“Have you seen Mughale Azam ? If only you see the movie ,you shall come to know what Soshali -Azm and seculari -Azm means .” This is what Shadi Lal Koul told Rehman Galdhaar ( Abdul Rehman ). Abdul Rehman was asking me the meaning of words Socialism and secularism. He had joined National Conference party headed by Sheikh Mohd Abdullah and had heard his party leaders speaking these two words in most of the meetings . He had sought meaning of these words from many Muslims and Pandits but none could simplify these terms so as to bring them down to his level of understanding . I did it . He was happy . Shadi lal koul lived near Jogi Lanker Bridge . Quite often I found him sitting in Abdul Rehman’s shop and passing on skills of TV and Transistor circuit repairing to him . Shadi lal had also joined National Conference .They would also gossip while sipping tea with some new National Conference recruits .Prior to his Transistor and TV repair shop, Abdul Rehman Sold Rice and Pulses from a small shop below the Jogi Lanker mosque. Once he moved to a New shop , His old shop was occupied by a naughty and mischievous person known as Ali Mohd Tailor Nickname NATIONAL.. Shadi lal later worked as a freelance cameraman with Door Darshan. His father was a police man who retired as ASI. We used to call him Shadi Police . Alas! This poor chap died in a tragic road accident at Jammu . During my college days , I noticed that Many shops in Srinagar actually opened for gossip only. We had our share of such shops in Rainawari. In jogi lanker ,we had one Ram Joo Handoo who had a chemist’s shop . Come evening time , Many Pandits would enter the shop for pure gossip.They would occupy entire sitting space in the shop. At a certain point of time , no customers entered the shop and the shelves ,which used to be full with bottles and tablets, revealed dust and emptiness . Another Gossip shop of Shamboo Nath kalpushu also met the same fate . Shamboo Nath kalpushu had a flourishing chemist shop once. Dr Khashu ( a well known Physician of srinagar ) would do practice from this shop . Another chemist shop run by Chuni Lal Watloo in Jogi Lanker chowk fell victim to this Gossip Virus and chuni Lal finally became a broker cum agent for Local Police Officials . He would intervene in all police cases or disputes that were brought to Police station Rainawari. This virus of gossip also entered a Dry cleaner’s shop ( Abdul Rehman by name ) in Jogi lanker chowk. Abdul Rehman washed his hands off the flourishing Dry Cleaning business . A cloth merchant named Radhey Nath Masarat also fell victim to this Virus .Come evening time and we found many educated Pandits and Muslims from Rainawari unwinding their day’s exertion inside this cloth shop .Radhey Nath Massarat is a well known kashmiri Poet. Maheshawar Nath Zutshi popularly known as Mahe kaak had a stationery cum News paper selling shop in Chowk Jogi Lanker . There was a small sitting space of about 3 feet by 2 feet in the front portion of his shop. Though Mahe kaak was not a gossip monger nor did he keep track of current affairs or News , some Pandits still sat on that small space with ulterior motives . I have seen many people sitting by rotations on his shop and discussing settlement of Mahe Kaak ‘s children with him while reading Newspapers, Magazines and Illustrated weekly Of India free. Mahe kaak had two or three sons . They were not educated enough to compete for a Government Job. They would render help to their father in procuring Newspapers from lal chowk or in selling of Kerosene to public. Mehe kaak had kerosene depot. Nath ji , A Kashmiri Pandit from Machama family of Karapora Khushki had also rented a shop in Jogi Lanker Chowk near Post Office .It was a small triangular shop close to the House of Basker Nath Raina . This man had retired from CID Police and Gossip mongers started pouring in to his Cosmetic and Maniyaari shop from day one. He had enough to tell. Stories of tough Police officers like Gh Qadir Gandhebali . Stories about 1953 episode in kashmir and stories about various visits of Pandit Nehru to kashmir. This shop was destined to close as the proprietor had brought the Gossip virus with him from day one . Add to that, as and when a female customer would visit the shop and ask for some facial cream or Talcum Powder or Perfume , the proprietor would say: “ Kyaa Guv Yimun saanienn koreyun. Tche chheyaa na saaf Shakal . Zaroori Chha Falila ta cream laagun .” “ I do not know what has happened to our daughters .Your face is clean and clear. Why should you go for all these creams, perfumes and oils ?” The ever present Gossip Mongers sitting inside the shop would immediately second the proprietor’ s message to the customer. We had a saintly Baker named Nil Kanth Bhan in Jogi lanker . He was thoroughly professional . Beginning his day at 4 AM , he would be free by 1 PM . He would start with morning Tseot ( Kashmiri bread) upto 9 AM and then he would bake Kulcha , Telvoru and Katalam etc. Before closing his shop, he would prepare his tea and call for one Gh Mohd inside his shop.They would have tea together with freshly baked Kulcha.Gh Mohd had lost his mental equilibrium and one could call him insane .His family had abandoned him. . He would roam aimlessly on roads but his command area or area of movement was from Jogi lanker bridge to Kralyar Chowk.While sipping tea there was no communication between Gh Mohd and Neel kanth .Summer or winter , Gh Mohd never abandoned his Pheran and Kangri. And Hell broke for Gh Mohd one day. A muslim family known as Maliks had a cloth shop near jogi lanker Bridge. A boy from this family saw Gh Mohd taking tea inside Nil kanth’s shop . He immediately told every boy in the street about this discovery . That day onward , every boy in Rainawari would cry “ BATT’A CHAAY ” (meaning Pandit Tea ) when Gh Mohd would pass by. Neel Kanth found a solution to this problem . He would daily pass on a small tin with milk , Dry tea leaves and sugar water to Gh . Mohd.. He would also put burning charcoal in Gh Mohd’s kangri . The Tin with ready made tea mixture was put on Charcoal and Gh Mohd would prepare his tea on sitting space near a closed shop just opposite Neel Kanth’s shop. When some boys saw this new arrangement , they started crying “ DUBB CHAAY “ ( Tea made in Tin ).A butcher opposite Neel Kanth’s shop whom we called Ismail Pujj would also pass on a piece of raw boney meat to Gh Mohd for roasting it in his Kangri .Ismail Pujj was nick named as BATTA PUUJ (Pandit Butcher ) by the shopkeepers because his customers were predominantly Pandits . When the boys saw Gh Mohd roasting the mutton piece in kangri , they started calling him “TAKA ADDIJ” “ The bone eater ” . This new name TAKA ADDIJ caught fancy of all . Even the shopkeepers would then call him TAKA ADDIJ. That made him aggressive and violent .He would pick up stones in frustration and throw on any person whenever who called him TAKA ADDIJ. Another man who had lost his mental Equilibrium would always be present in Jogilanker market. He was known as Gaffara .Gaffara wore shabby clothes and remained aloof . He would sit and sleep on the pavement or some times on shops . His family had also abandoned him.Some times some Pandit lady from Braroo family living nearby would bring him food . Many Pandits and Muslims said that he was a silent Darvesh. I do not remember the name of another Hindu baker who would give tea and Kulcha to Gaffara . This baker was known as “Nikka Kandhur ” or “ Baby like Baker “ by people in Jogi lanker .Nikka kandhur was a Charas Addict. Some times he would pass on a Charas filled cigarette to Gaffara . A kashmiri Pandit known as Gopi Nath was the president of the shopkeepers association of jogilanker .Anytime i visited his shop, i found him writing which made his customers wait even for a matchstick box. Keen to know as to what actually was being written by him , I found one day that for every item he sold ,he would write the cost price , sale price and the resultant profit . This writing went to such a proportion that he focused less on selling and more on writing and finally a group of gossip mongers brought the virus of gossip to his shop too resulting in total dwindle of business. There was a mischievous Tailor Ali Mohd by name. He had his shop below Jogi Lanker Mosque .Many people told many stories about him. He would sing while stitching clothes on his old Singer sewing machine. Pandits came to his shop for repair work while people living in Dal area or the Haanjis ( Boat People ) got New Clothes stitched from him. He was known as NATIONAL SAETCH or NATIONAL TAILOR. Word “ NATIONAL.” had got attached to him as he was a staunch National Conference sympathizer / activist . He would ensure that his shop was open at 9 AM . That had a purpose . The moment he saw some people leaving towards Jogi Lanker bridge for going to office , he would Cry; “ Aur chhu Traetta Buzun
. Tche Boozuthh Na . Kaenni Jung ha sa zabardast. Raathh Chhu Na sheikh Sahbunn Taqreer Kormut. Khaanyaar Pyathha Chhe saarisee Military Chhakkarithh. Vaen Khassi Jaloosa .” “ Situation has suddenly taken a very tense turn. Didn’t you hear that ? Crowds are throwing stone missiles . Yesterday Sheikh sahib ( Sheikh Mohd Abdullah ) has spoken something in his address to people .You will see Army in the entire city right from khaanyaar .A Violent procession is about to pass that way . “ Having spoken these words , he would suddenly go missing. Innocent Pandit and Muslim ladies and some office going people would get frightened. This rumour would spread like a wild fire to Jogilanker market. Many would decide about not going to office and staying in their homes. There was no immediate source to verify facts . Later in the day , people would realize that they had been fooled by National or Ali Tailor. There was a milk seller’s shop in Ghat Jogilanker chowk near Vishwa Bharti college . This milk seller had a large family . one of the boys in the family was educated and we would call him Maama Kol.He joined Jammu And kashmiri Bank. This milk seller also worked as Head Hamaal ( Labour Head ) in Food and supplies ration Ghat at Bagh Jogi lanker .The rations especially rice , Atta and sugar were stored in Big Boats ( near Jogi Lanker bridge ) known as Bahuch . Each Government Ration Ghat had a Ghat Munshi ( Clerk ) , Kanda Coolie ( Weighing man ) , Head Hamaal and labourer. Whenever any Pandit would see the Head Hamaal in the market he would ask him :- “ Kyaa Saa Ghattus Trovukhah Tomull “ Have the fresh rice supplies come ? The Head Hamaal’s replies would be different to different persons . He would generally say ; “ Thahar veini Kharizi Naa Tomull “ Wait Do not go for the rice as yet . “ Praar Daah Doh . Saaf Tomull iyee “Wait for ten days , Fresh rice stocks are awaited . “Thaav Piece mey Aithee . Baa Khaarai Paanai “ Keep the ration slip with me . I shall buy myself. .”First class Tomull Chhuyee . Khaar subahanuss “ We have good variety of rice . Buy it tomorrow. I never saw any Muslim asking this question to the Head Hamaal.In fact they would go and buy straight what was available at the ration Depot. We had another Shopkeeper doing brisk business in Provisions who was very popular with Pandits and whom every person called Naba Bakhor . While he enjoyed gossiping with other shopkeepers and customers , he had kept no space for any body to sit inside his shop .Behind his back , Pandits Called him a Pakistani agent . Muslims owing allegiance to National Conference called him a mischief man from Jamaat ( Jamaat e Islaami ). He was all praise for Maharaja’s rule .According to him , all ills in kashmiri society had come after the Awaami Raj ( Public rule ). This was his indirect way of hitting at the National Conference Sympathizers apart from appeasing his kashmiri Pandit customers .You had to keep standing outside his shop for gossiping . He would sit in the shop during morning hours where after his sons would take over . They did not indulge in Gossiping.. I would often hear him say one line to close his argument :-
“YEH CHHE MARKUZZUCH CHAAL” meaning “This is a trick played by Central Government ”. For him every disturbance or unpleasantness around was a ploy of central Government . He was intelligent , sharp and focused on his business. in Our Mohalla , there lived an old kashmiri Pandit lady Rae’tch Maal ( Meaning Fair Women ) by Name . During discussions with my mother , She would often comment satirically about Gossip Mongers of Rainawari , who according to her , wasted their time and energy .
I add ..Talla Neythhanon Pyathaa Phernaa zyoothAkki Peinjji Vothh Taai Beyii Peinjji Byooth..
( Look! he is naked within But donning a long Pheran over his body , And there he gets up from one gossip shop and moves to another . )
So Long So Much….
Autar Mota is a Banker by profession. He is a Blogger , Translator and writes in English , Urdu , Kashmiri and Hindi. A well Travelled man , he is fluent with kashmiri ,English , Punjabi , Dogri , Hindi and Urdu languages . His write-ups have appeared in many national magazines and journals.
