Gulmarg --- The Meadow of Flowers

Mughal Emperor Jahangir was greatly obsessed with Kashmir. The pleasure enjoying king is said to have journeyed Kashmir eight times along with his full entourage and created the gardens of Achabal, Shalimaar and Verinaag. In 1627 when he was nearing his death he was asked what he was thinking, he said, “Kashmir, only Kashmir!” The famous Persian couplet ‘gar firdos bar roy’e zamin ast; hamin ast’o hamin ast’o hamin ast’ was his exclamation while enjoying in Kashmir. Such are the emotions of everybody whosoever visits this Paradise on Earth.
Kashmir is famous for a number of world renowned tourist spots but to me Gulmarg crowns them all. Gulmarg is about fifty kilometers from Srinagar, a saucer shaped valley high up in the base of Affarvat Mountains. The actual mountain ridge starts from Tangmarg, a beautiful small town, another tourist attraction. Till recently the road from Tangmarg to Gulmarg was covered on foot or on ponies but the newly constructed motorable road has facilitated the movement of tourists and all. The steep but comfortable road on the ridge provides breathtaking view of the dense pine forest and the greenery around.
The resort really fit for a king was discovered and founded by Yusuf Shahi Chak, the lover of Kashmir legendry melody queen Habba Khatoon (Zoon) and named it as such. Gul-Marg is a Persian word meaning ‘the meadow of flowers’. Until almost end of February everything here is painted with snow – the streets, pine branches, the roofs and the mountain peaks around. In summer there’s always a nip in the air and the atmosphere is filled with the scent of pine and deodar. The vast green lawns are here and there dotted with tiny wild multicolored flowers and at places a full garden of hues spread deliciously by the divine artist. The natural setting of the resort is almost undisturbed by the human hands except the small market-place and some hotel buildings raised on the elevated margins of the valley. The Gulmarg Golf Club set up by the British in 1904, the Maharani Temple and the St. Mary’s Church is a sight to see. During British rule Gulmarg was far better active than today. It used to be a permanent home to various British retired bureaucrats, army officers and others with their families during summer who enjoyed life to their full in their tiny bungalow type huts spotted here and there without disturbing the aesthetic beauty of the meadow and as such all facilities were provided for them by the local administration. Lots of Kashmiris served them in different capacities and thus became a source for their living.
The world renowned Gulmarg Ski project provides sport to lots of fun loving people on the vast natural snow slopes in winter. It keeps the snow bound meadow full of activities in winter too though the inflow of the tourists had reduced to bare minimum during the recent years of militant threat and is picking up again.
Gandola Cable Car is an addition of modern technology to the place. It’s said to be Asia’s highest and longest Cable Car Project, the two stage ropeway which ferries to and from Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of the nearby Affarwat Peak (4200 m) and a beauty to see. Next in priority is Khilanmarg, a 600 metre ascent from Gulmarg, the site of famous winter Ski runs and which provides magnificent views of Nanga Parbat, Nun and Kun peaks from the top and tourists throng there on ponies to return before dusk. Then there’s the worth seeing Aalepather, a frozen lake about 13 kilometers trek from Gulmarg deep into the mighty slopes of Affarwat peak.
The tourists prefer to visit the shrine of Baba Reshi (Baba Payam-ud-Din Reshi) at a brief down trek from Gulmarg within dense forest area. The pir who died in 1480 was a courtier in the palace of King Zain-ul-Abidin. The holy man’s tomb is beautiful with latticed woodwork and the local people along with tourists throng there in all seasons to seek favours.

PAN DEUN --- Another important festival of KPs

PAN DUEN is another important festival of Kashmiri Pandits celebrated since time immemorial. The festival though different of its kind enjoys tremendous reverence and popularity in all KP families wherever they’re. It’s celebrated by making a special bread cake called ROTH in Kashmiri. The wheat floor in sufficient quantity is mixed with ghee, sugar, cardamom and poppy seeds and made into dough before thick Roties are rolled and deep-fried in ghee on low heat. The quantity of the material depends mainly on the tradition of the house and the strength of the family and its extension as the Prasad has to be shared with all relatives and friends after the Pooja concludes. The auspiciousness of the occasion demands enough preparation from vigorous cleaning of the whole house especially the kitchen place to a get together of all the members of family to give the process enough sanctity. The head lady of the house takes full charge of the occasion with the juniors working under her and the work is started early in the morning after doing all washing and collecting fresh water as everything has to be done with extreme purity of hand and heart as well. The recitations of holy mantras continue throughout the process as no gossips are allowed considering the sanctity of the occasion.
The Mahurat (auspicious occasion) for PAN DEUN are a few dates in the bright lunar fortnight of Bhadroon around Ganesh Chuturthi festival celebrated throughout India with full gaiety and devotion. In Kashmir the festival is celebrated by the name Vinayak Chorum and the most favoured Mahurat for PAN DEUN especially if it’s a Sunday lovingly called Vinayak Choram Te Aathwaar. This year interestingly Ganesh Chaturthi was on Sunday but Chorum (4th day of the lunor fortnight) was missing in the calendar. It was the 3rd lunar day so not favoured for PAN DEUN.
Now after the recipe (PAN ROTH) is ready there is a ceremonial ritual considered very auspicious. All the prepared PAN ROTH are kept in a large wicker basket and covered with a freshly washed clean cotton cloth. A big Lota (Gadvei) of brass, now stainless-steel is filled with fresh water and after decorating it with a flower garland, Naervan (moli), sindoor, etc it is covered with a big size ROTH and a couple or more small ones and some dry fruit, shelled walnuts and some sugar candy for Prasad and kept ceremoniously on the floor while all the family members surround it with folded hands facing East. The head lady ties Naerwan and puts Tikka on the forehead of all the members and takes in her hand the cotton thread which she had been keeping on her right ear during the making of PAN ROTH. The cotton thread is mainly significant in this ritual. In olden days the cotton thread was especially twisted for the purpose out of fresh cotton wool grown in Kashmir by an unmarried young girl on the family Charkha as Goddess Durga was worshipped in her maiden form on the occasion. The thread is called PAN in Kashmiri.
All the members take in their folded hands some washed grains of rice, barley and flowers along with a little of fresh washed running grass with roots (Dramun) which grows wildly everywhere on roadsides and parks and the head lady with all sanctity relates a traditional story of a woman of yester-years called Bib Dhara Maej who used to observe the ritual with all sanctity and was very prosperous enjoying all the blessings of the Lord. Unfortunately one such day while preparing PAN ROTH with all sanctity along with her unmarried young daughter, her husband, a rich man and too conceited came in the house unexpectedly and the fit of some anger spoiled the sanctity of the ritual and left the house. Within no time the worst misfortune overcame him and the whole family. He was deprived of all his riches, name and fame till the situation reached that the family were reduced to penury. The lady couldn’t forget the episode and in most deprived conditions arranged for the ritual the next year and surprisingly their misfortune was replaced by former riches and glory once again. As the story is ceremoniously related in full the head lady opens the lid of the Lota and offers the rice and barley grains with flowes in her hand to the Lord followed by all other mambers of the family. Thus is ritual ends with everyone wishing for good heath and prosperity and the Prasad is taken.
Now the PAN NAVEED as it’s called is to be shared with all relatives and friends and the main share is given to the married daughters and sisters in the family along with the Tikka and Naerwan from the Pooja within next few days. After the displacement of Pandits from Kashmir the new found non-Kashmiri relatives, friends and neighbours eagerly wait for the PAN NAVEED for its sanctity and high taste.

Kashmir celebrates Independence Day

There’s good news from Kashmir. Independence Day was celebrated yesterday with wide celebrations and full public participation after a long time. The main function was held in Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar where the young jubilant Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hoisted the national flag and took salute at the march past by various contingents drawn from security forces, NCC and schools of the city surprisingly without the bullet-proof cubicle which gives enough signals of the changed scenario in Kashmir. Besides the security forces and state administrative brass the celebration was attended by a large number of people mainly drawn from the ranks of National Conference and other political parties. Though the gathering was far too less compared to the Independence Day celebrations before militancy but still it displayed significant enthusiasm compared to recent years especially early nineties. And the most encouraging part of the news is that the National Flag was hoisted with due fervor and enthusiasm throughout the valley in all District Headquarters by the concerned District Heads or prominent political leaders.
The celebration of a national day with significant participation by the local people defying strong threats from the separatist elements once again is a healthy development and needs to be eulogized strongly. Once again after the massive public participation in state elections the people of Kashmir have rejected the tall claims of the separatist elements that they want India to pack up and leave them on their own.
The people of Kashmir have never been anti-India in their heart of hearts and the occasional anti-national outbursts that cause furore through the corridors of nationalist elements is nothing more than the result of the exploitations of those very forces that want the disintegration of this country. These forces are bent upon trying all possible means to create disturbance in this country by exploiting various soft targets in their favour and the Kashmir plan has always headed the list of their operations. JAI HIND

On the auspicious occasion of Shri Krishna Janamashtami

I wish all my readers a very happy Krishna Janamashtami today! Unlike Hindus in the plains Kashmiri Pandits observe complete fast one day earlier i.e. on seventh of this dark fortnight especially in the hope of safe coming of our sweet of the sweetest Lord Shree Krishna. Today on Ashtami we celebrate through special prayers, music, dance and sweet foods in plenty instead observing a fast. The celebration of many sacred occasions in the valley has been somewhat different in comparison to the Hindus of the plains. May be because of negligible means of communication a different attitude in religious ceremonies developed there including the observation of festivals.
On the occasion of Krishna Janamashtami today I recollect some glimpses of those good old days before eighties when things were comparably better for KPs in the valley. Hindus in the valley didn’t always live under a shadow of fear of the majority community but enjoyed a far better rapport and confidence with them as was seen especially on the occasion of such religious festivals. Very nice pleasantries were exchanged on festivals and the Muslims took active part in our celebrations. On this day huge processions were taken by Hindus in the valley depicting beautiful live scenes of Lord Krishna especially in Srinagar and other towns and were sincerely greeted by the majority Muslims everywhere and any untoward incident was unheard of. Late in the evening huge public meetings were arranged on this day to celebrate the birth of the Lord and all prominent leaders and social activists among Muslims took active part and extended due congratulations.
The things changed dramatically in the middle eighties when lots of young Muslim clerics from outside valley with conspicuous dress pattern and long beards were seen almost in each and every city, town and village in Kashmir delivering fiery speeches especially on Friday prayer congregations inside Muslim mosques instigating them to be ready for a long fight against so-called Hindu domination in India especially Kashmir. The unsuspecting Kashmir Muslims were on one hand taken in by this religious exploitation but alarmed on the other about an instable future. Since this all was going under a well thought plan so immediately some infamous local activists gained sudden prominence and took over enthusiastically this simmering tirade against India and her sympathizers. Till before ninety a big revolution had taken place. Thousands of Muslim youth were sent and had returned in open public view from across LOC from several special training camps equipped with fierce deadly arms and military training along with a special brain-wash to create terror with a deadly strategy of killing one and terrorizing a thousand. Every day in and out scores of sympathizers of India especially prominent Kashmir Hindus were killed in broad daylight most horribly and lots of women raped and killed in most inhuman circumstances. The state administration was strangely a mute spectator obviously trying to exhibit their open sympathy to this terror and the masses among Muslims were compelled to be dumb folded for fear of the gun present everywhere.
January 19, 1990 proved the final stroke for the fleeing Pandits, considered the active Indian agents, had to take their ultimate decision to leave their homes and hearths en masse to escape the dangling fear of life. Within less than a month more than eighty percent of Hindus had run away to seek shelter outside Kashmir and the rest took some more time to cut their roots of thousands of years.
The purpose of writing this all today is to stress again on the fact that the silver lining behind the dark cloud of terror still exists in Kashmir among the Muslims masses who do not at all support this reign of terror initiated by none else but our neighbor country with the support of a few disgruntled Kashmir leaders. They aspire for the return of those good old days and return of KPs to their homes as early as possible as they clearly reject the Taliban type fundamentalist policy of the terror mongers and want to return to that mixed culture of mutual trust and co existence.

Shree Amarnath Swami Darshan

Tomorrow is Savan Purnma and a very auspicious day for all Hindus especially for Kashmir Pandits. It’s the day for the ceremonial Pooja at Shree Amarnath Swami Temple in Kashmir. The holy mace, the sacred symbol of Lord Amreshwar (Lord Shiva) is taken in ceremonial procession accompanied by thousands of Sadhus and other devotees from far and near and worshipped on Sawan Purnima at the sanctum sanctorum of the principal deity of Kashmir. Though the travel up there has to be covered on foot through very hectic and risky hilly terrain still thousands of devotees visit there daily during the months July and August every year to have a glimpse of the Lord embedded in a miraculous hilly cave. The temperature at the holy spot remains always sub zero and the main Darshan is in the form of a huge ice Lingam formed by the dripping water from the ceiling of an open stone cave which takes its huge form on every Purnama round the year corresponding to the waning and waxing of the moon. Strange enough there’s only a little pool of water on every Amavasya at the place. The whole phenomenon baffles all human reason and scientific logic and the only thing that remains is to prostrate in submission before this living divine miracle.
Kashmir is famous not only for her sights and scenes, valleys and pastures, but also for being home to numerous famous seers and sages, poets and scholars since pre-historic times. For thousands of years great Rishis kept absorbed in toughest austerities at numerous places in the valley, most of them hidden from the public view, and with the passage of time the valley was profusely decorated with numerous miraculous sacred spots invested with great divine manifestations in consequence of the deep Sadhna of the greatest of the great souls for thousands of years. Later during the golden Hindu period thousands of magnificent temples were constructed by the Kings and their cohorts again for hundreds of years which gave a great name to Kashmir worldwide and resulted into a magnificent scene of a Hindu Kashmir.
The wholesale conversions and destruction of the Hindu face in Kashmir is a recent development compared to the glorious Hindu past that spanned through thousands of years of prosperity and name with great Kings and scholars, poets and historians who put a permanent stamp of their authority and talent on the psyche of Kashmir. The current scene in Kashmir which's disturbing for all saner elements, when looked from a broader perspective is not as disturbing as it suggests because Kashmir continues to be a Hindu Kashmir in spite of all the disturbing face it presents now. It’s simply covered with the dark veil of a demon otherwise everything is in tact underneath. All the famous installations that have given Kashmir a fabulous Hindu name are there buried under the so-called Muslim fundamentalist attitude but are there ready to crop up its head whenever the occasion comes. It may take another century or so but Kashmir has to rise again to its fullest glory. Men may come and go but the truth has to prevail, the oppressor has to run away for good.

How Long This exploitation?

The fact has ultimately started gathering momentum once again that the strength of the separatists in Kashmir is almost neglegible and they do not represent the entire population. A good voting turnout in the recent elections was a sufficient indicator to the same fact that the masses in Kashmir aren't anti-India and confirmed further their belief that their fate was safe only with India and also that their first preference was only peace and prosperity. Some recent developments, though sad, which generated lot of anti-India excitement was no doubt a cause for great concern for all nationalists and obviously an occasion for a lot of jubilation in the separatist camp. It also kept agape for a considerable time the eyes of the state authorities especially the newly administered state government headed by young Omar Abdullah.
Now it took definitely a pretty long time for the truth coming to the fore that all the furore was surely manipulated under a definite separatist plan in order to restore their lost sympathy of the people at large. These elements have always been on the look out for an opportunity to exploit in the fullest so that the masses are made to come on roads. However big or small the reason may be it’s used to fan vigorously the anti-India sentiment so that the separatist leaders instantly become stars and the attention of the entire word media is centered on them. For some time a definite message was conveyed worldwide that India is an aggressor and her forces bent upon continuing her control on the simple people of Kashmir fighting a legitimate battle.
Such things didn’t happen once but dozens of times that the separatist group formed by not more than a dozen self-styled leaders actively supported and sponsored by some fundamentalist Muslim organisations including the most dreaded terror-mongers across the globe have succeeded in putting the valley to ransom demanding the so-called liberation of Kashmir through their most ignoble tactics of fanning the subtle religious sentiment of the simple people of Kashmir. Though this time these elements are fully exposed before the media and the people that the events that were used to fan the sentiments of people against the Indian security forces were the handiwork of some local goons not at all connected with any of the forces.
Once the instant boil of the soda water bottle is over and the unsuspecting people in their individual capacities begin understanding the futility of their outbursts that has already taken toll of their several days earnings, come back to their work repenting at leisure though not in a position to give vent to their feelings openly or in public for the fear of gun still active in Kashmir. Unfortunately the authorities at the helm both at the centre and the state seem either consciously shut their eyes to the facts on ground and going back to work like an ordinary Kashmir worker after the turmoil and waiting for another opportunity to be taken advantage of or otherwise do not at all understand the evil designs of the forces bent upon creating the trouble.
It further gives an occasion to imagine how weak the politicians of different governments at the centre have proved that they’ve never been able to devise an appropriate strategy to weaken the evil designs of a group of separatists in the valley who are bent upon playing hide and seek with the emotions of the innocent people and polluting the peaceful atmosphere of Kashmir time and again. An ordinary problem created by a handful of people who frequently succeed in creating trouble has not only won a bad name for this country but also put the people of a beautiful valley to immense miseries caught between the devil and the deep sea---on the one hand facing the bullets of a terrorist imported from outside and on the other the security forces maintaining law and order; all this happening just for the lack of an efficient planning at the hands of the administrators both inside and outside Kashmir.
Enough is enough, it's now the prime responsibility of the media in particular and the people in general to awaken the authorities from the slumber of such irresponsible behaviour towards this grave national issue that is taking toll of huge public resources, national prestige and thousands of security personnel.

Kashmir on the boil again

Kashmir is on the boil again; this time on the mysterious death of two young girls in Shopian town. The whole of Kashmir valley is protesting vehemently for the last one week on the incident thus paralyzing the whole system. Large scale arson and damage of public property is reported from across the valley especially from the urban areas with scores of people injured and some deaths too thus adding one more chapter to the already bruised history of Kashmir. Unfortunately the main causality this time is the peak tourist season depriving thousands of Kashmiris of their livelihood and the visiting people from the plains of their cherished holidaying.
An expression of anger is justified in the situation but in Kashmir such events usually take an extraordinarily ugly turn as the separatists, always on the prowl take the matter in their hands and exploit the situation to their fullest advantage. The self-styled leaders like Geelani and party get enough opportunity to fish in the troubled waters. The anti-India sentiment comes to the fore and the administration is able to do nothing except wait and watch.
The politics of Kashmir is strangely confusing to the onlookers as one day the situation seems quite normal and the people come out to vote in large numbers to send their genuine representatives to the Parliament or the State assembly and the other day the same people are seen shouting anti-India and pro-independence slogans. Quite strangely in normal life no individual Kashmiri expresses any strong aversion for India though there has been an anti-India sentiment simmering for the last two decades. The reason is not very far to seek but the point to consider at the present moment is why the administrative machinery both in Delhi and Srinagar are unable to control the situation before it goes into the hands of these so-called self imposed leaders of the separatist movement who are always on the look out for a situation that can put them on the saddle of the Kashmir politics for a few days more.
What’s the use of having a horde of ministers and other administrative officials on the expensive roll of the state exchequer when they’re unable to act and control at the crucial time? Can’t an atmosphere of terror be created such that people dare not follow the dictates of the leaders who exploit them with all their might simply to serve their own purpose not any for the people whom they exploit?
Unfortunately the people at the helm in Delhi have not been able to understand the real problem of Kashmir and so whatever steps they’ve taken so far in this direction have failed drastically and instead of getting the people of Kashmir nearer to India they’ve helped them distancing day by day. There’s no dearth of people quite capable to handle the situation strategically but they’re probably not in the good books of the current government and are hence ignored and the situation goes on deteriorating day by day.
The simple aspect of the problem that our policy makers and strategists have ignored about Kashmir so far besides other administrative lapses is that they’ve never thought of strengthening the pro-India elements whatever exist there and a strong objection to any defacement of Indian or a Hindu colour wherever it’s. One glaring fact that’s in our favour in Kashmir is that the majority there aren’t in their heart of hearts against India. They want to be free, prosperous with an open access to good education and business including good market for their products which they know only India can provide. Once the peace is disturbed and people come on roads they’re simply given to understand that the reason for all their woes is only the Indian domination on Kashmir so they vehemently support the movement. Once again when the peace is restored and they return to their business their real purpose is reawakened and they support India again. The local administration and the so-called mainstream leadership whether in the government or in the opposition have never been sincere to India as they've always acted more for their personal interest than the national interest in Kashmir. The administration in Delhi cannot see through this cunning of these politicians or purposely ignore them in their personal interest surely putting at stake the national interests.