New Delhi: When 21-year-old Irham saw her village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam swell with residents donating money, jewellery and even copper utensils for those affected by the war in Iran, she couldn’t resist. She removed her earrings and handed them to the village donation committee. That is all she had, she says.
“This small offering is emotional support for Iran. It is for those affected by the war in that country,” said Irham, a resident of Khanpora in Budgam.
Shia-dominated areas across Kashmir’s villages and towns recently came together to raise donations for people affected by the war in Iran. What stood out was the scale of women’s participation. They stepped out in large numbers, donating utensils, jewellery and cherished heirlooms. Children, too, joined in—giving away their toys, piggy banks and gifts. Some residents even gave cheques from their Jammu and Kashmir Bank accounts.
Videos of the drive went viral on social media, displaying the emotional outpouring among Shia communities in Kashmir. In village after village, local committees were formed to collect donations, with residents lining up, clutching whatever they could spare. One such video showed copper utensils, cash, jewellery boxes and even a UPI scanner placed on a rug on the ground, as people queued up to contribute.
The collected items were then set for auction by the village committees. In Shilvat Sonwari, after the items were collected, around four to five jewellers were called and asked to buy them at a certain rate. “The amount then received was sent to the Iranian Embassy accounts and also the Shia organisation collecting donations for Iran,” said Sajid Rasool, a resident of Shilvat Sonwari of Bandipora district.
The All Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association appealed on their Facebook page for donations. “Today, as Iran goes through a time of grief and rebuilding, it becomes our collective responsibility to stand with them not just in words, but through meaningful support,” they said.
The Iranian Embassy in India acknowledged the contributions of Shia Muslims in Kashmir in a post on X. The post read, “We will never forget your kindness and humanity. Thank you, India.”
The Iranian Embassy shared photos of donations, including cash, jewellery, and utensils from Kashmir, on X.
In another post on X, the Embassy wrote, “With hearts full of gratitude, we sincerely thank the kind people of Kashmir for standing with the people of Iran through their humanitarian support and heartfelt solidarity; this kindness will never be forgotten. Thank you, India.”
As the donations are being made on the ground, the Iranian Embassy posted on X, inviting people to contribute directly to relief efforts. “Donations should be made only to the Embassy’s official bank account… Please note that any QR codes or UPI details from unofficial sources are not endorsed by the embassy,” it said.
Residents said their contributions were also driven by a memory—of a similar donation by Iran in 2024, when women donated jewellery, cash and household valuables for people affected in Palestine and Lebanon.
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‘Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a spiritual guide’
For Moulvi Tahir Najfi in Bandipora, the donation drive began spontaneously after a few residents in his neighbourhood approached him, expressing their willingness to support the people in Iran.
“It wasn’t planned. It began spontaneously, then took shape and spread across Kashmir,” said Najfi, who also donated some cash. “From Rs 10 to Rs 1,000, people have contributed whatever they could for orphans and distressed families in Iran.”
Soon, after a US strike killed Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February, Kashmir erupted in protests in early March. The protests against the US and Israel were witnessed from Lal Chowk in Srinagar to Budgam in Central Kashmir and several towns in South and North Kashmir. The protestors were seen holding huge portraits of Khamenei and placards expressing solidarity with Iran.
Najfi said that for many in Kashmir’s Shia community, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is regarded as a spiritual guide. Khamenei had visited Srinagar in the early 1980s, travelling to places such as the Zadibal Imambara and the Hazratbal Shrine—a visit widely remembered as part of Iran’s religious and ideological outreach after the 1979 revolution.
“I was young. My elders told me about that visit, and since then, Shias in Kashmir have ardently followed Khamenei as their Imam,” Najfi said.
A 25-year-old Master’s student at Kashmir University, Iqra donated copper utensils, including a traem—a traditional wazwan platter used to serve and share meals among four people—along with some cash. Considered one of the most cherished items in a Kashmiri household, parting with it was no small gesture.
“This is for our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters who need us right now,” Iqra said.
Eighteen-year-old Zehra Ali, too, chose to give away something deeply personal—a two-gram gold biscuit her father had gifted her on her birthday two years ago. For her, the act was not about religion, but about standing with those in distress.
“I stand with those who are in distress, wherever there is distress, there can be no justification for oppression,” she said.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)