November - Panun Kashmir

November 2011NEWS 6Property grab in Kashmir continuesSpecial CorrespondentNEXUS between politicians,bureaucrats andover ground workers tograb the Pandit property inthe Valley to stop their returnto Valley.There exists a nexusbetween politicians andbureaucrats in the Valley. Itis incredible but true that oneGujjar Latif Khan son ofGhulam Hassan Gujjar residentof Reasi was settled onthe property owned by Smt.Kanta Devi Kichloo wife ofLate Sh. Dina Nath Kichlooand others in the villagePalpora, Wasoora districtPulwama under a wellplanned strategy to grab thePandit property which runs incrores of rupees by one ZubeerKhan, the HM commander forSouth Kashmir. It was hisaim to provide hide out andgrab the property.But later Zubeer Khan HMCommander was killed in anencounter. He accomplishedthis task with the help of localover ground workers of hisoutfit. After that, Latif Khanleft the possession. Later onthe advice of local over groundworkers Latif Khan was againsettled there.The aggrieved party maderepresentation to DeputyCommissioner Pulwama. Hehumiliated the delegation andasked them to leave his chamber.It was due to the fact thathe had received a phone callfrom MoS Aijaz Khan not toevict the Gujjar from thePandit property. Later a delegationcalled on RevenueMinister Raman Bhalla. Hegave directions to DCPulwama to evict the Gujjarand Dismantle the structure.The aggrieved party made arepresentation to CM's grievancecell vide No: 22179 Dt:30/4/2011 by one of theaggrieved partner. The CM'sgrievance cell replied that theillegal occupant had beenevicted on 12/7/2001. It wasknown that DC Pulwamareported false to CM's grievancecell. In reality the structurestands on the land whichwas in possession of Panditstill 1990 from centuries ago.The said Gujjar raised downcowshed and kothar to groundand used the same materialfor constructing new two roomhouse, on Pandit land whichwas in their possession till1990. The revenue departmentslept over it under a wellhatched conspiracy to settlethe Gujjar on Pandit propertyto encroach and grab it.This exposes hollow claimsof government to the safereturn and rehabilitation ofKashmiri Pandits. Thisspeaks volumes of totalIslamisation in Kashmirwhere there is a nexusbetween politicians, bureaucratsand overground workersof separatists outfits to grabthe Pandit property andaccomplish the task ofIslamisation in Valley.(From Page 5)Kashmiri Hindus, socialworkers, leaders and intellectualswere listed for death.Most of them escaped fromthe Valley, secretly to avoidsuspicion and interception.".The attack was open. TheWhite Paper noted : "In therural areas of the Valley,cadres of the secessionistorganisations and their supporters,almost of every shadeand commitment, the supportersof the Jammu andKashmir Liberation Front inthe vanguard, did not hidetheir hostility towards theHindus. At many places, evenin Srinagar and the othertownships, Kashmiri, Hinduswere openly charged of espionagefor India. The indictmentspelt death".The exodus of the Hinduspicked up pace as the summerset in. By the end of the year1990, the larger part of theHindu community of Kashmirhad left. The rest followed asthe terrorist violence intensified.While the Hindus began toleave Kashmir the Jehadiflanks unfolded their plans todestroy the Sanskritheritage of the Kashmir. Thehomes the Hindus leftbehind,were ransacked andafter their properties werelooted, burnt down. Withinfour years of the onset of theterrorist violence in Kashmir,18,000, Hindu houses wereburnt down, bombed anddemolished. The White Paperon Kashmir noted : "Many ofthe homes were torched andduring the last four yearsabout 18,000 were eitherburnt down or destroyed.Many of the homes, whichwere not burnt, were occupiedby mercenaries serving themilitant organisations. Thepremises of the businessestablishment, shops andcommercial establishmentswere also taken over by theMuslim activists who supportedthe militancy. In therural areas, agriculturallands, orchards, and the landsattached to the burnt HinduReturn of Hindus to Kashmir-Ihouses, were nibbled away byMuslim activists supportingvarious terrorist organisatiosn.The cattle and the livestockleft behind by theHindus, were sold for slaughter".In due course of time asthe militancy continued toravage the province and theMuslim separatists forces andthe Jehadi flanks gained anupper hand, the Hindus weredispossessed of whatever theyowned, their land, dilapidatedstructures of their homes,business establishments andother assets by what came tobe called the distress sales.The depredations the terroristregimes wrought didnot end with the destructionof Hindu localities, homes andproperties. They attacked thetemples and Hindu places ofworship with iconoclast zeal.The Minister of State for theHome Department of theGovernment of India told theIndian Parliament on 12March 1993, that thirteentemples were desecrated anddemolished in 1989, nine templeswere damaged anddemolished in 1990, and sixteentemples were damagedand demolished in 1991. TheWhite Paper on Kashmirnoted : "The actual number oftemples demolished and damagedin Kashmir was muchlarger and vandalism towhich the Hindu shrines wereexposed was widespread". Inthe aftermath of the demolitionof the Babri Majid, themilitants and the Muslimmobs joined to attack theHindu temples and places ofworship. On 7 December,1992, one day after this demolitionof the Babri Majsid,two temples, one in Anantnagand one in Srinagar, wereburnt down. During the nightof 7-8 December, thirteentemples : one each in Kulgamand Sopore; two inTangamarg; three in Srinagarand one each in theAnantnag, Uttrasu, Shadipurin Sumbal, Pahalgam andVerinag, were damaged andburnt down. On 9 December,two temples were damagedand burnt down at Trehgamand Pattan. The demolition ofthe Hindu temples continuedafter 9 December, for manymore days taking the numberof the temples, desecrateddamaged, demolished andburnt down to thirty-nine.The White Paper on Kashmirnoted : "After the demolitionof the Babri Masjid, the wantondestruction of the templesin Kashmir was reported bythe press, though reservedly.Angry demonstrations andprotest against the descrationand systematic demolitionsCONTINUATIONwere held by the Hindurefugees in Jammu and theother parts of the country".The protest evoked noresponse from the StateGovernment or theGovernment of India.The ancient ruins of theHindu temples, most of themprotected monuments of theArcheological Department ofthe State and theArcheological Department ofthe Government of India,were also subject to attack.The archeological remains ofthe ancient Hindu templesstood as an elequent testimonyof the Hindu heritage ofKashmir. The temple ruinswere sacred to the Hindus,who visited them as a part oftheir tradition. At many placethe ruins were dug up, inorder to obliterate their lasttraces.The Hindu religious placeswhere Hindu cultural andsocial institutions and organisationswere located weresubjected to bomb attacks orburnt down. The Hindu educationalinstitutions wereburnt down or taken over.The entire organisation ofHindu schools and collegesrun by the Hindu educationalsocieties including the institutionsrun by HinduEducational Society,Dayanand Ayurvedic organisationand the Vishwa BhartiTrust were seized and takenover by the Muslim organisationsupported by the militantflanks.Reversal of GenocideGenocide of the Hindus inKashmir and their exile fordecades, has changed the geographicalalignments of theircommunity in the province ofKashmir and destroyed theirsocial and economic base. Theterrorist violence has obliteratedthe Hindu religious heritageof Kashmir and almostefaced the Hindu culturalidentity. The return ofHindus to Kashmir canassume meaning and effectonly in case the genocide isreversed.The issues which form thecore of their return are : (a)the reconstruction of theireconomic and social base;restoration to them of theirhomes, land, properties, businessestablishment and institutionsand assets; (b) recognitionof their right to freedomof which the content isdetermined by the imperativesof secularism ratherthan the Muslim majorityidentity of the State; and (c)acceptance of their territorialclaims in Kashmir in case ofany settlement with theMuslims of Kashmir to reorganisethe the state into aseparate Muslim sphere ofpower on the territories ofIndia, inside India or outsideIndia.No one can expect theHindus to return to Kashmirwithout their sources of livelihoodbeing restored to themand a level of economic securityensured for them. Theyhave lived as refugees inJammu and the other part ofIndia for two decades. Theycannot be sent to live inKashmir as refugees inimprovised camps at the charityof the world.The Indian political classshould realise that theHindus have lived, almost allover the six decades of theIndian freedom, within thespace provided for them bythe precarious balancebetween the commitment ofthe Indian people to secularismand the Muslim majorityidentity of the State. TheIndian leadership shouldrealise that the Jehad hasseverely impaired this balanceand obliterated thespace for the Hindus to live inKashmir. It must be notedthat any attempt to force theHindus to accept to live in thespace earmarked for them bythe Muslim identity of theState will prove distasterousfor them.For those who rule India,the return of the Hindus maybe a mere change of face, theMuslim identity of the state isgiven. But for the Hindus ofKashmir, it is a momentous,decision which will determinethe future of their generations.The Government ofIndia must apprise theHindus of Kashmir about thebaseline of its approach toany future settlement, it iscommitted to reach withPakistan on the one hand andMuslims of the State, on theother. The Hindus do notwant their return to be usedas a first step towards turningJammu and Kashmir intoa separate Muslim sphere ofpower, on the territories ofIndia but independent of itsconstitutional organisation.The return of the Hindus toKashmir is a historical necessity,not only for the Unity ofJammu and Kashmir, but forthe unity of India. Any cosmeticeffort to bring about thereturn of the Hindus toKashmir, aimed to provide asecular face to what theIndian political class hasbrought about in Jammu andKashmir, during the last twodecades, will spell disaster forthe Hindus and perhaps leadto developments which do notaugur well for the wholecountry.--(To be continued)

November 2011INTERVIEW 7An interview with Prof. (Dr) Rattan Lal ShantRR: Which Short Stories have youwritten about the plight of KashmiriPandits outsideKashmir? What doyou say in them?RLS : Many short stories of minehave been written pointedly on this subject.But most of my other stories mayalso be carrying the strain of themesconcerning Kashmiri Pandits. Thus forinstance, “Curfew”, “Thor”(Obstacle),”Haer” (Mynah), ”ByakhReshinama”(Another Rishi chronicle ),”RaevimutiMaaney”(Lostmeanings)“Beyi Akh Doah”(AnotherDay) and many other short stories writtenbefore our displacement from thevalley, speak of the atmosphere of subtlepolitical discrimination ,social neglect, disguised bullying and forced submissionin which minority characterslived . After 1990 almost all my storieswritten here directly confront situationsarising out of the exodus and subsequentDiaspora of Pandits. You canquote from any of my “Tshen” (Rupture)stories in this connection. These storiespresent studies of almost all suchaspects of the segregated, isolated, marginalizedand emotionally truncatedlives of people. Such people have widelybeen described also in the vast body ofjournalistic literature published duringthe last two decades outside the valley.RR: Do you give any solution to themiserable condition of the Panditcommunity in your writings?RLS: I have offered no solution,because I do not believe that literatureshould or can do that. My stories maylead readers to some ideas or they mayeven draw conclusions from the situationsdepicted, I shall not question theiringenuity... I think if I am able to focuson the problem, which includes amongother things the plight of my communityliving in exile for the last two decades,my role as a writer is done.RR: You write poems in Hindi andshort stories in Kashmiri, why?Which language are you comfortablewith?RLS: I am comfortable with both.Almost, if not fully and equally.Kashmiri, my mother tongue does havea slight edge over Hindi. However, I amsatisfied with the two modes, choosingany of them at the slightest cue from mysubject that comes along with its form.So if it is a story, I find that Kashmiriis already at work weaving the appropriatestructure: a poem is similarly busycatching up with making selection andrejection of suitable word and phrase inHindi; literary criticism concentrateswholly on the problem and may take upthat language medium which is morerelevant to the subject. In fact, the transitionfrom Hindi to Kashmiri or viceversa is so smooth that at times I wonderthat my own translation looks to meas good as my original. Some of myfriends tell me too.RR: Kashmiri Pandit writers writein Devnagri Script. When will youexpect the problem of two scripts –Nastalique and Devnagri beresolved?RLS: I don’t think that Devanagariwill be confined to Pandit writers, justas Nastalique script is not to Muslims. Ido understand that without official supporteven Nastalique in Kashmir maysomeday be untenable and e-savvy generationsmay prefer Roman in case theylet the language survive at all in face ofthe sweeping Urdu (and English) wavein the valley .So the progress Nagarimakes shall depend on how willfully andwidely Kashmiris use it or let it be used.(Prof. (Dr) Rattan Lal Shant is a Kashmiri Short Story Writer,Dramatist, Hindi Poet, Translator, Editor, Researcher and Critic.Besides receiving many awards, he got the Sahitya AcademyAward in the year 2007 for his book of Kashmiri Short Stories “TSHEN” (RUPTURE).Rajendra Razdan, a freelance journalist is in conversationwith him…….It also depends on how much usefulreading material (even stories or tales ofyore would do to begin with) is publishedin it. As of now, the number of PanditKashmiri writers is dwindling fast, perhapsin direct proportion to the numberof speakers. Nastalique shall still havean advantage because of the numbers.RR: You have also signed aResolution that the Devnagri Scriptshould be recognized and that thePandit Writers should write inDevnagri Script. Yet you write storiesand other things in the Persianscript. Why?RLS: Yes, I supported the move to letNagari be officially recognized inDelhiand Srinagar as an additional alternativeto the official Nastalique. I keeprequesting members of my writers’ fraternityto try writing and publishing inDevanagari also for their readers here.Many of them write and publish theirwork in both the scripts in order to reachold and young generations of readers.They are conscious of this two foldresponsibility of theirs. They can’twait till official recognition comes or not.I believe that for the desirous futuregenerations of Pandits outside the valley,Nagari alone will be the commonmedium.I write for my readers like everywriter does. As of now, most of my readersdo happen to be in known of theNastalique script. So I write mainly inthe same. But I also write in the Nagariwith equal commitment to my readersknowing that script .As you know,besides, stories and essays, I write a regularcolumn in the “Vaakh”, the only‘Nagari Kashmiri’ magazine, publishedby the AIKS. This is in addition to publishingmy stories and critical write upsin other magazines ‘Koshur Samachar’and ‘Kshir Bhavani Times’ If theavenues of publishing in Nagari openup, I won’t be second to anybody in contributingto them. I have been fightingfor the cause of Nagari as an additionalalternate script on merits, not on anynon literary or non educational grounds.Survival of Kashmiri language inDiaspora will not depend as much on thescript used for it as on its dedicated usein our homes. Books will come later. Ithink that at the moment we should laystress on its survival. Our own survivalas a distinct ethnic group is at stakenow. Besides other factors, it is closelyconnected to our language, which inturn can be saved outside Kashmir byan honest commitment. .RR: Please name some of yourbooks you are proud of.RLS: I am happy with what I havebeen able to write, but the work I can beproud of has yet to come. I do not knowwhen or whether that comes. Right nowI am fighting the devastating lack oftime. Well, sometimes I do find it interestingto sit and go through a chapterfrom my book in Kashmiri (Tshen”) orHindi (Samay ke Tevar”) to enjoymyself. I like these two books. I wrotemany stories and literary criticism bothin Hindi and Kashmiri after these (i.e.since 2007), which were acclaimed butawait publication in book form. Mythree books in Kashmiri are expected tobe out in the first quarter of 2012.RR: What is your opinion aboutthe writings of other migrant writers,whether Kashmiri, Hindi orEnglish.RLS: I appreciate how well some ofthe so called ‘migrant’ writers have writtenin Kahmiri, Hindi English etc. duringthe last two decades in very incongruousconditions outside the valley .Iam all admiration for playwrightsKemmu and Meera Kant, poets ‘Saqi’,‘Majboor’, KL Choudhry, SiddharthGigoo, Agnishekhar, ‘Santoshi’ ’Shad’,‘Masroof’, ‘Saroor’ and ‘Betab’ ,shortstory (fiction) writers Chandrakanta,Sanjana, Kshama, HK Kaul, ‘Jowhar’,‘ML Pandita’ and ‘MK Raina”, to namea few for the excellent depiction ofemotions and relationships in apt andforceful language. I have written onsome of them in detail.RR: How and when did you startwriting? Which writer has laid alasting impression on you? Who hasbeen the inspiration behind yourwritings?RLS: Though I started publishing myHindi poems in the annual numbers of‘Martand’, a journal of the ASKPC,Srinagar, in my school days in 1951-52,I could not publish my earliestKashmiri short stories which I wrotealmost simultaneously, anywhere, for Iknew of no other journal. Consciously, Ipublished my first Hindi poem ‘Varsha’and my first Kashmiri short story‘Navsheen’ in the .S P. College magazinethe “Pratap” in the year 1953. I considerthis the beginning of my writing career.Bachchan’s and, Dinkar’s poems in our‘Hindi optional’ text books interestedme most while I was in SP college. Iliked Akhtar’s and Kamil’s Kashmiristories which appeared in the ASCollege magazine, the ‘Lala Rookh’.Later, personal contact with renownedpoets and scholars as also guidance andencouragement by my teachers inKashmir and Allahabadstrengthenedmy resolve to continue with the passioneven at the cost of a better career. I owemy urge for literary pursuit also to mylong association with Kashmir HindiSahitya Sammelan, since 1953 whichbecame almost my ideological commitment.My going headlong for MA (Hindi)far away in Allahbad. Overcomingstrong patronizing advice to prepare forIAS instead, was direct fallout of such acommitment. (I had topped the BAExamination of J&K University in1957.)RR: Who do you rate a MasterWriter among Kashmiri Pandits?RLS: I can not but name two, who areexcellent in the genres in which theywrote and who, I think, have not beensurpassed. They are Dina Nath Nadimand Hari Krishna Koul.RR: Devotional poetry got a suddenrise after exodus of KashmiriPandits. What have you to say aboutthis kind of poetry?RLS: Devotional poetry was an easyway out for poets who felt cut off fromtheir literary neighborhoods and alienatedfrom their traditional audiences.The seemingly sudden emergence ofthis kind of poetry has nothing to dowith poets’ dejection or desperationresulting from their exodus from the valley,as some critics would like to believe.It was but a weak rally of the displacedpoets to connect to such readers here, forwhom referential religious rhymes weregood enough. Psychologically, abandonedreligious icons and centers inKashmir had evoked unfathomableempathy in the displaced people.Though some established poets too composedsuch poems, some ‘devotional’rhymesters tried to benefit from the situation.An upsurge of Ashram activityin Jammu and elsewhere can perhapsbe seen in this context.RR: Are there any young writersamong Kashmiri Pandits and whatdo they write about?RLS: I may have come across just afew young and promising Kashmiri,Hindi or English writers emerging duringthe last two decades. But unfortunatelynot much of what they write isvisible. Our hopes soared when youngwriters like RL Jowhar, Kalhan Koul,Siddharth Gigoo and Adarsh Ajitappeared on the horizon. Unfortunatelyall of them do not seem to be as earnestnow as was expected of them. .RR: You are a translator as well, whathave you translated?RLS: I have done quite a number oftranslations from and into Kashmiri,Hindi and English, which have beenpublished. “Poshimal ”(Rasulmir),"Nundrishi”, “ Awazon ke Arth” (DNNadim) “Alberuni sund Hindostan”,“Garu Badli” (BP Choudhury) “Lalded”(Ved Rahi) “ Ujla Rajmarg”(Editedassorted Kashmiri poems, part translated)aremy books. Besides, dozens of mytranslations appeared in journals orwere broadcast.RR: The themes of the short storiespoems and other writings changedafter the exodus of pandits. Don’tyou think the real themes are therein the writings now?RLS: Themes are always ‘real’whether they are directly and visiblyconnected to the present situation ornot. What makes them look live and convincingis the genuineness of feeling andable treatment. Sometimes a dream situationor a concocted story may depict‘reality’ more authentically than atheme based on ‘facts’ does. It is truethat after the exodus of 1990 lifechanged for the victims of the unprecedentedphenomenon drastically.Writers, painters, musicians and theaterartists took time in absorbing theshock and analyzing the repercussionsof the upheaval. Soon we got some goodcreations in word, color and performance,which were applauded by critics. Anew name (‘literature in exile’)RR: Are there readers of theKashmiri books among KashmiriPandits? And how do you predict thefuture of Kashmiri language in ourcommunity?RLS: Readership of Kashmiri booksis decreasing fast. Now we have lessernumber of Pundit readers than we hadimmediately after we landed in nonKashmiri cities and towns in Jammuand Delhi, in 1990 and after. Therewas a time when it was estimated byfree opinion and it was almost recognizedofficially that the number of readershere exceeded that in the valley.(Contd. on Page 8)

ETHNIC CLEANSING 8November 2011Demystifying ethnic cleansing and genocide of Kashmiri PanditsBy Varad VarenyaDIFFERENT versions ofKashmir in political, social andreligious context are nothingnew. Mr. Aditya Sinha’s article“Kashmiri Pandits, Sri Lankan Tamilsand Indian hypocrisy” that appearedin Daily News & Analysis (DNA) on31st July 2011 prompted me to writeback. I disagree with Mr. Sinha’s viewregarding Kashmiri Pandits.It was surprising to see equationbetween Kashmiri Pandits and SriLankan Tamils. Although we are sympathetictowards Sri Lankan Tamils,one cannot equate the two as unlikethe Sri Lankan Tamils, KashmiriPandits are citizens of India. Our mainconcern should be first for the citizensof our own country and then others.The onset of turmoil in Kashmir valleyin 1989-1990 was marked with theethnic cleansing and genocide ofKashmiri Pandits. Ethnic cleansing isan attempt to create ethnically homogeneousgeographic areas through thedeportation or forcible displacement ofpersons belonging to particular ethnicgroups. United Nations defines ethniccleansing as rendering an area ethnicallyhomogeneous by using force orintimidation to remove from a givenarea persons of another ethnic or religiousgroup. Many Kashmiri Muslims(and not all) joined the so called freedommovement and chose to be part ofarmed struggle. The objective of militancyin Kashmir was to create a valleyhomogenous in its religious (readIslamic) character. To create suchhomogeneity, Kashmiri Hindu minoritywas forced to leave the valley.Ethnic cleansing sometimes involvesthe removal of all physical vestiges ofthe targeted group through thedestruction of monuments, cemeteries,and houses of worship. Ethnic cleansingmay involve death or displacementwhere a population is identified forremoval from an area. In Kashmir,houses of minority Hindu Panditswere burned; temples were destroyed.Notices were pasted on the walls ofPandit houses mentioning them toleave the valley or to perish.Genocide may be used as means tocarry out ethnic cleansing. Genocideis defined as the deliberate and systematicdestruction, in whole or inpart, of an ethnic, racial, religious,or national group.Article 2 of 1948 United NationsConvention on the Prevention andPunishment of the Crime of Genocide(CPPCG) defines genocide as any ofthe following acts committed withintent to destroy, in whole or in part anational, ethnical, racial or religiousgroup, as such:a) Killing members of the group;b) Causing serious bodily or mentalharm to members of the group;c) Deliberately inflicting on thegroup conditions of life, calculatedto bring about its physicaldestruction in whole or in part;d) Imposing measures intended toprevent births within the group;e) Forcibly transferring children ofthe group to another group.The National Human RightsCommission (NHRC) in a ruling on 11June 1999 stated that “Against thestern definition of the GenocideConvention, the Commission is constrainedto observe that while actsakin to genocide have occurred withrespect to Kashmiri Pandits and that,indeed, in the minds and utterances ofsome of the militants a genocide-typedesign may exist, the crimes againstthe Kashmiri Pandits are near-Genocide and not Genocide.”In the speech on 7 April 2004 theUN Secretary General said,“Wherever civilians are deliberatelytargeted because they belong to a particularcommunity, we are in the presenceof potential, if not actual, genocide.”1990s were painted with genocideof Kashmiri Hindus. ManyKashmiri Hindus were murdered.Kashmiri Hindus were targeted by themilitants in 1989 and afterwards untilthey didn’t left the valley. The officialfigure of Kashmir Pandit killings is219. Kashmiri Pandit SangharshSamiti (KPSS), a valley based NGO,disputes the government figure. In itsfirst list of a survey, Kashmiri PanditSangharsh Samiti (KPSS) suggeststhat 399 Pandits were killed and thelist of KP killings is still incomplete.KPSS did the survey in 2008 and 2009to find the exact number of Panditskilled, which revealed that 302 membersof the community were killed in1990 alone. Selective killing of minorityHindus amounts to genocide.In exile, thousands of KashmiriPandits have died due to change inenvironmental conditions. KashmiriPandits were forced to live in hostileconditions in make-shift camps inJammu/Delhi. During summers, theaverage temperature of Kashmirwould generally be in thirties while inJammu/Delhi, it is in forties. Think of45ºC and 6-8 people living in a tent.The habitat changed resulted in sunstrokes,anaemia etc. which causedmany deaths. Moreover, deaths happeneddue to snake bites as slum-likeconditions of camps became the breedingground for snakes. Even after 21years, some are still living in camps.Those Kashmiris who chose/supportedthe gun are responsible for thegrievances of all Kashmiris whetherKashmiri Muslims or KashmiriHindus. It is amusing when the separatists(some of them were terroristsin 1990s) state that they are in favourof return and rehabilitation ofKashmir Pandits. Because they arethe same people who were responsiblefor the exodus of minority Hindus fromthe valley.Kashmiri Pandits have been deniedjustice from past 21 years. The humanrights violation of Kashmiri Panditsought to be addressed now. KashmiriPandits haven’t suffered physicallyonly but culturally and psychologicallyalso. Kashmiri Pandits have been sufferingin a political-religious war inwhich they don’t form any part.(Follow Varad on twitter -http://twitter.com/VaradVarenya)An interview with Prof. (Dr) Rattan Lal Shant(Contd. from Page 7)J&K Cultural Academy had to reprintsome of its books of especially classical,bhakti and Sufi poetry for sale inJammu. But as hopes for return toKashmir decreased and enthusiasm forthe mother tongue ebbed, enthusiasmfor learning or reading Kashmiri toodecreased. The situation does not seemto be improving and I am not very sanguineabout the future of the languageRR: What are you working on thesedays?RLS: I am doing an exhaustive studyon Hari Krishna Kaul’s art of short storywriting.RR: Do you have any message forthe young Kashmiri Writers, if thereare any?RLS: Writing is a very serious business.It demands regular reading as wellas full commitment of time and attention.It has been seen that our youngwriters today display a lackadaisicalattitude to reading and writing. Theyexpect quick returns in terms of admiration,fame and money from the littlethat they write. I do not have any messagefor them. I only wish they takewriting seriously, even when there is nohope for any lucrative return from it.RR: What is the state of the writingsof the Kashmiri Muslim writers?RLS : They have a vibrant society.Numbers are on their side. So, they willalways have reason to benefit from elementsnurturing continuity of historyand living links with geography. In spiteof their dichotomy of whether Urdu orKashmiri, the recent spurt of subnationalism is expected to go a long wayin providing them a congenial atmospherefor Kashmiri. The fact remainsthat we were in minority there, trying togo along with the creative endeavor ofthe mainstream, yet facing discriminationon many counts. But our fate hasworsened even though the world here ismuch opener for us.RR: “HARUD” Literary Festival tobe held in Srinagar has been cancelled.Two Kashmiri Muslim youngwriters started tirade against it.Your comments?RLS: I was upset to see what happened.RR: Why don’t pandit writers likeyou ask the organizers of theLiterary Festival to organize such afestival in Jammu? It will be fruitfulfor all the writers of Jammualso.RLS: I would be happy if a festivalwhere creative people of all shades ofopinion on literature meet, present theircreations and exchange views on artfreely is held here. I hope some organizationtakes such an initiative.RR: Don’t you think it is the moralresponsibility of the Kashmiri panditwriters to ask and even force theyouth to write books?RLS: In my opinion, the most timelyand important moral responsibility inthis connection today is that of Kashmiriparents. It is for them to insist on, maybe force, the discipline of usingKashmiri and only Kashmiri in homes.They should come out of their falsenotions on mother language, as also children’scapacity to learn many languagesand to face the world of competitions.This will surely help our society toremain connected to our history andheritage, motherland and identity. Thequestion of Senior Pandit writers’responsibility to ‘ask’ or ‘force’ youngwriters to write books etc. etc. comeslater. Of course, creating opportunitiesfor young writers is the duty of seniorsections of the society and the intelligentsia.Using any pressure to get quickresults in the domain of culture is neitherdesirable nor practicable. On thecontrary it may be counter productive.RR: Young Kashmiri Muslim writerscome out with the literature ofResistance in English which is aGlobal language. What shouldyoung Kashmiri Pandit writerscome with? Where are their guides?RLS: Writing with some motive doeshelp spread ideologies which may buildbases for political or social movements.Such writings are more journalistic innature than literary. Literary creationstranscend time leaving indelible impressionson readers while the former don’tdo more than creating a stir at a point oftime. This is exactly what literaturewritten with a view to highlight the socalled ‘resistance’ in Kashmir may succeedin doing now. ‘Literature in Exile’played almost a similar role outside thevalley though underlining a differentpoint and with less success. Yes, writingin English can be quite advantageous inso far as spreading the message amongEnglish audiences in India and outsideIndiais sought. Our English writers likeKL Choudhry, Arvind Gigoo, and TejDhar etc. have done that, though Ibelieve that their writings are not exactlymotivated or reactionary. However, Ido not think that any amount of coaxingor guidance can make or unmake awriter, whether in Kashmiri, Hindi orEnglish. When, in what circumstancesand with how much success a writermay appear, nobody can tell. Politicallyor socially speaking, writing that makesthe world aware of our plight in exile isalso important. I think our journalistsare doing a fine job in this respect.RR: Can Kashmir problem besolved through writings?RLS: Genuine writers are sensitiveto human condition and sensible not tosuccumb to cheap populism. If unmotivatedwriters are made judges, withguaranteed immunity from social andpolitical reprisals and coercion and if noconditions are slapped on them, I thinkwe may be able to get some universallyacceptable solution. But if we expectthem to write down literature leading tosome solution, we may get neither asolution nor any literature.RR: Do you think KashmiriPandits should and will go back toKashmir? I am asking you thisbecause most of the writers writeabout their lost homeland.RLS: Yes, I have still not lost faithin our yearning for Kashmir. Today,even keeping the flame of hope to returnand live as before in our homeland,burning is an uphill task. I see thatflame getting bright or dim, the desire toreturn becoming intense or weak withchanging weather and politics. I am consciousof the fact that our young peoplestudying marrying or settling far awayfrom their parents may lose interestinKashmir unlike their elders who suffereda lot physically and mentally. Thelatter will also keep lamenting the lossof their ancestral land and cultural identity.What reassures me, however, isthe nostalgia for Kashmir gettingstronger by the day in those youngentrepreneurs and professionalswho are living far more comfortably infar away West for decades and yetkeep craving for all that Kashmir standsfor. So far as writers are concerned, theyonly reflect people’s (as well as theirown) aspirations with honesty and fearlessness.Getting their homelandback is the natural, lawful and universalaspiration of all uprooted KP’s.

November 2011SEMINAR 9Fai’s Arrest in USA- Lessons for IndiaIsolate those hobnobbing with unfriendly countries- panelistsBy S.M. PanditJAMMU, Aug 6: A cross sectionof public opinionexpressed its grave concernover the hobnobbing of prominentpersons across the spectrumwith hostile nations andnurturing of these people bythe establishment than takingaction against them at a seminarorganized by PANUNKASHMIR. The topic of theseminar was- Fai’s Arrest inUSA, Lessons for India. Theseminar was presided over byDr Ajay Chrungoo, ChairmanPanun Kashmir and Prof. M LKoul, prolific writer and memberPK Advisery, Sh B SSlathia, President JammuBar Association, Sh Y VSharma, President Chamberof Commerce and Industries-Jammu, Prof. DipankerSengupta, Department ofEconomics, University ofJammu and Prof. Hari Om,Prolific writer and politicalthinker were the other speakers.Delivering his presidentialaddress, Dr Ajay Chrungooexpressed grave concern thatthe people who are engaged insubversion are unfortunatelyblue eyed boys of the governmentof India and are operatingas track-2 lobbyists, emissariesand interlocutors onbehalf of India and notPakistan. He described Fai asa symbol of process of destructionand added that we haveto understand the supportstructure of this process ofdestruction. “ Those Indianswho have been now exposed tobe in the ISI subversive circuithave been operating foryears on track-2 diplomacyand as emissaries and interlocutorsnot on behalf ofPakistan but on behalf ofGoI,” rued Dr Crungoo. Hesaid that these very peopleare involved with the triplealliance of Chinese, Anglo-American and Islamic fundamentalistideology of hurtingthe interests of India.The PK leader said thatthese individuals have nocommitment to the Indianunity and values and respectfundamentalism and terrorismas revolutionary. “Allthese individuals have ideologicalconvergence. Theyhave no commitment toIndian unity. They respectfundamentalism and terrorismas revolutionary andexpression of victimhood ofdeprived sections and theyoppose almost all those propositionsthat strengthen Indiancause in J&K,” opined Mr.Chrungoo. He appealed theIndian nation to assert itselfto bringthe nation state out oftheir clutches by denyingthem legtimacy in their antistate pursuits; otherwisenational interests will continueto remain compromised. “Anation state cannot rest onthe branches of its state. It isthe masses that create nationstate. They are training gunsby sitting on our shoulders.We have to deny them ourshoulders by continuously dissentingtheir policy of compromiseon national issues,”asserted Dr Chrungoo.Earlier starting the proceedings,Prof. M L Koul saidthat the malaise of internalsubversion that has almostcrippled the policy makingprocess particularly on theissues of national security anddescribed Fai as an element ofpropaganda machinery. Headded that Fai’s arrest inAmerica has only brought outa facet of the problem whichhas infected the cross sectionof opinion makers in Indiawho are hobnobbing withagencies of inimical countriesand masquerading as peaceactivists and doing anirreparable damage to thenational interests. He saidthat Fai has been propagatingPakistani line for last 25years and wondered thatIndia did nothing to exposehim. He expressed surprisethat this section of so-calledintelligentsia is enjoying thehospitality of the likes of Faiand hurting the interests ofnation. He describedKashmiri Pandits’ exodus asthe worst example of genocideand said that the propagandacells activated by ISI andsepratists spread falsehood onthe issue within and outsidethe country and the GoI committedtreachery by labellingus as MIGRANTS.Mr. Y V Sharma, Presidentof the Chamber of Commerceand Industries, Jammu, saidthat the Indian governmentdidn’t react to the terrorism inbefitting manner and gave theimpression of soft state. Headded that India shouldexpose ISI and Pak Army andidentify the snakes in thegrass from within and takeproper action against them.He said, “We are witnessingwhat is happening for last 20years. We feel helplessness asthere is no such reaction fromthe nation and that is why ourstate is called a soft state.History tells us that the softstates have been losers in thelong run.” Mr Sharma ruedthat there are many Fai’s inJ&K and instead of takingaction, they are being protected.He added that they arebeing provided finances andother support from Pakistanand it is the responsibility ofGoI to expose Pakistani ISIand Army and take actionagainst those who are part ofthe Fai circuit.Prof. Dipanker Senguptapointed out how Pakistan harnessesa section of Indianintelligentsia and activists tostrike at the roots of India andweaken national resolve. Headded that this section is antiIndia by conviction and thoseimplicated cannot pass judgmenton J&K. “Pakistan harnessedpower of Indian intelligentsiato strike at the roots ofIndia. The mixture of Red andGreen harnessed a handful ofintellectuals to weaken ournational resolve,’ lamentedSengupta. Coming downheavily on this group, he saidthat unity, integrity and democraticvalues do not matter tothem and by conviction theyare anti India and find Indiawrong even in the conflictswhere India is not involved.Lashing out at those withinand outside the government toprotect those found involvedin Fai circuit, Prof. Dipankersaid that those implicatedcannot preside over to passJudgment on J&K and suchpeople should be neutral andat least commitment to theunity and integrity of India.He described Fai as a symptomthat illustrates nature ofproblem in India and addedthat his arrest is an indicationof the problem that the USA ishaving with Pakistan as hisactivities were known to theUS authorities well inadvance.Speaking on the occasion,Prof Hari Om, chided recentIndian Foreign policy vis-à-visJ&K. He said that the recentstatement of S M Krishna inParliament on his talks withhis Pakistani counter-partruns counter to the unanimousand historic parliamentaryresolution of 1994 onJ&K. He referred to the meetingof Pakistani ForeignMinister with separatists andher statement about the outstandingissue of J&K onIndian soil and added that inlast 20 years no Pak FMtalked of J&K in India in suchexplicit way. He lashed out atthe union ministers who triedto downplay the attendance ofIndian’s in Fai’s programmesand advocated for bringingsuch elements to justice toproduce the desired moraleffect so that no one can dareto associate themselves withsuch organizations and individuals.Concluding at a postivenote, Prof. Hari Om saidthat there is hell of differencebetween Indian state andIndian nation and if theIndian nation had not reactedthe state would have givenKashmir to Pakistan on palter.Sh. B S Slathia, PresidentJammu Bar Association, saidthat Fai’s arrest in Americahas exposed all those individualsin India who claim to beexperts, peaceniks and civilrights crusaders but actuallyfurther the agenda of antiIndia forces. He gave a clarioncall to the nationalist forcesnot to tolerate them but toexpose them. He said thatthere are Fai’s even in thegovernment structure. ShSlathia talked of discriminationwith Jammu people andcited the issue of CentralUniversity. He said that oursurvival is at stake and weshould unite together to frustratethe designs of inimicalforces.BRIEF OF THE PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED DURING MEDIA INTERACTION ADDRESSED JOINTLY BY DR.AJAY CHRUNGOO CHAIRMAN PANUN KASHMIR,DR. HARI OM NOTED POLITICAL ANALIST & SENIOR LEADER, AND DR. M.K.TENG CHAIRMAN ADVISORY PANUN KASHMIR ON OCT. 21IST, 2011 AT JAMMU.THE recent beginningof the march fromKashmir to Manipurfor the revocation of AFPSAseems to be only a brazenexpression of the intent tointegrate the separatistmovement in Jammu andKashmir with the separatistmovements elsewhere inMEDIA INTERACTIONIndia particularly the NorthEast. The likes of MedhaPatkar and Sandeep Pandeyhave done Human Rights nogood by such a venture andonly given credibility toregressive political ideologieswhich feed terrorism.We debunk such type of pervertedHuman and civilrights activism which overthe years has weakened thedefense of Human Rightsand civil rights in India.It seems the deportation ofGautam Navlakha, sometime back by the state government,was only a temporarymeasure taken to seethe tourist season throughand not a considered policydecision. It also raisesdoubts again about elementswithin the establishmentencouraging fissiparousgroups and personalities tomeddle in the sensitive situationin the state. Otherwisehow was Medha Patkarallowed to flag off thisMarch from Kashmir toManipur?We have never heard suchso called civil Rights leaderstalking about elimination ofTerrorism. How many timeshave we witnessed such personseulogizing terroristmovements as revolutionarymovements! All suchactivists betray an ideologicaloutlook where the unityof India is not sacrosanct.Such activists eventuallyseek to communicate thatefforts to remove challengesto national unity are bereftof any progressive content.For them Human rights andfomenting subnationalunrest are only tool as it hasbeen in the hands of imperialistpowers all through tillthis time. We are aware oftheir motivations and recognizethat they have no progressiveagenda to further.The role of a section of governmentof India in encouragingsuch elements needsto be examined. It hasallowed Human Rights jargonas a cover and immunityfor allowing over groundworkers of terrorism andseparatism to carry on withtheir activities using thedemocratic space.It is an irony that at atime when USA and rest ofthe Western World are nolonger ready to allowPakistan to flirt with terrorism,Government of India istolerating such flirtations onthe soil of India and manytimes under the cover of tacticsor administrative expediencyencouraging it.At a time when China isincreasing its military presencein POK and encouragingPakistan’s belligerenceagainst India, Governmentof India seems to be sleepingover the deepening of thenexus between separatistsin Jammu and Kashmir,Maoists and many insurgentgroups in North East promotedby none other thanChina and Pakistan.We urge government ofIndia to take such ventures,as the one started by MedhaPatkar in Kashmir valley,and devise measures tocounter and defeat this sinisternexus between the separatistsof various hue andcolors to undermine theintegrity of the Nation.Printer Publisher B.N. Kaul for and on behalf of Panun Kashmir Foundation.Editor: SHAILENDRA AIMA Computer Graphic: S.K. Babbu, Printed at : TheKashmir Times Press, Gangyal, JammuOwned by: PANUN KASHMIR FOUNDATIONPublished from PANUN KASH-MIR FOUNDATION,172, Sector-3, E.W.S Colony, Lower Roop Nagar, Jammu-180013 (INDIA)Tele/Fax: 0191-2593166 emal: kashmirsentineljk@yahoo.co.inwebsite: panunkashmir.org

By L.C. KaulSyed Ghulam Nabi Fai 62years old is US citizenand hails from Kashmirvalley. He did MA fromUniversity of Aligarh. In early1980s he left for USA where hedid Ph.D in mass-communicationfrom Temple University inPennsylvania. Soon he cameon ISI's (Pakistan's spyagency- the Inter ServicesIntelligence) radar.He was ensnared by ISI inlate 1980s. He foundedKashmir American Council(KAC), also known as"Kashmir Centre" inWashington in 1990, as a paidISI agent. KAC describes itselfas an organisation dedicated toincrease awareness aboutKashmiri struggle for selfdeterminationin the US. KAChas centres in London andBrussels.November 2011GUEST COLUMN 11Who is Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai?Fai was given by ISI to pushPakistan's position onKashmir. Apart from hugefinancial assistance from ISI,prominent Pak Americans inUS issued cheques in favour ofFai. Fai and KAC made contributionof $ 23500 to US lawmakersnamely Joseph Pitts,James Moran and GregoryMeeks among others andIndiana Congressman DonBurton, a strong pro-PakistanRepublican. Modest contributionswere also made to theGore and Obama campaigns aswell as a to the US politicalsystem over the past 15 years.Primary objective of all theseactivities was to reverse J&KState's accession to India andthereby to manipulate thedebate on Kashmir in favour ofPakistan. More contributionsto the US political systemcame from other Pakistan-ISIproxies including US basedphysicians and businessmen.Besides generous monetaryassistance from ISI spyagency, Fai and associates alsosent money through hawalachannels to fuel the separatistfire in Kashmir from 1990 andonwards. Fai is involved indiverting funds to Hurriyet inthe Valley, over the past 20years to organise seminars onKashmir in different cities ofUS. These seminars were alsoattended by some Indian liberals.Fai's conferences inWashington were bankrolledby the Pakistan embassythere.During 2005, BaronessEmma Nicholson, a member ofthe European Parliament, wasappointed as the Parliament'srapporteur on Kashmir. TheKAC tried to discredit herreport and get her removedfrom her position. The ISI statedthat Nicholson should notbe the rappoteur to write theKashmir report and she shouldbe removed from her positionin the European Parliament aswell as the British Parliament.Nicholson report was publishedin May 2007. The reportcriticised Pakistan for humanrights violation in thePakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). The report was seen asfavourable to India.Right from 1989, Fai claimedto seek a peaceful resolution ofthe Kashmir dispute but it wassoon revealed that Fai wasconspiring to act as an agent ofa foreign principle- in fact hewas a front-man for Pakistani- and not Kashmiri interests inthe US.The FBI arrested Fai on19th July 2011 from his housein Fairfax in the US, on thecharges of receiving moneyfrom ISI and acting as anagent, without disclosing hisaffiliation with the Pakistangovernment as requiredaccording to American Law.Fai and Zaheer Ahmad (63years) a US citizen and residentof Pakistan, have beenaccused of illegally funnellingmillions of dollars to influenceUS policy on Kashmir.On July 26, 2011 a US courtordered Fai, the Kashmir lobbyistaccused of being an ISIagent, to be released from jailbut put him in house detentionpending trial.(From Page 10)accession? The first principleof research is to referencehis averments thathe is audacious to make.There are numerousworks that have beencraftily sponsored by Pakforeign office only to distortthe facts about accession.There is a lot oftrash that has beenchurned out by the supportersof terrorists andsecessionists in Kashmir.Koul seems to have fallena prey to such distortedand unhistorical materials.It is his bounden dutyas an Indian, if he feelsthat, he is one, to look forthe relevant-materialsavailable in genuineworks on Kashmir history.And he will come tolearn that Maharaja HariSingh's accession to Indiais full, final, irrevocableand flawless.The worthy professorappears to be heavilyprejudiced when he holdsIndia responsible for nonconductof plebiscite inKashmir. It was actuallyPakistan that deliberatelysabotaged theplebiscite process by notvacating the territoriesthat the tribal raidersfrom Pakistan hadaggressed and forciblyoccupied. It was a preconditionfor the conductof plebiscite in Kashmir.To dispel his gross ignoranceand deep-seatedbias the learned worthyshould rummage theAmerican libraries for thesaid-resolution of theSecurity Council.Suvir on Pro-Pakistanelements dis-allowedto fight-electionsSuvir Koul is an Indianby birth, but is obsessedwith pro-Pakistan elementswho he believesare debarred from fightingelections in Kashmir.Firstly there is no directive,order or ordinanceby the state governmentSuvir Koul's & Natasha Koul's Write-ups in the quarterly of IIC New Delhior by the ElectionCommission of India thathas debarred pro-Pakistan elements in thestate from joining theelectoral fray. Secondly,the pro-Pakistan elementsare so weak innumbers and politicalprowess that they alwaysshy away from electionslest they should getexposed as paper tigers.Ali Shah Gilani, a foreignsettler in Kashmir and arabid Muslim bigot, hasbeen a member of theLegislative Assemblyumpteen times. In MirQasim's time Jamaate-Islami, a notorious pro-Pakistan outfit, had notfewer than eight membersin the LegislativeAssembly of the State.Suvir Koul on his visitto Ganpatyar Temple,SrinagarPrejudice and maliceagainst the militaries andpara-militaries of ourcountry gets explicitlyreflected when the worthywrites about his visitto the Ganpatyar Templein Srinagar. The fact isthat the forces weredeployed for the safeguardand protection ofthe temple when theMuslim terrorists subjectedit to a missileattack from across theriver. They have savedthe temple from desecrationand destruction, otherwiseit would have metthe same fate of 550 templesthat have been desecrated,vandalised,demolished and laidwaste by the rabid vandalsand 'lawless lizzards'that have been prowlingabout the land ofKashmir since 1989. Thepara-militaries have aright to worship in theirown mode and methodand the gods that theyinvoke are not differentfrom our religious loreand learning. The worthyis ignorant of the fact thatKashmir had tremendousimpact of Vaishnavismwhich has impulsed ourart, archeology and sculpture.His deliberate usageof 'Hundutav' is not onlyrepulsive, but condemnabletoo.Suvir Koul onmilitarisationIt is sheer saddeningthat Suvir Koul hasjoined chorus with thetreacherous detractors ofIndia who do not spare amoment from maligningour national armies. Thereal ire and grudgeagainst our armies astom-tommed by theJihadi machine isbecause it has been frustratedand nearly defeatedin its maliciousdesigns of severingKashmir from India.Sovereign countries havea right to defend theirborders against aggressionfrom their enemies.India was aggressed byPakistan four times sofar. Then, we have securitythreats looming largefrom China. Pakistan hasunleashed a proxy-war inKashmir and there hasbeen infiltration going onincessantly for the lasttwenty years. It is theconstitutional duty of thenational government todefend the country fromthe external enemies.Have Suvir Koul andmen of his ilk guts andgumption to question thedeployment of Americanforces to Iraq andAfghanistan ? If they daredo so, they will be deportednext day lock, stockand barrel.Suvir Koul on the rapeof a Gujjar girlThe worthy has highlightedthe case of aGujjar girl who as perhim was raped by paramilitarysoldiers. It is astory, a fib and a yarnthat has been dinned intohis ears by the Jihadis ortheir committed supporters.I would like the worthyto divulge the nameand address of the girland the exact place whereshe was raped. His contentionwill hold groundonly after he producesclinching and unassailableevidence. In absenceof it he can be projectedas a credulous personwho readily believes inwhat he is told. The professorshould knowKashmir has been a landof story-tellers. That ishow we produced a voluminouswork like'Kathasaritsagar'. Whenhapless Kashmiri Panditswere put to bullets inbroad-day light, fabulousstories were yarned tomalign them as'mukhbirs, spies andagents' of India andeverybody believed themuncritically.Muslim stories to SuvirKoul appear more painfulthan Kashmiri PanditStoriesLet the worthy be toldthat the Muslims have nostories to relate exceptthat they have been apart of the insurgencythat was inspired, conceivedand executed byISI of Pakistan. Theywere made to believe thatMuslim Jihad had theblessings of Allah andhence was sure to succeed.The Jihadis trainedin camps across the bordersand laced withsophisticated guns wereintellectually poor andhad no estimations of thestrength of the countrythey were pitted against.In religious frenzy theMuslims donated theirsons to Muslim Jihad whocrossed the borders toPakistan for arms training.When pushed backinto the Indian territoryfor loot, murder, sabotageand destruction, the militariesand para-militarieseliminated a good numberof them. The insurgencyhas made themrich, nay fabulously richand that is how they havepurchased those propertiesof Pandits, whichthey could not grab.Pakistani moneys,hawala moneys, moneyssent as remittances fromWest and Middle-Eastand Indian moneys, lootof the state exchequer &absolute sway over theState and Centralfinances they say, havemade them affluent andprosperous beyond theconceivable limits.And, Mr Professor, thestory of the KashmiriPandits is sad andpainful. They have beensubjected to a genocide,Jewish-style. They weretargeted as individuals oras a group with anexpress intent of totalannihilation and extermination.The methods chosenfor annihilation havebeen hanging, burningalive, strangulation bysteel wires, dragging todeath, drawing of blood inhospitals, branding withred-hot iron-bars, slaughter,gouging of eyes,breaking of limbs andimpaling. Their houseshave been mercilesslylooted, ravaged and put toarson. Nearly, twentythousand houses havebeen destroyed and theirmaterials looted. Fivehundred and fifty templeshave been desecrated,ravaged and destroyed.All Kashmiri Pandit habitationswhether in thecapital city of Srinagar orin distant villages andhamlets have been decimated.They are refugeesin their own country.They are on cross--roads.Now, the worthy shoulddecide as to whose storyis more painful and agoningSuvive Koul on selfdeterminationThe worthy shouldknow that the nationstatesdo not grant theright of self-determinationto their federatingconstituents. The coloniesthat were held under thethraldom for exploitationand loot of resources bythe imperialist powersclamoured for right ofself-determination. Thisis how it gained currencywith the people in thecolonies that struggled forfreedom and prosperity.India is not a clonialpower. She has not subjugatedpeople of othercountries and is given tolooting their resources.Kashmir is a constituentpart of theIndian union. It has madestrides in the segments ofhealth, education, agriculture,horticulture,trade and transportthrough the Indian moneys.Poverty is minimal inKashmir. The presentdayquality of life thatKashmiris have gainedstands in stark contrastto what it was in pre-1947era. People then lived inpenury, wore scantily andwere on teh brink of starvationand ate.The people of Jammuand Ladakh have cataloguesof grievancesagainst the Kashmirirulers of Sunni brand.Their grouse is that theyhave been put to extremediscrimination and denialof funds and financesallocated to the state bythe Central government.And they clamour againsttheir colonisation by thestate under the siege ofMuslims.-(To be continued)

November 2011CULTURE 12Development of Sharda ScriptShailendra AimaTHE present indigenousscripts inIndia have developedfrom Brahmi andthe early Brahmi inscriptionsin India date back toMauryan period. It maynot be out of place to mentionhere that theMauryan EmperorAshoka founded the cityof Srinagar, then situatedon the site of the presentvillage of Pandrethan,three miles to the north ofthe existing capital.Another view proclaims amuch earlier origin ofSrinagar, that a PandavaKing Ashoka (not to beconfused with MauryaAshoka) built the city ofSrinagari (Srinagar).It is believed that thereis a good haul of Sharadamanuscripts in severalplaces in the country likeNalanda, Hoshiarpur,Madurai, Chennai andMysore, and in Nepal.Nothing has been done sofar to trace and explorethis rich treasure. GeorgeBuhler, it may be recalledhad collected Sanskritmanuscripts from“Kashmir, Rajputana andCentral India”, and publishedhis report in 1877.Not many followed hislead afterwards.SHARDA script wasmuch in use not only inKashmir, but also inNorth Western India(Gilgit etc.), the Punjaband Himachal Pradeshand even in Central Asia.This script enjoys a foremostposition among allthe ancient Indianscripts. It was evolvedfrom the Western branchof Brahmi nearly 1200years ago. It is an excellentancient alphabet ofKashmir. Almost all theancient Sanskrit literatureof Kashmir is writtenin this script.The earliest Shardainscription on a stoneslab, dating back to 774A.D., was discovered atthe village Hund atAttock in West Pakistan.“There successivestages of development ofthe Sharda alphabet caneasily be discerned. Theearliest phase is representedby the inscriptionsand the coins of the 8th to10th centuries; the secondby those of the 11thto 14th centuries; and thethird and final by the epigraphicand literaryrecord of the 14th and thesubsequent centuries.”After the 11th century,Devnagari script alsocame into vogue. Shardacontinued to be used inKashmir as the script forwriting both Sanskrit andKashmiri till the 17thcentury. Alberunirecords the prevalence ofSharda in the Northernand Nort-western Indiaand has recorded that itwas also known by thenames of Sidham orSidha-matrika.A number of foreignscholars have done considerablework on SHAR-DA script: (1) GeorgeBuhler in his memorablework,“IndianPalaeography”, (pp.76/77, (2) Leeche in his“Grammar of theCashmere Language”,(Journal of the AsiaticSociety of Bengal, 1894,pp. 399 95), (3) Sir GeorgeGrierson in his paper inthe “Journal of the RoyalAsiatic Society” (1916, pp677 95), and also in hisnote in the“Linguistic Survey ofIndia”, (Vol viii, p. 254).Credit should go to Dr. J.Ph. Vogel for discussingthe development of theSHARDA script in detailin his famous wrok,“Antiquities of ChambaState”, (Part I) GauriShankar Hira ChandOjha has also briefly discussedthe SHARDAscript in his, “BharatiyaPrachina Lipimala”,which is based on Vogel’swork.According to Dr. B.L.Dembi: “In the secondhalf of the 8th century wefind in the Brahmi alphabetof North WesternIndia a distinct developmentof a new alphabetwhich though agreeing inmany respects with thatused in the epigraphicand literary records of the6th and 7th centuries,including the famousGilgit manuscript, showsseveral essential differencesin the forms of severalcharacters. Thisalphabet is known theSHARDA alphabet.Though an alphabet ofKashmir, par excellences,the Sharda has remainedfor several centuries apopular script of anextensive area of NorthWest India includingLadakh, Jammu,Himachal Pradesh,Punjab and Delhi’. Thismuch is certain that itmust have originated inKashmir which from theearliest times has beenthe principal seat ofSHARDA, or the Goddessof learning.”The most early Indianstone inscription is of thetime of the Maurya King,Asoka; this is called theMauryan alphabet. Later,in the records of the 6thand the 7th centuriesA.D., found in the NorthWestern India, there isanother alphabet, calledas the Western Guptaalphabet. This alphabetfinally led to the SHAR-DA alphabets in the 8thand the 9th centuries.Later, the coins of therulers of the Utpaladynasty of Kashmir (2ndhalf of the 9th and theearly I 0th centuries A.D.)also bear engravings inSharda.After the 13th century,this alphabet underwenta development in therecords of Chamba andthe surrounding areas.According to Pt. AnandKoul Bamzai, Shardaalphabets were used instone inscriptions even upto the 18th century; thisis corroborated by his discoveryof a Shardainscription dated Vikram1846 (1789 A.D.) TheSharda script is said tohave reached perfectionby the middle of the I 5thand the 1 6th centuries.However,theepigraphists Kielhornand Hoernle hold theview that Sharda alphabetis a very conservativealphabet, as it changedvery little across the centuries.It is a well recorded factthat in the 12th century,Gajadhar, a courtier fromthe court of Prithvi RajChouhan, the King ofDelhi, returned toKashmir and wrote anaccount of Prithvi Raj’svictory over MohammadGhori in the first battle ofPanipat. The originaltext of this account waswritten in Sharda. Nagricame into use in Kashmirin the 17th century. Itwas introduced by aknown Sanskrit scholarnamed Rattan Kanth whois credited for penningdown Suryadarpan. Itwas Rattan Kanth whotransliterated the originaltext of Kalhana’s RajTarangani from Shardato Nagri and later AurelStein used RattanKanth’s transliterationfor his use. Steinobserves, “Kalha?a’saccount of Kashmirbegins with the legendaryreign of Gonanda, whowas contemporary toYudhisthira of theMah?bh?rata, but therecorded history ofKashmir, as retold byKalha?a begins from theperiod of the Mauryas.Kalha?a’s account alsostates that the city ofSrinagar was founded bythe Mauryan emperor,Ashoka, and thatBuddhism reached theKashmir valley duringthis period. From there,Buddhism spread to severalother adjoiningregions including CentralAsia, Tibet and China.”In 1881, a farmerfound- an old-manuscriptinside a tree trunk in thevillage called “Bakshali”within fifty miles of thecity of Peshawar.The farmer handed thisunknown manuscript tothe local government andit was exported to theBodelien library inoxford, England for safekeeping. Since then a lotof research work has beendone on this manuscriptwhich was written onbirch-bark and only thirtyfive leaves out of seventy,were in legible condition.Written in early Sharadascript, this manuscripthas been claimed as avaluable mathematicaltreatise and its author isyet to be known. Recentscholarship dates itbetween the 2nd c. BCand the 3d c. AD.One of the rarest of rareAtharvaveda manuscriptthat went out of Indiacenturies ago in palm leafcame back to India, inCD-ROME. This manuscriptin Sharda script isone of the twoAtharvaveda recensionsthat have survived.Originally, nine recessionsexisted. But onlythe recessions of Pipaladaand Shaunaka survived.. It was in the custody ofthe Maharajah ofKashmir. In the 1870,Prof. Rudolph von Roth, aGerman IndologistsearchingforAtharvaveda manuscriptswrote to theMaharajah asking for themanuscript. After a longnegotiation and after severalrounds of discussionsand offers, the Maharajahparted with the manuscript.It is now housed inTubingen UniversityLibrary, Germany. Thismanuscript, in CD-ROMis now with IGNCA and isavailable for scholars forreference.TheBhandarkarOriental Research institutePune has a repositoryof Kashmir Manuscriptcollection (1875-76) thatcomprises of Birch BarkManuscripts written inSharada script, and compriseof Manuscriptsrelated with KashmirShaivism, Jainism andthe history of Kashmir.Rajasthan OrientalResearch Institute, showcasesa very importantM a n u s c r i p tParatrimshika TattvaVivarana (Paratrimshikaby Someshavar& TattvaVivarana by AbhinavaGupta) treatingPhilosophical aspectswritten in Sharda Script.Besides the Institute alsohas Dhvanyaloklochanaby Abhinava Gupta, acommentary onDhvanyalok by AnandVardhana; the oldestspecimen on paper, writtenin Sharda Script.In the NationalMuseum Delhi is preservedthe earliest manuscriptin Sharda, whichbelongs to the 9th centuryA.D. Dealing withastrology and written inSharda script of Kashmiron the birch-bark inSanskrit, it is a rare specimenof the art of writing.The Museum also has theManuscriptofMammata’s Kavyaprakash(12th Century)written in Sharda alongwith illustrations.Mammat’s ‘KavyaPrakash’ still remains themost authentic andauthoritative work onpoetics in the wholegamut of Sanskrit literature.(This write-up is based onthe seminal research carriedout by the KashmiriScholars of Sanskrit andSharda and some search onthe Google)PoemWas it a dream or was it trueI didn't get marks in my father's point of viewThere was a rain of anger raining on meSociety was such it looked cursing on meWill parents egoism for marks ever endOr child will sail in a boat of bendsNo one appreciates the hardworkingEveryone wants high markingConcentration was flowing away in the flood ofdepressionI just wanted a friend who would help me byappreciationWill I remain unsuccessful in getting marks ?Or will my parents lend me asupporting hand in getting some marks.Is it true will parent ever say tome don't worry you will riseor instead I would have to remain in a world ofliesunder such circumstances one would fall in atrough of hellBut my determination would take me to my goalvery wellIt's my message to failures, one time will come foryou very soonWhen you will have a lot of boon.Getting marks is not a big dealHardwork is a key to be sealedHow much pain and irritationa child suffers by getting a D grade in his lifeLike God has cut his path of success with a knifeAll children cannot become what their parentswant them to be in lifeBut all parents can become a friend to those childrenwho want to becomeSomething in life.I remember those days when I got good marksNow are the days that give me shocks.All of a sudden these changes have shownme a fact that life shows us many dangerous andeven many fruitful actsBecoming successful does not rise child to a greatheightBut becoming a successful child from a failurechild rises you to a great height.Therefore don't come under the pressure of yourparents in your lifeJust keep on hardworking even thoughYou are unsuccessful in your lifeSo, my friends don't lose hope and pray to pope.--Sahil Tikoo

November 2011TRIBUTE 13Death of a gentleman : A tribute to J.N. RainaKashmir Sentinel Editorial and Staff mourns the death of Sh. J.N. Raina, Sh. Raina contributed regularly to Kashmir Sentinel rightfrom its inception. As a tribute to this professional journalist of unsullied integrity, we are publishing an article written bySh. Sham Kaul (eminent journalist) in memory as a tribute to Lt. Sh. J.N. Raina.--EditorBy Shyam KaulALL his life, manor partof which he spent as aprofessional journalistof unsullied integrity, J.N.Raina studiously preserved theethical standards of his vocation.He was never once provedwrong in his life, nor so in hisdeath which came to him onthe intervening night ofOctober 22-23, In Pune, wherehe lived with his family since1990.Hours before he passedaway, JN had made a telephonecall to a journalist colleaguein Jammu, AshokPehelwan, and had told him inan ailing voice to give his last'Namaskar' to all friends here,and convey to them his 'finaladieu'. He keep his word bydeparting only a few hourslater.For well over three decades,JN served as the chief ofSrinagar bureau of leadingnational news agency, UNI,before moving over to Mumbaioffice of the agency in the wakeof the eruption of militant violencein Kashmir.The two of us, pestered bythreatening phone calls andother intimidatory ways, werethe last non-Muslim journaliststo leave Srinagar when ourfellow city journalists advisedand insisted that we should doso for the sake of our securityand safety.Brief of the press statement issued during media interaction addressed by Panun Kashmir on Oct 29th, 2011 at JammuPANUN KASHMIR has watchedwith utmost disappointment anddismay the response of the stategovernment to the complaints of corruptionin the Relief Organisation ofthe state government and the mismanagementin the affairs of newly constructedJagati camp. It is highlyintriguing that the state governmenthas mainly indulged in subterfuges anddiversion to scuttle the crucial issueswhich have come to the fore in thisregard.Panun Kashmir brought these issuesto the fore few months back with thehope that the state government willlook into these matters. The state governmenthad also given it to understandthat the government will fulfillthe inadequacies in the management ofthe camp affairs and also complete theunfinished construction work of thecamp and also improve the quality ofconstruction wherever required. Aftertaking a stock of the situation we feelthat nothing substantial has been doneby the state government so far after thecomplaints came to the fore.Detailed reports in the local presswith regard to the acts of corruption inthe construction of the Jagati two roomaccommodations seem also to haveBefore that, the Governor,Mr. Jagmohan, had suggestedthat we should shift to TouristReception Centre complex, asafer place, and operate fromthere. But it was not feasible,simply because we would notbe able to do justice to ourwork, closeted all the time in aroom.During his prolonged postingin Srinagar, his office nearCentral Telegraph office, wasJN's temple where he spent allhis time, wholly dedicated tohis work, sometimes late intonights. The outcome of the toilof his pen was there for thereaders to see and relish thequality, accuracy, authenticityand excellence of his despatches,day after day.JN was a man of few words,a soft-spoken person, and normallytalked only when talkedto. He rarely mingled with histribe in their occasional galaget-together and merry bases.Interestingly, however JN hada subtle sense of humour andcould sometimes entertain otherswith his quips and cracks,when he opened up. Onerecalls a professional tour of agroup of media persons toBihar and West Bengal severalyears ago. As we went aroundvisiting places, it was a revelationto us to see JN enliveningthe ambience with his pithycomments and observations.While going round the zoo inbeen overlooked.The impressiongiven that theRelief Commissionerhad beentransferred inresponse to thepublic outrage isalso proving to bea diversionaryploy as many inthe governmentbelieve that hehad been shiftedonly temporarilyand will take overfrom the presentacting ReliefCommissionersooner than thelater.We are reallyconcerned thatthe press reportsthat even thesteel used in theconstruction work has been substandardhas not been probed with speedand doubts set to rest. It needs no specialemphasis that the issue involvesthe very safety of the construction ofthe Jagati Two room Tenements.Kolkata, we saw a tiger, fullystretched, sleeping peacefullyin his cage. Pointing to the animal,JN quipped, "He shouldhave been working for a newsagency to know the price hewould have to pay for sleepingso deeply and unmindfullyduring the rush hours of thebroad day."Despite his comparativealoofness and distance fromhis fellow journalists, JN washighly respected by everyonein the profession. It was notuncommon for his colleaguesto often seek last minutes confirmationfrom his the credibilityof some sensitive newreports and stories, which, atone time in early days of militancy,were a plenty in Jammuand Kashmir. JN would neverfail to respond and oblige. Infact we would often say, "AskRaina Saheb, if the story is factualand if he has done it."A gentleman journalist inthe manner and nature of veteranslike R.K. Kak andMohammed Sayeed Malik,who are held in high esteem bythe fraternity, JN was a finegentleman too, bearing malicetowards none, and never doingany working to anyone. Thosewho came close to him werestruck by his simplicity, decencyand humility, and, of course,his dedication to work and hisprofessional calibre.By virtue of his standing inthe professional as chief ofPRESS CONFERENCEDr. Ajay Chrungoo Chairman Panun Kashmir &Sh. Kuldeep Raina Gen. Secy. addressing mediapersons in Jammu.It is also highlyintriguing thatthere is no properpolicy of the governmentto deploygovernment employeesfor specifictime bound tenuresin the ReliefOrganisation inpositions which arecommensuratewith their status.Our visit to thecamps has revealedto us that moreleakages and seepageshave takenplace in the newlyconstructed quartersat Jagati sincewe visited thecamp two monthsback. The poorstate of sanitationcontinues as itwas. The facilities of schools and dispensaryare showing no furtherimprovement. Electricity supply, gassupply and ration supply has notshown any change for the better.Cremation facility has not come up asbureau of a national newsagency, JN did have a latentclout, but being essentially aself effacing person, he neverthrew about his weight, andnever sought or asked for anyfavours and concessions fromthe establishment. His primaryconcern was his workand duty and he did proud tothe agency and people heworked for, earning theiracclaim and appreciation, asalso of the entire media communityof this state.Honesty and humility werequintessentially the cardinalattributes that thoroughly permeatedJN's persona. As aman, a media person, an associate,a friend, a conscientiousprofessional, a social being,and a householder, honestyand humility stood out in allhis actions, workings and dealings.And it has been said, "Anhonest man is the noblest workof God."yet. Transport continues to be scanty aswell as dearer.Many complaints of threats to theinmates of the camps to keep theirmouths shut have come to our knowledge.Freedom of expression is beingstifled through coercion direct or indirect.We take this opportunity to onceagain demand:1. A thorough and speedy probe intothe allegations of corruption andbungling in the construction of tworoom tenements at Jagati.2. An immediate assurance from thestate government that proper gageand quality of steel has been used inthe construction work and there isno danger to the inmates because ofpoor quality of construction material.3. An immediate redressal of the complaintsof the inmates of Jagati withregard to power supply, ration supply,gas supply and transport.4. Speedy and time bound constructionof cremation facilities in theJagati camp. Speedy and timebound approach to make the schooland the dispensary fully functional.And last but not the least improvingthe sanitation of the camp.

November 2011Title: Painting and Theatre in Kashmir—Suraj Tiku’s JourneyAuthor:Dr. Ramesh TamiriPublished By:Suraj Foundation,JammuPrice: Rs. 650 (HB), Rs300(PB)BOOK REVIEW 14Painting and Theatre in KashmirBy Upender Ambardar‘PAINTING andTheatreinKashmir—SurajTiku’s Journey’, authored byDr. Ramesh Tamiri, is a pioneeringwork. Its central focusis the life and work of SurajTiku, a talented painter, setdesigner and a versatile theatreactor. The book has threethematic sections. The firstsection includes three chapters—1.PaintinginKashmir—A historicaloverview 2.Theatre inKashmir-A brief History and3.Kashi Nath Bhan—SurajTiku’s Guru. The first twochapters, which trace thedevelopment of painting andtheatre in Kashmir, give thebook an encyclopedic dimension.The sheer amount ofinformation given in thesechapters makes it a valuablereference book on paintingand theatre in Kashmir.Dr. Tamiri gives usefulinsights in to the role of SirAmar Singh Technical Schoolin training the first group ofKashmiris in landscape andportrait painting. For the firsttime the contribution ofBritish painters in paintingKashmir has been documented.The author asserts thatKashmir had its own school ofPainting in ancient times. Herefers to the valuable contributionto art during Buddhistera. The telling testimonialsof it are the unrivalled wallpaintings of Alchi,Spiti andWestern Tibet monastries.These evoke admiration andawe even today. Their historicallinkage is traced to artisticfruition and excellence ofKashmiri artists as paintinghad acquired a divinized statusduring the time. Theauthor refers to Mirza HaiderDughlat, who acknowledgedartistic grandeur of wallPaintings in temples ofKashmir.Dr. Tamiri sees continuityin painting tradition inKashmir. He remarks thatKashmiri artists formed a sizablegroup in Mughal courts.Muhammad Husayn ZarrinQalam was the most prominentamong these.Dr. Tamiriquotes the research work ofrenowned art historian,Barbara Schmitz who suggeststhat Kashmir was anentrepot for artists fromIndia,Persia and CentralAsia. It was from Kashmirthat Mughal painting basedon European examples of volumetricfigures and recessionalspace, was first introducedto the Persian court atIsfahan and the Central Asiancourt at Bukhara. Due to hostileconditions at home manyartists left Kashmir in latesixteenth century and soughtrefuge in the adjoining princelyhill states. It were theseartists who became thepioneers of Pahari School ofpainting. Pandit Seu Rainawas the founding father ofPahari School of painting. Theauthor also records the role ofother schools of Kashmiriminiature painting. The masterpainters of these schoolswere Tota Ram Naqash ,threegenerations of Tota Clan ,Narayan Murutgar and manyothers. Contibutions of talentedartists—ShivNath Raina,Som Nath Khosa and JagarNath Sapru, the products ofSir Amar Singh TechnicalSchool,based on the detailsprovided by their families ,arewell highlighted.The chapter on Theatre historyprovides insights in tothe evolution of theatre inFOR INFORMATIONKashmir. The role of Raasleela and Ram Leela groupsand the contribution of ParsiTheatre have been discussedwell in how it provided the initialimpulses to Kashmiris fortheatre. Dr. Tamiri providesdetailed information aboutearly theatre groups likeAmateur Dramatic Club,Kashmir Dramatic Club,Saraswati Dramatic Club,Kashmir TheatricalCompany, Natak Vibag, etc.The impressive range ofartistes covered by the authorinclude Jagar nath Saqi ,Madhav Dass, Ved Lal DharVakil, Shamboonath Bhan,Shamboo nath Kaul,Mohammad Shaban, AbdulFOLLOWING PFIZER SHARE CERTIFICATES HAVEBEEN LOST, AND I HAVE APPLIED FOR DUPLICATECOPIES. ANY ONE HAVING ANY OBJECTION MAYINFORM WITHIN TWENTYONE DAYS.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------S.No. Certificate No. Shares DIST FROM DIST TO-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. 180334 12 1866145 1866156-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. 20110 10 2416171 2416180-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. 17945 5 2848933 2848937-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. 18026 6 4167707 4167712-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. 72392 10 5974181 5974190-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6. 72393 6 5974191 5974196-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7. 149826 6 10722479 10722484-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8. 303411 50 16904790 16904839-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9. 303412 5 16904840 16904844-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sd/-HIRDEY NATH KAWA 37/3 PHASE-IDLF CITY GURGOAN (HYN.)PIN-122002Satar Asi, Shafi Mir andmany others.Kala Kendra andCultural Front were twoimportant theatre groupswhich were behind the culturalupsurge in the post-independenceera in Kashmir.There is rich material on thisin the book. The author hasdiscussed the role of Moti LalKemmu in upgrading andrecasting Bhand Paather,popular folk theatre.Thestrides in playwrighting find aprominent place in the narrative.The immense contributionof legendary set designer,master painter and pioneer ofHomagePanun Kashmir & Kashmir Sentinelpay Shradhanjali to Smt. Som RaniSher, Mother-in-Law of Sh. C.L.Wattal (SBI) & Mother of Sh. J.K. Sher(SBI) & Sh. V.K. Sher (FCI) R/o 304,Prem Nagar New Plots, Jammu whobreathed her last on 21st July 2011 ather residence.HomageYou have always remained our guide,our source of Inspiration.Your guidance, as how to overcomeand face hardships in life shall bealways guiding force for us.You may not be physically with us, butyou are always within our souls.Deeply Remembered byASHOK MISRI, VEENA MISRI& VINAY MISRIParsi theatre in Kashmir,Kashi Nath Bhan has been forthe first time documented.Bhan was Suraj Tiku’s mentorin the genres the latterpracticed. The narrative isrich with interesting anecdotesabout the life and workof Kashi Nath Bhan.The second section of thebook is entirely devoted to thepersonal and professionalodyssey of Suraj Tiku. The latterdistinguished as masterlandscape and portraitpainter, a great set designerand a talented theatreactor.Tiku was also good inmodern art.Suraj Tiku’s senseof great humour and personaltraits also find mention.Tiku’sextreme humility is probablythe main reason for his belatedrecognition. The concludingsection details the contributionof members of Tiku clanto theatre.Many families inKashmir have their even secondand third generations alsoinvolved in fine and performingarts. These include thoseof Ved Lal Dhar Vakil,SomNath Khosa,Prem NathPardesi, Madhav Dass, ShivNath Raina, Madhav Tiku,Moti Lal Kemu,GhulamRassol Santosh, SajoodSailani, etc.Dr. Tamiri has shown howuse of oral history can be harnessedwell for research. Therare photographs of artists,theatre actors,theatre scenesand paintings of Suraj Tikuthat embellish the book are areader’s delight. The rich contentof the book and its readabilitywill appeal to thescholar and laymen alike.Smt. Som Rani Sher(Prabha Devi)Sh. Gopi Nath PeshinEx-Chief EducationOfficer Kashmir

By Mahesh KaulHERITAGEasTourism ProductHeritage is theproduct of the culturalassets and values attributedto a particular community,group society ornation that has immensebearing on the day to daylife of the human societies.To inculcate theheritage sense among thesocial groups should bethe prime motivation indeveloping heritage as aspecialized tourism productthat can createtourist gaze in the destinationarea. The sense ofcultural awareness isdirectly associated withthe incorporation of heritagein the comprehensivetourism policy andits implementation. It isamply clear from the historicalevolution of theJammu region that thecultural canvas isimmensely rich andincludes almost everyshades of tangible andintangible heritageassets that can bring theregion on the heritagetourism circuit of thestate .And not only thatits cultural growth isclearly liked with theevolution of the Indiannation as the fountainhead of the Sanskrit civilization.The archaeologicalremains and excavationsas discussed aboveremove all doubts aboutthe Jammu’s importancein the development interactionswith the people ofthe other parts of thecountry. The forts,palaces, temples andother shrines that formthe part of the Jammu’slandscape are the livingtangible monuments thathave stood the test of thetime and add flavor ofsophistication to thegeography and thematchless history of theJammu region. Theintangible aspects interms of folk lore, danceforms, art and cuisinesthat have come downfrom generations and arestill prevalent and relevantin the present societyof Jammu add anotherfeature to the culturalmagnificence of theregion.Cultural heritageshould take the significantposition in thetourist supply of theJammu region.November 2011Marketing activitiesshould be directedtowards this objective. Itwill immensely contributetowards the qualityof the tourist supplyand will help to significantlyhelp to upgradethe value of cultural heritage.heritage cannot behandled by the rawhands of so calledtourism exerts who haveventured into the businessfrom bureaucracyand become overnightexperts in the businesswithout having the conceptualand technicalinsight into the sensitivitiesof the tourism in generaland the heritage inparticular. Heritagetourism can thrive onlyin Jammu region if themulti disciplinaryapproach is adopted todevise the overall strategyfor its marketing .Itneeds to include thetourism professionals,conservators, historians,policy makers, etc to formulatea comprehensivemechanism for the heritagetourism in theregion.The need is to developthe already present heritagein various forms aproduct and target theconsumer by creating thegaze for the assets whohave remained virgindue to the lack of theunderstanding of thetreasure in the form ofheritage. But it is notenough to have heritageat one’s disposal.Heritage needs to bemanaged with expertiseand long term planning.Heritage tourism or heritagetourism planningcan give maximum possiblebenefits if it is treatedas a function of tourism.Before bringing the heritagein the tourism orbitthe following steps needto be given due consideration:• Identification of theheritage assets• Documentation• Conservation andPreservation• Multidisciplinarytask force• Marketing plan Theprocess of heritagetourism strategy shouldstart with the identificationof the heritageassets in Jammu regionso that a complete inventoryof the places is madein a proper manner. Itwill help to create anawareness level at thefirst instance in the technicallevel by involvingthe various professionalslike historians andarchaeologists who willbe of immense help tolocate the time frame ofthe monuments and helpin their proper listing forthe future course ofaction. Documentationprocess is another stepthat should be professionallyimplemented tocreate proper archivesafter the identificationhas been successfullycarried out. The diversifiedheritage and culturespread all over theJammu region encompassingall the principalities’of the erstwhileJammu Raj needs thecomprehensive documentationthat takes intoaccount both the tangibleand intangible aspects ofthe heritage of theregion. It includes thepalaces, forts, temples,and buildings of significancebesides the fairs,festivals, folk lore’s andethnic food that lends thesense of distinctiveness’to the entire heritage ofthe Jammu region. Theneglect, discriminativeattitude of the administrators’,lack of awareness,low degree of emotionalattachment andmotivation of the localpopulation who are themain stakeholders andsupposed beneficiaries ofthe heritage assets arethe main reasons of thepitiful condition of theheritage structures inthe region. MubarakMandi, the group ofpalaces is the worstexample of the dilapidatedcondition of the tangibleheritage in theJammu region.Now after advocacyand sensitization of thelocal population aboutthe secular reuse and theeconomic value in termsof tourism business andthe cultural identificationhas prompted thestate government to startthe restoration work ofthe complex but the projectis still in the preliminarystage and infancy.Moti Mahal is Poonch isanother example of lackHERITAGEProspects of Heritage Tourism in Jammu Region of J&K-IIAkhnoor Fortof awareness andabsence of disaster managementtechniques inthe region, which witnesseda severe damageduring the earthquake of2005. Samba Fort,Poonch House are a justa peep into the devastationmeted out to the heritagewhich can otherwisebe a heritagetourism product of greatvalue not only at thenational level but at theinternational level. Torestore these heritagemonuments to at leastcertain time frame is agreat challenge so thatthese structures can beutilized for the tourismbusiness and incorporatedinto the tourism policyby taking heritage as afunction of the greatertourism business. Thiscannot be realized in isolationbut by involvingthe conservators and professionalslike conservationarchitects.Conservation andpreservation is theimportant aspect as willhelp to restore the tangibleand intangible heritageto the presentableform. It will help to makeits re use possible in themost secular way byinvolving various stakeholdersat different levels.(Vierda, 1995After documentationand going through theprocess of preservationand conservation there isa need to create the multidisciplinarytask forcecomprising not only ofthe historians, tourismprofessionals, conservators,conservation architectsbut it should alsoinclude the people fromthe administration whocan act the enforcers ofthe devised formulationfor the heritage tourismas the function of thetourism business. Theinclusion of the social scientists,anthropologistsand other specialistsfrom media and otherinter related areas is ofequal significance as tocreate the tourist gazeinputs and expertise ofall the direct and indirectlyallied professionwill lay down the foundationsfor the sustainableheritage tourism developmentand broaden theprospects of the heritagetourism in the Jammuregion. The ultimate outcomeof this processshould lead to the creationof multi disciplinarytask force based oninvolving all the professionalsfrom all the concernedfields discussedabove. It will help toimplement the heritagetourism policy devised bythe professionals and allthose who have state inthe tourism business. Tocreate the niche marketfor the heritage tourismin the Jammu regionthere will be un urgentneed to devise marketingstrategies once the producthas been created andavailable for the consumptionof the tourist.So far there has been noexclusive marketing planfor the heritage tourismin the region that canshow case it. The socalled marketing strategiesand campaigns havebeen devised by keepingin view the generaltourism marketing or themarketing that is supposedto project thewhole tourism assets ofthe state and is not comprehensiveas it leavesout the niche market ofthe heritage in Jammu.For the successful marketingof the Jammu’sheritage there needs tobe the complete integrationof all the heritageassets with the help ofthe interpretation centre’swhich can be easilyestablished within theheritage complexes likemuseums , palaces andfortes.The marketing aspectsshould treat heritagetourism as the functionof the tourism businessand not in isolation fromit. By treating heritageand hence heritagetourism as the importantcomponent of the tourismwill not only allow it togrow as the specializedform of the tourism but itwill enable in the longrun to give the dimensionof sustainability to thetourism in the comprehensivemanner. Themarketing aspect shouldfirst involve the sensitizationof the local peopleof Jammu who will be theforemost stakeholdersand the immediate beneficiariesof the whole16process of the developmentof the heritagetourism. A sense ofpreservation of the heritagein terms of theasset value and secularreuse should be the mainfocus of the wholeprocess of exploring theprospects of the heritagetourism and its marketingin the Jammu region.All the above mentionedsteps if considered andimplemented in systematicand time boundmanner will yield to thedevelopment of the heritagetourism model thatwill bring the heritage ofthe Jammu region on thenational and internationalmap.Conclusion Jammuregion of the Jammu andKashmir state is blessedwith both tangible andthe intangible heritagewhich has been neglectedand not incorporated intothe wider tourism circuit.The reason being thepolitical discriminationand lack of sensitizationof the local populaceabout the significanceand economic viability ofthe heritage tourism.Which has resulted inthe neglect of the heritage,especially the tangibleheritage to such anextent that the structureslike forts andpalaces are in a dilapidatedcondition? Theneed is to treat heritagetourism in this region asthe function of thetourism only then it canthrive in the truetourism sense. The needis to identify the heritagetourism assets of theregion and then devisethe proper documentationmechanism so that aproper inventory isdeveloped which can beintegrated into a welldefined tourism productby employing the propermarketing strategy withthe help of the multidisciplinaryapproach of thevaried professionals, whocan constitute task forcefor the application of themechanism developedfrom this integratedprocess. Once this procedureis brought intoaction it will lead to theheritage tourism developmentmodel that willlead to the brightprospects of the overalltourism business in theregion.*(Writer is a PhDscholar at the Schoolof Hospitality andTourismManagement(SHTM),Faculty of BusinessStudies,University ofJammu,Jammu,President Sangarsh andChairman HeritageInitiative Foundation)--(Concluded)

November 2011RITUALS17Maha Shivratri-Revisiting Kashmir Ritual Variants-XIVBy Upender AmbardarTHE rituals arearticles of faithunlimited whichnot only invigorate butalso consolidate oursocio-religious structure.There is an overridingneed not only fortheir continued observancebut also forpreservation, spoke Sh.ML Ganjoo, an originalresident of the villageFrisal, district Kulgamand presently puttingup at Jawahar NagarTalab Tillo Jammu.Speaking on a nostalgicnote, he divulgedthat as per his familybelief the presidingdeity of 'Hur', locallyknown as 'Hur Raza' isinvoked to move insidethe house on the 'HurOakdoh' i.e. PhagunKrishna PakashPratipadha. The 'HurRaza' is said to stayinside the house upto'Hur Ashtami'. It is intandem with this beliefthat Hur Oakdoh signalsthe process of housecleansing followed bythe ceremonial 'livun'.As per, his family belief,the last ceremonial'livun' of the 'Brandh'and the connecting corridor'Vuz' was performedon 'HurAshtami'. It wouldmark the symbolic sendoff to the 'Hur Raza'.He also revealed that itwas obligatory for hisfamily to cook 'Taher'on Hur Oakdoh, whichwas offered to MahaGanesh Thapna to seekHis blessings for a hasslefree conclusion of theShivratri festival. Herevealed that in accordancewith an unfamiliarritual, his family isrequired to install a flatbottomed brass untensillocally known as 'Toor'on a grass woven'Aarie' in the VatakKuth on 'Vagur Bah'.The 'Toor' is in place ofthe usually used earthenuntensil of 'Choud'.The 'Chuchivoer', vegetabledishes and cookedrice are the ritualisticofferings to it amidstpooja.During the said pooja,it is customary to invokethe name of ShankpalBhairav to seek Hisdivine favour and blessingsfor the satisfactorycompletion of the festival.As per his familyspecific reeth, the Vatukconsisted of seven earthenuntensils 'Doulji',two Machivarie, twoBhairav doul, one Reshdoul, two Parva in theform of small sizedearthen 'Tokes' in additionto the customary'Nout' and 'Choud'.During the rite of'Vatuk Barun' at thevillage stream, the eldestfemale member ofthe family would carrythe 'Nout' on her rightshoulder, whileas theyoungest daughter-inlawand other accompanyingfamily memberswould take care of the'choud' and other poojauntensils respectively.New 'Athhoar's andnew or washed outfitshad to be worn by thembefore proceeding for theritual of 'VatukBarun'.It was also binding forall of them to wear newgrass woven footwear,locally known as'Pulhoar' for the said ritual.An earthen 'toke'having rice, a coin andsome salt was touchedon the right shoulder ofthe family member carryingthe 'Nout' beforeshe would proceed forthe rite of 'VatukBarun'. It was locallyknown as 'ZangiYoun'. Instead of themost favoured meatdishes, the ritualisticofferings to the'Bhairav doul' were oilfried raddish chetni(Talith Mouj Chatin),combined dish of nadruand hakh, dumaloo andcheese.TheVatukPurmuzan was performedat the villagestream and not in thecourtyard. Interestinglyenough, the vegetariandishes were cookedagain on the day ofSalaam. In tune withthe family reeth, thedoor of the 'VatakKuth' was ensured toremain closed tightly sothat outsider's imperfectgaze did not defile thesanctimonious nature ofthe Vatak Kuth, whenthe friends and neighbourswould drop in tooffer Shivratri greetingson the day for Salaam.The Doon Mavuspooja was performed atthe village stream ghat.The ritual of the knockat the door 'ThukThuk' was alsoobserved. However, duringthe said rite, apartfrom the usual 'aan,dhaan, daulut, aai,batta and rozgar, itwas also customary tosymbolically grantbhakti, shanti,dharam and karam tothe house inmates bythe female head of thefamily. On TilaAshtami, instead of theready made lamps,earthen lamps weremade at home, whichwere sun dried. In themorning black sesameseeds were put in eachof them and they wereoil lit. In the evening,each one of them wasplaced at the mudhearth(dhaan), courtyard,cowshed, charcoalash heap and the shrineof Maha Ganesh. Theact of Jatoon toon wasalso performed. The ritualsare endorsementacts of ancient thoughtand mystifying wisdom,which are sacred tomany cultures for theybreathe life in the socioreligiouslife, observedSh. Vesh Nath JyotshiBhat, an original residentof Bijbehara, districtAnantnag and nowputting up at Talab TilloJammu. The festival is awalk into the yesteryearsfor him.Refreshing the memoriesof the yore, herecalled that his familywould engage themselvesin the night longsigning of bhajans and'leelas' right from HurAshtami to Ekadashi asaccording to the localfolk lore, Hur Ashtami isakin to 'MusMuchravun' custom ofthe marriage ceremony.He also disclosed thatthere was no ceremonialinstallation of the'Vagur' on the VagurBah.But instead on theevening of 'VagurBah', a flat bottomedspherical wooden container,locally known as'Tathul' was filled upwith rice. A few dry walnutsand a coin wereplaced on it. A symbolicoffering of it was madein the pooja room. Thesaid ritual was knownby the local name of'Munsavun'. Sh. V.N.Jytoshi Bhat furtherrevealed that the rite of'Vatak Barun' was performedat the VitastaGhat. It was usuallyperformed either by anewly wed daughter-inlawor a youngest one.On the day of theShivratri, the back sidewall of the Vatak Kuthfacing the pooja utensilswas whitewashed. Amotif of a creeper withaccompanying leavesand flowers was drawnon it. In addition to it,the religious motif of'Swastika' was alsosketched on the one sideof the wall byVarmillion. The meatand vegetable preparations,cooked fish andcheese mixed with ricewere the sacrificialofferings to the BhairavDoul. A mixture of sevendifferent kinds of drypulses of moong chana,razmah, masoor, maha,sayobeen and dry peaswas the tributory offeringto the Resh doul. Itwas known as 'Sutsoas'in the local language. Anoil lit earthen lamp wasensured to remain burningthroughout thenight of Shivratri in theVatak Kuth.The 'Doon Mavus'pooja was performed atthe Vitasta ghat. Theritual of 'Thuk Thuk'was also performed. Inaddition to the performanceof the act of'Jatoon Toon'. Eeah ofthe participating childwould bring his share ofthe dry hay bundle.They were placed in theupright position andthen put on fire.The rituals and customsfacilitate our journeythrough the cherishedmemories of thefestival as their resonancepermeates fromthe past to the presenttimes, observed Sh.Pushkar Nath Raina, anerstwhile resident of thevillage Lahiryal, tehsilTral, district Pulwamaand now putting up atManorma Vihar, BohriJammu. Rocollectingthe fond memories of thecelebration at his nativeplace, he recalled thatsoil used for the act oflivun was specially procuredfrom adjacentMalpur village as it'ssoil was known for it'sfine quality due to its'powdery and granulartexture. The HurOakdoh would heraldthe cleansing process ofdusting, sweeping of therooms, washing ofclothes and the act oflivun, which would continueupto HurSuptami. In tune withthe family specific reeth,the entire area rightfrom the side corridor'Vuz' to the VatakKuth would undergo thefinal act of 'livun' onHur Ashtami. On'Vagur Bah', oneearthen untensil ofChoud was installed inthe Vatak Kuth amidstpooja and 'Vashdaev'.There was no reeth forthe preparation of dishes.In accordance withan unusual family reeth,a wide mouthed earthenutensil 'Doul' wasplaced ahead of the'Nout' in the Vatak,Kuth. The 'Vatuk' comprisingthe earthenutensils of 'Nout,choud, two large sizedVarie, two Saniwari,two Khaterpals', oneSanipatul and a'Dupzoor' were broughtin by the potter on theVagur Bah.The act of ceremonial'Aalath' was not performed.The act of'Vatuk Barun' wasundertaken only afterall the participatingfamily members hadtaken a bath anddonned new or washedclothes. It was also customaryfor them to wearfreshly woven grassfootwears 'Pullhoar' orthe new wooden footwear'Khrav' beforeproceeding for the ritualfor 'Vatuk Barun',which was necessarilyperformed at the villagestream bank. All thefamily members of participatingin the said acthad to undertake a faston the day of Shviratri,to be broken only afterthe festival related poojawas over. The ritualisticofferings to the BhairavDoul were the favouritedishes of meat, fish, vegetatecuisines of palakh,vostahakh, muja chakal,hak, dum-mounji and aspecial dish of dry apricots.Sh. Raina alsodivulged that his familyhad an unfamiliar reethunderwhich, theentrails or the innardsof the fish were placedon a grass woven 'Aarie'infront of the'Parthishor' during thepooja. It formed a separatesacrificial offering.It was known by thelocal name of 'TipunAaer'. A piece ofuncooked sheep's lungkept on an earthen'Toke' was an additionaloffering. On the morningof the Salaam, the'Tipun Aaer' was kepton the roof top for thebirds to feed upon. The'Purmuzan' after theShivratri pooja wasdone in the courtyard atthe base of a fruit tree,preferably an walnuttree. Extending his conversation,Sh Raina disclosedfurther that hisfamily had an additionalremarkably uncommonreeth. In agreementwith this reeth, all theutensils containing thecooked vegetarian andmeat dishes had to beshifted from the kitchento the Vatak Kuth afterthe house inmates hadtaken their eveningmeals on the day ofShivratri. It also includedthe utensil havingcooked rice. They wereretained in the kitchenfor the whole nightunder a belief that theBhairav and the divineBaraati's night relishthese dishes in the privacyand seclusion of thenight according to theirindividual tasteful likingand choice. All thesaid utensils had to beshifted back to thekitchen on the morningof Salaam. It was alsodisclosed that a portionof the rice and all thedishes cooked on the dayof Shivratri had to beretained for about aweek. From Salaamonwards, all the familymembers had necessarilyto take an admixtureof the said previouslycooked dishes includingrice as a 'Naveed'before partaking theirmorning and eveningmeals for about a week.It was due to theassumption that theymay have got sanctifiedand consecrated by thedivine touch of theBhairav and the divineBaraatis' All the disheson the Shviratri day hadessentially to be cookedin the earthen untensilsas in addition to beingspotlessly clean, theywere also supposed toenhance the distinctivetaste and flavour for theprepared dishes. Onemore uncommon reethrequired one of the familymember to sleep inthe Vatak Kuth not onthe night of Shviratribut on the night ofSalaam. It was necessitatedby a family believethat presence of a familymember in the VatakKuth on the Shivratrinight may cause disturbanceto the divineBaraatis' who mightvisit the pooja room totake meals in the aloofnessand solitude of thenight. The Doon Mavuspooja was performed atthe adjacent Khandvavstream ghat. All thefamily members wererequired to participatein it.During the said poojatwo chochivar's were theoffernigs to the flowingwater of the Khandvavstream, while as thethird one was kept onthe stream bank. Thedistribution of walnutsas naveed in the neighbourhoodwas completedimmediately after theDoon Mavus pooja wasover. The ritual of knockat the door i.e. ThikThuk was observed.However during the ritualisticconversation inreply to the symbolicinquiry of 'Kous Chuv',the reply was that of'Rani Braer' instead ofthe most frequentlyused answer of 'RamBroar'. The ritual of'Jatoon Toon' was alsoobserved.--To be Continued

November 2011PILGRIMAGE18My Pilgrimage toJawala Ji at KhrewBy Sunil BhatSTUNNED to see the level of desecration,my elder sonAyushmaan began clicking hiscamera towards water point which isthe source of the spring at Khrewwhere devotees would usually take asacred dip before proceeding for darshanof Holy Jawala Ji temple. Thespring as it is today, devoid of any ofthe splendid idols which were thereeven when my family last visited thisholy shrine some 5 years back.Ayushman washed his face, offeredthe ritual puja towards non existingidols and asked me in choked voice,"Papa, Murtiyan Kahaan hai?".Unmindful of the hurt we would havebeen through at the site of this devastateddevasthan which was so aestheticallyneat & clean in 1990, manyyoung local Muslim boys started jumpinginto the water, swimming so acrobaticallyas if to show that they damncare for any such sensitivity which meand my son exhibited through a stonyexpression on our faces. So huge wasthe impact of their nmchalant attitude,that my mere standing near theshores of the spring was becomingunbearable to them. The completeanarchic condition of the Holy basepoint to my pilgrimage to Mata JawalaJi at Khrew haunted me all the day.Bu that time I withdrew myself alongwithmy family from the spring site,the young kids had overwhelmed thespring so heavily with their jumps andawful swin skirmishes that all theimpurities which usually residing atthe bottom of such water bodies werefloating at the top. Whole site of thespring surroundings gave a patheticlook but for the satirical laugh fromthe naked youngsters at my hurriedexit.Wonderful landscaping of MataJawala Ji's abode atop a hill lock looksmagnificent. The maintenance of thetemple is being looked after by a securityforce picket housed in the coupleof tiny dharamshala rooms at the topitself.Lot needs to be done to improve thefacilities there. More than 300 stepsneed to be widened. Metallic supportstructure (Railings) along the sides ofthese stair steps is urgently required.Major portion of the sanctum sanctoriumis a wooden structure which isfraught with risks. This wooden structurehas already lived a considerableperiod of age. It needs to be changedinto present day heavy duty constructionmaterial so as to provide stabilityto the sacred shrine building. There isan urgent need to build a shed/halland some additional rooms of dharmashala.Mata Jawala Ji is our Isht Devi andso is She to a large number ofKashmiri Pandit families livingthroughout the country at present.Every such devotee may visit theshrine at his or her own convenientsojourn dates. May be things would bebetter next time.In the evening I rang up one of mycolleagues and got the contact numberof the President of Mata Jawali JiPrabhandak Committee Khrew Sh.Maharaj Krishen Raina, who happensto be a close acquaintance of mine.I requested Sh. Raina to reactivatethe Prabhandak Committee so thatthe property of the shrine is savedfrom further encroachments. I alsorequested him to think upon takingcertain possible measures where theissues concerning the shrine propertiesare put in broader perspectivebefore the Prabhandak Committee .Immediate reactions from thePresident Sh. Raina were very encouraging.In fact Sh. Raina remarked thathe owes his life to the blessings of theMata and as such would love to undertakeany such duty on priority.So on the initiatives of Sh. M.K.Raina, a meeting of the members ofthe Prabandhak Committee Jawala Jitemple Khrew was called on 14thAugust 2011. I was also invited. Manysuggestions regarding the facilitieswhich can be upgraded by the involvementof the committee were deliberatedupon. I urged the PrabandhakCommittee to utilise means so that aneffective awareness campaign islaunched about the importance andsanctity of Mata Jawala Ji. I alsorequested them make people aware ofthe present day conditions of theDevasthan. To utilise the service ofmore and more innovative people forresurrecting the grandeur of the HolyAsthapan. I have suggested for organisingan event (may be a convention)where scholarly people, representativesof Dharmarth Trust, and journalistsbe involved jointly to evolve amechanism under a planned project sothat the shrine becomes a religioustourist destination in the years tocome.I owe my personnel gratitude to Sh.M.K. Raina for respecting my sentimentsand reactivating thePrabandhak Committee. Some initialdecisions to start some urgently neededworks have been taken. Hope MataJawala Ji help all of us in our effort sothat grandeour of the Shrine.Jai Mata Di.Brief of the Press Conference jointly address byu Dr. AjayChrungoo and Dr Hari Om at Press Club Jammu on 12/9/2011KS CorrespondentJAMMU: Patriotic citizens in Jammuand Kashmir are ready for all sacrificesto stop any compromise with the separatiststhat will jeopardize the unity ofIndia, its sovereignty and the vision ofsecularism.We take this opportunity to warnGovernment of India about the consequencesof any attempt to placate theseparatist constituency in jammu andKashmir by accepting or providing credibilityto their views on accession and theconstitutional relationship of Jammuand Kashmir with Union of Indiathrough the instrumentality ofInterlocutors in a bid to sue for peacewith Pakistan. We believe such searchfor peace will only proveto be a mirage andundermine integrity andunity of whole of India.The views which thepresent group of interlocutor held beforebeing appointed as the interlocutors,their utterances and the way they haveconducted themselves as interlocutors,have only raised apprehensions abouttheir ability to uphold vital nationalinterests in Jammu and Kashmir.The overwhelming majority of patrioticcitizens of Jammu and Kashmir will notcountenance with any recommendation,observation or inference of the interlocutorswhich seeks directly or indirectly orby implication to accept the view thataccession of Jammu and Kashmir toIndia was conditional. They will unambiguouslyreject all such perspectives orrecommendations which seek to changethe transitory nature of the special statusof Jammu and Kashmir to a permanentclause of the Constitution of India.Patriotic citizens of the state will alsoreject any recommendation which directlyor indirectly or by inference seeks todivide Jammu province.”We also want to state very clearly thatpeople of India have no shared destinywith Pakistan because Pakistan was createdas an ideological state which seeksto destroy India. Concepts of ‘Shared sovereignty,irrelevant borders and we cannotchange our neighbors’ emanate fromthis flawed and dangerous perspectivesof a shared destiny with Pakistan.We want to state with emphasis thatdestiny of secularism in India is notincremental capitulation to communalismwhich the conceptsof creating permanentPRESS CONFERENCE spheres of Muslim interestson the territory ofIndia underline. Creating religiousdomains and couching them in secularjargon will not buy India peace but willprove to be destructive of the unity ofIndia.We will hold Government of India primarilyand squarely responsible for anymisadventures by the group ofInterlocutors. We once again state thatseparatists, soft separatists or semi separatistsare not spearheading any freedommovement in Jammu and Kashmir. Theyare spearheading a regressive campaignto destroy all freedoms which mankindshould have. Government of India shouldresolve to defeat separatism ideologically,politically and militarily and notthrough suicidal expediency which it haspursued so far.Accession of J&K to India is completeKS CorrespondentJAMMU: Accession Day wascelebrated by Sangarsh (amovement for Justice, Equality,Peace, Prosperity & brotherhood)in Jammu UniversityCampus. It was the for the firsttime in the history of theUniversity of Jammu that theAccession Day was celebratedin the campus. The functionwas attended by a large numberof University students,scholars, teachers, non teachingstaff and security personnelof the university. The function.started by lighting of the traditionallamp and paying floraltributes to MaharajaHari Singh, BrigadierRajinder Singh and Pt.Prem Nath Dogra by thepresident of Sangarsh,Mahesh Kaul and otheractivists of the movementWhile addressing the gatheringMahesh Kaul said,” Thisday holds immense importancefor the nationalist people of theJammu and Kashmir state ason 26th October Maharaja Harisigned the Instrument ofAccession and the state becamethe part of the Indian nation inlegal and constitutional terms.This day gives us an opportunityto reaffirm our resolve touphold the territorial integrityand sovereignty of the SanskritIndian nation of which the stateof Jammu and Kashmir is thefrontline state.” He furthersaid, “Being the frontline theenemies of nation are makingNEWSevery move to dismantle theNorthern Frontier by raisingthe bogey of plebiscite as theirmentors have failed to wrestthe state by using the instrumentof terrorism. “He questionedthe rationale behindholding the plebiscite and said,”the recent statement ofPrashant Bushan, SandeepTandon and their likes to holdplebiscite in the state is unconstitutionaland seditious.Maharaja Hari Singh signedthe same standard form ofInstrument of Accession whichwas signed by all other princelystates. As per the IndependenceAct of 1947 due to which Indiawas partitioned and ofwhich the Instrument ofAccession was the directderivative, there wereonly two provisions forthe princely states -accession tothe dominion of India orPakistan and there was nothird option. Moreover; theprincely states were not thepart of the partition plan, itwas the/British India that waspartitioned. As per the partitionplan the sovereignty liedwith the ruler and not the subjectswhich was executed aptlyby Maharaja Hari Singh. It isproper to mention that the manwho divided India, MohammedAli Jinnah endorsed that thesovereignty should lie with theruler and not the subjects. Thusthe accession of J&K to India iscomplete in legal and constitutionalterms.”

November 2011CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 19Chronology June 11June 1: A youth has crossed over LoC in Poonch sector.Army Chief claimed that they were readyto penetrate and strike inside the enemy’sterritory like the US if needed. PChidambaram said that Afzal Guru's reportis yet to be sent to President.June 2: Two terrorists have been killed inSopore.Arms and explosives were recoveredfrom a terrorist hide out in Thana Mandi,Rajouri. An Army jawan shot himself dead inReasi.Kashmir Committee member RamJethmalani said that solution to Kashmir isnot far away. IAF Chief expressed concernover the Chinese presence in PoK and saidthat no solution to Saichan is possible tillAGPL is fixed.June 3: The death toll in Sopore encounter rose tothree with death of one more terrorist. Agrenade was defused in Poonch town. SASGeelani appealed the Kashmiri people particularlythe youth not to harm tourists as theycan become their ambassadors and carrytheir massage of sufferings to their respectiveplaces.June 4: A Tahreek-e-Hurriyat leader was arrested forrobbery in Sopore. Top terrorist IlyasKashmiri has been reportedly killed in adrone attack; HUJI confirmed the death.June 5: Geelani called for strike on June 11 againstkilling of civilians in last three years. ThreeSIMI and three IM terrorists were arrested inMP. Amidst concerns, Pak Interior Ministerclaimed nukes to be 200% safe.June 6: A civilian was shot dead in Srinagar. RamJethmalani expressed dissatisfaction overgovernance as Omar Abdullah snubbed theKashmir Committee. The US said that therewas no confirmation about the death ofKashmiri.June 7: DGP said that there were about 250 to 300terrorists still active in the state. A vintagetank belonging to British forces was recoveredfrom river Ravi.June 9: A woman from Poonch who mistakenly hadcrossed over the LoC was returned back bythe Pak authorities.June 10: Two dreaded terrorists were killed in anencounter in Doda. 22 fired shells were spottedby locals near a nallah in Greater kailashand subsequently seized by police.June 11: Arms and ammunition haul was recoveredin Reasi. Normal life was paralysed in thevalley.June 12: playing down the differences, GoC 15 Corpssaid that there were no differences with thestate government on infiltration as the bothhave their own inputs.June 13: Arms and ammunition haul was recoveredin kalakote, Rajouri.June 14: Explosives were recovered near LoC inTrehgam. Three terrorist-sympathisers werearrested in the Valley. Northen CommandChief Lt general K T Pranik said that 27 terroristswere active in Poonch-Rajouri. Indiaasked Pakistan not to give any room to theterrorists.June 15: A youth was shot dead by terrorists inShopian. Omar Abdullah discussed securityscenario with PM.June 16: Two Pak terrorists were killed in Handwara.An HM hideout was destroyed in Doda.Zawahari has been named new Al-Qaedachief.June 17: J&K,peace, security,CBMs and nexusbetween ISI and 26/11 attackers are to figureas India & Pakistan FSs meet on June 23-24.International team arrived to inspectKishanganga project in Gurez.June 18: DGP expressed concern over the involvementof Ex-militants in criminal activities. PChidambarm is visiting Kashmir from tomorrowto review situation.June 19: in an effort to push infiltrators-Pak resortedto firing on LoC in Poonch sector. India isto raise the issue of terrorism directed fromPakistani soil.June 20: A girl working as OGW of terrorists wasarrested in Darhal, Rajouri. A bomb wasdetected and defused in Ramgarh sector. PChidambaram reviewed security scenarioand Amarnath Yatra arrangements withGovernor.June 21: P Chidambaram visited downtown unannouncedand reviewed security scenario withCM and other top brass.GoC 15 Corpsclaimed that infiltration was the lowest in 20years.June 22: A hunt has been launched in Derha Ki Galiafter reports about presence of two terrorists.Union Home Minister visited a forward postin Gurez sector, interacted with the sectorcommanders and again met Governor on hisreturn. CM said that he never questionedaccession of the state to India in his speech inOctober last but only differentiated betweenaccession and merger.June 24: A cop was among six injured as terroristsfired a rifle grenade towards Police StationSopore.16 more shells were recovered from aKHUD in Greater Kailash. India todayinformed Pakistan that Kashmir cannot beresolved under the shadow of gun.June 25: Police arrested an Let terrorist for firing arifle-grenade towards PS Sopore.Goc-in-CNorthern Command reviewed situation inKashmir.June 26: An infiltration bid was foiled in Poonch anda terrorist-hideout busted and arms recoveredin Kishtwar.June 27: Two terrorists were killed and two Jawansinjured in an encounter in Tral area. A forestdepartment employee was shot dead inforests in Ganderbal area. A hunt has beenlaunched for terrorists in Budhal.June 28: Arms and explosives were recovered inKishtwar.Hitting at OIC for its Kashmirremarks, Farooq Abdullah asked it to takecare of Arab world. The annual AmarnathYatra began today.June 29: In a rare incident an HM terrorist junaidshot himself dead in a mosque in Sopore afterfinding himself trapped. Terrorists shot atand injured a cop in Bemina, Srinagar. Anintrusion bid by three terrorists was foiled inSamba sector. PM said that Omar Abdullahwill serve full six year term and added thatdialogue with Pakistan will continue.June 30: An IED was defused along the banks offamous Dal lake while explosives were recoveredin Kupwara.Terrorists attacked a PolicePost in Keshwan and injured a cop. A WhiteHouse report described LeT a threat to Indiaand the US.July 1: A conduit of HM was arrested in Tral.CM saidthat terrorists will not be allowed to disruptYatra. India rejected OIC’s comment on J&K.July 2: Mufti Mohd Sayeed asked India not to wait forPakistanis response but address internaldimensions of Kashmir problem. FarooqAbdullah advised political parties not to usereligion as tool.July 3: FS Nirupa Rao said that Pakistan’s attitudetowards terrorism has changed and it is aconcrete development that India should takenote of.July 4: The case filed by Prof. Bhim Singh challengingthe legality of the state’s rehabilitationpolicy for the youth who had crossed overPakistan in 1990n has been referred to theconstitutional bench by the Apex Court.July 5: Police busted a terrorist module and arrestedtwo persons with 1.19 lakh hawala money inKulgam. A hunt has been launched in Soporeafter reports of the presence of LeT terroristAbdullah Uni. The UK foreign Office MinsterJeremy Browne met Union home Minister asthe two countries strengthened cooperationagainst terror.July 6: Nine cops were injured as terrorists detonatedan IED packed in a scooter outside PSSopore. A terrorist was killed in Keran. HomeMinister said that 28 names out of 700 militantshave been cleared for return from PoKbut there are practical issues in implementingthe policy and MHA and EAM are toresolve the aspects.July 7: SAS Geelani asked youth to desist from stonepelting as 120 civilians were killed last yearand nothing was achieved. Announcing newPower Policy, Omar Abdullah said there areno chances of joint projects between J&K andPoK.July 8: An HM hideout was busted in Arnas and hugecache of arms and ammunition including fiverifles recovered. Geelani was put under housearrest to stop him from addressing a Fridaycongregation at a mosque at TRC Srinagar.Majority in Ramban rejected separatism anddemanded for HDC as interlocutors visitedthere.PPRESS CONFERENCEANUN KASHMIR delegation visited the newlyconstructed Jagati Camp at Nagrota twice recentlyto take stock of the facilities at the new camp andalso to assess the quality of construction of new accommodationsfor more than 4000 families shifted from variouscamps located around Jammu.For the whole fact finding delegation the experiencehas been appalling. Just entering the Camp exposes oneto stench and foul smell from the manholes constructedfor sanitary waste. Even while sitting in the parks insidethe camp site one is exposed to the stench, not to speak offamilies living in the quarters closer to the man notes andsoakage pits. At many places in the residential quartersthere are sanitary leakages at sanitary pipe joints.Water Seepages can be seen openly along the walls androofs of the quarters at many places. Water seepage intoelectric fittings has on man/occasions caused electricshort circuits. The plasters of the walls in the quarters atmany places are peeling off on slight rubbing showing thepoor quality of construction material used. The Pillarsalong the balconies at many places have shown cracksand even collapsed at a few places.Whole of Jagati Camp site has till now only one rationdepot. There are two ambulances available but they arenot available during night time when their services areurgently required. The police security is in the form of afew police personnel. Cooking Gas supply to the camp isscanty.Matador service to the Camp is still inadequate. As perresidents of the Camp the government has issued 50 permitsfor the matadors and amongst them only 10 are functional..Normal fares from Jammu to Sainik schoolNagrota is Rs. 8 while the fare from Indira Chowk toJagati Camp is Rs. 10 even as the distance is almost onekilometer lessSchools have scanty furniture. Fans were installedafter repeated complaints by the residents of Jagati.There is no watchman in the camp schools after the schoolhours and hence no protection for computers, laboratoryequipment and the books in the library. Bathrooms in theschools are yet to be completed for use.There is no place for cremation of dead bodies which ismost appalling for the residents of the camp.The power supply to the camp is infrequent with almost10-14 hours power cuts every day, There are power cutseven on public holidays and festivals. Water supply isirregular. There was no water in the Camp even from theevening of Aug 10 till the evening of Aug 13. The campresidents were without water supply even on RakshaBandhan day as per the residents of the camp.The small shopkeepers in the previous camp sites fromamongst the camp dwellers were promised shops so thatthey can help in their own self-employment. They wereasked to deposit RS 35000 each person to be entitled to —hop facility in the new camp. As per Camp residents morethan 350 small shop keepers have applied for the shopfacility in the camp after depositing their money, Only 50,as per the residents of Jagati Camp have so far been providedthe shop facilities. Those who have not been allottedare facing the specter of unemployment once more.The camp residents say that camp residents are discouragedfrom having shops which can provide them selfemploymentwhile encouraging those who can build shopsoutside the camp periphery by spending huge sums, Theperiphery of camp has been kept without fence for thesame reason and the proposed market place is at a wrongplace. There are complaints of many from amongst theCamp resident that quarters were not allotted in a fairand honest manner People complained that the modelquarters shown to Prime Minister are qualitatively betterand yet to be allotted. In fact some of these quarters wereallotted to persons around the time of the PrimeMinister’s visit but were asked to return the keys immediatelyafter the visit.Panun Kashmir has asked a team of experts to assessthe quality of construction work in the Jagati camp aftercomparing it with the proposal which the government hadcirculated before starting the work at Jagati. The team ofexperts will assess the reasons for seepages of the wallsand roofs, leakages of the sanitary pipes, soakage pits andmanholes. Panun Kashmir will come out with a detailedassessment of the whole matter including allegations oframpant corruption and inform the public opinion accordingly.Panun Kashmir urges the government, to immediatelyintervene to look into the safety of the newly constructedquarters at the Jagati Camp, assess the nature of cracksand seepages that have appeared in the pillars, walls,roofs and other places of these quarters, and take the correctivemeasures, it also urges the government to lookinto the sanitary condition in the entire camp which if leftunattended can lead to a health disaster. Panun Kashmirasks the government to put in proper place all thearrangements regarding ration depots, health care, schooland market facilities as well as; transport and security.

November 2011MARTYRS DAY 2011 20Preserve the Memory to preserve the CivilizationPanun Kashmir Chairman Dr. Ajay Chrungoo speaking on the solemn occasion.PANUNKASHMIR observed theMartyrs’ Day on 14th Septemberthis year amidst the din generatedby the allegations of massive corruptionin the Relief Organization inJammu. In the days preceding it thenewspapers in Jammu had reportedextensively about the mismanagementin the affairs at the newly constructedtwo room quarters (TRTs) atJagati near Nagrota by the ReliefOrganization. Panun Kashmir hadtaken a lead to highlight the apprehensionsof corruption in the constructionof the TRTs at Jagati andalso the atmosphere of fear andintimidation generated by the officialsof the Relief Department tosmother dissent and disenchantmentbrewing in the camps against thegovernment handling of the affairs ofthe camps of the displaced Hindus inJammu. The public resentment andoutcry had forced the state governmentto shift the ReliefCommissioner and appoint in hisplace a new person to handle theRelief Department. The henchmen ofthe relief Organization in Jammuwere working overtime to dissuadeKashmiri Hindus, particularly thedisplaced Hindus living in the camps,from joining the main Martyrs’ DayRally organized by Panun Kashmirnear the Press club Jammu. Therewere unconfirmed reports that someof these henchmen were also planningdisruption of the solemn proceedingsof the Martyrs’ Day.Ignoring all these efforts aimed atdisruption a large number ofKashmiri Hindus participated in themain Martyrs’ Day rally organized byPanun Kashmir near the Press Clubin Jammu.The participation from the Campsin the Rally was not only an indicatorof the resentment of the residents ofthe various Camps in Jammu againstthe corruption and mismanagementin the Relief Organisation and alsoagainst its paid stooges, but also thewidespread popularity which PanunKashmir enjoys amongst the displacedKashmiri Hindus living evenin the Camps. The participants fromcamps particularly came in matadorsdecorated by Panun Kashmir bannersdespite the veiled threats fromthe government not to participate inthe rally. There was participationfrom all Camps. The residents of thePurkhoo Camp were threatened bythe henchmen of the ReliefOrganisation not to board the matadorsgoing to the rally site. Despitethis brazen intimidation the campdwellers gave these henchmen a slipand proceeded individually to participatein the rally. There was participationfrom all localities in Jammu.Women from different walks of lifefrom amongstthe KashmiriHindus alsoparticipated inthe rally. Therally was conductedin apeaceful anddisciplinedmanner.The Annamovementagainst corruptionseemed tohave influencedtherallysts thisyear and mostof the womenparticipants inthe rally wereseen wearingGandhi capswith PanunKashmir writtenon it. Itseemed Gandhianspirit hadpervaded thesentiment ofthe participantson theMartyrs’ day.The proceedingsof the rally were conducted by ShS K Handoo who started the proceedingsby explaining the essence of theoccasion after asking the participantsto stand up and observe silence tocommemorate the martyrdom of allthose including the security forceswho had fallen victim to the bullets ofterrorists in the state since 1990.Leaders particularly from the displacedcamps spoke eloquently on theoccasion and highlighted the crucialimportance of the Panun Kashmir infighting the onslaught of genocideperpetrated by the Jihadi forces onthe Hindu minority in Kashmir valley.Sh Bhushan lal Bhat from Jagatisaid that Panun Kashmir movementhas become the beacon of resistanceagainst the forces of Intolerance inthe state and has played a criticalrole in exposing the real face of the socalled freedom struggle in Kashmir.He said in a typical Kashmiri folkidiom that Panun Kashmir’s relevanceis onlyincreasingwith each day.Sh PyareLal representingthe MuthiCamp spokein detail aboutthe dubiousrole played bysome membersof theApex Committeeby actingas the virtualagents of thestate government.ShPyare Lal whois himself amember of theApex committeetold thegathering thatthere weremany amongstthe ApexCommitteewho did notendorse thegovernmentline on returnand rehabilitation.He said that unless there ischange of system in the state theKashmiri Pandits cannot return. Hesaid and the change of system essentiallymeans creation of PanunKashmir.The displaced Kashmiri Sikh representativeSh Trilok Singh who is alsothe member of the apex committeesaid that the situation in the valley isnot conducive for the return of anybody and said that only remedy to theproblem in Kashmir is creation ofPanun Kashmir.In his Martyr Day speech Dr AjayChrungoo, Chairman of PanunKashmir said that the silence whichthey had observed in memory of themartyrs like Tika Lal Taploo the firstcommunity leader assassinated bythe Jihadis on Sept 14 1989 was areflecting silence which generatesintrospection and helps in enrichingthe memory of the Past. He saidmemory is the immune system of acivilization and its preservation leadstowards the progress of the civilization.Dr Ajay explained in detail howthe state government’s symbolicreturn policy was acting as a weaponto continue the genocidal attrition onthe Kashmiri Hindus. He said we arenot witnessing a return of the displacedbut hostaging of the displacedto create a camouflage to hide a communalwar unleashed on KashmiriHindus. Dr Ajay said those who havereturned to get employment have notdone so due to normalcy in Kashmirvalley but due to compulsions of destitutionand naivety. Dr Ajay warnedabout the role played by certain personswithin the community and saidthat they have acted as fifth columnof the communal separatist forces. Hefurther said victim collaborators onlyincrease the viciousness of victimhood.Dr Ajay told the gathering thatall those actors who were responsiblefor their plight are getting graduallyweakened. Developments in Pakistanare a testimony of this. He urged theentire community of KashmiriHindus, sikhs and all nationalistforces to join hands and fight thecommunal separatism in the State.Dr Ajay Chrungoo said creating aUnion territory of Panun Kashmir inthe north and east of river Jhelum isthe foremost out of box solution availableto the nation in the state toresolve the problems in the state anddefeat separatism.The Panun Kashmir Martyrs ‘dayrally was joined by a group of aroundfifteen persons lead by Sh AmarnathVaishnavi and Sh D N Kissoo whilethe rally was mid-way through.However the resentment of the participantsin rally regarding the role ofSh Vaishnavi in the Apex Committeewas manifest when they started toleave as soon as Mr Vaishnavi took tothe dias to deliver his speech.