Crumbling Social Order

I am not sure how far defining Kashmir as “Peer Waer” is justified, but as long as I can remember I have always heard people saying this with utmost conviction. Every discussion would end on the same point, irrespective of the body of discussion, political, social and economical. People of Kashmir have always taken pride in belonging to the place which has also been known as Land of Saints. And why not, being bestowed with the immense natural beauty and serene environment Kashmir has been devoted to the religious wealth it has acquired through centuries.

The very fabric of the same society has been torn apart by the revelations which have come up in the recent past. While corruption is nothing new in this state but its intrusion into the fundamental blocks on which a society stands, has come as a shock.

It all started with few hundred deaths of infants, in the only pediatric hospital in Srinagar. With the committee’s formed and investigations done nothing concrete ever came up. People who were suspended were later re-instated at the same or higher positions. The blame game continued, till people remembered no more. The public memory in Kashmir, like other places is short term, where a hue and cry rises about an incident and then people forget about it, a complete blackout happens as nothing ever had happened. And, now the deaths have reduced, not because some serious cognizance has been taken about the unfortunate events that took place, but because less people visit the hospital now. Parents think hundred times before making the decision of going to the only paediatric hospital. This was later followed by a fake drug scam. Again something related to the health sector. The medicines containing chalk and clay were being fed to the patients in government hospitals as life saving drugs and other emergency medicines. Many a doctors attribute the deaths in paediatric hospital to this fake drug scam. And, who knows how many more deaths which happened in hospitals or at other places were because of these medicines. Not even considering, how many patients suffered pain because what they thought of as medication was clay and chalk, with no medicinal value at least to improve health.

As if this was not enough, a crude disclosure of self proclaimed dervish came to fore. He was arrested on the charges of rape. Exploiting young girls at his so called institution and making them believe that it is spiritual in nature. Could it get worse? Primarily, if these things happen anywhere, they are condemnable but someone who the society thinks is propagating a religion and its teachings, this is utter disgrace. Not only for the fake dervish, but for the people who trusted him with their sons and daughters. Also, the infamous CET paper leak scam, where allegedly the chairman of BOPEE is involved. In this case even the parents were involved in purchasing the entrance papers for their wards. Meritorious students were denied admission to the Medical College while the undeserving students indulged in corruption made it by means of buying the papers. And, tomorrow when they complete their degrees and practice medicine in hospitals, it probably would be a nightmare for patients.

Lately, Kashmir has so much been intertwined in corruption and its related activities not only economically but socially and spiritually as well, without realising where the society is headed. Ironically, these activities have placed fear and scare among the common man that they no longer trust the institutions and the individuals. And, how would they? There have been so many betrays, at all levels.

It’s high time that people wake up because the political class is already in deep slumber and they for the rest of the times to come would do nothing but form committees and order inquiries. We as a society have to decide if this is where we want to live or commit to memory the mistakes we have made and make sure that the culprits are punished and let our society grow on merit.

Aam Aadmi then, VIP now!

On 26 November, 2012 a political party was launched in Delhi. And on 8th December, 2013 it created history, which would be remembered for a long time to come. A case study of which would be introduced by many business schools; many other political parties would try to copy the same model and many corporate would take out the lessons of leadership and team work from their success. It’s not every day that you see the emergence of political party which achieves such success.

Indeed, there are a lot of lessons to be  learnt not only for political organisations as Gandhi scion admitted in a press conference shortly after the poll results were out, but for all such organisations which have public dealings.

In Kashmir, even though the mood is upbeat about the nascent “Aam Aadmi”, who has created ripples in Delhi’s political circles, expectations are very little. The policy of Aam Aadmi Party is exactly the same as that of other political parties – Kashmir is the Integral part of India.

In Kashmir even the “Aam Aadmi” is a Dictator! Their seems to be no value of Aam Kashmiri Aadmi and even if there is, as was seen when one of the eminent lawyer now part of AAP had said: “I want that the situation be normalised, [the] Army be withdrawn, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act be also withdrawn and then try to persuade the people of Kashmir to stay with India. And, if the people want, then there could be a plebiscite, and if the people of the Valley want separation, they be allowed to separate”, it has to be sacrificed at the very onset. And that’s what has happened. As an activist one might be able to speak the truth and stand for justice but the same becomes impossible to say as a politician.

But, then this is not the lesson Kashmir should draw from it. Rather should be concentrating on the factors which led AAP to this kind of success. Then, there is also another story of a cricketing legend who won world cup for his nation. In 1996 he launched his own political party; in 2002 he was the sole MP from his party. But in last couple of years emerged as a serious player on Pakistan’s political scene and missed being a leader of opposition by a whisker in May elections. There is some kind of similarity between both these parties leaving aside the levels at which they fought elections. They gave hope and build trust among the masses. They reached out to the people and talked about the basic problems people faced. They have somehow managed to touch the hearts of people and have been able to connect to the people.

Also, everything that is happening in subcontinent stands witness to the change of mood among the common people. The awakening is there; the masses are realizing the power of their vote and are using the same with utmost caution. It seems to be the end of an era, where the votes were put up for sale, without realising its worth and thus jeopardising the democratic set ups.

There are a lot of lessons to learn for the political class of Kashmir. Even though Kashmir’s political arena is not as easy as it is in other parts but the change needs to take place, however small it may be. The need to realise the power of a common people is immediate and to pave way to their aspirations is indeed, the way to move forward. For both the sides, in Kashmir!

Madiba, no more!

Mandela’s biggest legacy  was his remarkable lack of bitterness and the way he did not only talk about reconciliation, but he made reconciliation happen in South Africa,” said F.W. de Klerk, South Africa’s last white president before giving way to Mandela, the country’s first black leader.

On Friday Morning, when I heard about Nelson Mandela’s death there is one thing that immediately came to my mind: World has become a poorer place to live! It is a huge loss not only to the people of Africa but to the world, which has looked up to him as an icon of Freedom, Fairness and Justice.  People, who have closely worked with him, have described him as someone born to lead.

He best described himself in a speech in 1964, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Rolihlahla Mandela was born in 1918 in the village of Mvezo and was given the name Nelson by his teacher at primary school. He lost his father at an age of nine. He was expelled from the University for Political Activism along with Oliver Tambo. And soon after became head of ANC’s armed struggle. First as a lawyer, then an activist and ultimately as a guerrilla leader, Mandela fought against the racial discrimination against the black people in Africa. He spent 27 years of his life in prison initially on Robben Island and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Vester Prison and was finally released in 1990. He rose to become the first black president of democratic South Africa and received noble prize for peace in 1993.

In 1980’s, Ronald Regan placed Mandela’s African National Congress on America’s official list of terrorist groups and he was not removed from same as late as 2008.

Kashmir, has always felt some kind of connection with this man. As a Chairman of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) it was he who raised Kashmir issue saying, “All of us remain concerned that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir should be solved through peaceful negotiations, and should be willing to lend all the strength we have to the resolution of this matter”. This was the first time that the issue of Kashmir had ever come up in a NAM Chairman’s speech.

In mid 1990’s when a separatist leader was released after spending some 15 years in jail, he was welcomed as Nelson Mandela of Kashmir.  A protestor, who rose to some fame in 2008 agitations, was also called Mandela. I remember him saying in an interview to news channel, I was born on the day when Nelson Mandela was released from Prison, since then my parents lovingly call me Mandela and so did my friends. For the people of Kashmir, Nelson Mandela was the leader of masses.

Mandela was admired by every Kashmiri. He was respected for his unwavering commitment to the cause of people and steadfastness towards his struggle for freedom.

Madiba as he is affectionately known as would be missed by the people all around the world for his leadership qualities, his conviction and his achievements.

Rest in Peace!

Suffering Moses

Walking along the banks of the Jhelum in Srinagar, mighty chinar trees sway gently in the soft breeze. Soaking in the beauty around it, Suffering Moses, a 173 year-old antique craft shop well-known for its exquisite papier-mâché and wooden artefacts, exudes a magical aura. Inside the modest shop, an antique wooden piece with intricate carving draws you to it almost magnetically. "The fine piece is 70 years old," reveals Muhammad Sadiq Wani, the 65 year-old owner. "You won't find another evidence of this carving anywhere else. A lot of patience and time, probably years, have gone into making this single piece."

In Wani's office, adjacent to the shop, history seems to come alive; the place is rich with artefacts no less than 50 years old. The artistic khatamband ceiling, an excellent example of the age-old art of making geometrical patterns using small pieces of wood, radiates old-world charm. Wani's finely carved desk overflows with delicately designed art pieces such as a rectangular wooden flower vase, a papier-mâché pen stand and an old telephone apparatus.

Suffering Moses has a range of artefacts on sale: hand-painted papier-mâché and copper-lined bowls, lacquered wooden treasure chests, vibrant floral trinket boxes and handmade candlesticks, intricately designed pashmina and jamavar shawls, vintage woollen rugs, exotic petit point and exquisite pieces of Ari embroidery. The making of these wonderful artefacts—that has admirers around the world—involves rigorous processes. For example, in the case of papier-mâché, extensive preparation goes into the making of its basic structure, application of the colour and design. To produce world-class products that last a long time, Kashmiri craftsmen prefer natural colours.

The age-old craft shop is a perfect example of the cultural impressions Muslim preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani left on the Valley 700 years ago. Wani's ancestors were among the artisan families brought by the Persian poet all the way from Iran. The families were masters in their own trade: painters, silversmiths, shawl-makers. "My ancestors specialised in papiermâché, wood carving and embroidery," says Wani with pride.

These arts flourished during the British rule in India. To overcome the scorching summer heat, the British elite used to head for Kashmir to enjoy its cool climate. They bought movable boats called donga, converted them into houseboats and hired expert artisans to decorate the interiors. "It was during this period that many household decorative items like flower vases, bedside tables, pen stands and writing tables were introduced," says Wani. "Later, these beautiful artefacts were also exported."

In 1935, Suffering Moses opened a shop in Connaught Place in Delhi where Lady Mountbatten often came to shop. "But during Partition, the shop was looted," Wani recounts. "Later, my father went back, only to find that it was turned into custodial property. But many of our customers from England used to come even after 1947."

Though the handicrafts industry in Kashmir thrived for centuries, things have changed in the past 25 years owing to the extended conflict in the region. Apart from having an impact on production, there has also been a rise in the production of fake handicrafts. "We are just pulling along now," reveals Wani. "We are dependent on tourists for business, but inflow has fallen drastically because of the conflict. Last year was an exception however; I hope this year is good too."

There are other problems too. "The new generation is not too enthusiastic about this field," adds Wani. "Even younger people within the family are not interested in taking it up as a profession because they want to pursue education and other professions. Lack of patience is another reason; this skill takes 10-15 years to hone. But amid all these challenges, Suffering Moses has always given importance to quality, sometimes even at the cost of profit."

Now the question that should have been the first: Why the name 'Suffering Moses'? "The name was bestowed upon us in 1840 by a British Lord," answers Wani. "It's reflective of the pain one goes through in creating each piece of craft. For example, a fine kani jamavar shawl takes almost four years to make." No pain, no gain, right?