Showing disrespect towards national icons is no less than a crime. These are in fact ‘artifacts’ of national narratives that demonstrate how a nation talks to itself.  Remembering and respecting national heroes speaks about national consciousness, vibrancy and wholeness of a society. Notwithstanding, history of rich traditions and culture and strong legacy of literature, we as a society are yet to learn how to respect   icons of our identity. It is a shame, how we have treated one of the sons of soil, the great poet Ghani Kashmiri- a poet who wrote about one hundred thousand verses in Persian and not a word in praise of nobles, courtiers and kings and whose heart bled at the plight of his compatriots. The grave of this man of ‘high soaring intellect’, and ‘uncommon vividness of imagination’ who has inspired scores of poets including Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal is in dilapidated condition for past many decades. 
Ghani Kashmiri is an embodiment of self-respect and a symbol of Kashmir’s dignity. Any disrespect towards him is disrespect towards Kashmir’s dignity. True, the state government after sustained protests by this newspaper for years rebuilt the Ghani Memorial Library and Reading Room at his birth place in Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar. But it is shocking that despite repeated promises by the government no memorial worth the stature of the poet has been built at his birth and burial place. It is not only the Mullah Tahir Ghani Kashmiri’s grave that has been suffering the disregard of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art and Culture and the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Archives and Archeology, the two organizations that are charged to preserve literary and cultural heritage and monuments of the state; this is true about many other iconic sites like Mazar-e-Shoura, in Dalgate where scores of eminent Persian poets are buried and Mazar-e-Sultan, in Zaina Kadal the last resting place of the Sultans of Kashmir. While one calls upon the government to build a memorial at the birth place of the poet there is also need for making the organization meant for preserving culture and heritage of the state to work.     

Lastupdate on : Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST