My Life and Disputed Figure
Officials say more than 40,000 people have been killed in Kashmir in the 17-year
Muslim separatist revolt against Indian rule. Human rights groups put the toll at
around 60,000 dead or missing. I guess it is over 100,000. But, whats the difference
it makes to me. None of my family member is in the disputed figure anyways. I don't
see the conflict affecting me or my family directly and indirectly I don't know, my
knowledge about economics is very poor. My dad couldn't afford to buy a car or some
other electronic luxury but i guess he was lucky enough to survive the on going
conflict along with his wife and two sons. Today, we are better off, we have a car
and other things, thanks to the new world order. I have had a nice childhood full of
chasing butterflies, catching frogs and dragonflies, flying kites, had a pet dog,
tommy, who would bring back my pharen ( traditional winter garment of kashmir) from
the playing ground, played with toys first then saw the real soldiers with polished
guns and that too at the age of 10 and above all there were numerous Monday mornings
when my grand mom would take me and my brother to the same picnic spot: Mughal Gardens.
i am happy thats pretty much of it. So what, I have spent half of my life thinking is
my brother and father coming home from the days work or do i have to be brave enough
to receive that stupid phone call, break the news to my mom and then comfort her while
she'llbe mourning. Thank heavens that never happened and i am pretty sure that similar
thoughts would have crossed my dads or my brothers mind. But, still we worried less
than the only lady in the house did. Poor creature, had to tackle the Asthma as
well. Thank heavens again, we are all safe and now her asthma has subsided as well.
I don't even want to know that thousands of boys and their dads and brothers, and
sisters, and mothers, who went through similar thoughts like me and my family were
not too fortunate and had to go through the fact that my family survived. It hurts
sometimes but what to do, we are safe and that matters at the end. Forget about
being patriotic in Kashmir or somewhere else. It looks good on 70mm and world is
much bigger place than that. Around 100,000 people died in kashmir, six times more
than that died in Iraq and many more than that died during two world wars. Who gives
a damn. Its the turn of Muslims now, so be it. The only difference is some of them
would be counted as mere numbers, while very few by name in newspapers. Revolution
needs direction and the literate and illiterate people of Kashmir don't seem to have
one. Kashmir has a population of over one crore and i believe half of them,
particularly people living in Jammu and Ladakh, were and are not interested in the
revolt. About the rest of the portion, well, there are also divided views, some
follow The Separatists, some have very strong psychological proximity with the
neighboring country, Pakistan, and rest want freedom. But, there are people like me,
who saw it all and decided to go out of Kashmir in pursuit of standard living
and write about a place they call home.
3 comments:
Well i agree with your thought's, but one thing that makes me ponder is "had a pet dog, tommy, who would bring
back my pharen ( traditional winter garment of Kashmir) from the
playing ground". Who's that dude :-) and did you really used to wear that pheran after he had grabbed it by his mouth.... or was he holding it on his head....
well written piece tawheed.i agree with most of its content.i could identify with it at many a places,it feels as if i ve written it.especially about the insecurity u would feel about ur family members and they inturn about u.this is all so true.a collective experience in fact.its narrative is superb.i never new u could write in such an 'adbi' style.congratulations.but being a good kashmiri i cant say "no reservations".dont laugh like this i know u were waiting for this "but" from me.
wait.i think it will get lengthy here.let me mail u this "but".it has basically something to do with the question y should i love my people?i will mail u that inshaAllah.then if u find that suitable link that with this blog....
well here i remember the lines of forrest( LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GONNA GET)
Things might have changed in appearence but inside they are still the same
People still die but these days people might have forgot to think in the morning weather their father or brother is going to come in the evening or not
we have limitised our thinking these days
Selfishness has crippled our souls
people are still insecure but they have stopped worrying bercoz they dont know, when to and how to?
so keep on reminding people that what they were and what they are so that what would come shall be tackled with
kep on doin such stuff
love you
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