Title of the book: Umeed Abi Baqi Ha: Radiyaye Dramavu ka Majmua (Urdu)
Author; Basheer Ahmad Buch
Publisher: Taj company Delhi
Pages;256
“What is to come we know not.
But we know That what has been so good — was good to show,
Better to hide, and best of all to bear.
We are the masters of the days that were.
We have lived, we have loved, we have suffered …. even so.”
W. E. Henley.
The book entitled Umeed Abi Baqi Ha: Radiyaye Dramavu ka Majmua (Urdu) by the author, Basheer Ahmad Buch is very fascinating and timely addition to the existing knowledge on the subject. Before I comment on this work let me illustrate the background for production of this book which is a compendium of dramas by Bashir Buch who gave his more than three decades to Radio Kashmir Srinagar. Kashmir has been known to the world for being in the lap of Himalayas with its great ecosystem, its cultural attributes, a great center of Sanskrit and Persian learning and literature, for the wonderful people their ideas and institutions that evolved and spread to the entire globe. When British colonialism collapsed the feudal monarchical regimes in various parts of India including Kashmir were rejected with the public aspiration for democracy and freedom. Although Kashmir got freedom from the most hated institution of Dogra Monarchy but soon the political expression of the region got entangled into worst conflict that not only restricted people’s choice in settling their political future but also sandwiched the region between India and Pakistan and that have indulged in four major wars and a cold war that is going on today as well.
From 1989 Kashmiris had to face the wrath of terrorism, state repression, disappearances, raping of innocents. All these things impacted every layer of Kashmiri society. There are various narratives concerning the region now. Even today the Kashmir problem continuously fills the newspapers and is at the center of the public debate in Kashmir and outside. Democratic institutions and the rule of law have always been constructed and legitimized by discourses of truth. But now in the era of alternate truth, the issue of “post-truth” or “fake truth” can be regarded as a contemporary degeneration of that legitimacy in which Kashmir’s polity and society is caught.
The worst casualty was the regions multiculturalism that faced onslaught of terrorists and forced a migration of Kashmiri Hindus from all parts of Valley to various parts of India losing their home and hearth for all times to come. This not only dented the image of India’s nationalism among Kashmiris but also created a wedge within the Kashmiri community that was known for harmony for ages. The Muslim community of the region also suffered immense oppression at the hands of various state and non-state agencies including terrorists who were otherwise expected to obtain freedom for the region from colossal Indian state. Large number of people went missing no one knows whether they are imprisoned or killed. Kashmiris are looking for answers to their tragedies. These circumstances further heightened the crisis at societal level in Kashmir. Their distraught parents are perishing with the hope that their members of the family will return one day. Amidist these crises the state was bifurcated and demoted to union territory status not only to make regions political class redundant but also to serve the communal ideology of ruling Indian state’s digital legitimacy at the center.
However, the situation at popular level worsened further because neither the Kashmiri Hindus were rehabilitated in their lost homes nor was local Muslim population given relief from their perpetual troubles. It is these crises that motivated many Kashmiris to express their feelings through poetry prose, drama music, art and other forms of expression. Bashir Buch the author of the above mentioned book wrote variety of Dramas and characterized the problems of Kashmiris at larger plate form.
Now the author has come up with a compilation of these dramas in book form that has attracted a large audience within the valley and outside. This book is appreciated and accredited by some great poets and eminent literary personalities/critiques such as Prof Muhammad Zaman Azurda (who always made Kashmir Proud within valley and outside), late Mr. Gulam Nabi Khayal a great poet, scholar and journalist of high repute, Shree Deepak Budki, Mr. Adil Ismail both are reputed scholars.
The book Umeed Abi Baqi Ha: Radiyaye Dramavu ka Majmua (Urdu) by Basheer Ahmad Buch is an interesting reflection of authors wide experience and his perspective of looking at the general Kashmiri society and its complex problems at every stratum. The author has tried to comprehend the problems of nationality, the trajectory of the Hindu Muslim relations, the issues of women, and girl child, syncretism, coercion of various govern and other agencies and may other aspects that became the themes which were presented to larger Kashmiri audience through Drama. The author has had a long illustrious career in All India Radio at its regional branch in Srinagar and Leh. He knew fully well that Drama is also a social production addressed the problems of Kashmiri society through Drama. He felt that drama was a tool to understand and address the people and facilitate awareness about various social, political cultural issues.
Bashir Ahmad Buch has made an important contribution that is full of insights. He has viewed things from a deeper and purer level of intellectual sensitivity and has elaboratedevery aspect meticulously. In his enlightening well-crafted book, Bashir Buch has developed a newness for comprehending toleration and in the process provides a perspective from which to view the crisis in Kashmir’s social fabric. His reconstruction of every theme is highly convincing and makes great deal of sense of his unique approach to social justice or rule of law and the extra coercion that Kashmiris saw at the hands of central, state agencies, security forces and militants. The author has unearthed neglected arguments and made a primary contribution in revealing the ground realities that defaced Kashmir in recent past. To interpret a natural law is to establish a general rule applicable to all relevant actors even those who may be mistaken in their religious cultural or social orientation. We must understand that law of nature is necessarily setup with human fallibility in mind and there are two branches of natural law that which applies to person in relation to God and that which justifies social responsibility. Keeping these things in view Bashir Buch has
developed a useful distinction between collective consent or consciousness and individuals’ approach, and he shows that drama can be used analogically by people in assimilating the depth of crisis and goodness. Through his dramas and this book Bashir Buch urges people to advance civic culture, one in which in a way that elite and common people are able to make sense. Through this book he also recommends that educators emphasize private relations over public ones which are more conspicuous and important than public ones. He points to moral geography among Kashmiris the idea that propagated
by some that free speech and other individual rights are reserved for those of us in Kashmir and are rightfully denied to some among us.
The philosophical parts aspects of this book yield interesting observations at times, but they
are inconsistently rigorous. If justice demands that we ignore the claims of those we care about most, why should we heed the call of justice.
The author Bashir Buch is absolutely brilliant when it comes to gathering insights and he has patiently articulated a distinctive approach to valley’s culture and ethos. He knows that radically new views do not succeed by discreet, knockdown arguments rather they gain ground if at all only slowly on several fronts and in ways that do not conform to neat, logical demonstration. One can believe that Bashir Ahmad Buch has devoted more time and greater capacity to engage in such a socio-cultural reflection that involves, engages and impacts larger Kashmiri society. A book such as this was long felt need and ought to be more accessible to a larger audience. It is an impressive account that advances effort to address critical issues of contemporary Kashmiri society.
ABOUT THE BOOK REVIEWER
Professor Rattan Lal Hangloo has been Professor of History at Hyderabad Central University. He is former Vice-Chancellor of Kalyani University West Bengal and University of Allahabad. He is currently Honorary Vice-Chancellor Noble international university Taranto Canada. (He originally belongs to Village Hangalgund Kokernag Kashmir but is at present in Austin Texas USA.)
