Sopore: In Kashmir, the spirit of charity recently reached remarkable heights as a humble donation exhibited the profound impact of generosity.
An under-construction masjid in Malpora village of north Kashmir’s Sopore, 48 km from Srinagar, was struggling for funds. To bolster the finances, the masjid committee launched a donation drive ahead of Eid Al-Fitr, Naseer Ahmad Mir, a member of the under-construction masjid, told Siasat.com.
Responding to the call, villagers, regardless of their means, offered their support.
As the donation drive gained momentum during Ramadan, a widow from the village, despite her modest means, didn’t want to be left out. She came forward and contributed an egg towards the cause. Little did she know that her seemingly small offering would captivate hearts and spark an extraordinary chain of events.
The widow, who didn’t wish to be identified, said that she donated an egg that was freshly laid by her hen.
Mir said, “Despite living in abject poverty, the came forward with her modest donation. When the widow came forward with the egg, it brought me tears.” The masjid committee could not refuse the egg, but was unsure how to make use of an egg that widow had donated for the construction of the mosque.
Then, another village offered to pay Rs 100 for the egg. His offer set off an auction, which quickly escalated into a remarkable display of generosity.
A 16-year-old boy’s unexpected bid of Rs 11,000 set the stage for an awe-inspiring auction, with other youngsters swiftly joining in.
Over three days, bids soared from thousands to lakhs of rupees, with the entire village rallying together despite inclement weather. It was raining all day, but that didn’t stop the villagers from coming out to participate in the auction.
The day ended when a young man, Danish, tendered an astounding bid of Rs 70,000, expressing his heartfelt dedication to the masjid’s construction. He told Siasat.com that he spent his savings because he felt that contributing to the masjid was the best use of his money.
Nazir Ahmad, another mosque committee member, recounted the egg’s journey, revealing the multiple transactions and heartfelt gestures that culminated in a staggering collection exceeding Rs 2.2 lakh. The egg was sold multiple times, and returned when a higher bid was made over the three days the auction lasted.
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