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StateTalk

Kashmir

Dawn of a new era

                    -- A K Naik

India stepped into the new-year in appositive mood. The recent elections in Jammu and Kashmir, has been peaceful and full of surprises. First of all why did the urban population in most towns and cities dare to ignore the Hurriyat co-ordination committee’s call for poll boycott. Does this mean the Kashmiris no longer fear the separatists? Does this mean the secessionist movement in the valley has died out? And the most interesting aspect, how did the National Conference manage to hold on to the same number of seats as it had in 2002 despite the party being identified as being sympathetic towards the presence of military in the valley for two decades. Does this mean the bitter past has been forgotten and the voice of secessionism is dead? And has the economic blockade of Kashmir in July helped BJP to gain significantly more seats? And the most surprising fact being, why was there no attempt by the jehadis from POK or their local supporters to use the gun and discourage voters by killing candidates and their party members?

One may not find satisfactory answers to these questions. But one thing is sure the voting pattern gives us some clues. The steep rise in voting from 44 per cent in 2002 to 61 per cent this year was a clear rejection of the Hurriyat’s poll boycott call. But it is not as simple as it appears. Many of the Kashmiris, especially the women and the younger generation are more worried about the problems of everyday life like drinking water, electricity,

transport, education, employment, healthcare, etc. So by voting they could elect a government that can seriously look into their problems. And they are aware there is no middle path between the bullet and the ballot. The recent voting pattern has clearly indicated that separatism has not evaporated, but has become more localised. Srinagar, Sopare, Baramulla and Anantnag are still hotbed of separatism. The turnout in Srinagar has just increased from barely 5 per cent in 2002 to 20 per cent in this election. Which means that the balance population of Srinagar, which had regularly voted before the outbreak of insurgency in 1989, still chose to abstain. This shows that they are against the present set-up. These are the people who are alienated today. The bulk of which are the urban, educated and middle class. Even in the rest of the valley, the average vote has remained 20 or more per cent below that of 1983. Though substantially weak compared to the separatists activities at its peak in 1996 and 2002, there is still some support for them.

The National Conference’s strong showing has surprised many. It is indirectly attributed to the Hurriyat’s call for poll boycott, especially in Srinagar and other towns. This boycott call kept away those who would have gone out to vote for PDP. Besides, in several Srinagar seats, it won by very few votes. In some seats as few as 20-70 votes. But the true performance of the two parties is visible by their share of votes. In fact, the NC has gone down by about 4 percent while that of the PDP has gone up by 6. As per sources the PDP has gained the support of the Jamaat-I-Islami of Kashmir and Ahl-e-Hadis, the groups who are not in favour of Kashmir seceding from India but both are supporters of India’s peace process with Pakistan and Mufti’s call for self-rule within the framework of the Indian union. The BJP won nearly all of its 11 seats in the Hindu areas of Jammu, Kathua and Samba. The PDP too gained in Jammu, in the Muslim areas.

Kashmir remained free from election violence not only because Pakistan showed no keenness to send Mujahideen but also because in July the Hurriyat co-ordination Council specifically told them to stay away, as it intended to achieve its goal peacefully. This was also endorsed by Syed Salahuddin in Muzaffarabad. It is believed by experts that had the Hurriyat not issued a call to boycott the polls, the PDP would have emerged as the largest single party. Now the task of governance falls on the National Conference with the support of the Congress. And Omar Abdullah will have to work without the Hurriyat or the PDP feeling left out. This is the only way to take Kashmir forward to peace and prosperity.

NB: If you wish to send your comments or express your view, email to:

aknaik@in.com

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Kashmir - land of Ancient Indian Rishis

- by Aju Mukhopadhyay

Bounded by the mighty mountains on the north, extending to the west and east, peninsular India has sea on all other sides. These are the natural boundaries for millennia. It was the birthplace of the great Aryan civilization. Mohenjo-daro and Harappan sites may have some of the physical remains of it. With innumerable admixture of peoples from other countries and cultures, India remains great throughout the ages. It has spread its cultural fragrance to other corners of the globe but seldom invaded others to spread its territories.

     The people of Islamic faith have raised their claim over Kashmir, the main

problem-spot in modern time. They have claimed that it was the land of Sufi Rishis. The first Sufi was Suhrawardi Saint Hazrat Sayyed Sharfuddin Abdur Rahman or Bulbul Shah, who came from Turkestan in 1324 C.E. Thereafter numerous Sufis from Central Asia and Iran made their way to Kashmir. Hazrat Nuruddin Nurani (1356-1440 C.E) founded the Rishi order. ‘The Rishis were Muslims and saw the spread of Islam as their primary task.’ Yoginder Sikand has written in his The Muslim Rishis of Kashmir. It is said that conversion to Islam was made an essential condition for joining the Rishi order. Hazrat Nuruddin’s father, Shaikh  Salaruddin was a Rajput, converted to Islam by Yasman Rishi.

    Mustafa Muhammad Tahan, born in Lebanon in 1938, is a respected ideologue among the Muslims. In his book, The Political Challenges Before the Islamic Movement, he asserts that violence has no place in Islam, that no one   can call other a kafir, disbeliever. He supports his view quoting from Quran. But he says that Muslims are united by their common faith and spreading Islam is their legitimate right and that where the majority is Muslim, there should be an Islamic State. He says that people of Islamic group have liberated Muslim lands from Western Imperialists.

     But many such places had established civilizations much before the advent of Islam. Rishi is an Indian word. The land of India had large number of Rishis and Munis from time immemorial. It is India where the real Rishis were born. Indian epics and mythologies are replete with such names. Any pious people could imbibe their path, follow them. India never stood against anyone desirous of following a spiritual path and it was a Godward journey they undertook without any motive of spreading any cult or religion or race in other countries. Rishis were Indians.  They moved in mountains, lived in caves and had their ashrams under the canopy of giant trees. Kashmir is a part of the mountainous Himalaya. Kashmir is a land of ancient Indian Rishis.

     Physically Kashmir was and is an Indian province. The then Princely State had agreed to join the Indian Union as an option to join any of the two countries of the subcontinent or to remain neutral in the wake of partition of the country. The story goes like this-

     The Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed a stand-still agreement with India and Pakistan on 18 August 1947 but the agreement was violated by Pakistan. Tribesmen from there invaded Kashmir on 22 October 1947. Nehru, on 27 October 1947 congratulated the Maharaja for his agreement and for his letter to the Governor General of India. Kashmir agreed to be merged with India. Nehru decided to send Indian Army troops to Kashmir and mentioned all arrangements to the Maharaja seeking his help and ended his letter- ‘The way the people of Kashmir, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh, are facing the situation and preparing to defend their country is most heartening. I trust that in this defence we shall give a demonstration to all India and to the world how we can function united and in a non-communal way in Kashmir. In this way this terrible crisis in Kashmir may well lead to a healing of the deep wound which India has suffered in recent months.’

     But the historians have held him responsible for further developments and the debacle. They think that he lacked the courage and determination too. He referred the invasion of Kashmir to the UNO in January 1948. POK was created with the LOC and the internecine problems with Pakistan and terrorists continue till date. If the Iron-Man was in the Prime Minister’s chair, they think that this would never have happened.

     In June 1947 V J Patel was given charge of 565 princely rulers with options to merge their territories with India in two months before 15 August 1947. With apt negotiations he brought all princely states within the fold of Indian Union except three- Kashmir, Junagadh and Hyderabad, which too later agreed to become parts of India. In Hyderabad he used force quite efficiently. But he was not allowed to do so in respect of Kashmir for the Deputy Prime Minister was under Nehru, a man more internationalist than nationalist with a mind concentrated not on India alone.

     Shyamaprasad Mukherjee had gone to Kashmir for its unification. According to Mother he was the only man in India who could understand Sri Aurobindo, to some extent. ‘He could have done’, Mother said. But he was assassinated there, she said on 7 June 1967, though not officially.    

(The author can be contacted on: ajum24@yahoo.co.in  or  ajum24@gmail.com )

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Temple Property in Kashmir

When Kashmiri Pandits left Kashmir, they left back a large number of temples. Kashmir has once been the abode of Gods, so there are any number of  places of worship. Many have been destroyed by the cruel in invaders and kings. Many have been lost to  time or disuse. Yet there was a large number  existing at the time of exodus. What happens to these temples. Many have been vandalized, damaged, destroyed, yet the ground on which they stood, stands. We are not even able to say with precision as to what is the position of each and every place of worship,  whether in towns, villages or serene wildernesses (which gods had chosen for the beauty and exclusiveness). While destruction / encroachment of temples has been going on these years, yet there were occasions  when these where attacked in  large numbers on particular events like the Ayodya campaign. Only a few temples like Ganpatyar, Somyar, Sharike Bagwati (Hariparbat) or Tullamul have had the protection from the security forces.

I am envisaging a situation when things will hopefully, improve. What will be the  position of these temples. I feel that they can play a much bigger role than we thought. These shall not only prove psychological and spiritual anchors for the community  but prove as important places of real estate which will have lot of value for us. In recent times a large number of Kashmiri Pandits have sold out their houses back in Kashmir, I don’t want to go into the desirability or otherwise of this action, but I see it as a reality before us.

These very people when the situation improves would like to visit Kashmir and feel one with  the place of origin. But they may find constrained to do so as they will have no place to spend some time there. In such a situation the temple properties  may come in handy. For this purpose the property will have to be restored and the guest houses built on each site. Kashmiri Pandits can go and spend some time in these places, without having to pay exhorbitant charges  for the hotel accommodation.

The restoration of the temple properties and building guest houses will be very big task and not within the capacity of some individuals or organization. It will have to be the whole community effort. Of course I envisage a situation where every association of Kashmiri Pandits, small or big, all   over India (nay world) could  adopt atleast one place for restoration and in turn help Kashmiri Pandits from that area to utilize the accommodation thus created. Fortunately many of these places are very nice sites with beautiful surroundings. They will prove very useful for accommodation.

I am not sure whether time for action has arrived. But I think it will one day come. I wish we could plan for that, right from now.

 Courtesy: Milchar,Bombay

Kashmiri Pandit, who…….?

(From the Keynote Address by Shri M.K. Kaw at the National  Seminar held on 12^th March 2000, by Kashmir Education, Culture and Science Society, Shri Kaw is the President of the Society and also Education Secretary, Govt. of India)

When I look at the present day Kashmiri Pandit, I find him what he has to be, as the end product of a long, chequered, turbulent history. He is fair, handsome, with sharp acquiline nose, sometimes with brown hair and freckles, sometimes with light blue or green eyes, as befits a person whose forefathers and mothers were pure Aryans and have retained the purity of their blood. He is sharp, intelligent, clever, adaptable, a loner, a reader, a survivor, a thinker, a doer, a talker, as befits the representative of a race composed entirely of Brahmins, who have by hallowed tradition revelled in mastery over language and  shastras whose sole asset has been a brain honed to superb  sharpness by constant debate and reflection, who has been hounded out of his motherland so often and been dispersed so frequently to the four corners of the wide world that survival, camouflage and flexibility have been second nature to him. Let us not forget that Kashmir has been the center of the Brahminical tradition, the Buddhist tradition and the Shaivite tradition, and the Pandits of Kashmir have been respected over millennia for their scholarship, their analytical skills, their debating talent, their poetic genius and their spiritual richness.

Kashmir’s Contribution to Indian Medicine

(From an article ‘Contribution of Kashmir to Indian Literature’ by Late Dr. Rughnath Safaya)

The origin of Indian medicine can be traced back to Atharveda. In Carka, the writer of Carakasamhita, we find a definite and masterly contribution to this science. In fact, history of the development of Indian medicine begins from this physician.

There was much controversy  about the birth-place of Caraka. But the Buddhist literature, discovered by prof. Sylavan Levi in China showed that Caraka was the court poet of Kaniska (1^st century A.D.) and his birth place was Kashmir. With Caraka, begins the dawn of Indian medicine and surgery, as all the later works are either based on Craka or are mere extensions of the same work.

Caraka- samhita has not come to us in the original form. It has been revised and improved by Drdhabala who was son of Kapilaba (9^th century A.D.) and was born in village Pantsinor, the confluence of rivers Jhelum and Sindhu. This conclusion about his birth place, has been arrived at by Hoernle in his ‘Authorship of Caraka- samhita. Udbhata wrote a commentary on Sushruta Samhita in the 12^th century A.D.

The abundance of forests containing various kinds of herbs gave Kashmirians the favourable position to be conversant with the science of herbs. Surgery was, however, not cultivated in Kashmir. Caraka and his followers thus place Kashmir as the chief contributor to Indian medicine.

Mention may also be made of Rati-rahasya of Koka (before 1200 A.D. ) son of Tejoka and grandson of Paribhadra. This book gives a scientific and elaborate description  of sex with its biological and psychological phases, and is considered  to be an authoritative  work on the subject. After Kamasutra of Vatsayana, this  is the first and the foremost work on this subject.

 Courtesy : Milchar,Bombay

Lighterside  

(At  a meeting between General Musharaf and India's special emissanary Laloo Prasad Yadav, talking to find an everlasting solution on Kashmir) 

 The meeting starts with great expectations . After a few minutes, General Musharaf walks out of the meeting in a huff and refuses to speak to anybody.  And Laloo Yadav follows smiling.

When questioned by the press, he said, "Kashmir problem is over. I made him an offer; 'I told him, you want Kashmir, take it, but on one condition,' Take Kashmir and  Bihar is  free.' He promptly said, 'I don't  want Kashmir and walked away." 

Right match for boys/girls. Click on 'Matrimony'

Dating for boys/girls. Click on 'Dating'

For Property matters. Click on 'Property'

For govt. of Maharastra

www.mahanews.gov.in

For suggestions, queries & comments SMS to:  +91- 9969154602 or mail to: akn929@yahoo.com  or  leenacom@in.com

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