Finally I visited Kashmir. I longed to be in
one of the most beautiful locations in the world for many years. It was a long
cherished dream fulfilled when I availed the ‘Leave Travel Concession’ and flew
to Srinagar for a short holiday with family.
I grew up hearing about the conflicts for
Kashmir and the continuous violence. For many years, not a single news bulletin ended
without a mention of any violent incident in Jammu & Kashmir. The 1990s
witnessed large scale fleeing of a section of Kashmir residents to Jammu, Delhi
and various other parts of India. Incidents like the kidnapping of Rubia Syed (daughter of the then union minister), the siege around Hazratbal shrine for more
than a month etc. shook the entire country. The intrusion and consequent military
action at Kargil created fresh tensions at the boarders. All these contributed
in making Kashmir a less favoured tourist destination for many years.
As the Air India flight descended to the Sheikh
ul Alam Airport, the beautiful view of Kashmir valley rekindled the spirit to
explore. Mr Basheer, the driver was waiting for us outside the terminal. A good
driver can make the trip a lot happier and comfortable. I decided to have him for
the entire week while I was in Kashmir. We conversed throughout our trips about
the life in Kashmir and I came to know about the ‘ground realities’ that are
not reported in any printed text. I am thankful to the warm hospitality and
assistance of the officials of the para military force. My interaction with
them gave me enough insights about the difficulties they faced and the crucial
role they played. I was enriched by my brief interactions with persons from
other fields viz. Senior Police Officers, businessmen, Kashmiri ‘pundits’,
traders, hawkers etc. (More on this later!)
Here are some snapshots:
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| (He is not a Kashmiri. He is a malayali fakir I met when I stopped for tea at a street side dhaba) |
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| I attended the Sunday Mass in this church at Srinagar |
I have following observations based on my very
brief visit to Kashmir:
a.
The
people of Kashmir are peace loving and they are happy to have a peaceful and
secure life after years of conflict and violence. Normal life has returned everywhere
and it is like any other part of the country.
b.
The
government needs to focus on the young people of Kashmir. Though they are
capable, enthusiastic and ambitious, they feel that they do not have enough
opportunities to excel. This has resulted in disappointment and anger and might
lead to rebellious behavior against the system. Unless concerted efforts are
taken to establish educational institutions of high standard and to create appropriate
employment opportunities, things might go out of control. In such a scenario,
they would become vulnerable to terror outfits.
c.
Tourism
potential of Kashmir is grossly underutilized. Areas where people visit such as
gardens, lake, snowfall locations etc. have not been developed properly.
Museums and parks lacked maintenance. Kashmir can achieve rapid economic growth
through tourism. A comprehensive action plan needs to be formulated in this
regard.
d.
Many
people are not happy with the way local administration is functioning. They are
disgruntled about the infrastructure and the widespread corruption in
governance.
e.
Kashmiri
people feel discriminated when they reach the mainland for education, career or
business. They say that they are seen with suspicion. It is necessary to make
them feel that they are trusted, loved and respected.
Kashmir is an asset. It has a unique
culture beyond the borders of particular religions.
Views are
personal ©
Sibichen K Mathew
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