How A Kashmiri Healer Became His Remote Village's Hope And Hero

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational photo

By Gowher Bhat

A hundred kilometers from Srinagar, Zahoor Hussain Hakeem is quietly transforming a forgotten village. Dewalgam, nestled in misty Kokernag, has long been a place marked by isolation and hardship. But at 40, Zahoor has become its beacon of hope, defying the odds that once held him back.

Zahoor's story began at 15, when his father sent him to Srinagar to ease the family's financial burdens. Working as a servant for a wealthy man, Zahoor earned just enough to survive.

Yet, despite the hard labour, he found time to study. His late nights were fuelled by philosophy, literature, and Urdu poetry. It was through this self-discipline that he earned a degree in Political Science and a teaching credential, both with top marks.

After completing his studies, Zahoor set his sights on a teaching career, but fell just short on the National Eligibility Test. Disheartened, he returned to Dewalgam but refused to give in to failure.

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He tried walnut and wood trading before venturing into Ayurvedic medicine, opening a shop under the mentorship of a local healer, Shapoo Sahib.

After completing formal Ayurvedic training, Zahoor's ambition grew. He envisioned opening a cupping therapy center, aiming to blend healing with service. But Zahoor's vision extends beyond just healing.

He is working to turn his cow farm into an apple orchard, a step toward economic self-sufficiency and community renewal.

His ideas have sparked a shift in the village's mindset, where people are beginning to believe change is possible.

“Zahoor is our light,” says Abbas Rather, a local driver. He's not just a healer; he's a mentor, guiding children with fatherly care, teaching them for free.“He never says no,” says Shakeel, a young shopkeeper.“Whether it's medicine, school, or life, his words have weight.”

Mustaq, a tailor, recalls a cold winter night when a woman urgently needed a ride to the hospital. Zahoor didn't hesitate. He grabbed his keys and drove her to safety, through snow and freezing temperatures.“He's always there when you need him,” Mustaq says. Farooq, who runs an allopathic pharmacy, respects Zahoor's wisdom.“We talk about everything: medicine, faith, politics. His knowledge is lived experience,” Farooq says.

Zahoor's compassion goes beyond the village. He regularly treks to the Pindoo Bal mountains to visit nomadic Bakarwal communities, delivering herbal ointments for joint pain, charging far below cost.“It's not about money,” Zahoor says.“It's about service.”

Zahoor's influence is felt deeply among the village's youth. He teaches literature to boys, helping them aim higher in life. Aadil, a young man now studying business in Chandigarh, credits Zahoor for shaping his future.“He gave me belief,” Aadil says.“He showed me I could rise, no matter where I came from.”

Zahoor's kindness extends to the most vulnerable. Widows remember his help in distress. Disabled villagers speak of his unwavering respect and dignity. Even the wealthier locals have been humbled by his generosity.

In a region where unemployment is high, Zahoor could have let a missed government job define him.“If I'd gotten that job, I might not be here doing this,” he says.“This is my path.”

As his therapy center nears completion, Zahoor's influence continues to grow. His work embodies endurance and empathy, and in Dewalgam, they say his footsteps light the darkest paths.

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