Kashmir: Then, and Now

I have been travelling to Srinagar, Kashmir from Delhi very often since my childhood with lot of sensitiveness and love for the place. My home land, the beautiful and fragrant valley, whose inhabitants used to be always smiling, hospitable, cordial, sympathetic and religiously tolerant are not the same today.

I have spent a large part of my life in Delhi because my parents moved to Delhi in 1948 for economic reasons and had my higher education outside Kashmir. My visits to Kashmir from a few months of summer vacations in a year have been steadily increasing to at least once a week now. During my earlier days of schooling, the harmony amongst the Muslims and Pundits used to be very much visible. Pundits were known for their teaching, clerical and accounting capabilities. As teachers they were very sought after. Besides the routine subjects they were also experts in Urdu and Persian languages. They would ensure that the Muslim students in schools get their religious sermons and also go for prayers on time on Fridays. Likewise, Muslims were expert artisans, weavers and craftsman besides doing everything depending upon their education levels. Discipline in educational institutions was exemplary.

   

People including women used to be seen walking on the streets till late night without any fear. There were differences too which were visible easily. Pundits in general would avoid becoming very friendly with the Muslims and would not eat at their places.

They would listen to All India radio news but Muslims would also regularly tune to Radio Pakistan. On the Pundit photo shops Pandit Nehru and Gandhi and sheikh Abdullah pictures would be exhibited in large frames. Whereas at Muslim shops invariably besides Sheikh Sahab’s, Field Marshal Ayoub Khan, Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto and then General Zia ul Haq’s portraits would also be there. The bakers for daily breads for Pundits and Muslims were separate. This issue was not there for uncooked food including mutton.

Pundits would also have only Halal and not Jataka meat. Vegetable, mutton and fish sellers were all Muslims. I remember Pundit ladies used to have a habit of taking a few tomatoes or small items after finishing the payment part. This was not resented by the shopkeeper and he would just smile. Boatmen a sizeable population consisted exclusively of Muslim Hanjis. Most of the cloth and high-quality fabrics and general merchant shops were owned by Pundits. These were good times with a mixed culture. A fragrance of freedom was visible.

Things started changing gradually by the time my formal studies ended in 1978 and I became a trained Cardiologist the first one of the J&K state. Despite my seeking a job in the valley, I could not get it partly because the facilities in existing hospitals were limited but also because I was not a Muslim. I got a sense of this when I met the then chief minister, who did not even look at my CV. I therefore joined AIIMS where I got an opening. Later I moved to a trust hospital for better wages. At this stage I also started seeing patients in both Government and private hospitals in Srinagar and my interactions with the local population became good and I learnt a lot about our culture, language and traditions. I became a very sought-after heart specialist of the valley. Life went on and saw many upheavals including the one in 1990. This started with killings of prominent Pundits and in 1990-91 there were around 300 casualties. Our community is small with a population not more than 300,000 and it resulted in a mortal scare. My going to valley stopped because of the volatile and life-threatening situation with total collapse of the administration there. Most of it started after the 1987 rigged elections which lead to militancy in the valley. This in the worst form continued for a decade. Once thing started stabilizing with elected governments coming back, I resumed my visits in 1997. Atmosphere however remained waxing and waning politically. Things never became the same. Frequent Hartals and curfews became the rule. However, I kept on going at least once a month to see my patients who always thronged my OPDs. I found them very health conscious, compliant and affectionate. All these years whenever in Srinagar, I stayed in Guest houses or hotels.

In the year 2013 I decided to make a home in Srinagar with the help and cooperation of my friends and well-wishers. This fulfilled my life time ambition of returning to my roots at a place which always endeared me. Being a Kashmiri Pundit, this move of mine was considered as an absurd idea by my Hindu friends and family members. The reason being the unfortunate experiences of 1990, which cannot be erased from the minds. The insecurity of minorities in the valley has been a constant feature from time to time since the major exodus, with threats to move out or get killed. The recent targeted killings of minorities have worsened the situation with scare and those Pundits who had stayed back are thinking of migrating to safer places outside the valley. Although the atrocities started with Pundits but everybody suffered. The number of people killed during the past 3 decades has been around 45,000, which includes civilians, militants and security personnel.

During the last 3 decades people of the valley have seen very bad times, violence, militancy, stone pelting, pellets making them blind and getting killed by bullets of the militants and security forces. Children lost years of education and in general the atmosphere became very gloomy. However, a glimmer of hope started coming back after 2017 with a political process. The business and tourism started picking up and economy which had slumped after the tragic floods and several violent agitations started showing a revival. The people realized that it is for their good to have good relations with the people of rest of the country. Around 16,000 Pundits returned back to the valley. But alas all this feel-good factor was not to last. It got shattered with one stroke in August 2019. The entire population was locked down and treated like criminals including their political leaders. The state was converted into a Union Territory (UT). COVID epidemic further increased the misery of the people.

Following 2019 things have taken an uglier turn. A large number of officers from outside the UT have been sent to administer. Their connect with local population is very poor, partly because of language barrier and also because of very little connect with the sensitivities of the Kashmiris. The security forces in large numbers can be seen freely moving all over the streets and lanes. UT is already one of the world’s most militarized zones. These forces look at the people especially the younger population with suspicion and hostility. With the recent killings of innocents by unknown people things have worsened. During my visits now even, I am scared of moving out of my newly started Heart Centre and seldom dare to go for a walk or a stroll. My friends insist that I should have security protection. This feeling never came to me in the last several decades. The valley has become like a battle ground. Sporadic killings by security agencies and militants are going on unabated. The recent killing of 3 men in Srinagar by security forces without any specific charges and then smiling when a child questioned them, speaks volumes about the prevailing situation. The democratic right of protesting against unprovoked firings or any other issue is impossible in the present Kashmir.

The beautiful Kashmir of 1980’s was very different from what we see now. No smiling faces or hospitality, no empathy and the visibly angry and sullen eyes of its people. Everybody tries to scramble towards home after sunset out of scare. People who have seen Kashmir of 1980’s can notice a very glaring sad change which is worsening every day. The majestic snow-clad mountains, crystal clear water in gurgling rivulets and lush green meadows stand a witness to these changes. Paradise on Earth seems to have lost its glory and has become an orphan. Optimists like me look for the day when our people can once again smile and feel a part of the great civilization which was Kashmir.

Dr Upendra Kaul is a prominent Cardiologist, founder Director Gauri Kaul foundation

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK

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