Kashmir, Beautiful Kashmir.
After spending nearly a week in Kashmir valley I landed at Chennai Airport around 8 P.M yesterday and reached home before midnight. Daughters and grand children were wide awake to say hello. Indeed it was refreshing to breath the hot air once again, the discomfort of torrid zone, after staying cool for a week.Fortunately it was not that hot as it had rained here .
This was my maiden visit to politically troubled and tormented region of the extreme north India .During my brief and bright stay there, I did not notice any trace of political turmoil excepting that frustratingly irritating military presence,CRPF personnel standing at key vulnerable points in large numbers. As Prime Minister was supposed to visit today, Pandobust arrangements were tight yesterday. While I was stepping down from the boat at Dal Lake, I could see the police vans, pouring out Jawans with all guns. Even the neat roads were swept for the Prime Minister to inhale fresh air although he would be traveling in a bullet proof A/C car. We were told that the tourists will have hell of trouble today in view of the Prime Minister’s visit. I was just wondering what would happen to the livelihood of many boatmen and other inhabitants surrounding the Dal Lake .
Travel from Dal Lake boat house by taxi to Srinagar airport, was halted at many points by security personnel for the security check. “Was it a routine affair or something to do with Dr.Singh visit next day?” I asked my students who were accompanying our tour party, all through the week. “It was normally the case sir, while moving towards Airport” they replied.
It was highly irritating to be stopped at different points by policemen who could neither understand Pondicherry University nor the title Professor. By sheer helplessness they would blink and allow us. On the mid way, the taxi was checked and the driver was asked for his papers. He stopped and showed all the papers they asked for. When he came back to the seat, I asked the driver, “Were you asked to pay any amount?” “No”, he said. I was relieved. The previous day , on our way to Pehalgam, the driver had to shell out a single note of hundred rupees, for not wearing proper uniform. Next to Bihar, it is said that Kashmir is the most corrupt state and I could see the traces of that in a modest way when the policemen were doing the routine job of checking the papers.
Kashmir, beautiful Kashmir is a lovely song in Tamil. I had heard when I was a college student. To see that lovely place at the ripe old age of sixty was indeed a fortune . I was lucky and also a privileged person to spend a few days in Kashmir valley, sit on her lap, walk on the snow capped mountain, talk to tribals in body language and drench myself in the fresh oxygen and also the unadulterated love of village folk .
One day at 11 Pm in the night with chill breeze I came out of the boat house, stood in the verandah and watched the Dal Lake, brisling with glittering lights with all love and quiet .I told myself , “God does live there.” While Kerela is called God’s own country, Kasmir valley is just the ‘Heavenly Kingdom of God’ and no matter, however the genuine Kashmiris resist being part of India , the latter cannot abandon it because Kashmir is so lovely and beautiful and no nation shall give this as a gift to others. But here others are not others but the real natives who have their problems with both Pakistan and India. I don’t have much information about the fundamental causes for the continuing friction between the people of Kashmir and the federal government. I will read more in future. Whatever may the issues involved , one thing is sure enough that not only Kashmir but many other north eastern states cannot be allowed to be alienated from the mainstream India . Here, I will assertively say that Economics and Economic development have not penetrated into these unfortunate regions. While documenting my emotional infatuation with Kashmir valley I will also write about the wounded agony of this beautiful Kashmir.
This was my maiden visit to politically troubled and tormented region of the extreme north India .During my brief and bright stay there, I did not notice any trace of political turmoil excepting that frustratingly irritating military presence,CRPF personnel standing at key vulnerable points in large numbers. As Prime Minister was supposed to visit today, Pandobust arrangements were tight yesterday. While I was stepping down from the boat at Dal Lake, I could see the police vans, pouring out Jawans with all guns. Even the neat roads were swept for the Prime Minister to inhale fresh air although he would be traveling in a bullet proof A/C car. We were told that the tourists will have hell of trouble today in view of the Prime Minister’s visit. I was just wondering what would happen to the livelihood of many boatmen and other inhabitants surrounding the Dal Lake .
Travel from Dal Lake boat house by taxi to Srinagar airport, was halted at many points by security personnel for the security check. “Was it a routine affair or something to do with Dr.Singh visit next day?” I asked my students who were accompanying our tour party, all through the week. “It was normally the case sir, while moving towards Airport” they replied.
It was highly irritating to be stopped at different points by policemen who could neither understand Pondicherry University nor the title Professor. By sheer helplessness they would blink and allow us. On the mid way, the taxi was checked and the driver was asked for his papers. He stopped and showed all the papers they asked for. When he came back to the seat, I asked the driver, “Were you asked to pay any amount?” “No”, he said. I was relieved. The previous day , on our way to Pehalgam, the driver had to shell out a single note of hundred rupees, for not wearing proper uniform. Next to Bihar, it is said that Kashmir is the most corrupt state and I could see the traces of that in a modest way when the policemen were doing the routine job of checking the papers.
Kashmir, beautiful Kashmir is a lovely song in Tamil. I had heard when I was a college student. To see that lovely place at the ripe old age of sixty was indeed a fortune . I was lucky and also a privileged person to spend a few days in Kashmir valley, sit on her lap, walk on the snow capped mountain, talk to tribals in body language and drench myself in the fresh oxygen and also the unadulterated love of village folk .
One day at 11 Pm in the night with chill breeze I came out of the boat house, stood in the verandah and watched the Dal Lake, brisling with glittering lights with all love and quiet .I told myself , “God does live there.” While Kerela is called God’s own country, Kasmir valley is just the ‘Heavenly Kingdom of God’ and no matter, however the genuine Kashmiris resist being part of India , the latter cannot abandon it because Kashmir is so lovely and beautiful and no nation shall give this as a gift to others. But here others are not others but the real natives who have their problems with both Pakistan and India. I don’t have much information about the fundamental causes for the continuing friction between the people of Kashmir and the federal government. I will read more in future. Whatever may the issues involved , one thing is sure enough that not only Kashmir but many other north eastern states cannot be allowed to be alienated from the mainstream India . Here, I will assertively say that Economics and Economic development have not penetrated into these unfortunate regions. While documenting my emotional infatuation with Kashmir valley I will also write about the wounded agony of this beautiful Kashmir.
1 comment:
Gr8 Sir,Indeed U have beautifully put What we call the real kashmiryat which makes it distinct from rest of the world..Historically Kashmir has been the highest seat of Learning.Ther was a time when the Brahmin Scholars of South india(e.g,Abinav Gupta,) Used to turn their faces towards kashmir before starting their scholarly Activities.Kashmir has the distinction of producing the first Historian(Kalhana Pandit) of Asia who is famous for his Sanskrit epic called Ranjatarangni.
Unfortunately This heavenly Territory of God has been turned into hell by the Selfish interests of both india & Pakistan.
We are in short of Scholarly persons and off course the Great Economists like you To Bring back the Glory Of kashmir Through Scholarly attention towards the Political economy of Kashmir.
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GH.Qadir,Imtiyaz,Wani khursheed,
Javaid A MIr(Social work)
Research Scholars,SSIS, PU
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