Ghulam Mohammad Dar , 128 Year Old Life Story

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SYED BILAL

Growing old is basically going through series of changes that begin with life and continue throughout life cycle. In other words, it represents the closing period in the life-span, a time when the individual looks back on life, lives on past accomplishments and sophistications then finally begins to finish of his life course. Therefore, adjusting to the changes that accompany old age requires that an individual is flexible and develops new coping, new skills to adapt to the changes that are common to this time in their lives. We usually consider that there is not a universally accepted threshold of old age. Opinions differ according to the socio-economic and political situation.

 

Ghulam Mohammad Dar, who was born in the year 1898 has seen life with number of angles. Categorical note by him says that as people grow old, the likelihood of experiencing age-related loses increases. Such loses may impede the maintenance or acquisition of desired relationship resulting in a higher incidence of loneliness.

It was my routine visit to the nearby playground to watch a match between host club vs Kashmir Sports. On my way, suddenly I stepped backward to have a second glance towards the house of Ghulam Mohammad Dar who is living with his younger son Ghulam Rasool Dar who has a son Imran and a daughter Rubiya. Both of which are married, among which Imran has two sons Aatif and Aariz. Now it is only the determined hope and enthusiasm of Ghulam Mohammad Dar that makes him a competent player in the field of life. “it is not always flesh and blood which makes us fathers and sons but it is all the course of golden pure heart that makes us able to proceed forward in life,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar.

In the courtyard, an old man sitting on an old-fashioned chair, that prompted me to change my mind and decided to have a conversation with the person of such a lovely wisdom and due flexibility in his physique and soul and is nearly 128 years old had seen the life from the time when nobody was not even wearing shalwar. I was thinking how can people who have such a big dignity living in their surroundings live a normal life without even meeting him on regular intervals. People were hardly able to arrange a phiran (traditional Kashmiri long coat) made up of suttal, the fabric that gets imported from different corners of the world. Ghulam Mohammad Dar had married in a time when people were hardly able to arrange shalwar for themselves. As far as his own marriage is concerned he stated  “I was not having a single shalwar at my home but somehow, I arranged it on my marriage. The custom was that a groom’s family had to pay entire expense even I paid 60 boag (currency measuring system) to the bride’s family and when the bride reached my home the people accompanying her paid 10 Boags back,says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. “My family had to even arrange a girl “sazged” to decorate the bride. I consumed 40 rupees on purchasing clothes, 9 rupees on buying meet. This is one of the costlier marriages of the time,” he further added.

Ghulam Mohammad Dar who has 6 sons and 2 daughters among which the elder one, the daughter who died soon after her birth. Her age at present would have been approximately 93 years. The elder son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar who is living separate has married 5 times and is living with his 5th wife. Apart from this, the physiological decline in ageing definitely refers to the physical changes some individual experiences because of the decline in the normal functioning of the body resulting in poor mobility, vision, hearing, inability to eat and digest food properly, a decline in memory, the inability to control certain physiological functions, and various chronic conditions. “Old age means multiple things, sometimes you feel totally sad, sometimes, joyful, some nights I can’t sleep, but I feel happy anyway, I have my family and I do what I like, I plant Haakh (collard greens), Brinjal and when I can’t do that, I plant beans,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar.

“However, the partition and the resulting conflict changed the whole scene. The fate of the state turned into an insoluble tangle, however, there are conflicting versions of the basic situation and the happenings,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. It was well known fact that the Jammu people wanted to get integrated with the Indian Union while the Kashmiris were in two minds, he further added.

He is the person who has not even took a single tablet till date and obviously doesn’t even know that there are 2 to 3 medical shops running in their village. We were too busy in our conversation when suddenly somebody broken in and offered a “Noon Chai” to his grandchildren Aatif. I was fascinated to hear that Dar himself doesn’t even know how Noon Chai tastes from last 15 years. “I find it boring, ill and wasteful, if I don’t take 4 time Lipton tea cups a day,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. It is all due to the prayers of my mother who each and every time used to pray to Almighty Allah (Mumme wuchen peanch (5) pushte panen) and Alhamdulillah I have seen five said Ghulam Mohammad Dar.  Old age! It’s good, I keep on fighting and sometimes I miss my life when I was young, active, worked the whole day in the fields, went to relatives and on the next day I was just fine. Then the responsibility associated to being an adult, wife, children and the need of saving some money even it was just a farce for we people that time to earn and save money for our things, our obligations and responsibilities. Today Masha Allah I have my own family, house and very much property too but still sometimes I miss the old days. So, being old, getting old has been good because it went smoothly for me. I have no problems with old age. The health is now no more accompanying me as I many a times feel much tired than before even I had not stopped working still he further added.

During his young days, the key occupation was the Traditional Killam Kashi (silk yearing from mulberry trees). The people associated with the work used to transport the raw material to Srinagar through boats and finally handover it to the government. The boat used to carry 30 to 40 Manns (quantity used to measure) of raw material where they hardly get very little amount in return but much enough during those times,” said Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He further said that, the boatman used to charge 8 to 12 aaanas (currency) to transport it to Srinagar from Anantnag.

“Apart from this it was too much easier for we people to go to Pakistan than Srinagar as there existed no boundaries,” said Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He also recalled when the Pakistani raiders (kabails) arrived in Kashmir and according to him  everyone was trying to hide himself and how at the end Sherwani lead them towards the wrong path for which they later killed him.  “Dar” also said that life has become more complicated due to technological advancement. He said that whatever we are as independent (India) it is all because of the efforts of Gandhi, proceeding on vehemently he said, the development of village India, for Gandhi, was the development of India. Illiteracy, ignorance, and poverty characterized that vast population of rural India. “Gandhi organized mass movements to draw attention to the problems of the rural people, and also to involve the peasants in the freedom struggle, “he further added. “the description of the villages community in India was idyllic and superficial, although villages had their distinct identity and were ruled by the local heads,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. Villages were completely cut off from each other, i.e.; absolutely nothing to do with outside world he further added.

He remembers the time when the government arranged a small radio sized television and was installed in the nearby locality. How people use to assemble there and watch television. He says as the life started getting easy day by day, people still couldn’t live easily with each other. His grandson Imran Ahmad told that: “we used to hear so many stories from him when we were young that we would never forget. He is of course a living legend and an interesting man who has seen life very closely.

As far as the interests are concerned Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Dar used to be the great lover of music. Mukhtar Mir was a local Kashmiri singer who used to sing Kashmiri songs on different occasions. “He was a good Kashmiri funny poet also, we together were a Kashmiri singing band and almost I remained in the profession for at least for a period of 15 years,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He says music may belong to any nation or place, the fact remains that it is always good to ears. He further said, everybody of us know, that there are no barriers of language or words that limit music lovers to listen and appreciate a good voice or a tone. “The sweet tones thus produced touch the heart and mind and even consoles human souls,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar.

“The health and educational facilities during those times were available very less or we can say negligible. Among the doctors was, Rasool Naid who used to cure patients by homeopathic medicines. Rasool Naid was living in Wanpoh Anantnag so the residents from shamsipora and nearby villages would have to travel 6 to 7 kilometers by foot to reach wanpoh. Rasool Naid was not professionally well trained do remember “something is better than nothing,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. “Mumma Hakeem, Gani Hakeem were also unaani and ayurvedic doctors living in Chadroo Pulwama and Shangus Nowgam respectively, who used to cure patients by natural pure organic way,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He says, these were the only medical aid options available to people of South Kashmir and in case of maternity related cases either a woman would give birth to child normally or would die in case the abnormality comes. The one more important and fundamental sector is the educational sector, he says, there was hardly a person who would read the letters coming from outside so people living in villages had to travel kilometers in order to make their letters read. “The entire village of shamsipora was having minimal fertile land of which the majority belonged to alone Prem Nath Chopra,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He was having at least 22 khears (252 marlas) of land which approximately is very near to the entire fertile land of the said village added Ghulam Mohammad Dar. “How peculiar was the time when a single educated man was present in the village who used to be 5th standard pass and was highly educated in the entire NANDI BELT of Home Shalibugh,” says Ghulam Mohammad Dar. His name was Gafoor Dar, whenever a letter from outside the valley would reach in the village from the people who had gone to the other parts of the country particularly Punjab many a times even from Pakistan, people would rush with the letters in their hands towards the home of Gafoor Dar or Sansar Bhat a pandit living in the village. Since the pandits were in the majority added Ghulam Mohammad Dar. He says the extent of the poverty was so detreating that people had no shalwar’s to wear, they used to wear long tattered firans made of munnol.

I was first astonished to hear from Ghulam Mohammad that once a time when Mohammad Ali Jinnah arrived here in Kashmir, he made him wear the garland of dates that he had made personally. Ghulam Mohammad also remembers that he was carrying a goat with him. In order to see him, the people from the nearby villages rushed towards the venue that was organized at Pad-Shahi Bagh Bijbehara. He vehemently said, that people were evaporating from every side even some were carrying ploughs and daggers on their shoulders.

At last, he stated that  blessed are those homes where persons of such age are present and therefore the need of an hour is to take care of them physically, mentally and even socially. The concluding notes from Ghulam Mohammad were that no matter even if I would live for thousand years I still have to leave at the end. Better are those hands who help others in any way in their young age as when old age advances, lot of physical, mental and social changes take place, he added further.

This is quite an evident fact that as age advances, lot of physical, mental and social changes take place. Physical conditions may restrict movements, social changes may force dependency and mental condition may lead to depression and anxiety, even in poverty like conditions, it can lead towards economic insecurity and aggravate the situation. Remember ageing is a universal problem and no country can escape it different countries have felt its impact differently based on their socio-economic and cultural conditions.

Walk The Talk

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News Kashmir Desk

For some years , the strife-torn region of Kashmir had witnessed a period of relative calm, but a recent spate of violent protests since last year and continuous upsurge in violence  which have resulted in number of civilian, militant, soldier  fatalities is a bleak reminder of the ever worse situation   in Kashmir, which has been at the heart of enmity between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan. The every week upheavals have crippled the economy of Kashmir; tourism is in shambles; the academic calendar has been badly disturbed and above all the common man is hit hard both sentimentally as well as economically.

At this juncture of time, in the Valley of Kashmir, the urge for achieving honorable peace is even greater than it was ever before.. Every sagacious voice suggests that peace is important because we can enjoy the benefits of the latest economic schemes, technological and scientific advancements only in times of peace.

In a significant political development related to peace and prosperity in Kashmir , it is learnt that in a bid  to restart the political process in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre is planning to invite “all shades of opinion” including the Hurriyat Conference. The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government has announced appointment of Dineshwar Sharma, former Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), as interlocutor for Kashmir. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, while making the announcement on 23 October, stated that Sharma will initiate a sustained interaction and dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bilal Bashir Bhat, a young Journalist and Editor-in-Chief Only Kashmir News Portal states – “ Kashmir is drenched in bloodshed and engulfed in tragedies and the  masses of Kashmir are calling on all the parties related to the institution of “Dialogue” to make any future talks process a result oriented as the experiences of past have simply been harsh and haunting. On a larger level peace in South Asia can be achieved when we also acknowledge  the importance of having  intra-regional dialogue,  tourism and increased exchanges, particularly among the youth and  civil society . The sane voices and commoners aptly suggest that peace is significant because we need a better world for our next generations”

After going through the bloody history of conflict, the realities call upon both Indian Government and separatist leaders to initiate a meaningful dialogue over the Kashmir so as to prevent further dance of death and destruction.

On the other hand of the spectrum, worsening scenarios urge upon the both governments of India and Pakistan and also the separatist leadership of Kashmir to walk the talk on the Kashmir issue in order to secure a affluent future for the region, as unsolved Kashmir continues to be a nuclear flashpoint and an paragon  of human tragedies.

Marriage Hall in busy Gonikhan Betrays Commonsense

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Scores of traders are questioning the rationale behind the state government move to construct a Marriage Hall in the heart of the ever busy historical Gonikhan market here in Srinagar city. The traders have said that this visionless construction will deprive parking space and furthermore, they will face many hardships on account of it.
On the otherhand, Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) has started work on the construction of a Marriage Hall at Bandook Chawani area of Gonikahn market.

While talking to News Kashmir Magazine, a trade delegation of the area stated – “ This area is the historical commercial hub and it is a criminal joke by the government to build marriage hall here as they had been previously dislocating families from here as it is clearly  commercial area, this illegal construction  is  the clear cut violation of Master Plan and will adversely affect business of the traders. There is no fun of building a   Marriage Hall  in a commercial, depopulated  and busy area like Gonikhan. It serves no purpose and is just being built as political office in name of  building marriage hall. Majority of the people have sold off their houses and  owners have turned them into business houses now. We don’t find any logic in setting up a Marriage Hall in the area. It will kill the business in entire area .”
Although authorities at SDA on face value maintain the value of building marriage hall in the area, sources have revealed that it is being built under immense political pressure.

Braid Chopping :Dignity Attacked

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News Kashmir Desk

Scores of braid chopping incidents across the length and the breadth of the Kashmir valley have send shock waves in entire valley and installed fear in the masses especially women .

 

In the past seven weeks, more than 200 “braid chopping” incidents have been reported in Kashmir , according to reports .All this has once again brought the issues of women safety concerns into limelight .

Pertinently, the monster of domestic violence had already been paining our women. It is worth mentioning here that  Domestic violence (also domestic abuse, spousal abuse, intimate partner violence, battering or family violence) is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person in a domestic context against another, such as in marriage. Globally, a wife or female partner is more commonly the victim of acts of domestic violence.

In recent past, even the Urban Police Stations have registered hundreds of cases of domestic violence showing the grim nature of the issue. Sometime back the Data compiled by the Jammu & Kashmir Police Crime Branch reveals that in the past two years, it has registered over 4,000 cases of crimes against women.

Not Enough protests and Sit-ins have been witnessed with reference to burning issue of Domestic violence but the trend seems changing as against the menace of braid chopping several protests, anger and rage has been witnessed.

 

 

In a heartening development,  District administration Anantnag has constituted a Committee to investigate the braid chopping incidents reported in the district.  The district administration has sought cooperation of the general public to nab culprits and maintaining peace.

 

Meanwhile, the district administration thanked Village and Auqaf committees for being proactive in their approach and maintaining vigil. The administration appealed people not to pay heed to rumors and cooperate with the Committee so that a thorough investigation is carried out into these incidents.   In this regard, People have been urged to cooperate with district administration and for any assistance contact on 18001807054/ 01932222337/ 9419047052/ 9419367252.

Mushtaq ul Haq Sikander, Gender Justice Activist stated – “ The issue of braid chopping has once again brought to fore front how crimes against women are taking different forms, painfully enough the concerned authorities are having no clue about the evil forces behind these acts whileas people have complete distrust towards authorities. All these bleak realities have further worsened the situation with reference to serious issue of women safety in our part of the world .”

Nevertheless, braid chopping has instilled a wave of fear and uncertainty in Kashmir with respect to women safety.

 

 

I caught a braid chopper!

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By Javeed Ali

javeedaliofkashmir@gmail.com

I was browsing through my Facebook profile on my laptop. Its timeline from a long time has been displaying videos, images and contents of alleged braid chopping incidents in Kashmir. It has been over one month these views keep flaunting in front of you once you login to any social media app. The chapter started on September 04, 2017 and like a wild fire it has spread all over the Kashmir valley. Every now and then we see alleged braid choppers being held and beaten to pulp. But so far nothing concrete has come out who is behind this stratagem.

As my mind was revolving around the braid chopping incidents, I heard the noise of footsteps through our lane. It was over 12 midnight and when I peeped out of the window, I saw a middle aged man attired in Phiran (Kashmiri gown). It was an unusual thing as we reside in the area where movement of traffic and people gets curtailed before 10 in the evening. His appearance was shabby and he was looking weirdly around the surrounding. As my mind was already engrossed in the unabated braid chopping incidents in Kashmir, I straightaway suspected him as braid chopper. Without wasting any time, I gestured to him, “Tohe kya chu yepaeer karaan? (What are you doing here?)”.  Before he could utter anything, one of my neighbour who had already got on to the terrace of his house screamed, Braid chopper! Braid chopper! Within a flash, the whole horde of neighbourhood was on the ground. They caught hold of him and started enquiring about his uncommon presence in our territory. He was terrified and scared. Everyone was asking him queries and they started beating him before he could utter anything. He was punched, kicked, smashed, smacked, thumped, knocked, slammed and even abused. The ruthless and merciless beating caused him grievous injuries. He was bleeding profusely and broke down with tears trickling down his face. His clothes were searched but to our utter surprise there were only few pieces of cigarettes and no tool, blade or scissors were found.

My all attempts to protect him from beating and listen to his version failed completely as he was badly overpowered by the huge group of people of our vicinity. In the meantime, police vehicles arrived and they asked to hand him over to them. The people declined to hand him over to police and started chanting slogans suspecting him as Army worker. They pelted stones on police vehicles but police burst tear smoke shells and took him forcibly in their vehicle. After that everyone started making bizarre stories surrounding the incident as is common in Kashmir.

The next day, respectable and trustworthy elders of our area went to the police station to enquire about the fate of the alleged braid chopper. They were shocked to know that the person whom we had beaten barbarously is a mentally retarded patient of our nearby locality. He was now admitted in a hospital. His family members were present there with the medical documents which confirmed that he is suffering from stress and depression since last 20 years. They were crying bitterly along with the mentally challenged person whom we had suspected as braid chopper. Doctors attending him claimed that he will take time to recuperate from the bad injuries inflicted on him by our brutal beating.

This is one instance where we have beaten an innocent person just because we are facing the case of mass hysteria as propounded by the psychologists. An unruly mob roughed up foreign tourists when they had lost their way which had sent out an undesirable example to the world contrary to the fact that we are known as best in the hospitality with the guests. In Shallabugh area of Ganderbal, a group of 3 non-local tourists and guests of a local scribe were severely beaten and thrashed by locals as they mistook them as braid choppers. Their vehicle was also damaged and later on they were rescued by police. In another incident, two men were inhumanely hammered in Wakoora area of same district when they were collecting donations for a Yateem (orphan) trust.

In one of the disheartening incident, a 70-year old person was stoned to death in Anantnag on the suspicion of braid chopper. At some places rag pickers, Bihari labourers, transgender, lovers and drug addicts were also badly beaten just because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Attack on the modesty of women is unbearable and same cannot be allowed to happen in our society. Braid chopping is an ugly scene which has made inroads in Kashmir after it previously occurred in different parts of the world and across the India as well. So it has to be looked from the broader perspectives rather than through the contours of the prevailing conflict in Kashmir.  After braid choppers hit Delhi in July, the police commissioned experts from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences to study the phenomenon. The same institute had researched complaints about a monkey-like creature attacking people in the national Capital in 2001 and concluded that the entire episode was a case of mass hysteria. It means when a fear or threat real or imagined spreads to a large number of people through rumours or narratives so much so that many of them start reporting similar symptoms. A former head of the department of Psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) reportedly told one of the news agency, “From all available evidence it seems that the women are cutting their own hair, either consciously or in an altered sensorium, likely to seek attention”. One more psychiatrist added that braid chopping could be the result of depression or stress ailments of women folk. Only time will tell us what is the exact cause and intent of this braid chopping scenario till then we should avoid believing in conspiracy theories.

We should not pay heed to rumours as there are many mischief and rumour mongers who always play pranks for their amusement and fun. Social media is helping these pranksters.  It creates fear psychosis which badly impacts the behaviour of human souls which in turn makes him or her the victim of mass hysteria. There may be genuine incidents of braid chopping but we should not blame it on any group or party without having any authenticity. We should not use the violent ways to protest against what is still a mystery. A 5-year old boy Sibti Hyder of Gangoo was injured at Pahoo, Pulwama when he was hit by a stone on his head. What was his fault? Was he involved in braid chopping? Why are we becoming the nation of vigilantes?

Last year rumour mongers got almost whole Kashmir populace on the streets on the rumour that polio drops caused deaths. Moreover, we should never forget the killing of Asrar Dar of Maisuma in 2009 who was killed by his friends on the love tangle and then his killers had protested violently for three days in Maisuma area and had blamed police for the killing. It was only after the investigation done by police which had revealed that the friends who were protesting against his death were his real killers. Furthermore, in the same year one of the relative of JKLF chairperson Mohammad Yasin Malik who was an auto rickshaw driver was strangulated to death by the robbers. At that time too, the blame was put on police for his death. Later on, investigations carried out in his death unraveled his killers as the robbers who had robbed him in his auto and strangulated him to death.

So we should ponder that giving unnecessary attention to rumour mongers is severely damaging our business and day to day life. There are so many business hawkers who are fearful to go to any region these days fearing they might be suspected as braid choppers. Even relatives and friends don’t visit to their respective relatives or friends. Few days ago a youth was beaten ruthlessly in Kakapora area in Pulwama when he was visiting to his aunt on his motorcycle. Where are we heading. The world will laugh at us if they will come to know about our ridiculous acts. The media fraternity needs to play an important role. They should not circulate anything without verifying the authenticity of incident. Moreover, we should not believe in rumours like holy scripts as there are many elements who are propagating rumours to serve their own motives.  Let’s all confront this menace without targeting the innocent beings and most importantly we should prevent the spread of rumours which has badly impacting the life in Kashmir.

Whenever I am called for service to humanity I am always ready to go to any extent: Jeevanjyot Singh, Khalsa Aid

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Jeevanjyot Singh, a prominent Khalsa Aid volunteer from Jammu & Kashmir recently became the poster boy of Khalsa Aid in its noble efforts to aid Rohingya Muslim refugees of Burma at Bangladesh Burma border .

Jeevanjyot’s picture went viral on social media while helping the Rohingya Muslims.

In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, Jeevanjyot Singh Talks to Rameez Makhdoomi

 

 

How bad is current situation on Burma Bangladesh border?

Situation is so catastrophic; nearly 1 million people have reached Bangladesh Southern border. Situation is worsening day by day due to fluctuating weather.

What is your focus on ?

Our main focus is on providing majorly food to everyone as it is now the basic necessity and also water. We are providing hot prepared meals to almost 25k people every day.

What motivates Khalsa aid to work in such risky situations ?

Our Guru Granth sahib has always taught us SARBAT DA BHLA it means Betterment of whole mankind and we are doing that in various parts of this world wherever it’s a disaster, any war zone any sort of complications.

Is Bangladesh Government cooperating ?

Yes Bangladesh  government  is  fully cooperating.

 

What will be your appeal to donors ?

 

Our appeal to donors is just donate for humanity ,Religion never divides and in every holy book it is specified that we are humans first .

How much is local people & refugees cooperating  in easing Crisis ?

People are accepting us with open arms we have heard refugees  saying that everyone is helping with money, clothes and other basic things  and refuges state  the way you cook food for us is just amazing.

What are future projects of Khalsa aid?

Khalsa aid is running different projects in whole of the INDIA and projects are abrupt as I said we work in disasters and war zones. We are running Two schools in Punjab where kids of Rickshaw pullers, labourers etc study free of cost and the strength is 900, we have skill development centers in Punjab, an adopted hospital in Jammu, we are sponsoring many medical cases throughout the country and it keeps on adding every month.

A bit about yourself  ?

As a Khalsa aid volunteer my basics are very much clear, whenever I am called for  service to humanity  I am always ready to go to any extent. We are specially trained for these sort of projects and managing crowds.

Chaotic Kashmir

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News Kashmir Exclusive

Chaos, Panic has spread throughout in Kashmir in wake of braid chopping attacks being reported from length and breadth of the Kashmir Valley.

Scores of women in Kashmir have reported being attacked by masked assailants in the last two months. The women claimed the attackers sprayed chemicals on their faces and left them unconscious. Upon waking up, they found their hair had been chopped off.

Meanwhile, a PIL has also been filed by some lawyers in this regard .

 

Talking to our  correspondent , Advocate Masrat Kawsar  (who filed PIL) stated -”  Braid Chopping has assumed menacing form .We have in our PIL brought attention of honorable High court into the serious matter of braid Chopping and calling upon the Police to ensure nabbing the culprits and making the women folk feel secure .With intervention from Court we are hopeful that the process of acting swiftly in these ugly incidents of braid chopping will gain momentum. We are hopeful that it would be Soon listed for hearing.”

Uneasiness, hooligan approach at some instances has also crept in.

Narrating the ordeal of a mentally challenged person who was roughed up taken as braid chopper Javeed Ali, columnist wrote  “ A person was roughed up near our house. My all attempts to protect him from beating and listening to his version failed completely as he was badly overpowered by the huge group of people of our vicinity. In the meantime, police vehicles arrived and they asked to hand him over to them. The people declined to hand him over to police and started chanting slogans suspecting him as Army worker. They pelted stones on police vehicles but police burst tear smoke shells and took him forcibly in their vehicle. After that everyone started making bizarre stories surrounding the incident as is common in Kashmir.

The next day, respectable and trustworthy elders of our area went to the police station to enquire about the fate of the alleged braid chopper. They were shocked to know that the person whom they had beaten barbarously is a mentally retarded patient of our nearby locality. He was now admitted in a hospital. His family members were present there with the medical documents which confirmed that he is suffering from stress and depression since last 20 years. They were crying bitterly along with the mentally challenged person whom we had suspected as braid chopper.”

Without doubt the alleged braid-choppers have frightened locals across the valley of Kashmir and life has literally come to grinding halt , with growing suspicion and innocents also been targeted becoming the sad realities .

 

Inflation Paining Kashmir

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The phenomenon of ever rising inflation is very unfavorably  impacting the life of general masses in the Valley of Kashmir. The monster of inflation is impacting significant spheres of life in the valley of Kashmir. As a matter of fact, Inflation means paying more for goods than what you were paying earlier. Off late, not only indispensable goods have seen a price hike, non-essential items have also seen this hike. In other words inflation is making a hole in the pocket of common man in the valley.

The worse part of it is that rising food prices have far outstripped the growth rate and overall income rise of masses. Tomateos,Potatoes, onions, eggs and many types of pulses are costing  twice as costly as they were about a few  years ago.

 

This hyper inflation in Kashmir has hit the common man the most. Kashmir’s logistical handicap has another reverse effect – its exports lose their competitiveness due to the relatively high transportation costs. To cope with inflation,we know that  Middle income group have cut back consumption where possible, buy cheaper products given alternatives, postpone the purchase of little indulgences and cut out discretionary spend altogether. With food eating  up more of their incomes their saving is likely to vanish altogether,

The devil of inflation has hit other parts of country as well. To curb the ills of inflation we need a collective roadmap to end the same

Braid Chopping : Unending Mystery

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Farzana Mumtaz/ Rameez Makhdoomi

The series of continuous braid chopping incidents in different areas of the Kashmir valley have given rise to panic and fear. According to Wikipedia, Mysterious hair chopping incidents and rumours of Indian females have erupted in India and Nepal from late June 2017 onwards when  a news channel reported on June 23 that a female from Bikaner, Rajasthan was chopped her hair by a suspect witch when she was sleeping in night, but only one such incident was reported in the entire state at that time. After the incident, many villagers were keeping a strong eye on the woman’s house but later no evidence of a witch or any other supernatural creature was found. As this incident went viral to almost every part of India, especially in the northern states like Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhandand Uttar Pradesh.

The Kashmir Valley reported its first braid chopping in September, about a month after Jammu had reported several similar incidents. In all, according to the police, 35 cases of braid chopping have been reported from Kashmir so far and 192 from Jammu division.

Different reasons are being attributed to it and aptly described by the sane voices . Doctor Yasir Wani on Social Networking Website Facebook wrote :

“Braid chopping :

1) Some doctors opine it is hysterical conversion reaction which is a functional disorder more common in adolescent girls than boys and adults.

2) Some people blame the agencies

3) Some people blame the local criminals who are taking advantage of the confusion and chaos.

4) others are of the opinion that braid choppers are a reality as an organisation with a purpose to cause fear psychosis among already anxious kashmiris.

I think all above opinions are partly right. The reality might lie in the mix of all the above opinions..!!

P:S : Rumours on the social media add fuel to the fire..!!”

In addition to the fear psychosis, the politics has also heated on the issue of braid Chopping in Kashmir and with it public anger is also growing. On October 2, Riyaz Naikoo, field operational commander of the militant group Hizbul Mujahedeen, released an audio statement saying the chopping of women’s braids was aimed at “weakening” the separatist movement.

On its part the Jammu and Kashmir Police  stated recently that it doubled the bounty to Rs 6 lakhs for providing any information about the mysterious braid chopping incidents that has gripped the Valley.

 

“Incidents of mysterious braid cutting occurred in south and central Kashmir. Police announced reward upto Rs 6 lakh for info on people behind incidents,” said SP Vaid, DIG Police,  Kashmir.

“ We hope the evil forces behind the ugly incidents of braid chopping would soon be identified and arrested so that the fear created by them is defeated .Currently these braid chopping incidents have given rise to panic and unease, stated Sameena, a house wife.

Undoubtedly, braid chopping has given rise to atmosphere of chaos and fear in Kashmir.

 

 

 

 

KARBALA THE GREATEST MESAAGE OF UNITY AMONG UMMAH.

Posted on by Editor

Syed Karar Hashmi

 

 

Message of Karbala is to strive or struggle for the cause of Islam, justice and righteousness. It can be waged by various means such as speeches, writings, wealth, enlightening fellow humans by oratory and discourses or writing books and articles . So also funding of welfare projects like schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and so on.

 

 

To  think always about  one’s defense is the proof of being alive and alert. Suppose we are dealing with a powerful enemy who intends to violate our rights  or to attack the territory of our lands, and suppose that we are at the moment too weak to defend ourselves and any effort on our part would entail a serious loss and no positive result could be gained now or in the future. In such a case it is obvious that we are unable to resist such a strong foe but, at the same time, we are obliged to strengthen our forces rather than losing our spirit and remaining inactive.

 

THE KARBALA SHOWS US TO STRIVE AGAINST ALL IMPERIAL POWERS IRRESPECTIVE OF NUMERICAL STRENGTH TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

 

 

 

Imam Husayn had shown by his acts as well as his various discourses during the seven days of Muharram at Karbala, that this conflict was much more universal in nature, and that he knew that he was going to live forever through his martyrdom.

 

 

 

Yazeed died as uselessly as he lived; only three years after the battle of Karbala took place. While trying to race a baboon, he fell from his horse and broke his neck. As history has recorded, those who were apparent victors at Karbala have disappeared without trace.

 

 

 

While the plain of Karbala was transformed from a deserted piece of barren land into a bustling town, of which, the central monument is Imam Husayn’s glorious tomb. Millions of people visit the tomb in reverence, all the year round, day and night. Imam Husayn’s martyrdom is observed with solemn deference all over the world, every year during the first ten days of the month of Muharram, by his followers. Public gatherings are held, speeches are made in which the story of Karbala is retold in touching tones and prayers are made to the effect that may the almighty Allah grant the same courage and strength to his followers in their hour of trial as he did to Imam Husayn. At the end of these gatherings, the audience stand up and pay homage to Husayn and his companions in the following formal terms:

 

I WISH I WAS WITH YOU ( AT KARBALA ) AND WOULD THEREFORE, HAVE ATTAINED THE SAME EXALTED STATION ( AS YOU DID).

 

 

 

Although, the observance of commemoration of Imam Husayn in Muharram has only recently started in the Western countries, they are a part of the Muslim culture in India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and other eastern countries.

 

 

 

New centers have been established in Canada, the USA, and in many European countries where these practices of Muharram are done with all the elaborate details.

The main element of these commemorative practices is the message of Imam Husayn, which is also the message of the Prophet of Islam, which is Islam in its purest form.

 

 

 

Karbala is a gift to humanity. It teaches the parents how to love and cherish their children – however, when the time of sacrifice, the parent comes is in the forefront to sacrifice his/her child for the right cause.It teaches men and women how a husband should behave with her wife, and vise-versa. Even when the family is threatened for life, property, and honour, how sensible people keep their heads and act according to Allah’s and nature’s laws. It teaches the faithful that your beliefs and your convictions are the most important thing in the world.It teaches the faithful to find the right Imam and follow him.It teaches the faithful that helplessness and lack of power in this world do not mean a thing as long as one has chosen the right path and he/she is convinced that he/she is on the side of the truth.

 

 

 

 

When tents were burning in Karbala, Lady Zainab, Imam Husayn’s sister approached her 24 year old nephew, Imam Ali Zain Al-Abideen and asked him: “Nephew, you are our Imam now, what is your command about us, shall we all get burnt to death or save our lives and go out of the tents without our Hijab?”

 

 

IMAM ALI ZAIN AL-ABIDEEN REPLIED: “AUNT, SAVING YOUR LIFE IS OBLIGATORY, GO OUT AND SAVE YOURSELVES AND THE CHILDREN.”

 

 

 

The head coverings had already been looted from the heads of the ladies by the enemy soldiers. However, Lady Zainab is the grand-daughter of the Prophet of Islam; she is the daughter of Imam Ali and Lady Fatima. She did not need anyone else to tell her what the religious law was. She had grown up with Islam. By this one act, Lady Zainab showed to the world the importance of the Imam of the time. At the same time, Imam Ali Zain Al-Abideen’s reply showed that Islamic law is what it is, but common sense always prevails.

The Karbala shows us to strive against all imperial powers irrespective of Numerical strength taken into consideration.

 

THE HOLY QURAN ADVISES, “MAKE READY THEN AGAINST THEM WHAT FORCE YOU CAN, AND STRONG SQUADRONS WHEREBY YOU MAY STRIKE TERROR INTO THE ENEMY OF GOD AND YOUR ENEMY.” (08:60)

 

 

 

 

The writer is a Social and RTI Activist from Central Kashmir Ganderbal District , studying at Jamia Al Mustafa (s.a.w) International University Qom Iran.