacture PPEs. He supplied free PPEs to doctors dealing with COVID-19 victims.

Conducting a funeral safely is an important aspect

Sajad keeps the equipment required for the job- spades, sanitiser machine and PPE kits and ropes- in his car for volunteers, to ensure that burial services are managed without harm to anyone.

Bemina Stadium, Srinagar

It is in the open ground that Sajad and his team of Volunteers often disinfected themselves post burial with a disinfectant spraying machine, before burning their PPEs

Burying a COVID-19 dead

Sajad spent from his own pocket for the sake of the burials.

Him and his team's help was sought by many in the region, and he made sure all the burials were carried out with dignity and honour. During the pandemic the team carried out more than 100 burials.

Hard at work

Sajad rummages through old stock to clear out the expired goods. During the COVID-19 lockdown, there were seldom any demand for non essential items which were otherwise bought by customers when they came to the grocery store. Delivery items mainly consisted of food and sanitary products. Products like cosmetics went unsold and subsequently to trash.

Kiswa (10 years) learns how to skate

Sajad was perturbed by the lack of inactivity amongst children during extended periods of lockdown. Worried about their mental well being, he decided to bring together neighbourhood children for free skating lessons.

Kashmir has been under security lockdown since August 2019. Children haven't been to school in two years.

Rasika & Sajad wait at the school cash counter

Sajad's finances suffered a severe blow when his travel agency was shut down due to the pandemic. After multiple requests by the concerned authorities of Doon International School, Srinagar finally agreed to accept fees in instalments. Sadly they didn't offer any concession in the fees even during such times.

Lunch break with family

Sajad with his family - Rasika (wife, 37), Ayaan (son, 10), Maham (daughter) and Shazada Akhter (mother, 65). He often comes home for lunch, sometimes after lunch, he takes a power nap or catches up with his wife on the neighbourhood news before heading back to the store.

His daily bread

Sajad's daily breakfast consists of nun chai (or pink tea) with Tsot or Girda (Kashmiri bread) from the next door bakery.

On a drive

Sajad goes on a drive with his children, Ayaan (10 years) and Maham (4 years). He is a doting father and has a passion for driving.

Malkah Nauhatta Cemetery

This is the graveyard where Sajad and his team of volunteers buried most of Covid-19 casualties. Unlike many places across the Muslim world, the graveyards are part of family possession and inheritance in Srinagar. Nauhatta Cemetery is one such community cemetery.

Masjid Mohalla Jaat & Graveyard

Regardless of faith and religion, on receiving distress calls for burial assistance he readily agrees to help. “Be it anyone- Hindu, Sikh, Muslim- we remain ready for the proper burial of our departed brethren,” says Sajad. Over a period of time through his work he changed the mind set of people regarding the stigma around Covid-19 dead. For instance earlier his team of volunteers worked anonymously but subsequently they were able to carry out burials openly and proudly, as the support for their work increased.

About the Photographer

Pratishtha Chhetri is an independent documentary filmmaker and photographer. She has previously worked with the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development as a short filmmaker and has helped various NGOs in Policy Research & Advocacy. She also holds a P.G. Diploma in Communications for Development (UNICEF) from Xavier’s Institute of Communications, Mumbai.

Pratishtha uses photography as a medium to create visual evidence in the field of developmental communications. She sincerely hopes that her photographs bring to the fore issues that need human empathy the most and contribute to the world’s dialogues on development.

Project Location

Srinagar, Kashmir

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