I am ….touched by his warmth and have always believed that
the hill folk have it in abundance.
Kashmiri non-vegetarian food is undoubtedly one of my top
favourites across India…..
Arshad comments ……. ‘Tourism is just one aspect of Kashmir
and it is no yardstick to judge the state’ …… The strong undercurrent of
hostility among Kashmiris, according to him, is mainly due to the draconian,
AFSPA. ………. ‘Independence will trigger a civil war among Kashmiris. We never
had the privilege of self-rule! The Mughals ruled us, the Sikhs ruled, the
Dogras ruled us.’ ……… ‘…….It was easy for Pakistan’s ISI to brainwash young
people because of the excesses committed by the Indian army,’ he tells me……..at
no point does he condone militancy. He highlights the fallouts of militancy
that has now come to haunt Kashmir. ‘Murders, rapes and drug running are not
rare occurrences any more in Kashmir. These crimes were almost non-existent
before militancy took root in the state,’ he says
…………the seemingly endless cycle of killings has not only
sapped the general populace, but even hacks.
‘A militant is lucky if he lives to be Thirty. It is almost
a thumb rule that a militant’s maximum run is about five years, before he gets
killed. His luck doesn’t hold out for long,’ Shabbir tells me.
I ask Arshad about the freedom of press in Kashmir. He tells
me that it is very tenuous. If a media house gets too critical of the
government, the administration moves in quickly to gag it. ……..Most newspapers
in the Valley have an anti-establishment stance while television reporters are
mandated to follow the editorial line of their respective channel owners, which
in most cases, support the official version. ………Times Now is particularly
despised in the Valley. Arshad feels the channel’s coverage of Kashmir is
jingoistic…… ‘…….Do they even realize that the one-sided coverage can only fan
alienation amongst Kashmiris?’
I cant help but be grateful for the pearls of wisdom from so
many tea sellers on this journey – their overwhelming warmth notwithstanding,
no GPS ……….can ever beat them for their innate travel instincts, particularly
when you happen to travel alone.
Sonamarg does manage to create one of the most magnificent
views in Kashmir.
Drass is the second coldest place on earth after Siberia.
The average temperature in the area borders on a tortuous -10 to -40 degrees
celsius in winters, lasting ten whole months, from mid-October to May.
……….Leh ……….roadside vendors selling vegetables and dry
fruits. What is most endearing is that along with plying their wares, these men
and women continue to meditate and hold a prayer wheel in their hands. Sometimes
their lips move quietly, even as they negotiate a price with a potential
customer.
….Leh’s height (11,562)
………the fantastic Nubra valley appears in sight – the sprawling
high altitude desert. During the glorious days of the Silk Route, trade
caravans followed this strategic route from Ladakh and Kashmir to Baltistan and
Yarkand in Central Asia.
…….Hunder is also one of the greenest areas I have seen in
Ladakh.
…..Kargil……… ‘Whatever little development has taken place in
the region, it is post the 1999 conflict with Pakistan. And much of it has come
because of the Indian Army’s initiative called Operation Sadbhavana,’ says
Zeya. For instance, the concerted efforts of the Northern Command in promoting
activities focused on the basic needs of the local population. Zeya extols the
work done by the armed forces in running a school for the mentally and
physically challenged children …….and a vocational training centre for women…….And
the army hospital is a great boon for Kargil, where civilians are offered free
medical treatment. A year after the Kargil war, the Indian Army also introduced
Operation Sadbhavana in Ladakh.
Built by German engineers, the three-kilometre-long Jawahar
tunnel is a marvel, that runs through the Pir Panjal mountain range, connecting
the outside world with the Valley. Considering it is a significant part of the Jammu-Srinagar
road link, and a prized target for militants, the Indian Army guards it round
the clock.
Suddenly, it strikes me that during this entire trip, I hadn’t
come across a single Kashmiri Pandit – not in any of the shops, nor in
government offices or even amongst passengers who travelled with me on sundry
routes. ……
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