BY DR.ABDUL AHAD
There is no silver lining visible in the gory dark cloudy horizon of Kashmir. It has since entrapped the entire Valley with a serial holocaust of enormous proportions; devouring everything it could lay its hands on; depredating and dwarfing Kashmiris generation after generation by huge reckless bounding intimidation, persecution and bloodbath perpetrated by their tormenters. Nor is there any conscious political or intellectual effort noticeable that could bring it to a naught and, thereby, rid the wretched Kashmiris of their historically growing hopelessness and unending genocide and human rights violations. As long as Kashmiris continue to be misguided by political Nautankies, Seyasi Enchantresses and Duchesses the resolution of the dispute is unlikely. The smooth progression of the heritage of inanities-which has transformed Kashmir into an effective launch pad for foreigners to promote their interests and cajole with its destiny to trample down its identity to level zero – is facilitated by the native leadership that is bent upon conserving it in the political conservatory of contemporary Kashmir. The restless souls of about one lack martyrs lying in the graveyards dotting the dales and vales of Kashmir and nonstop spilling of young blood on its streets are yet to weigh on their conscience. They are not at all inclined to straigbten their bendy disposition by learning lessons which history is so fervently all set to teach them to rectify their perspectives. But do they have time, patience and competence to learn these lessons.
Kashmir has been evading a durable solution to its protracted political problem she has inherited from the casket of its distant past. This horrendous legacy came to assume wicked dimensions when it turned into a wiggly global dispute between India and Pakistan; leading to unprecedented riots, titanic skirmishes and three full scale wars the horrific imprints of which are yet to vanish from the collective conscience of the people of these neo- nuclear neighbours. How many more wars are still hovering over the skies of Kashmir,despite the nuclear-deterrents the two countries have developed owing to this dispute, God alone knows? How long have its people to continue wailing and weeping bitter tears of disappointment over the loss of indigenous control on life, resources and institutions is anyone’s guess? Will the rising carnage of precious innocent lives, illimitable rape of hapless women, recurrent custodial killings and forced disappearance of budding youth ever come to an end?
There is no silver lining visible in the gory dark cloudy horizon of Kashmir. It has since entrapped the entire Valley with a serial holocaust of enormous proportions; devouring everything it could lay its hands on; depredating and dwarfing Kashmiris generation after generation by huge reckless hounding, intimidation, persecution and bloodbath perpetrated by their tormenters.
Nor is there any conscious political or intellectual effort noticeable that could bring it to a naught and, thereby, rid the wretched Kashmiris of their historically growing hopelessness and unending genocide and human rights violations like the recent gruesome Shopian double rape and triple murder. No matured, seasoned and credible voices are there to cry a halt to the knotty mess that has latched up Kashmir in the lap of uncertainty, ambiguity and crisis of colossal magnitude.
This helplessness is an extension of general acquiescence in awful despondency of medieval Kashmir that led its elite to put their heads above their national parapet and stridently call tor foreign help to let down their native adversaries and competitors for power. Shahmiris, Sultans, Mawalis, Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs and Dogras responded to this call without much ado. They came successively to enjoy Kashmirs beauty, wealth and power by mortgaging and exploiting everything indigenous to the hilt; relegating original inhabitants Damaras, Bhats, Tantaris, Lones, Magrays, Yatoos etc- to oblivion; pushing them to their Waterloo in 1947 when bells began ringing in rhythm with the rattling of Snake Charmer’s been and native saz of a multitude of local Sazandars
Sapayra’s been is there to beguile foggy shadow of obscurity to visit the Valley and haunt its people frequently and persuade them to conserve it for posterity. Our greed, ignorance and unflinching faith in our much defied, short-range, hot-shot leaders have further emboldened it to follow us like winter follows autumn. It has become our centuries old misfortune companion; a perennial source of catastrophe and insecurity. And an effective launch pad for foreigners to promote their interests and cajole with our destiny to trample down our identity to level zero’.
The smooth progression of this heritage of inanities is facilitated by the leadership that is bent upon conserving it in the political conservatory of contemporary Kashmir. The absurd rhetoric and hollow eloquence they often resort to give an apologetic image of their conspectus and foresight. The tears they weep on heinous crimes committed against Kashmiris day in and day out are mere crocodile tears. The restless souls of about one lack martyrs lying in the graveyards dotting the dales and vales of Kashmir and nonstop spilling of young blood on its streets are yet to weigh on their conscience They are not at all inclined to straighten their bendy disposition by learning lessons which history is so fervently all set to teach them to rectify their perspectives. But do they have time, patience and competence to learn these lessons. Are they interested in improving their knowledge, if they have any? No
not at all; they are raw and extremely repugnant to history As long as Kashmiris continue to be misguided by political Nautankies, Seyasi Enchantresses and Duchesses, Almatlabis, Fasid Vejbiharis, Chogi-begs, Hakeem-i-Kasafat, Self-rule Sodagars, Autonomy Kothdars, Pakistani Farbads and Hindustani Majnoons the resolution of the dispute is unlikely. These leaders represent conflicting ideologies and ill-assorted aspirations hardly relevant from Khanyar to Khadenyar. Their contradicting aspirations have fragmented the Valley into small holdings each representing what the other opposes tooth and nail.
to be continued…..
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.
