Kochi, April 26: It was meant to be a dream vacation. Eleven members of a close-knit family from Kochi, Kerala, had set out to explore the breathtaking beauty of Kashmir — the land of snow-capped peaks and serene valleys. They had already soaked in the charm of Srinagar and decided to continue their journey to Pahalgam, unaware that fate was quietly scripting a different story for them.
On that fateful day, before venturing toward the scenic ghat area of Pahalgam — just a short distance from what would soon become the site of a terror attack — the family made a simple decision: to stop for lunch.
The restaurant they chose was modest and unassuming, located about one and a half kilometers from the ghat. As they settled in, they placed an order for Rogan Josh. But when the food arrived, something didn’t sit right. The taste wasn’t quite what they expected. Disappointed, they asked for the bill, ready to leave the half-finished meal behind.
But then came the twist.
The restaurant owner, noticing their dissatisfaction, approached with humility and a warm request. “Please give us another chance,” he said. “We’ll make it better for you.” He urged them to stay, insisting on re-preparing the food properly.
That moment — that gentle insistence — caused a delay. A delay of just 15 minutes.
By the time they finished the second serving and left the restaurant, the world outside had changed. They had barely walked half a kilometer when chaos erupted. Tourists were fleeing, some shouting warnings, others running in sheer panic. The family stopped in their tracks, frozen by the sight of a blood-soaked man stumbling down the path. The ghat area — the very place they were headed to just minutes earlier — had been attacked.
Realizing the gravity of what they had narrowly escaped, the shaken family turned back. They made their way to their hotel in stunned silence. Two days later, they were back in Kerala, carrying not just luggage, but the weight of a miracle.
In the days that followed, they couldn’t stop thinking about the man at the restaurant — the one who unknowingly altered the course of their lives. They called him an angel, a godsend. And perhaps he was.
Because sometimes, life turns on the smallest moments. A bite of food, a second chance, a quiet insistence to stay. And in those moments, fate can rewrite an ending.
