SRINAGAR — Residents of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir paused customary Eid-ul-Fitr rituals to donate cash, gold jewelry, household items and livestock to a relief collection for civilians in Iran, more than 1,600 km away. Families contributed copper utensils, bicycles, portions of their savings and personal assets, while children broke open piggy banks containing savings accumulated over several years.

On March 21, Masrat Mukhtar handed over gold earrings her father had given her as a birthday gift months earlier to the aid collection effort. Her cousins also donated personal items. "We give what we love. This brings us closer to them," Mukhtar said. "This is what Little Iran does for its namesake. The bond persists through time and conflict," she added.

Volunteers staffed collection points in Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla and the northern districts to document donations. Shopkeepers and traders donated parts of their earnings, with some closing early to contribute. Several Sunni families observed simpler Eid meals and redirected household resources toward the effort, and donations came from both Sunni and Shia families.

In Zadibal, a Shia-majority area of Srinagar, 73-year-old Tahera Jan observed neighbors donating copper pots. Sadakat Ali Mir donated one of the two mini-trucks he drives for his livelihood. Nine-year-old Zainab Jan was among the children who handed over piggy banks. Local doctors assembled medical kits, and students organized supply drives based on assessed needs in Iran. Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, a Budgam lawmaker, donated a month's salary.

Local authorities estimated contributions from Kashmir at up to six billion rupees ($64 million), including cash, gold, jewelry, household items, livestock and vehicles. "We sincerely thank the kind people of Kashmir for standing with the people of Iran through their humanitarian support and heartfelt solidarity; this kindness endures," the Iranian embassy in New Delhi posted. The embassy said Kashmir's contributions constituted a substantial portion of donations from India.

Indian officials expressed concerns over certain fund collection methods. Jammu and Kashmir Police and the State Investigative Agency said funds collected door-to-door by unverified individuals could be diverted to local networks of separatists and armed groups. "People depositing money directly to the Iranian embassy should not be worried. Collections by middlemen without transparent monitoring may not reach the intended recipients," a senior official said. Authorities instructed volunteers to maintain records to comply with fundraising regulations.

Kashmir has historically been referred to as Iran-e-Sagheer, or Little Iran. Cultural connections between the region and historical Persia date back more than six centuries. A fragile ceasefire brokered by Pakistan is currently pausing the war in Iran, and the first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad last week broke down without a deal.