[Reader-list] we owe 15 years to kashmir

[mamta mantri]

Kashmir magnificently holds its epithet of the ‘Heaven
on Earth’ in the barrenness of the winter, is the
impression that I took home when I visited Srinagar
and Gulmarg in February. After passing through the
Jawahar tunnel, my first glimpse of snow and snow clad
mountains were a marvel, since I had never seen snow
in my life time. 
Well, scenic beauty apart, I was keen to explore the
other facets of Kashmir, of the turmoil that the
‘Kashmiris’ faced, and the same old story. Anyways,
every story was what we have heard in the popular
lore. But want to write what I found more striking. 
Fed on the Nehruvian concept of India, I always
thought and felt that Kashmir was always a part of
India, in spite of its geographical and cultural
differences. But the first thing that you become aware
of there, is that we are ‘Indians’ and they are
‘Kashmiris’. India is a land of plenty (population, in
this context), and Indians are good for them as
tourists, since the Kashmiri economy thrives on
tourism. So it is better that way. Indians must come
as tourists and spend money in all possible
forms(house boats, guides, cars, sledges, skiing,
shopping, and pay tips to all of them, in the bargain)
and go back home with pleasant memories. The most that
I remembered of Kashmir was the bargaining with every
possible person I interacted with. The best was a
conversation with a tourist guide in Gulmarg. While
bargaining for a tip, he made a passing comment, which
kept growing in me for quite some time. He said (to
the effect), “Kashmir was closed for tourism for the
past 18-20 years. Now that things are better, India
owes all those years to Kashmir. 15 saal ka hisaab
baaki hai.” I reacted instantly, “Will you take all of
that from me? How is the onus on me? For God’s sake, I
am a tourist wanting to enjoy the natural beauty of
the valley. Poor me!!!” 
The statement has larger dimensions. Apart from the
burdens of the taxes, heavy traffic, pollution, high
disparity between rich and poor, poor health care
facilities, and the never ending list of woes, which
we shoulder as Indians, the debt of Kashmir is also on
us. Is the government listening ( a clichéd question,
perhaps, but want to still ask it?)



 
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