Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Looking For Positive News...

.
I read this news today morning and felt happy immediately:

How Kashmiri Muslim couple defied a curfew and walked miles to feed Pandit friend's starving family.

Great people!

As Kashmir burns after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, and half the state is under curfew, a lone Kashmiri woman and her husband braved a strict curfew to get some food across to her Pandit friend.

I have read a few more stories like this about Kashmiri muslims.  We had been there in 2004 (Amarnath yatra)Never felt any difference between them and us, South Indians.  In fact, I admired the boatman who was a Muslim (Click amarnath yatra to read the story!) who said that life goes on like their children go to school, all weddings are going on and they take it in their stride when shootouts happen in the neighbourhood.  He too had lost some members in his family.  I had noticed girl children chatting and giggling on their way to school.  He or any other Muslim didn't show any animosity towards us, Hindus.  Well...they are normal people.  Then there was a shootout at the Jammu station when we were in the station and our train was cancelled.  The local people just turned their head towards the station and walked away normally, as if nothing had happened.  Still I felt very sad when I saw the good-looking children who were begging...they didn't look like beggars at all.  They didn't look like terrorist family's children or thieves.  We gave them some chocolates and they were beaming. Got a lump in my chest, looking at them, I remember.

So many angles are there when we think about their problems...Is it the mistakes of the politicians, the media or the real terrorists?  The normal people are getting terrorist brand ... 

Now, one terrorist is dead, the one who shot our Colonel MN Rai, the whole Kashmir is in mourning.  The media also is covering 24 hours a day about this incident.  

During the 2014 floods in Kashmir our army was sincerely helping Kashmiris and they praised our army whole heartedly. 

The social media is inundated with praise for operation Megh Rahat. And the jingoistic, chest-thumping brigade has swamped the net with its ‘look, you’d have been dead without them’ rhetoric.

All this goodwill is being generated because the Army has sent out 20,000 soldiers, 80 medical teams and thousands others providing back-up, to rescue Kashmiris trapped in Srinagar and other regions facing the flood fury.

As the same article says, now, it is back to hatred against each other.  The boatman said that most of the Kashmiri Muslims want to live like normal people. I felt very sad looking at the old blackened buildings which had bullet marks.  Such a beautiful country is devastated now.  The boatman said then that only for the past 3-4 years, the tourists had started coming to Kashmir for vacation (this was in 2004) and their lives were improving.

We visited Vaishnodevi temple via Jammu in 2013 and thought Jammu was normal like anyother city. 

I am writing this post now because we have booked in a Travels tour  to Vaishnodevi temple, Jammu and Kashmir in mid-September.  Is it OK to go there now or should we cancel the trip? Husband says, the Travels know how to handle/take care of its customers.  They are professionals.  I am slightly worried.

 

13 comments :

Destination Infinity said...

People don't take weapons unless they feel there is no other option, is what I think. But the consequences will be disastrous for everyone involved. Hence, it is always better to settle disputes through talks and negotiations. I hope people of J&K will want to put an end to armed conflict.

Destination Infinity

SG said...

Yes, ordinary people, irrespective of their religion, want to live together in peace. You had asked a rhetorical question as to whose mistake it is. It is the mistake of 3 people. Clement Attlee, Maharaja Hari Singh, and Mr. Nehru.

Sandhya said...

DESTINATION INFINITY: Do you think it is possible at this stage? When we thought terrorism had come down over there a bit, new conflict started. Feel very sad for the people.


SG: Yes.

BK Chowla, said...

Whose mistake,I don't know.But,if one goes by historical facts,it was Nehru who messed up Kashmir for which we are still suing while his third generation lives in luxury on our expense

Sandhya said...

BK CHOWLA: From what I have read, I too think so. Thanks for reading and commenting, Chowlaji!

Onkar said...

The turn things are taking is worrying

sm said...

only the politicians are responsible which includes all the political parties what others did and what they are doing , its easy to say that Nehru made the mistake, but it is not easy to take right action always. No politician or human can do 100% right things. The king of Kashmir made the mistake, Nehru failed to understand what Pakistan will do and Pakistan saw the chance took the opportunity and failed

ashok said...

Sad times...

Bikram said...

its all politics .. We are reaping what we sowed basically.. and this time its what our politicians and leaders sowed.. YET the same leaders are living LUXURIOUS life and they will always... because we the normal people are not together..

when the common man wakes up and stands together with each other, india will change and there will be no fright of going anywhere ..

its the same everywhere in india,, people from north are wary of going to south, and vice versa..

PLEASE TAKE CARE and if it can be avoided do avoid.. please

Bikram's

Jeevan said...

I think terrorism or terrorist should not be a reason for people to prevent visiting Kashmire, because I believe it will only encourage the terrorist activity if we started abandon the state… which I think what terrorists want and we should never give chance for that. I think it’s an illusion that Muslims hate other religions and I ever seen the religion interrupting the relationship among people esp. in India, as I have grown among the Muslim neighbours.

Hope you have great journey in Sept. and i really want to know your experience and things your observe there :)

Sujatha Sathya said...

Humanity does exist after all.
And yes the mess up we owe it to Nehru
As fpr your travel, good luck, surely the tour operators know their way around these things and you will be fine. Envious of your trip by the way

Sandhya said...

ONKAR: Yes, Onkar!


sm: Kashmir is literally bleeding India...Kashmiris are given so many concessions, facilities than all the other people in our country. The people of Kashmir, mainly and all of us are facing the negative results of the decision they took all these years. It will continue.


ASHOK: Yes, Ashok! Will it ever end?

Sandhya said...

BIKRAM: We need a good leader very badly.


JEEVAN: Until now, the trip is still on. The Nirmala Travels people are experienced and they know to decide this way or that way. If it is very difficult to go there, they might cancel the trip. If they cancel, it is OK. If they are prepared to take us, we are going.


SUJATHA SATHYA: Yes, the travels people know best. We are going, most probably. Thank you, Suatha!




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