By Kavita A.Chhibber
Kashmiri Panditon Ke Ghar” (“The homes of The Kashmiri Pandits”)
In the narrow lanes of the old town
The homes smolder like unfinished funeral pyres
The shards from broken windows create wounds
That drip from the roofs built by our forefathers
Dimmed by dewdrops
Aging ancient memories
Swallow the season like termites.
The rays of the sun evade their own light
And brush past,
Like the smell of death
Fiercely striking
Through the darkness of the night
The mesmerizing beauty of Dal lake
Lingers not too far away
But these broken homes are Kashmir too
Are they not?
So, come, if you can, and walk through
These lost colonies of Kashmiri Pandits
Where, a sobbing, wailing story
might just clasp your feet
Like an orphan child
No one wants to give
Refuge or justice”
(Hindi Poem recited at the event by Sunayana Kachroo, translated in English By Kavita A Chhibber)
My relationship with Jammu and Kashmir runs through generations. My maternal grandfather Brigadier Uday Chand Bakshi held many eminent positions in the military and governance in the state. A book about my maternal grandmother’s family lies in the Jammu & Kashmir museum.
My grandfather’s personal friends were Maharaja Hari Singh and Sheikh Abdullah among others. My mother’s brother went to college with Farook Abdullah. My father Major General R.N Chhibber was posted many times in the state to oversee the borders. My brother Parvez Dewan retired from the Indian Administrative Service with Jammu & Kashmir as his main base. His books on Jammu and Kashmir are great resources.
But my reality was never the reality of the Kashmiri Pandits who were removed from their homes seven times in seven hundred years, first by some Muslim dictators (though Emperor Akbar was a big admirer of their intellect and honored them with many prominent posts) and then, the worst of them all, on January 19th, 1990 in what is considered the world’s largest democracy, India.
Growing up in the sixties and seventies, my earliest memories of Jammu and Kashmir are of peaceful coexistence and harmony between all religions. Whenever my father was on the border (which was very often, and my mom would come to her parents’ home), I would wake up in my grandparents’ home to the sounds of temple bells, the azaan from the nearby mosque, and the kirtan from the Sikh gurudwara. These familiar sounds mingled with being asked to get up and get ready for school. We would play together in the big open lawns, kids of all background – rich, poor, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh – after our homework was done.
I was born and mostly raised in Jammu in my growing years and because my father made Jammu his permanent home after his retirement, my visits to the state remain very frequent.
My mom’s closest friends were both Kashmiri Hindu and Muslim and that is true to this day.
While I did not know much about the long history of the Kashmiri Hindus, as a young, curious child still in single digits, I started overhearing conversations post the Indo-Pak war in 1971, and my father’s subsequent posting to Afghanistan as Military Attache, until our return in 1975.
Afghanistan was a mecca for all religions as well under the reign of King Zahir Shah. Women were treated with respect and encouraged to get an education. There were many cultural exchanges that happened between India and Afghanistan. Many prominent artists visited at that time, along with Bollywood stars. People could trek to nearby Iran and Pakistan.
But lurking underneath the seemingly rosy atmosphere, were the madrasas being funded by the CIA. Bombs were being planted under my father’s car by Pakistani sources. I was a kid but had to be escorted even to venture next door by guards. And when my father was planning to make a sentimental drive through Pakistan to visit his childhood home near Lahore, he was warned by a Pakistani well wisher not to do so, as there would be an attempt on his life. So we flew back to India.
Army headquarters and the government were informed that there would be infiltration on the borders since Pakistan could not win a war against the Indian army. My father had warned the top guns in Afghanistan also about how things would turn out there and that too came true. My father was asked to extend his stay for another 3 years. He replied, “I am a soldier, not a diplomat,” and refused. Many people lost their lives years later and some joined the Taliban. One such officer was known to us. He came to India just to meet my parents, having lost his wife and 2 sons in the coup against President Daoud. Just once, he arrived to bask in their love. We never saw him again.
So I was aware something was really amiss. The Pakistan of my father’s happy childhood, the Kashmir of my childhood, memories of staying in my grandfather’s houseboat on the beautiful Dal Lake, sitting in the garden of my father’s home overlooking the Jhelum on our visits in summer when families were allowed to visit soldiers and officers in the areas not accessible to civilians. All of these were beginning to seem like a distant dream.
I also noticed that my mom’s brother sold off our properties in Kashmir in the 1980s saying something wasn’t right and he rather do it now than later.
As a young teenage journalist while still in India in the late seventies and early eighties, I noticed the lack of news related to the state. Whispers of corrupt governance would waft in when I would be in Jammu and read the newspapers, but it was really business as usual. Jammu was unaffected, the national media didn’t seem to care. The Kashmiri Pandits pursued what they were known for – a high level education and a good life for their children. My parents moved to Jammu in mid 1990.
By then, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Hindus had been displaced, many murdered, and had started leaving the state and the country… or were in refugee camps in Jammu and other areas nearby. Many Kashmiri Muslims who tried to help had also lost their lives. And many Sikhs too were punished.
Yet when I would visit India and go to Jammu, I saw a split even amongst the Hindus in Jammu. Many Kashmiri Muslims and Hindus reached out to help, and many others were openly resentful that their city had been infiltrated and congested by the Kashmiri Pandits. I would have incessant (and at times angry) conversations with those who cribbed, asking them to show compassion, but I started to realize the self-serving nature of all the communities I would meet across the board in different parts of the country.
As a child we moved frequently due to my father’s career as a military officer and I noticed it everywhere. You were a Tamilian, a Sikh, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Maharastrian first… and then an Indian.
People from Maharashtra would resent if a south Indian got a job there. The bosses would prefer “their own people” and give them promotions over a more competent person from another community. And I saw it continue in America.
At the same time I have also been fortunate to meet very secular and fair people in the many communities and cultures I have worked in both as a freelance journalist and on a personal level.
Sanjay Kaul is among them. So when he invited me to be on the panel discussion to mark the 30th anniversary of the Kashmiri exodus on January 19th, I readily agreed.
It was very heartening to see a good crowd on a Sunday morning at the BAPS center in Westborough, MA. Mingling among the Kashmiri Hindus were people from Maharashtra, South India and other regions… all showing solidarity.
Pictures of the great martyrs adorned a section of the hall where we all converged. These were great souls who sacrificed so much to help a community that is known for its rich culture, its honoring of women, some of whom who were rulers, poets and prominent figures, and their single minded devotion to pursue knowledge.
Lamps were lit and roses laid by those who had come to honor the memories of these great souls, as chants of the most powerful mantras to bless and rejuvenate all by Sangeeta and Sanjay Saxsena from the Gayatri Parivar, resonated in the hall.
It was followed by a panel discussion composed of a diverse group of people. I enjoyed meeting all of them.
Shri Omanand koul and Ms. Arti Kaul both gave the audience a rich overview of the cultural, spiritual and historical background of the Kashmiri Pandits who had been the only people in the valley for thousands of years until the Islamic invasion seven hundred years ago. This began the struggles in preserving their culture against so many odds in the last 700 years.
Omanand Koul was especially appreciative to see women on the panel, something that is an intrinsic part of Kashmiri Hindu sensibilities for centuries. Five minutes were too short but he managed to touch quickly upon the many milestones of Kashmiri Hindu culture, their way of life, aesthetics, spiritual practices and philosophy. He has written extensively about it and I look forward to reading his work.
Arti Kaul, an internationally acclaimed musician, talked about the rich and thriving Kashmiri arts and culture, the constant arrival of other artists and their encouragement in the valley and her own journey in the 1970s and early 80s. After that, the late 80s and 90s saw a drop and it affected both the Hindus and the Muslims who could no longer participate due to fear of persecution and today whatever there is in the name of art and culture in Kashmir is well below par. Having lived in the USA, events like these she said are very therapeutic and in her own way she has tried to preserve Kashmiri folk and other genres of music for the future generations and her own uprooted and displaced family.
“This has given me some peace and healed me to some extent from the wounds caused by 30 years of separation and forced exile from my country.”
Vikram Salman, was born and raised in Kashmir and was only 15 when the exodus began. He was watching television with his dad when a noise outside made them peer outside their window.
He saw a march towards the mosques and slogans being shouted. Their house was not in the way so no one came to attack them that day. But the message was loud and clear – to embrace Islam or leave. He had already heard about young Satish Tikkoo who was killed by his own childhood friend and many others innocent lives lost. Vikram was in tenth grade and soon realized that his Kashmir was soon going to vanish. He could not roam free anymore and when he was asked to tell time, he would be corrected to follow Pakistan time. He longs to return to the land he left in 2005 and remains hopeful.
Lalit Koul shared a very moving story of an elderly Kashmiri gentleman on his death bed a few years ago, who suddenly came out of his coma and said “My taxi has come to take me to Baramullah” and then passed away. It just goes to show, said Koul, that wherever they are, people still long to return, to live and die in their own homeland. Koul also pointed out that the state has not recognized the genocide because Kashmiri Hindus are a minority. “In the end, it is all about elections, it is all about local politics.” Recognizing the (Kashmiri) genocide, Koul pointed out will come at a huge cost because there will be questions about legal implications and compensation as well as about security and the government’s ability to protect the Kashmiri Pandits.
The government, Koul pointed out, won’t admit that genocide happened and they stood and watched. He added that the closest the National Human Rights commission came to admitting as much was by stating that what had happened to the Kashmiri Hindus was “akin” to genocide and when the Home secretary admitted that was genocide after the abrogation of Article 370, that line was edited from all media coverage.
Lalit Koul ended on a pragmatic and hopeful note, that the work must continue and radicalization of religions must be addressed especially for the future generations. “If we go back to Kashmir and settle there, it must be a permanent settlement and on our own terms.”
Dr. Anupam Wali talked about how the Kashmir Overseas Association began as an entity to preserve Kashmiri cultural identity abroad but the exodus in 1990 changed all that and the question arose on how what happened to the Kashmiri Pandits could be highlighted among those who mattered. At that time no one gave any credence to India at the local level and so the efforts began to figure out how to draw a narrative for India. Very soon Dr. Wali and like-minded people like him went to several Congressmen, attended many Congressional hearings, and worked tirelessly to bring the issues to the forefront.
Today there continues to be a need to engage state and central government to assist Kashmiris to get admission in professional colleges for a sound education, asserted Dr. Wali. They were told if even one child from each family got in they could take care of the rest of the family after they graduated and found a job. “It is very important to engage within the local communities and build relationships or it will be very difficult to build a case for ourselves.”
Sanjay Saxena acknowledged that in spite of being in nearby Punjab his knowledge of the enormity of what happened to the Kashmiri Hindus was very limited because the media gave it very little coverage. The fact that the terrorism was not just from across the border but from within was a matter of deep concern. The slogan of “No other God but that of the slogan shouter” created a lack of inclusivity that caused friends to become enemies. He argued that the focus should remain on hatred for none and inclusivity for all. People must live peacefully and prosper together.
Dr. Chand Bhan was born and raised in Kashmir, and talked about how Kashmiris faced discrimination in the pursuit of a good education. They had to always be at the top academically to make it to professional colleges because of the affirmative action taken to educate Kashmiri Muslims who were considered a backward class. I remember Dalits having seat reservations too when there really weren’t Dalits in Kashmir. They were mostly in Jammu.
Dr. Bhan shared about the trauma Kashmiri Pandits faced after becoming refugees in their own country. People were suffering from depression after losing their homes, their finances, and their identity… and were in constant panic about losing their lives. The warm climate in Jammu that they were not used to caused further health problems. Dr. Bhan along with others held medical camps and collected funds to help give financial aid helping about 500 families, but the suffering continues, he said. Their next medical camp will be in April 2020.
Young Megha Koul, who is a premedical student at Northeastern University, decided to go to the India of her parents’ troubled memories after hearing heartbreaking stories from them and their friends. She helped set up a one day medical camp and was shocked to see the poor health conditions of the people who filled the long lines. It was a basic camp with simple offerings but it was heaven sent for these refugees and a very humbling experience for her. It came with the realization of how the health care we take for granted is not accessible even at a basic level to so many.
Dr. Abhay Asthana in his well thought out and positive presentation said that the current government has worked diligently to create awareness about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the removal of Article 35A and that Pakistan stood isolated as a result. He added that what happened in January 1990, where so many innocent lives were lost and Kashmiri Hindus had to leave their ancestral roots becoming refugees in their own country, will remain among the blackest of days in Indian history. He believed that removal of 35A and abrogation of Article 370 has done away with the handful of self-serving families safeguarding their own interests and political clout as the central governments during those times had neither the desire nor the political will to take tougher action. On 5th August 2019 the state was integrated into Bharat and he believed that “Now the voiceless and faceless people have a voice and a face.” And he believes that they can now build their lives and a system of governance with a government that cares for their well-being.
Dr. Asthana acknowledged that trust has to be rebuilt, but while the government can help build a key infrastructure, the people must do the rest.
He added that the borders must be secured and made nonporous, local communities need to be made safe, people and government must cooperate to identify items of immediate interest for quick results in order to heal and build trust.
New educational and vocational institutions need to be built while the current ailing ones are rejuvenated. Moreover, support must be given to local industries. Asthana ji asserted that Kashmiri Hindus who are talented, skilled and resourceful can play a key role in working hand in hand with the government to create solid, practical proposals for the rebuilding phase. This opportunity was not there earlier.
Abhay Asthana also pointed out that only once this initial process materializes will the process of resettlement can commence. He believed the government of India is committed to removing all barriers needed to create the environment of growth.
I have spent a lot of time talking to Kashmiri pandits, military personnel, administrators, and the Kashmiri muslim community over the past couple of years and as expected, reactions are mixed.
Many times people have asked me in their innocence and ignorance, “Why did the military not intervene when we were being hurt?”
The Indian Armed forces does a remarkable job in securing our borders and their families because we live isolated lives in the cantonment areas. But the Indian military cannot intervene unless they have orders from the state and central governments… and those never came. The media is often manipulated, bribed and threatened. We know how many journalists have been killed when they chose to go against the establishment and try and publish the truth.
Professor Neerja Mattoo, who is a close friend of my mother, chose to stay in Kashmir all through the exodus and then during the abrogation of article 370. She divided her time between Jammu and Kashmir. She said that except for one incident where two armed Muslim youth approached her husband’s car and wanted to kidnap him, she never felt threatened. Her husband’s Muslim driver and a Sikh family were instrumental in his escape. That incident was followed by a show of solidarity from a large group of Kashmiri Muslims who escorted him to his house, and he was provided security.
She decided to continue to teach but the entire university had changed. Muslim girls covered themselves in black from top to toe, and one Kashmiri Hindu was all that remained in the college. But she felt sorry for the Muslim girls who also faced grenades and persecution but still braved all that to study. She felt strongly that both demonetization and the abrogation of 370 was badly timed and badly executed. August, she said, was the time tourism is at its peak and she was there when internet was shut down, tourists were told to leave and the structures were destroyed. The financial loss was substantial and Kashmir is in tatters right now.
I remember my father saying when Narendra Modi first won the elections, that if he could replicate what he did in Gujarat the future for India was bright. Many people from my family and others believe that if his government is allowed to function for 5 years or more he can correct the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Only time will tell.
I also shared on the panel that what has always gone wrong in our country is a lack of inclusivity and the prevalence of apathy. The day we stop being Muslims, Tamilians. Hindus and Sikhs first will be the day things will take a turn for the better in India. Injustice, as I have always said, is an equal opportunity companion. It spares no one.
What I personally admire about the community is that no matter what the trauma and tragedy, no one retaliated violently, but continued their pursuit of knowledge and rebuilding their lives. That should be an inspiration for anyone who has faced injustice and discrimination.
Sanjay Kaul kept the discussion going with balanced thoughts and hopes for a positive outcome. He pointed out that Kashmiri Hindus have to continue the work for justice and to keep hope alive. He believed that in spite of the suffering, the Kashmiri Pandits will succeed by being inclusive and positive and sharing our truth “Because Truth is on our side.”
Article 370 and CRA.NRC मै समर्थन करता हु