Grenade Mode "On" Again In Kashmir

Grenade mode on again in Kashmir

When anyone says word ''Paradise'' in front of you maybe you will think of lush green meadows, flowers who are in full bloom, gurgling streams, freshwater lakes, dense forests, chirping of birds, privacy and secrecy , fresh aquatic winds, aromas of lavender flowers and musk deers, soul soothing breeze, snow capped mountains, etc etc, but when someone refers ''Kashmir'' as ''Paradise'', case is contrasting.

This is the place which possesses all the elements of Paradise but painted in ''Red''. Subtle slopes that seem to  overlap in the horizons, shadows of chinars, fast flowing Jhelum, simplicity of people ,frozen springs and almost everything which provides contentment and calmness to any human being is in Kashmir but unfortunately painted with red. Everything is painted with blood stains. Every Kashmiri has become the victim of bloodshed and in this post-enlightenment period where billions of people claim that they are educated enough and believe in 'live and let live' mantra there is a gross violation of human rights across the globe. Kashmir is one of the places in the word where innocent people suffer without any reason.Those who are Pro-Indian or Pro-Pakistani had fully involved themselves in the battle but those who  have little acquaintance with mainstream politicians or separatists or any Pak operated terror group or Indian Army are suffering without any reason. Common man in Kashmir has become the sandwich for both Indian and Pakistani supporters and are worst hit because of the rift between the two. Everyone is claiming Kashmir as its own territory and carrying out operations against each other on this piece of Paradise.But no one is asking what a common 'Kashmiri'' wants?  One of the worst things Kashmiris are facing is uneven grenade attacks on crowds. Whoever is doing it ,it is totally a wrong act.I ask them if you don't have potential to fight face to face then surrender but do not attack innocents. Common man doesn't want bloodshed at all. 

I recall the time when these grenade attacks were at its peak from the mid 90's to around 2013. There is a holy shrine of Hazrat Abu Bakar Sidiq (RA) at my village and my parents and country men often narrate the incident  of grenade attack in our village which took place on the day of Urs of Hazrat A Syedna Abu Bakar Sidiq (RA). People were just celebrating the festival and miscreants lobbed grenade on innocent people in which few people died and several were injured. One among the injured was my another cousin brother and according to my mother , my cousin and brother escaped narrowly when we were around 8-9 years old. My mother narrates that i screamed for an ice cream which a non local vendor was selling and fortunately we were far from him at that time when i insisted my mother to bring an icecream for me. She said that ''I was holding the hand of your cousin brother and you was in my lap and suddenly you saw a Bihari (usually used for non local labourers in Kashmir)selling 'malayi walli ice-cream'' and you started screaming for it. I went towards the seller along with both of you. When i reached close to him for buying ice cream , blast occurred. We were barely 5 meters away from him and his head got beheaded and i saw blood everywhere. Shouts and screams haunted me .  I saw your another cousin screaming for help. I started weeping and left the venue. I was searching for someone who will help your cousin brother who received abdominal injuries. I left you and your cousin brother at the entrance of our colony and went back to help your injured cousin brother'', she recalled. It was a very heart wrenching story and it was not only one. Another incident happened where me and my parents too narrowly escaped at Sopore , when I was ill. That story is so horrible that I don't want to even share that experience. Parents of Kashmir face tonnes of hardship to bring up their kids. Terrorism has led to trepidation among residents of Kashmir.

When I passed intermediate i wanted to pursue B A in Travel and Tourism but it was offered at Sopore college where most of the grenade attacks used to occur at that time, so i preferred to to complete my degree at Baramulla college instead. Every Kashmir has almost suffered in most of the ways from these grenade attacks and even these attacks changed the fate and lives of many innocent people. But fortunately since the past decade graphs of these uneven grenade attacks went below mark and I was happy as at least one way of massacring innocents stopped but since the beginning of 2022 , it has again started with a higher fatality rate than of late 90's and early 20's . Government should introspect and activate intelligence agencies so that this kind of mishaps are prevented. It kills every Kashmiri within. History should not repeat in that way . Every Kashmiri wants to erase the bad distressing memories of late 90's and early 20's. Everyone is condemning the cowardly acts of hurling grenades but no one seems willing to bring policies and alternatives through which these attacks can be stopped. Stop the blame game and start acting instead.This way of carnage  and butchery is wreaking havoc among Kashmiris.

Let's revive 'Kashmiriyat

Kashmir's composite culture needs amelioration as the paradise has lost camaraderie which was existing within its inhabitants. People here  used to live with brotherhood, emity and harmony . Most of the rulers ill-treated people but they showcased resistance and patience. Until the end of Dogra Raj, people suffered due to  poverty and cruelty of rulers but harmony was never affected. The word secularism was not known to the Kashmiris then but ''Kashmiriyat'' was what they believed in. 

Kashmiriyat means helping everyone and living peacefully. They did not used to ask for anyone's caste, creed, sex, religion or race. The mantra was to just keep helping others. Prem Nath Bazaz and Sheikh Abdullah fought for the cause of political freedom unitedly he was Hindu and later Muslim. Everyone was proud of being Kashmiri and part of its rich culture. Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim ruled this peice of paradise for own ends while as subjects suffered till mid 19s. After the accession of the instrument was signed , Kashmir became a part of India . Still there was communal harmony and everyone irrespective of their religion used to think about Kashmir.But what happened after 1990, Kashmir became the hot topic . Bilateral issues between India and Pakistan were hit and dispute was even raised in UNO. 

I don't know who casts an evil eye on Kashmir but I can say that Kashmiriyat was muddled over the night. The centuries old tradition and affinity was found broken and it took enemies of the ideology of Kashmiriyat to hatch a conspiracy against its rich culture for only a few weeks. Pandits left Kashmir. They left their neighbours, temples, homes, friends and properties.  The issue gained political mileage but I will not share it here as I consider politics responsible for the exodus of Pandits. If Kashmir would have not awakened politically, people might have been still destitute but atleast love and harmony would have been not affected. Political consciousness has brought an end to Kashmiriyat. It has destroyed peace and tranquility. I would blame Muslims who have not stopped Pandiths that time and at the same time I would blame those pandiths who left their native places instead of attaining martyrdom. This is what patriotism is. Wheather, you get killed or suppressed but you will still never leave your motherland. 

Pandits were rehabilitated later but how they spend these 32 years is an inspiration for everyone. They  lost everything. They have been cheated and deceived by every politician since then. Pandiths are being used as a vote bank by every political leader. They were highly educated but left in distress. They want to settle back in Kashmir and Kashmiri Muslims want to receive them with warm hearts but, I retriate that politics has destroyed Kashmiriyat, so, it seems impossible till politicians have influence over both the Hindus and Muslims.  Poor Pandiths suffered when they used to live in tents across India and abroad. In Jammu, where most pandiths still live, they used to shelter themselves under narrow sheds made of steel sheets. Both, male and female used to share the same toilet until Manmohan Singh led government,  a decade ago sanctioned government residential quarters to them. But, I salute Pandiths, who still have Kashmiriyat in them and who still carry the rich culture along with them despite being deceived by  a section of Kashmiris. I know they will not blame all Kashmiri Muslims as they still recall the love and faith they had within them. Those who tried to ruin our culture and age old demography got little success as love has revived again between Pandits and Muslims but only one thing needs to be improved and  that is communal harmony. 

Hearth used to be Kashmiris second sacred festival after Eid. People irrespective of religion were celebrating both festivals with religious fervour. Kashmiri Muslim still believe that on Hareth it will rain and that belief is belief of Kashmir not Hindus or Muslims. Hindus still visit Holy shrines across Kashmir and pay obeisance. I recall my experience that I recently met a Pandith , who frequently used to chant '' Dastgeera Sahaba Yaari'' means Oh! Dastgeer protect me and ''Ya Gousul Azam  Dastgeer'' means Oh! Dastgeer,the  helper of everyone ''. (Dastgeer Sahib in Kashmir is used to refer to renowned Islamic scholar Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani).

When I contacted various Pandiths on this festival to convey good wishes , everyone replied with a heavy heart. Everyone wants to celebrate this festival in Kashmir with Kashmiri Muslims and enjoy the blessings of Lord Shiva, which usually comes in the form of rain. I urge and appeal every Kashmiri, Muslim and Pandiths to protect Kashmiri culture and don't fall in the trap of politicians. Let's together make Kashmir and its culture an inspiration for everyone.  On this Mahashivratri ,let's marry Kashmir with Kashmiriyat again