Why We Need To Write?

Posted on by Editor

Sheikh Meelad

 

People write for a variety of reasons. For some, it is a career; for others, a hobby. Some write because it helps them to sort out their feelings. Some have a story to tell. And some write because nothing in the world makes them happier.

Have you ever really thought about it? I don’t mean the surface reasons. I mean, what is it about writing that you love? What makes you shake off the disappointment of rejection letters and want to start again? Why are some of us so sure that we were meant to write and others avoid it like the plague?

Before talking about people, let me introduce my perspective towards writing. I write because my passion demands me so. The passion in my heart and soul need to come out, so writing is the only way that I can do this. Passion is what makes a writer. If you do not have passion for what you are doing, well, you won’t be able to write. I write because I want someone to feel something. I write from my experiences, hoping that someone might learn something, feel happy or even enjoy sadness.

Aside from the fact that writing is an inescapable part of everyday life, there are many good reasons you should make a good session of writing part of your daily routine, even if it’s just a few hundred words. You don’t have to be a pro to reap the benefits of creating the written word. Writing can have enormous positive benefits in your life and let me name some of them.

Writing can be therapeutic. It can be a way to vent all the pent-up frustrations burdening your mind into a far less volatile form, paper (or screen). You can address your anger, fear, worry and stress without bludgeoning the person who embodies those emotions for you with a paperweight.

Writing can serve as a form of cathartic stress relief where you finally get to say what you can’t say out loud, in real life. Just don’t let your vented feelings get into the wrong hands, or you may end up paying some pretty hefty blackmail cash. A daily writing habit gives you regular time to sweep your mind for forgotten tasks and ideas that have been fermenting in the back of your head without your knowledge. It allows you to take the unordered thoughts floating around your head like lost puppies in zero gravity, and turn them into ordered plans and actions.

Another benefit of writing every day is, even in a stream-of-consciousness, unedited format will maintain and gradually improve your writing skills, and since dealing with the written word is a fundamental part of daily modern life, there’s nothing bad about that.

Get away from the constant low-quality input and output systems of day-to-day life, such as meaningless small-talk and weather conversations, text messaging, Twitter, checking the mailbox, and most email and many websites. You receive and create barrages of useless distractions that don’t help you or the people you know; sitting down to write lets you get away from it all. It’s important to keep the noise to a minimum so you can focus on creating and receiving strong material, things that are really worth reading and writing.

Part of the reason so many people do not get what they want in life is because they do not know what they want from it. Certainly not the main reason that people don’t get what they want, but in so many cases it is the obstacle. How can you get what you want or achieve your dreams if you’re not 100% clear on what they are?

Writing each day gives you time to think carefully and reflect on what you want to achieve the most, and develop a clearer, achievable image and plan for that result.

In a fast-paced society it’s easy to forget things like what you believe in and what you’re doing this (whatever this may be) for. Letting words flow out of your brain unedited can introduce you to a part of yourself you’d been censoring from yourself to cope with everyday life. Why did you start down the path you’re currently on? This is an important question whether you consider your current path to have begun on the weekend, or a decade ago. Discontentment, disillusionment, and unhappiness often come from forgetting why we’re doing something (or, on a different track, not having a good reason for living a certain way) and it is important to keep those simple reasons at the forefront of your mind or you run the risk of letting your life become a series of boring, menial actions. It’s not only important to remind yourself of your motives for your current actions; it’s important to monitor your actions to see if they align with your life goals so that you can change them. Sometimes, the only way to keep such a close monitor on your actions and goals is to write about them every day.

One of the most instrumental changes in my life has been writing every single day. For many years I was a writer who didn’t write that regularly. It was always on the back of my mind to write, but I didn’t find the time. But now, I tend to write every day. I think for people like us (Kashmiris) who have suffered their share of traumatic experiences, Writing can help us carve those experiences into words. In this way, this could be something meaningful for our next generations to come. Do write, do it every day!

(The writer can be reached at Sheikhmeelad@gmail.com )

Will PDP Alliance with BJP Last ?

Posted on by Editor

Syed Tajamul (BM Imran)

 

 

History has been created in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP, which won a single seat in the 2002 Assembly elections in the State, increased its tally to impressive 11 in the 2008 elections, which were conducted immediately after the land row agitation during which several small Hindu organizations, along with the BJP, consolidated the region’s Hindu votebank. This election, the BJP stood second after the PDP, with 25 seats and gained massive electoral gains ,  all from the Jammu region.

The coalition government, led jointly by the People’s Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which came into existence recently is a stunning political event.  Who would have imagined that when a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak for many years would be Prime Minister, the BJP would win 25 seats to influence the course of political and cultural events in Kashmir? Who knew that one day he would depute his hawkish confidante and party President Amit Shah to supervise the Common Minimum Programme between the BJP and PDP, also called the Agenda of the Alliance — exaggerated by some as the ‘second Instrument of Accession’? Who would have thought that Shah would depute the BJP’s newly appointed General Secretary Ram Madhav, who for years has been a popular face of the RSS, to negotiate a deal with the PDP — a party known for its soft stand on Kashmiri separatists, whom the RSS dubs as anti-nationals?

A day after the BJP and the PDP announced that they would form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, a sense of coming to power prevails in the Hindu-majority Jammu where the BJP won all its seats.

 

“For BJP, its blitzkrieg of ‘Mission 44 +’ worked out well to touch the highest ever mark of 25. So the next move was to be in the power structure as it was a ‘now or never’ situation for the party. To be a power player in the only Muslim majority state is surely a dream come true,” noted political commentator, Shujaat Bhukari, wrote in Rising Kashmir.

If we look back in election rallies both parties PDP & BJP have always opposed each other, in jammu region BJP have said that PDP is an anti Indian party while as in Kashmir PDP has said that BJP is the real enemy of kashmiries since 1947.

While both the PDP and the BJP have climbed down from their stated positions for forming the government this time, people in Jammu see this as a victory, unlike in Kashmir, where the majority feels betrayed by the PDP.

 

Not only that but if we look on the voter turnout most of new voters voted in favour of PDP just to put BJP out from Jammu and Kashmir But presently  people in Kashmir Valley remain wary. Mufti himself had described the PDP-BJP alliance as unification of “North Pole and South Pole”, but recently, senior PDP leader and chief spokesperson of the party, Naeem Akhtar, described the alliance as the “miracle of democracy.”

 

“We voted to keep BJP out of power but the same BJP would rule us now. This is not what we have voted for. This is not why we trusted Mufti saheb. We feel cheated and the PDP will face the consequences of its alliance with BJP in Kashmir in coming years,” Nazir Ahmed Wagay, who lives in Anantnag, said.

 

And the new voters as well as the youth of Kashmir is writing such things; “After Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s will be the second grave to require police protection if PDP allies with the BJP,” Showkat Reshi, a student at University of Kashmir, wrote on Facebook.

Both sides have different agendas and perspectives on Kashmir’s history. Both sides, as Mufti said to the television cameras after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were as different as the ‘South and North Poles.’ Still, the alliance of the opposite poles has been woven carefully and craftily.  Mufti spoke from the heart when he met Modi for 70 minutes at the prime minister’s office. He told Modi and later the media that a flight from Srinagar to Jammu takes 20 minutes and a journey by road 6 hours, but the emotional distance has remained for the last 60 years that should be bridged by the PDP-BJP government.

The momentous time has put a huge burden on the shoulders of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Sayeed, who will have to work pragmatically to see that their parties ensure the agenda of the alliance fructifies. Both men have an opportunity to turn statesmen.

In Mufti’s case, his success will help a torn state that has seen only tragedies to experience peace. The PDP-BJP’s harmony, while delivering development and justice to the people, will give the state an opportunity to grow and shed some painful memories. Of course, their success will help not just India and Jammu and Kashmir, but also the geopolitical territory.

If Mufti succeeds, his legacy will strengthen the efforts of his daughter Mehbooba Mufti to carve out her future. Modi can kick start from Jammu and Kashmir the historic transformation of his exclusionist party towards an inclusive political journey.

It was one of the most difficult agenda-setting exercises in recent history. Both parties were aware on day one that a consensus was unlikely. There would only be an agreement to understand the differences that could be put it in perspective to run the development agenda.

So, in the common agenda setting exercise, has the PDP won or the BJP? It is difficult to say. Such agendas, however balanced or one-sided, can be judged only after it is put to the test.

Also, since the PDP-BJP alliance faces more odds than favourable conditions, all stakeholders will have ultra-cautious optimism.

If any one side had dominated the agenda it would have made the alliance a non-starter. It seems the BJP will be a little flexible in Mufti’s efforts to bring into the mainstream one section of the Hurriyat and separatists leaders, while on the issue of the Jammu region’s woes, Mufti will be liberal. If Mufti can do both, then the BJP and India should thank him.

The BJP had the chance to have its own chief minister if Omar Abdullah had agreed to an alliance. Sources say Abdullah met BJP leaders in New Delhi, but after he returned to Srinagar his party forced him to ditch the BJP.

The National Conference has 15 seats and the BJP 25 in the state assembly. In the 87-member assembly, a BJP-National Conference alliance would have got the BJP its own CM, but Abdullah’s party thinks a PDP-BJP alliance is unworkable.

The PDP, the National Conference believes, will be the bigger loser if that happens. And once it suffers a setback, Mehbooba, Omar Abdullah’s arch rival, will suffer the most.

If and when the PDP-BJP alliance fails, it is argued Abdullah will be able to deal with the BJP from a position of strength. RSS-BJP leaders think that Jammu and Kashmir is India’s most important state, not just for India’s security, but for the country’s identity. Modi has taken up a pragmatic step by not selecting the National Conference, but the PDP to form a coalition government

Acid Attack : Time to Ponder

Posted on by Editor

Huma Rahil

The recent attack on a girl student of law college is an example of ignominy , affront ,immorality and fall which reveals up to what level our society has reached .In this heart rending episode young spinsters face was badly disfigured.   This episode happened in crowd during day time and in an area where possibility of such  incidents  happening  is very rare.

The question here arises is, whether this episode should be interpreted as legal perversity or to be called a result of demolishing moral edification of society .For such kind of episodes who is responsible electronic media which now and then use to display such crimes and sins in an exaggerated manner like in serials, movies etc or lack of moral education which was best sourced by parents ,teachers and guides.

Various religious ,political organisations as well as sagacious people of society expressed their pain on  this grievous act and asked for the severe  retribution to the culprits ,but for the extirpation of social evils no one has raised its effective consideration and deliberation  .Few questions are here to be focused

Ist :  Why any person without criminal background would perpetrate such acts of crime?

2nd  : Why human relations and life is meant so cheap that from any one such perilous mistake can be done?

3rd:   Will stiff laws be successful in forbidding these culpable acts?

4th:  What kind of protective measures will be serviceable in resisting such crimes?

Another question is that by giving punishment to the culprits can affected minor’s figure will be reinstated or restored?

Religious statements, emotions of sympathy ,words of disquietude and speeding up patrolling of police will not be able to stop such kind of crimes .

In Kashmir education is common .New generation is being adorned with  jewel of education .Youth talks much about morality and religion  but when it attains wrong way even evils head down of shame .In past valley had little literate irrespective of little education people were wise ,well mannered, and cordial before civilization they were not dissolute ,debauchee, ferocious and ravenous whole society was enriched with wealth of manners ,virtues ,morality , ethics and kindness, this being the reason why Kashmir was called as Pir  Waer ( land of saints) .Today there is abundance of education but people are lead to astray paths  .Society is at decline in its virtues .Social evils have stepped into life of common people. In one way TV internet dominating and controlling the minds on the other hand male, female illicit relations ,ill thoughts and bad company has become the cause of day to day  criminal acts.

Modest ,moral ,cultured youth has to come forward with new enthusiasm, ebullition, new institutions , new ambition and  from all sides and corners of society it is necessary to remove social immorality ,pollution of wickedness ,impurity of souls minds and hearts ,this is call of times .Youth should have moral education so that it would apply to him or her individually and which would ultimately be fruitful / useful to society and also with others its conduct should be better .He / She should realize the individual as well as collective responsibility

Man must be scared of almighty the supreme this is fountain head of qualities which one can have and is strong resistance to every evil doings and immorality .There are thousands of ways to spare from law and we can gust dust into eyes of police but if epithet of fear of god and abstinence come into being in man ,then even from being away  from  clutches of police or from any one ,a person cannot even courage to think of violating  any law whether man made or law of almighty.

Prem, Qadir- Exemplary Bond of Friendship

Posted on by Editor

Nazima Parray

I was waiting for you Prem, where have you been. Oh you thought today you will complete your poem without reading it to me. How is that possible Qadir, you have always been my inspiration if I am the first verse of my poetry you are the last one and my poetry is incomplete without you; our life is meaningless without each other. Every day these two friend’s used to spend lots of time this way cracking jokes, sharing every joy and sorrow and moreover Prem’s poetry .The have strange connection with each other and it was only Qadir who could understand every verse of Prem’s poetry. They were sharing this bond from the day when both Qadir and Prem used to cross miles from their homes only to get halwa from the lady who used to distribute that on every Thursday in the shrine of  SHAHI HAMDAN (RA).Qadir and prem met for the first time in the same shrine  when  Prem fell on ground and Qadir helped him to get up. Qadir shared his share of  halwa with prem from  then they were friends and still shared the same care and affection  towards each other. Their friendship had set example for everyone known to them and everyone respected them a lot. Prem Nath was living alone because his only son had settled in abroad after marriage. This separation of Prem from his son Bablu had made him vulnerable but he didn’t want to express it to anyone without Qadir because only he felt what Prem was going through. After his wife death he had grown sad after all she was his only support after Bablu. Qadir was also living with his son but his life was worse than Prem. Both were going through the same pain. Prem has started writing poetry after his wife’s death. He used to go every evening to Qadir home to read out his poetry to him. This had now become part of their life. One day Qadirs daughter in law came and insulted Prem and accused him to keep his father in law busy with  what she called  filthy things. She told Qadir to be of some use to them by helping her in home chorus. Prem left without uttering a word and that night they both wept till dawn. Qadir decided to talk to his son suhail about this but of no use to him. Suhail favored Prem sons for leaving his unproductive father to have better future. He wanted Qadir to be of some help to his wife. From that day Qadir and Prem decided to meet under the shades of chinar tree far from their houses. Because of their old age it was becoming difficult for them to cross such long distance but both used to hold each other hands to reach to their favorite place. Qadir I am not able to complete this poem I tried a lot to write but couldn’t, it’s because I was not with you Prem told Qadir. You know very well you are the first verse and I am the last we will complete it together. Prem further told Qadir that Bablu has left me all alone here knowingly how much I need him at this stage of life. Your Bhabhi also left me alone and my only son didn’t want me to stay with them. Qadir I think your bhabhi wants me to accompany her now time has arrived, Prem don’t talk like this we have still long way to go together ,Qadir told. Prem told Qadir I have one last wish I don’t want my son to fulfill my last ritual I want you to do everything after my death and believe me you have always been a true and sincere friend with this Prem breathed his last in Qadir’s  lap. Qadir was completely broken after Prem’s death. Every day he used to go to the same place where his best friend breathed his last he wanted to complete the poem which Prem left incomplete. One day while sitting there he saw prem coming from ahead, he sat beside Qadir and was smiling at him, you must be missing me said Prem . Prem I want you to complete that poem which you left incomplete he put his head on Prem’s shoulder lets complete it together Qadir had smile on his face and completed the poem.

Place of women in this patriarchal society

Posted on by Editor

By Beenish parray

 

Women, who are embodiment of ‘frailty’ and patience, can be seen in the shape of a mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife or a better-half that is she has to play different roles at different stages of life. She forms the most important part of society. But women often have to encounter wild behavior from fellow humans.

 

As if crowd and scorching heat were not enough, that a skinny boy with suffocating smell, started touching the girl sitting beside me. At first it seemed an accidental touch but repetition made his intentions clear. When for the third time he repeated his gesture, the girl’s patience broke down and in a fit of anger she slapped the guy. Everyone in the bus was stunned. After a few heated arguments, the boy left the bus. After a while the people started talking about her clothes and scarf less hair. Soon their discussion reached to the moral of girl. I could see her tearful eyes. She could not hold herself anymore and left the bus. I hurtfully sighed on the plight of living in patriarchal society. This incident prompted me to put down these lines.

 

Kashmir is a land of peace and conflict tradition and culture. Butthe bitterest truth of those is Patriarchy, According to Wikipedia the word Patriarchy means ‘the rule of father’. However in modern times it generally refers to social system in which power is held by men. Our society hasfailed to accept the most important fact morality and culture are conditional. Kashmir has always been known as land of saints and religious interpretations have always favored men. This probably gives them the power to mould religion according to their will. Male ego and suppression of feelings are their methods of practicing patriarchy. The irony is that females participate in patriarchy more than men do in my society. They have confused modernization with vulgarity. The rights of women are non-existent here women have no right to even advise on household matters let alone make decisions. Even in the freedom struggle of Kashmir, women also suffered a lot.

They have to take permission of their father in law or brother in law or husband or even son to visit their parental house. Actually for equality to persist no permission is to be sought. Many of us have accepted it as a destined matter. Women must fight constantly for their rights. Men don’t have to fight for their place in society like women. Patriarchy is also found in family traditions like women taking the name of their husbands, and children always carry the father’s name. Most women choose to retain their maiden names in order to maintain their identity. With reference to Mr and Mrs. So and so and assumes the dominant role again and women loses. Women may never truly win over patriarchy but they must continue to hold their ground whenever possible to change the tide in our society. It takes only small steps to start with and women who are bold and do not give in to men and their power, there is a chance that women and men can be equals in life…

“Behind every successful man

There is a hand of women.”

Why Cricket stopped interesting me

Posted on by Editor

Arshie Qureshi

With the entire cricket buzz around, it never happened to be the sort of thing that attracted my attention. Odd? Yes of course. Very rare for any Kashmiri. We all have close memories associated with cricket here in the valley. From the stressing over India Vs Pak matches that make the streets look deserted as if no life exists here to the young boys playing cricket in congested lanes of the old city, everything gives a sense that cricket circulates in blood of locals.

At 12 I would sit and watch the game and would also bite my nails every now and then. The inside of my wardrobe was fully covered with collages of pictures of sports personalities. That was when I was practically able to go out in the field during my leisure time and engage in sports related activities. However eventually I got confined to playing indoor games and playing an outdoors meant only at school. And all of this happened because I belong to a gender that hardly finds any space to live up the game practically.

Before this time I would accompany my uncle and cousin brother to a nearby playfield to play cricket and I would also participate. But one fine day the things changed radically. Once I hit the adolescence, I was no longer allowed to go the field. Not only did my parents obstruct but it was also the people out there in the field. Months back I would play with these men without anyone whistling and passing indecent remarks. But now there was an effort made by the males in the field to make me conscious of my sexuality. Others suddenly found it uncomfortable to play in my presence there.

The day it became something that I couldn’t continue because of me being a girl was when I tore down all the posters and lost the passion for the game. It turned out to be a big disappointment when whether or not I enjoy a game had to be decided by my gender. Such narrative is valid for many other girls who come to be sidelined from sports as they grow up.

A number of women from the valley have participated in sports such as cricket, basketball and volleyball but a number of games, markedly after a certain age limit, are still considered to be inconsistent with the social view of women. Lack of interest is in hindsight an irrational justification for excluding girls from sports.  Although the sports organizers, coaches, school and college physical educationists always try and forge an optimistic path towards participation of girls in sports, the lack of complimentary infrastructure is what holds them back.

Things were a bit different at college. They always provided proper sporting facilities but at the same time it became more disappointing to take in when outside college when I failed to find adequate facilities available in the state at large to keep my practice going. Once college shut, I could hardly find appropriate space to keep on playing. Not that I am associated with a particular game but for the purpose of leisure I always found a huge lag in the space where I could go and spend time. While most of the men stroll down lanes to playfields and parks in late evenings and play light games for refreshment after exhausting summer days, women miss out any such opportunities. I walk past one or more groups of males of all ages playing cricket on streets….they go out to play even during hartals. I, on the other hand, let alone playing on streets, cannot find any amicable space to hang out with my group.

For various reasons women often find their passage to sports blocked most obvious among them being the lack of playfields exclusive for women. The traditional grip over the society calls for gender segregation at various levels with most obvious being the segregation in sports. On one hand, men and women don’t take part in sports side by side on the other hand; there are no adequate sports facilities like playfields available for women. Although no field has explicitly been designated to men, most of them are taken over by men as their exclusive playfields. Even if the women attempt to grab the opportunity to benefit from these fields, the atmosphere would not be very conducive, both in terms of her their own comfort levels as well as in terms of societal perception.

Even if women moved into playfields with boys, there are certain specific apparels that any sport demands to fit particular needs. However, the kind of apparels that a particular game demanded and the kind of apparel that would generally be acceptable in a traditionalist society controvert. By and large, women would not be at easy playing dressed in these apparels in presence of male counterparts.

One of the most consistent forms of discrimination is in the social role forced upon women throughout the history. This discrimination has as well been reflected in sports through their limited participation.. Though the sporting world changed greatly and the participation of women in sports has dramatically changed in last few years, the quest for equalizing women’s opportunities in sports in the valley is still short of its goal. With several crucial steps in the direction, not only the participation of women can be improved but also an ideal provision for leisure can be constituted.

A story of my village {check-Kanispora Baramulla} which has rented school

Posted on by Editor

Rameez Bhat

In our mother tongue Village is commonly known as “GHAAM”. Village is euphorically an amazing place where a stressful soul can relish the beauty of nature. The village life is full of ravishing beauty because of various things like enjoying with neighbors, full of ecstatic and social duties of respective members of every family. The people together can take part in various festivals to relish the beauty of festivals. People also take part in neighbors work and together they relish the work with ease. Somehow village life is gifted by the creator but it would be more gifted if the government will take part in its development.

Let me talk about my village {Check-Kanispora} which falls in Baramulla block about 9 km from the main Baramulla town. It has neither a well maintained road nor even it has any transportation services. The locals are in a state of acute pain due to the bad condition of road. It has made travel risk prone. Electricity  supply is erratic and safe drinking water is yet to reach in our village. What makes me anguish about my village, is the education system. Here education system is suffering very badly on all fronts. As we are well aware that education is the backbone of any nation that grooms its citizen to grimace and kind of hard-knocks with braveness and boost them to acquire more and more feasible ways to achieve the quality of excelling in lives. It would be only possible when you have a better quality of education rather I can say best quality of education. Let me talk about the education system of my village. In our village we have got two schools one is Middle and second  is primary school. It’s our bad luck that both schools are rented. At  times various zonal education officers came to observe the schools of my village and at various times they assured us that they will provide a government building with effervescing playground where students can take part easily in various curriculum activities. Neither had they provided a government building nor does the students have been given quality education. Our children are not able to read the things properly, memorizing the things is so far away. Other worst thing is that in our middle school we have seven teachers for 30-students. At the same time we have three teachers in our primary school for six students. It’s totally pathetic. Our education officers do no’t take this matter earnestly, as they are under deep slumber. Now we have a hope that our newly education minister Mr. Naeem Akhtar sb will take this matter seriously. Sir as we know education is essential for the progress of all human societies. Education gives us hope to raise the nation towards development but it seems impossible in our hapless valley particularly in my village as the present system is very much defective. Here schools are rented with least presence of students, it would not matter for me or for the people of my village if they provide an education in  rented schools but what makes me agonizing and the people of my village is that our students don’t get a best quality of education. Believe me it created a string twinge in my heart as our children don’t know the basics of their books.

And the worst thing is that neither the respective teachers take this matter gravely nor the chief education officer of Baramulla. Why should they take care about the children life of my village? As their children get their education in most reputable schools of district Baramulla. But what about the children of my village as they get their education where their teachers are not able to provide them a good quality of education. I would humbly request to you {Respected Naeem Akhtar sb} on behalf of the people of my village and the respective students of the school, please take this matter seriously, and think for a while about the future of our hapless children.

I did my job as I have highlighted few issues because every individual has its own role in their own society to lead the nation towards the development, now it’s your turn to look at these things, hope you people will emphatically ponder on these issues. I would like to end my issue by sayings of Anujsomany: The true value of an education is in providing a wisdom tool to each and every student to make a good life than merely making a living out of the acquired knowledge from the school.