BY NISSAR H. GILANI
Summer 1964, my father received a letter from his uncle in Rawalpandi, Pakistan, informing him about the sad demise of his father S. Syed Ahmad Gilani due to cardiac arrest, while he was on way to Muree, to beat the scorching heat of Punjab. He had chosen Muree for a holiday as its layout is strikingly similar to other hill stations. Accompanying my grandfather, was a long trusted friend from Kashmir, who brought his dead body to downtown Rawalpandi, for last rites, where he was residing temporarily. Condolence letter that took five weeks to reach its destination fully censored, further informed that hundreds of Kashmiris migrants joined the ‘Nimaz-i- jinaza including Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Ahmad s/o Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Yousuf Sahib and some local officials. The total burial costs came to Rs.160 and were met from the savings of the deceased.
My father was shattered by his demise, as he had not seen his father ever since his childhood. My grandfather had left Srinagar in early 1930 to join his father Haji S. Ghulam Muhammad who had settled in Yarkand (Central Asia) for carrying on the carpet business. Besides, Haji Ghulam Muhammad Gilani was appointed as political representative by the British imperial Govt. and in lieu of his service was given commission and being conferred with the title of “Khan Bahadur”. His personality, his great presence and dignified bearing impressed all who accumulated lot of fortune, amassed wealth and owned huge tracts of land 2400 acres in( kashghar ) Yarkand. But with all this Yarkand was no longer the place that “Khan Bahadur” considered to be his home. He was born in Kashmir and spent glorious years of his life in the vale. Returning to Kashmir was the first thing he wanted. But as his health continued to decline, he breathed his last well before Communist take-over in 1949. Fortunately Khan Bahadur kept his links with the motherland intact and would provide healthy financial assistance to his family in Kashmir. Besides, educating his children in what was once reputed Islamia High School, Srinagar.
During Communist take-over, prejudice grew against non Chinese across the country and all foreigners were asked to leave the country and were given very less time to move out to their places of origin. Deportation with penalty was announced for non Chinese besides, property being confiscated. In the context of growing hatred and draconian laws, staying in Yarkand for my grandfather and others became difficult and meaningless. He along with his younger brothers and family migrated to Gilgit via Silk Route with a heavy heart. The labour of life time was destroyed in few days. He was further saddened for having failed to persuade his wife of Chinese origin and daughter born from her to accompany him.while migrating, his younger brother Syed Ghulam Qadir Gilani (imam and khateeb of Jama Mosque Kashghar) was killed at point blank by Chinese army near Khurram Cheey Pakistan border. At Gilgit Government of Pakistan allotted five acres of land to each family who had been thrown out by the Chinese and were in despair, horror struck the mind of my grandfather. He felt helpless and unprotected and could not adjust in the new environment though he developed friendship with the locals and Kashmiri migrants. His desire of joining us in Kashmir grew stronger day by day. His desperate attempts to cross over the line of actual control via Neelam valley along with well known Kashmiri friend cum guide Late Abdul Rahim Bhat of Magam, Handwara failed due to a tragic road accident killing Bhat sahib on the spot, leaving my grandfather shell shocked. He tried the last card for getting valid visa through Indian Embassy in Pakistan. He was refused visa on grounds of disputed nationality, as officials there did not accept him as Kashmiri and labeled him as Chinese. Aggression by Chinese army in 1962 and the war was undoubtedly humiliating for India and that ghost kept on haunting even the Indian civil servants for a long time. My grandfather was one of the many casualties of this Chinese phobia and this forced him to meet Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and his entourage in Rawalpindi in 1964.Late Mubarak Shah Naqashbandi, (Retired session judge) who was accompanying Sheikh and a close relation of ours tried to plead his case with the Indian embassy officials there but with untimely death of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in May 1964 Sheikh and his company had to return to Kashmir halfway with unaccomplished task. These events shattered my grandfather and he died a sad man. Last Mughal emperor B.S.Zaffar’s couplets written on a piece of paper were recovered from his pocket. ( Umareey daraz maang kur layee they char din, Duoo inteezar mey kutgayee, duo Arizoo mey ). Soon after younger brother of my grandfather opted for Jordianan citizenship under United Nation’s refugee plan and is passing his golden days in Amman, Jordan with his grown up sons who all are married to Palestinian and Turkish ladies, doing extremely well in tile manufacturing business/ real estate
My wife and I could not believe our eyes to see this grand old man with imposing personality at the age of 95, moving swiftly unaided, early this year (2005)in his ‘Shary-i-Khirfan’ cottage in Amman, Jordan. Fortunately, my desire of seeing my grand uncle was fulfilled. It was interesting to listen to the story of the rise and fall of the family from the grand old man.
I wish LoC would have opened much earlier to enable my grandfather and others like him to visit their divided families and motherland. Let us pray that meeting points on LoC are made accessible. A day seems not far away when divided families will reunite. We all ought to love one another, do what we can do for another and live in peace.
Nisar Geelani can be reached at nisargilani57748@gmail.com
