This refers to “Khanyar began from Hazratbal” (29th June 2012). The spiritual attachment of the Kashmiri’s with the Dargah of Peer-ani-Peer Dastgeer (RA) needs no reiteration and no self styled saviour of this spiritual legacy can claim to be  more revering and upholding this legacy than an ordinary Kashmiri. But the sad part of our perceptions is that our innocent minds easily go on believing the ones who blow the trumpet of having the concern of safeguarding our spiritual ethos, cultural values and heritage. But there are ones, who are no more gullible to be hoodwinked, and can notice the demarcating line between the facts and otherwise. A loss of the Shrine in such a devastating fire has hammered every Kashmiri, and in this moment of grief, let us, not warm our hands on these flames. This is moment of consoling each other and politicking on it is definitely an opportunistic gimmick to take an advantage. The crabbing articulations are neither going to malign anybody nor contributing to any welfare of heritage but it definitely makes one to crave to know about the contributions made by finger raiser, towards the society and heritage. The richness of a heritage is to imbibe the best of others in it and if it would not have been in the ethos of the Kashmiri cultural heritage, then in present day, we would not have been able to get the glimpses of world rich heritage in the form of a Kashmiri blend. We definitely have a little of everything from Tibet  to Central Asia which we have crafted  into the Kashmiri blend and by the grace of Almighty our heritage will sustain for times together.
The Shrine of Dargah Hazratbal is itself an acclaimed structure and an isolated cynical approach is not going to fade away the universal acclaim for the same. Criticism of any initiative is always welcome but when it crosses limits and expresses something personal, it manifests a motive.
    The stink of a cesspool has every now and then irritated the author when he has commuted along its banks but people would like to know as to what extent he has contributed when he was enjoying the echelons of power by being the think tank of a dispensation. Yes, he has contributed by keeping a hanky on his smelling receptors whenever he would pass by the said Cesspool. Let him appreciate at least someone is toiling to do some good, but sure he will never. Spitting the venom and casting aspersions by camouflaging the facts in well designed articulations are not going to work. A common man believes in straight language of facts and follies. Everybody in the vicinity can judge the facts as to what was the condition at the sight of the Gani Kashmir’s house. It was not a mere leakage of house roof but it had become garbage dump with every kind of refuse thrown there. The little effort made by someone in good faith the author should learn to digest with no pangs of any personal likings or disliking. The pain of Bachi Darwaza should have been felt by the author when it was at the verge of extinction and irreparable and could have been attended to while enjoying the power but “adat se majboor, heur kun pillai no zang zi zillai no”. The author cannot accuse the habitants of the shah-re-khas of shielding the apathy and indifference of the dispensation. What trails have been left by the author when he was manning the Auqaf and what to talk of preserving the heritage and its care taking. How can one digest the interpretations of the heritage expert friend who prefers to have an artificial eco park under the Naagar Nagar project rather to preserve and repair the kalai. There are many so called experts of our heritage but none has contributed anything else than to blow the trumpets and to take the mileage at the cost of the faithful and sincere intentions. The present episode of the burning of shrine being linked with the same rhetoric of the author in tarnishing some ones image. The city of Srinagar needs a proper attention now or never as it has suffered a lot over these two decades. The spiritual abodes need expansion with a balanced approach in wake of the increasing influx of the zayreens. People have faith in Dastgeer (RA) and it well be by his Dastgeery that the shrine will Inshallah come with same grandeur by some invisible hands that will never blow the trumpet in being the only saviours of the legacy.
        Everybody knows that our Water bodies have been mostly affected by the human apathy and growing population craving for a dwelling space. The ever growing population of the city is presently beyond its capacity in terms of its road network and land bank which is a challenge before any dispensation and needs a balanced approach and everyone has to contribute in preserving our heritage with valuable ideas which cannot be denied but mongering for only one purpose or one person every now and then is no way acceptable.
        The fact remains that we won’t be able to count on fingers the contributions made by the subject matter specialist when he was manning the tourism and culture department but yes he definitely was of the view that there is no hitch in selling the land to the outsiders, in selling our heritage under tourism, he definitely provided a ride in helping a few in encroaching on our prime sites of splashing grandeur, he definitely prepared a blue print of the Wakaf which we got in legacy.
Lastly, contribute and then only preach the loss of spirituality among the masses, as still Dastgeer (RA) is there in heart of every Kashmiri.       
(Feedback at shabeerahmed11@hotmail.com)

Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 1 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST