After a long hiatus of one year that saw cultural and literary activities coming to a halt, 2017 came as a breather. Number of books in almost every genre hit the stands and the authors ranged from those in their 80s to the newer ones who are barely 18. The year certainly saw much of the backlog being cleared after a vacuum filled 2016 owing to the unrest.
The most important book to be released this year was Kashmir-Exposing the myth behind the narrative written by former civil servant turned writer Khalid Bashir. The book with strong facts has perhaps for the first time countered the age-old and widely accepted narrative of persecution of Kashmiri Pandits under Muslim Rule.
The 412 page book published by SAGE publications interrogates an almost unchallenged narrative, how it has been perpetuated, and also explores contradictions and their sources within that narrative. It links history to the present and facilitates an understanding of the situation today.
Divided into 9 chapters, the book focuses on different elements of the narrative like aborigine theory, destruction of temples, prolonged persecution, forced migration and demand for a separate homeland. The highlight of the book is its objectivity, cross-referencing and thoroughness in research. Supported by over 1200 references and notes, it exposes many fallacies used to uphold the narrative and dissects the work of historians that has sustained a historical perception over a long period of time.
The book sent shockwaves across the Pandit community especially its elite group of scholars and writers. In several articles and social media posts not only the book was slated with allegations like being communal, distorting history and peculiar Kashmiri mindset, they have attacked the author too. But given his huge research on the book, it has stood strong on the pedestal of academics.
Not only Kashmiri Pandits but even Muslims and others have been taking Kalhana’s and other historians books as gospel truth. But Khalid Bashir has also ripped apart their thousands of years of history by finding huge gaping holes in their facts.
“Kalhana claims to have documented 4000 years long history but when you clearly analyse it only 1000 years is clearly mentioned in the entire document,” said Bashir at one of the book release events.
It is for sure that the book will continue to make ripple in literary circles and next year we may see some counter narrative book coming up too.
Among the outside writers Independent journalist Freny Manecksha’s book “Behold, I Shine” deserves a read too. She held a interactive session on the book in Srinagar too which saw a healthy discussion. Manecksha said the 2010 uprising and its fallout made her to write a book and to “go beyond male voices”. “During my visits here post 2010 unrest I had a tectonic shift in my perspective. I saw women struggling to know whereabouts of their disappeared husbands,” she said. Her book focuses on what the struggle means for Kashmir’s women, particularly those whose husbands remain untraceable, and the children whose mothers are half-widows. “I came to know about other chilling stories which made me realise that there were flagrant human rights abuses,” she said.
GK columnist Zahid G Mohammed’s book Srinagar: The City of Resistance and Culture Story of Downtown Boy, was also released this year. In his book, Zahid G Mohammad has woven the tale of resistance culture of Srinagar city interlaced with his own experience. The book is part autobiography and part non-fiction. The author has described ‘Shahr-e-Khas’ as the very core of resistance in Kashmir, which has continued for centuries and survived adverse times. The book provides a detailed account of how this DNA of resistance has passed on to the generations and which landmarks in the city signify which aspects of its unwillingness to cow down.
Profiles and Pen Portraits, Kashmir, Sub-Continent and Beyond by another GK columnist Dr. Javid Iqbal has profiles of the known personalities of the subcontinent: Allama Iqbal, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, MK Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Nehru Gandhi’s, and Benazir Bhutto—and the impact these leaders had on subcontinent particularly in relation to Kashmir. The book also relates to Allama Iqbal’s literary interactions with the likes of Albert Einstein, as well as seers and sages of yore. The book also has a section featuring review of many books authored by various Kashmiri authors in recent years. It can be aptly regarded as an index of the literary output in contemporary Kashmir.
Renowned Historian and Author Dr Sheikh Mohammed Iqbal’s came with his latest book Islam and Christianity in Balance. The 546 book comprises of 14 chapters describing various challenges faced by the largest religions of world and how they can live, prosper peacefully.
For the first time in the literary history of Kashmir a book on transgenders was also published. Hijras of Kashmir by Dr Aijaz Bund is based on the extensive interview of transgenders in Kashmir and the difficulties they face on day to day basis. The book is an eye opener for both people and policy makers as it shows how society and government fails transgenders at every step of their life.
Doctors and engineers too penned their books during the year, Dr Ashraf Qazi’s book titled Open Secrets deals with some of most important questions of life from which a person can never escape. The author said the book provides time-tested and scientifically-proven roadmap for living a life of one’s choice. The author called on the people not to get scared with ups and downs of life but handle them carefully and thus live a prosperous life.
The book was first released at Pragati Maidan during the Delhi Book Festival n 02 September 2017 and also in Germany Book Exhibition at Frankfurt on 14 October 2017.
Sheikh Alam (RA) continues to remain the favourite subject of authors in Kashmir. This year number of books like Manqabati Shiekhul Alam (RA), Sarkari Du-Alam by Fakir Nisar Ahmad Dildar and Hayati Sheikh Adbiyati Sheikh Ka Aayina Mai’ by Ghulam Nabi Adfar were released. But the most important book to come out on the famed saint was Life History of Sheikhul Alam (RA)” authored by Late Asadullah Afaqi was released on his 4th death anniversary. The book which was long awaited by people both here and outside finally saw the light of the day. The book is based on the painstaking three decades of research by Late Asadullah Afaqi on Sheikh-ul-Alam’s life. Aafaqi has rediscovered the Sheikh ul Alam for Kashmiris by showing him much more of a Vice Chancellor and parallel power centre of his era rather than the saintly figure projected by historians.
In the Kashmiri language the most important and critically acclaimed book was poet Shahnaz Rashid’s second book ‘Door Pahan Deewaran Manz’. Just two books old, Shahnaz has already made a mark in the literary circle with critically acclaimed books. Renowed poetess Naseema Shafai has termed Rashid as modern day Rasool Mir. The book is an attractive composition wherein the poet has drawn the sketch of some occurrences and described them beautifully by turning sadness, disappointment into victory and triumph.
In fiction too many books Deepak Kanwal’s urdu novel Poshe Maal, Arastoo ki Wapsi by Vehshi Syed, Ek Mamooli Aadmi by Noor Shah were released. Other books that also deserve to be read include G N Atish’s Kosher Folklore, Koshur Mehrajnama and Kashmir Angrezoon Key Safar Namu Main, Ashiq Adeeb’s fifth Kashmiri poetry collection “Dag”, Hakeem Aslam’s Soz e Irfan and Ghulam Nabi Shakir Banihali’s Poshe Ambar.
In the biography section who can forget Nazir Ahmad Qadri’s Fakhr-e-Kashmir Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, translation of the English book by the same author and GN Aatish-Life and contribution edited by Dr. Gulzar Ahmad Rather.
A few youngsters also came out with their books primarily novels during the year. Wandering for Love is written by former engineering student Faheem Bhat who is just 18. The novel set in the United States that tells the story of a boy whose prolonged study, has turned him a reckless, carefree person, who at the end loses his faith in reality. It is a self published at notion press and available at Amazon and other online e-commerce portals.
Another novel The Day I died by a class 12 student Rafaat Gilani. The book that is full of tragedy is set in the streets of Tokyo. Rafaat born in 2000 was an avid PC gamer before he plunged into literature. The day I died’ is set in Japan and revolves around an orphan boy’s struggle in pursuit of success. With the book, Rafaat has become the youngest novelist of Kashmir at present. Son of a government engineer, Rafaat is a student of Saint Joseph’s School in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district
At the end of the year were announced Sahitya Akademi awards recognising the literary works of 24 writers writing in 24 Indian languages.
Avtar Krishan Rehbar bagged the Sahitya Akademi Award 2017 for his short stories in Kashmiri language. Iqbal Nazki was selected for Sahitya Akademi’s Translation Award in Kashmiri for the year 2017. His book titled Araam Kursi has been translated from Tamil novel Chaivu Narkali.
Overall the year set a record of sorts with number of book release, and other literary functions. The trend is set to continue next year too as many high profile books are on the anvil thus making the year another exciting one too.