by abbass kashmiri
I will tell you my life’s 3 interactions with Kashmir pandits and one among them was child of my age. when it comes to Kashmiri Pandit we wrote first Kashmiri than Pandit. this thing indicates Religion is a something else than Regionalism , Geograpy is more than it.
in 2017 I was in Bangalore on my friends marriage. on the second day of Marriage Grooms brother told me abbass tomorrow I will let you meet my kashmiri friend who is in my collage and they are living here .
I was happy that kashmiri’s are settled here and next night on Reception one beautiful Guy in court pent with Same kashmiri accent, facial and body look. we interacted with each other and sit on same table for dinner. I asked him where from he is , “we are basically from Tral later my parents shifted to Delhi and in 2006 we shifted to Bangalore” he Replied.
afte one hour of discussion when I asked him Name He said My name is RAKESH. I was surprised he is Pandit and than our discussion changes from Kashmiri to Migration. he said my parents told me we migrated during militancy but in a peaceful way and almost every year they are visiting kashmir.
He was Pandit I was Muslim but for people of Bangalore we were kashmiri and we didn’t let people feel that we are from 2 religions even grooms brother was Muslim without this intention that abbass and Rakesh are different.
second time I was on NCC camp in jammu, on the 10th day of departure we left towards jammu for bus. in a Local bus from nagroota one of kashmiri cadet used vulgar kashmiri language against his friend. from back seat one of old aged uncle loudly said ” aesi kashran chini shooban yith kalam” we kashmiri didn’t suits these words.
we were blushed on his comment because we were ashamed on ourselves. but he didn’t target us as a Muslim he was Pandit but he used we kashmiri term.
3rd time I was coming from jammu to Srinagar in a sumo I interacted with Madan lal kashmiri Pandit uncle who was coming from Delhi to Ganderbal. as we all KP and Muslim have same facial , body and language gesture we couldn’t easily differentiate hindu or Muslims. he said I am from Tulmulla Ganderbal and we didn’t left kashmir in 1990’s. I said have you ever felt Afraid to Muslims. He said never but yes during 1990’s my father was in army and Mujahids told us either tell him for Resign or Leave.
My father resigned and we settled here till now without any hurt. than he narrated stories of his Neighbors why they left or what they are facing now. This man Madan lal was busy now in Handicraft business exporting carpets from kashmir to delhi and international market . People are very caring us and on my father’s death all arrangements done by Muslim welfare committee of mohala .
on Mela kheer bhavani people of area joining hands with us every year and organizing Bandars(kitchens) for Pandits . when no one could touched Sikhs, buddhist than why shall I go from kashmir, it was politics of Jag Mohan who vacated pandits with dirty intentions but later failed in his mission. Madanlal said.
this is story of my life’s interaction with Our kashmiri Pandit brothers. how can a little hatred film Kashmir files for commercial purpose Divides us. Kashmiri pandits are part and parcel of kashmir without them kashmir is incomplete. even in last message of Burhan wani He said we don’t have any issue with the Comings of kashmiri pandits but there should be no separate colony for pandist as it divides us. every kashmiri welcomes pandits but it’s govt who couldn’t sent them back to valley or Pandits themselves didn’t want come in this war torn area because since 1990 kashmir awaits for peace which looks a dream only.
Hope both pandits and peace will come again with the message of Brotherhood