News Kashmir Magazine

8 February , 2021 Issue

Sheezan Zargar , world  experienced arts and crafts expert shares dreams Rameez Makhdoomi
Sheezan zargar from Kashmir is a man with iron will . He  has  always been in love with the tradition of Arts and Crafts of his homeland Kashmir and is inspired by the European Art,  Indian art and the international Art culture, after traveling to countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Morocco, United States of America, South Africa, UAE, Thailand, Cambodia, Mexico, Greece, he has a dream of establishing an Art Gallery in kashmir. Pertinent to mention throughout his journeys he has had great yearning for learning  of diverse global arts and crafts.
Born in Srinagar and raised into the family of artisans his father having a government post in carpet instruction. He himself got interested in trading with Arts and Crafts.  He combined his education for bachelor of commerce from the University of Kashmir with his interest in Theatre and Acting, participating in Workshops of the National School of Drama, New Delhi and a part-time course at renowned  Actor Prepares Mumbai, He worked for TV productions in Srinagar, Theatre plays, as well as for a South Indian Film.
He loves to represent kashmir through  Art, Culture and  language, he loves inter-cultural dialogue , architecture of colors of art. 
Through the medium of Art and Culture, we share love regardless, Religion, Caste and Race.  He has served in prestigious art and craft galleries  of Europe especially Germany. Languages known to him are  German, English, Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi.He feels sad that no art gallery exists in Kashmir and has a dream to set one .”Sheezan Zargar states :”Insha Allah we will introduce good art gallery in kashmir where we will represent excellent painters of kashmir  and we will also combine art, craft  and music we will do  the exhibition of kashmiri artists even from outside kashmir as well. But to make this dream reality in kashmir I need your support. Alone only god looks good.”
Many are pinning hopes that youngesters like Sheezan Zargar would use personnel experience to give new dimensions to the art, crafts and overall culture realms of Kashmir.

Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sports and Youth festival 2021 concludes

Raahat upholding hospitality of Kashmir, set up langar at Qazigund for truckers on national highway

Younus Rashid

Following heavy snowfall, and recent damage to the road at Kela Morh in Ramban has led to hundreds of truckers and tourists stranded on Srinagar Jammu national highway. Truck drivers are stranded from past 10days and as mercury dips to -8°c in Qazigund, they are left to God’s mercy. Hundreds of trucks are lined up on highway from checkpoint Levdoura Qazigund, day by day their miseries go up as no facility is being provided to them. Non-availability of drinking water, public convenience has added fuel to the anguished driver stranded here in Qazigund. No one from the administration has visited us except yesterday when they came with a dry kit of ration but, where will we go in this snow-clad area to get drinking water toilet alongside the highway is nowhere available, said a stranded driver.

Observing difficulties of stranded drivers a young group of guys have set up a community kitchen at Badragund (Daulatabad) in Qazigund area to at least help these drivers by providing them free of cost meals.

Lunch and dinner are being served, a young volunteer knocks at the window of truck asks the driver ‘ustad Ji free langar haa, bartan niklo and laylo dal chawal’ these words go on repeating at every single window of the truck, and likewise, drivers come and take a cooked food in their utensils and move back to the respective vehicle.

A youth committee under the banner of Raahat A Ray of Hope is reaching out to them with two-time meals -lunch and dinner in Qazigund. The young volunteers of Raahat are tirelessly working from dawn to dusk by preparing and distributing meals among the stranded truckers.

The food is catered via private cabs and served to passengers, spread across the area, in disposable packets as well. On the 3rd consecutive day, tourists and truckers are being served who are stranded on the Kashmir side of the tunnel. These young boys were seen busy in the distribution of dinner despite bone-chilling cold when the sun goes down and the temperature dips to minus.

A young volunteer Asrar Rayees says, he is pleased to do such work. There is no real pleasure than to reach out to stranded people with whatever possible is from our side, we are known for hospitality so we must keep it continue, Asrar added.

We are very much thankful to all these people who come to us with meals and other things, we never feel any kind of hindrance here, they are loving people, said a driver from Haryana state.

Restoration of Srinagar Jammu national highways will take few more day till then we are here to help them (drivers), we will continue this langar
(community kitchen) until the highway is not restored, says Khan Lalee the chairman of Team Raahat.

The dazzling figure of DDC Suliaman Ah Mir!!! 

Owais Ah Shah

The writer is a Student 
The DDC results have witnessed the emergence of fresh new candidate’s who are brimful of enthusiasm & carry a torch of grit for future.Here in Handwara’s Rajwar constituency,Suliaman Ah Mir of PAGD has also won the seat & taken the center stage for his stunning success.He is one of the dazzling figures who is emulated by the young people for his élan,eclat & alacrity.He is one of those candidate’s who has been massively supported by the young people & made his victory possible.Before DDC,Suliaman Ah Mir has also been a Sarpanch who always took the responsibility of people with great commitment & his public engagement has always caught the attention of other’s.Now as people have elected him as their representative as DDC,the expectations are massive & he will have to not only measure up to their expectations but also make this constituency a model constituency.Among the young,fresh new candidate’s,Suliaman Ah Mir is at the top who can deliver his promises well.People of Rajwar constituency are looking forward for Development which has been the basic ingredient of the DDC election’s & for them Suliaman Ah Mir is the ideal candidate who can make & shape the constituency for a bright & best possible future. How good it would be for Suliaman Ah Mir to swing himself into DDC will be seen in the future but his ability,boldness & courage is what makes him the dazzling emblem of Kupwara district.He is a DDC of quality who will set an example in dealing development issue’s. 
It has been a long yearning desire of people in Rajwar especially the young to see Suliaman Ah Mir as their representative who will lead change & address their issue’s.Now as a DDC,he has a massive responsibility on his shoulders for future.Not only the youth in his constituency but his appeal to other people in other places has supported him massively.

LOST IN THIN Air

Syed Mustafa Ahmad
I am lost in thin air.I don’t know of living a life;The life that is about introspection,Relearning, unlearning and learning.The life that is to know your worth.The life that is know your Creator.The life that knows relations with others.The life that is to die before death.The life that is to live before death.The life that is to dig your grave The life that is to cremate yourself.The life that means to mourn over your death.The life that means to decide your Paradise and Hell.The life that means to eat a mountain of poison.The life that means to cherish every moment.Life is Life when one knows its worth.

DDC first phase polls in Jammu and Kashmir offers mix bag realities

News Kashmir Exclusive

Today on 28 November, 2020 Amid tight security arrangements, voting begun for 43 segments of district development council in Jammu & Kashmir.

Polling had begun at 7: 00 am in all 43 segments.

In the election, Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration comprising National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Conference and other parties are locked in a direct contest with BJP.
The election would be completed in eight phases .

. In the first phase of the DDC elections, 43 constituencies will go to polls — 25 in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu. Notably, the Valley is witnessing its first elections since the Centre scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated it into two UTs. Speaking to reporters, officials said elaborate arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the polls and special measures taken in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The polling ended at 2

But at many places Covid protocol was thrown in dustbin as voters maintained no social distance at all ,and there was no thermal scanning done .

Pulwama witnessed quite low turnout while in Neighbouring Shopain District voter turnout was high .Srinagar too witnessed less poll percentage along with Baramulla while as it was handsome in Ganderbal ,Budgam and Bandipora .

CALLIGRAPHY: A  SOURCE OF GRATIFICATION FOR AABIDA RASHID
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
It is a fact that the influential personalities often are unknown to the world. The world knows them at some important moments of life and same is the case with Aabida Rashid from Zainakote, Srinagar. She is a calligrapher  of high repute. She has an innate tendency towards these. Moreover, the present pandemic  has made her to groom up the art and  focus minutely on this. She has a flat-tipped pen in her hand with thick and thin lines, lettering that thoughts that are  sometimes difficult to utter. As we are aware that some things are inexpressible, for this sake, art is the best expression.  Growing in an orthodox locality, where some professions are cherished while many are destined to dustbins, she has revolted against the status quo and has come out with something new.        Her journey is full of struggle like others. Since her school days, she has been doing calligraphy and painting. She has participated in many local competitions and has won many of them. After completing his secondary school education, she opted for medical science. It meant a very less time for the art. But she still continued to keep her passion  going. In this way, she didn’t let studies suffer. Eventually, her hard work is providing fruit. Now, slowly and steadily, people have begun to appreciate her work. I was also influenced by her art. However, the most disturbing thing is that a majority of people are not in favor of these things. They believe that these things are useless. According to them, getting a decent job is important than these things. This line of thinking is also disturbing for those who want to make a career in this. In Jammu and Kashmir, this craft or art is invisible, although a hobby for many. But for Aabida, it is more than a hobby. She is of the opinion that Calligraphy is music to eyes. Furthermore, she says that it is a remedy for all moods in her life. She doesn’t feel alone in the shadow of this art.       Apart from these, she is a self taught artist. She has never been to any institution. As said above, having innate tendency towards this, she has been working hard to get proficiency in this. Everyday, she learns new things. In the pandemic, when there was laziness all around, she began to devote most of her time towards this craft. Going to school means that she had very less time to devote to this. However, pandemic came as both boon and bane. For her, it somehow, has proved icing in  the cake because now, people are appreciating her art on social media sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.          Moreover, she believes that an artist should be given an opportunity to prove his or her mettle. Everybody is a genius. However, keeping the same criterion for everyone, is insanity. Calligraphy is a worldwide appreciated art. We have many masterpieces of art that compel our wonder. In this way, she expects that society should appreciate this kind of talent. It must not be abhorred. If this gives me pleasure and I feel it as a duty, I must be allowed to do it. There is nothing special about hobbies and professions. Art or profession should give pleasure. Hence, it becomes worship.      So, it is a happy moment for all of us to have an emerging calligrapher among us. It is up to us know that she must be supported in this endeavor. She has a keen desire for this. And most importantly, she is revolting against the society that is used to a particular line of thinking. She wants audience both to appreciate as well as prune her art. She loves doing what she does. She has been receiving orders for a  month. If God forbid, she is not taken into account, there are chances that we may deliberately oversight such a talent that can act as a medicine in times of mental frustration like in the present situation, when the majority of adolescents are in depression. Note: Her Instagram account is aqida Calligraphy ( belief)

Truck crushes motorcyclist to death in Kulgam

Kulgam, Oct 06: A 25-year-old youth was Tuesday crushed to death by a speedy truck in Khudwani area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Officials told the news agency that a 25-year-old youth identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Khanday, son of Ghulam Qadir Khanday of Sarandnoo was hit by a speedy truck (JK03C-7004) near Khudwani bypass Kulgam.

“The motorcycle of youth was crushed under the wheels of the truck, resulting in his on spot death,” Officials said.

“A case has been registered under relevant sections of law and further investigations have been taken up to crack the case,” he said

LAWDA DYSP Raies Ahmad Mir a paragon against encroachment
News Kashmir Desk At a time when world including Kashmir is facing pandemic Coronavirus , some vested interests are trying to take undue advantage of same and resort to establishing encroachment in different parts of Srinagar. On the other hand, the tipper mafia is aiding the efforts of such illegal elements by ferrying construction material illegally. To weed out this menace a team formed under Dysp Raies Ahmad Mir has been constituted and it has been on war foot basis doing exemplary work. Since day one the dynamic personality of Raies Ahmad Mir has been leading from front weeding out the menace of illegal encroachment as soon as they surface, and going hard against the tipper mafia. 
It is learnt that a number of Touts and Brokers are in nexus with all this mafia trying to disturb the beauty of Srinagar. Raies Ahmad Mir, DYSP LAWDA has vowed to take forward the mission of preserving the serenity of Srinagar and go always tough against encroachers and such Tipper /land mafia as recently many tippers have been seized and booked under relevant sections of law.

Masses have highly appreciated these developments and hoped that soon the Srinagar city with such ONE MAN ARMY like officers would see new dawn of sustainable development.It is learnt that  that in order to tackle such mafia more than twenty illegal tippers in Habbakadal, Saidakadal, NFR,WFR were seized which created panic among the mafia as a result they are labelling baseless allegations to hinder such appreciable practice.