BY DR.ABDUL AHAD
That autumn Monday the situation was more complex, baffling and unusually different like weather. The nanga mout had for the first time let out a yell: Wount-e- natsun- te- Kashir-e-sazun, that too while farting and defecating publicly; a happening and an experience generally considered as a bad omen and warning of a fast approaching doom. He was obviously referring to an entity (camel) that was alien to Kashmir and is not at all found here even today.
Evidently , fakir’s whimper and moan were taken seriously by the Khankah goers. They thought these as indicators of gloom that was surreptitiously gathering on the political horizon of the Valley of Kashmir. Subsequently India despatched, on 27th October 1947, its Army to launch operation JAK to take control of Kashmir.
The Noise & Chaos of Shehr-i-Kashmir: a tragic experience
Time: Fajr (early-dawn)
Date: 27th Oct.
Day: Monday
Year: 1947
Season: autumn
Venue: Shehr-i-Khas
Occasion: Wontea natssun-Kasher-e-sazuun
(The beginning of operation JAK)
Source: testimony of eye witnesses
It was early October morning; terribly cruel pre-dawn time. A dense and deeply freezing fog had awesomely covered the sky; making visibility too poor to trawl through the streets and by-lanes of the city of Srinagar. One could hardly dare venture out of his home in piercing cold which had shrivelled the delicate and detailed golden leaves on majestic Chinars and made the atmosphere so foggy and chilly that it was earnestly eager enough to send unwavering shivers through one’s spine to cause a cascade of water down one’s nose to sneeze and wheeze profusely all morning. The ripple effect of arctic bites apparently visible almost on every pedestrian’s chin, nose and ears would soon roll down to overwhelm all his organs, turning his cheeks apple red and, eventually, pushing his body into a state of trauma and tremendous strain if not covered satisfactorily.
To face this situation boldly and, thus, be able to bow down their heads before the Almighty well in time, the devoted early risers had already covered their heads with their kuntoppas; a long cap invariably worn by the Kashmiris during winters to protect their ears, nose, face and head against cold. They were on their toes, keenly waiting for azan, to come out of their homes and move towards city’s prominent mosques and historical Sufi shrines for the fajr nimaz.
The Pandits were equally fanatically waiting their chance to slip out to the playing of tune of temple bells to offer their early prarthana especially at their preferred temples of Hari Parbat and Kali mandir.
No sooner had a faintly dull streak of dawn light sneaked up on the sky than the muzzins raised their voice; from the gorgeously majestic historic minarets of the Mukhdoom Sabibs Asthan’ and the Khankab-i-Mulla, the highly venerated Sufi shrines of Kashmir; to a perfect pitch to recite: Allahu- Akbar, Allahu-Akbar, Ashhadu-Ana, Muhamuddun-Rassullalah; calling the faithful to morning prayers.
The bells too started ringing simultaneously from the nearby temples of Hari Parbat’ and Kali ;charming the worshipers to attend the early prarthana sabha.
Both the azan and the buzzing of temple bells coalesced together so subtly that the entire milieu was filled with a bountiful spiritual quietness and abundance of blissful and unruffled calm. The enticingly syrupy nuances of rhythmic tranquillity produced by this fusion, thus, aroused the people from their deep sleep, and induced those already awoke to rush up to their respective destinations: mosques and temples that dotted around the city of Srinagar, for offering their dawn obeisance. Within no time an immensely impressive number of ardent Muslim devotees assembled at the Khankah-i-Mulla for their fajer nimaz and comparatively unequal Pandit parishioners gathered together in front of the goddess Kali’s icon; installed down the base of Khankah’s compound and facing Empress Noor Jahanh’s Pather Masjid of the Mughal times located on the opposite bank ot Jhelum river; for their prarthana.
For quite some time both remained devoutly absorbed in their prayers and prarthanas and wore a look of blissful piety on their faces which confirmed their religiosity and godliness beyond doubt. As a result, the entire Khankah complex and nearby surroundings were overtaken by pin drop silence which was, eventually, broken down only when the recitation of Awarad-e-fateh and the singing of Vedic hymns became audible enough to make a positive intervention in the atmosphere; enabling it to add some force and energy’. Also a little warmth, an average visibility and clarity became noticeable step by step in consequence of the gradual evaporation of mucky fog of autumn morning This spectrum presented a spectacular spiritual rendezvous which provided a divine opportunity to the people of both the communities, indeed after the completion of their prayers and prarthanas, to say hello to each other, exchange pleasantries, indulge in tittle-tattle and then share each other’s joys and sorrows, besides their views about matters concerning their land. The latest hot topic for conversation was:
Woontea natssun Kasher-e- sazuun
(Camel has entered Kashmir)
These words loomed large to create a gut feeling about a probable doom among the people who heard a mazoob speaking these while on their way to their respective prayer destinations. The raconteur of these soulful, melodious and meaningful words was a profoundly respected fakir/ dervish or majzoob whom the people of all faiths considered holy, righteous, saintly and auspicious enough to be least disturbed or objected to move about even utterly nude in full public view. Popularly known as nanga mout (naked fakir), he was frequently seen making, unfailingly, countless daily rounds of the road between Zaina Kadal and Habba Kadal bare naked without wearing any garb but simply holding an earthen pot or maanun, filled with strongly burning and ablaze coals, on his right shoulder. Occasionally breaking out into intemperate and immoderate language, especially when surrounded by a crowd, he was often irked and piqued by the budding youth who for fun sake formed a bee-line to tease him by shouting
Nanga mout
Waneu woath
Kuolis Khout
Aechunn devioo thoup
( Close your eyes , naked fakir is making his appearance )
….to be cotinued
Dr. Abdul Ahad is a well-known historian of Kashmir. He presents a perspective on the Kashmir issue and talks about Kashmir’s history and individuality and personality.
