SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 (PAGE 3)

SACRED SPACE BOOK REVIEW Yajyen destroys diseases A collection of nostalgic stories Swami Ram Swarup pure rainfall, free from germs is caused, Items like pure ghee, dry fruits etc., Avtar Hugami pure water gives us pure food grains, Fragrant materials like elaichi (car- Title of Book : Sheen It is unfortunate that nowadays, all fruits, herbs etc. and when our children damom), dried petals of flowers etc. human-beings are facing number of take pure food, they attain strong body, When all these are offered in burn- Script : Devnagri as well as Nastaleeq most dangerous diseases due to which by which strong nation is built. ing fire of Yajyen then it happens that most of the people have to meet with Dr.Kundanlal, M.D. conducted an just as a household lady in her kitchen Author : Er. Vinod Kumar death also. experiment, taking twelve test tubes, fries chillies in ghee then you know the Outbreak of coronavirus has also filled with food particles. He filled six of effect of the chilli through air even goes "Sheen" (A Collection of Short Stories) is Vinod Kumar's been detected which is a serious threat the test tubes with fresh garden air and to a far distance like drawing room and first book in Kashmiri language . Before that he has published to human-life. rest six with air generated from agniho- other rooms too. So is the case of Yajyen a book in English titled " Lal Ded - The Backbone of Kashmiri You see, God nurses the creation. So, tra. He found that food of the test tubes and similarly the offerings of all the Culture" in 2018. An engineer by profession, Vinod Kumar is He being our real father, in the begin- filled with garden air started decom- things goes to the sky and to sun mak- a budding writer of J&K who apart from his professional ning of every creation, also gives the posing much earlier than the food filled ing contact with air and ray of light of responsibilities devotes his leisure time to literature. In his new knowledge of four Vedas to destroy illu- with the air of agnihotra. It proves that sun. As a result, timely pure rain is book "Sheen" he has depicted some heart touching moments sion and solve all kinds of problems of air generated by agnihotra is pure and caused. and critical situations which the Kashmiri Pandits faced dur- human-beings including those of med- further purifies the atmosphere. In Atharvaved mantra 2/13/1, there ing or after their mass exodus from the valley. These situations have been given the touch of fiction by the author which is the ical science. According to Atharvaved mantra is an invaluable preach that if we per- novelty of the book. "Sheen" is full of interesting short stories. 3/10/11, by performing Yajyen, the form agnihotra daily, then its pious fire So, corona and other fatal infectious There are fifteen short stories in the book. Er. Vinod has acquired the traits of fiction writing which includes plots, inci- dents, characters and language. Apart from this he has beau- tifully described the sentiments of different characters. In each To our bad luck short story of the book he has successfully carried forward the positive messages to the readers. For this I appreciate the we have completely efforts of the young author as this is the crux of short- story writing. over-sighted Vinod has spent his childhood in . He has himself faced the brunt of forced migration at his young age. That is eternal vedic why his passion and longing for Kashmir is reflected in his short stories. Most of the short stories revolve round the social envi- culture, wherein ronment during the turbulent times and after the exodus. These short stories are full of nostalgia. The plots of these the solution to all short stories have been precisely described which apart from making them heart-touching, also indicate the literary caliber kinds of problems of the young author. This is Er. Vinod's first effort in short sto- ry writing. It may be possible that we cannot compare this effort These short stories are full of nostalgia. including diseases with the level of renowned short story writers, but it is appre- The plots of these short stories have been ciable that the young author has also started writing in his exists. mother language. precisely described which apart from In many short-stories the author has succeeded in under- making them heart-touching, also indicate standing the human psychology in his own way. This has made diseases can be destroyed if we simply which is burning in the havan-kund, the short stories different and interesting. For example in the the literary caliber of the young author. human-beings protect themselves from destroys all germs and protects us from perform daily agnihotra in our homes, short story titled "Taj Mahal", he writes, "I again had a glance say four vedas. Yajurved mantras 1/1 all kinds of sufferings including dis- diseases. Then, we do not feel effect of eases generated in all seasons and of the Taj Mahal and replied to Ali Mohammad. Taj Mahal is own experimentation and experience upto the reader. If the and 2 state that Yajyen is the most old age, instead we enjoy ill free, long, very beautiful. Supreme religious pious deed which times. happy life till the last stage of our lives. writer ignores any of these elements, then the short story There is no comparison. But today it made me to remem- cannot be effective. Er. Vinod has very well taken into prop- purifies atmosphere and destroys Yajyen is basically performed by Though the benefits of performing ber my own Taj Mahal (my ancestral home) which was con- er consideration all these elements and he has succeeded in infectious diseases. Therefore, it is using wood of mango tree. A scientist Yajyen are unlimited but here knowl- structed by my revered grandfather in Kashmir….. For me writing good short stories. But too much nostalgia in these most beneficial for human-beings. named Trelle of France did experi- edge of only some of the ved mantras that ancestral home was not less than this Taj Mahal. But stories may not be comfortable for some readers. So, when we obey God for several ments on Yajyen. He found that when has been quoted. If, anyone draws his now neither that Kashmir nor that Taj Mahal exists for me." vedic principles, pollution and dis- the mango wood is burnt then a gas, attention deeply in these mantras and In another short-story titled "Sheen" (which is the title sto- According to renowned Kashmiri poet Sh. J.N. Sagar, " for eases are either destroyed from its "formic aldehyde" is liberated which starts performing daily agnihotra ry of the book), the author writes "while staying away from any writer the language is as important as the apparels for a roots or do not generate. destroys the harmful bacteria and with ved mantras, offering aahuti Kashmir, we badly miss our motherland and it is our keen bride." One has to take it into consideration while writing. This is possible through continuous study and research of the liter- Further, Mantra 2/7 states that makes the atmosphere pure. Then with ghee and samigri in burning fire desire to return back to our roots. Of all the relations, the ature. These are the two faces of the literary coin. If any writer agnihotra purifies food grains, water only, the scientists made "formalin" of havan kund, surely he would pro- relation with the ancestral soil is supreme." etc., bestows mental and physical from "formic aldehyde" gas. He also tect himself, his family and the pub- In the short stories of this book we can have a fragrance ignores any of these two things, then his writing will not be strength along with pleasure on us so did experiment on jaggery/Gur (in lic residing in his surroundings from of Kashmir. Apart from this we can imagine the natural beau- effective. In this direction our young writer Er. Vinod is fortu- that public enjoys long, happy, ill free raw sugar) and foundsthat on all types of diseases and problems. ty of Breng Valley alongwith the flow of Bringi River. In a nate that he takes care of both (the continuous study and life. burning the jaggery, it generates In the childhood and young age, due unique way, the author describes the area which shows the research). This will make him a successful writer in the times "formic aldehyde" gas. passion of the author for his native place. Theses short sto- to come. So, everybody must offer aahutis in to ignorance, those boys and girls who ries bring that background to the minds of readers which the The beautiful part of the book is that it has been written in burning fire of havan-kund. The fire has A scientist named Tautlik came to do not take care of their health, after author has described through depiction of the incidents. both Devnagri as well as Nastaleeq scripts. It is not an easy job the nature to rise above and the matters know that when Yajyen is performed sometime, they have to face its dire con- The language of the book is simple and easy to understand. to publish a book in two scripts, but by doing so the author has which are offered in it are disintegrat- with samagri containing raisins (kish- sequences. Since the author has left Kashmir at an early age, that is why taken care of the entire readership of Kashmiri literature. ed into numerous subtlest/minutest mish) and black currants (Munacca) So, what is the reason behind gener- he has chosen the simple language. Over a period of time, after The book is beautifully designed in laminated paperback atoms which combine with sunrays to and if we stay in a Yajyen and its smoke ation of these fatal diseases in present for half an hour then the germs of continuous reading and writing the author can use a strong edition. The getup of the book is very attractive. Front page spread in the entire atmosphere and times, the reason is non-performance vocabulary existing in Kashmiri language. typhoid and T.B. are destroyed. and back page justify the title of the book. The paper and print- thus purify the air by killing microbes, of agnihotra and the solution lies in per- The titles of some short stories have been beautifully cho- Yajurved says that four types of ing is very good. Price of the book is Rs.300/- only which is which prevents diseases. forming agnihotra. sen by the author which attracts a reader to read them. For justified for such a good book. But the Acknowledgement In Bhagwad Geeta shloks 3/13-15, things are mainly used to prepare offer- To our bad luck we have completely example "BBC", "Futvote", "Crackdown" etc. ings for a Yajyen: should have been clubbed with Preface or written after that Yogeshwar Sri Krishna Maharaj states over-sighted eternal vedic culture, While characters, plot and language are important for and not before that. that Oh! Arjun, when Yajyen is per- Honey, jaggery, raw sugar etc., wherein the solution to all kinds of short story writing, such stories should have a beginning, We will hope that Vinod will pen down many more good formed, then atmosphere is purified, Antibiotic herbs like gyol, etc., problems including diseases exists. climax and conclusion. Moreover the writer should carry his books not only in other languages but in Kashmiri too. : A Mapped Diary

Tazeem Akhter At Mahe, the road meets the main route from to Tsomoriri and turns south. The rolling vast meadows are welcoming with the DAY ONE ascent. The fleet of goats led by Changpas shepherds remind you of The Mountains changed their colours; from browns to greens to Bakarwals and becomes a common sight after Sumdo. Lakes That- snow-whites to pale yellows as the tandoori heat Shiwaliks gave way sang Kuru and Kyagal appear scattered like humongous water- to cools of Ladakh in less than an hour. The rivers meandered deep droplets. Tsomoriri appears at Korzok village and extends to infini- below. First muddy, then glacial, then deep-blue. Vegetation dimin- ty. Like Pangong. As beautiful, but not as popular. At night, ished. Density reduced. Mesmerizing beauty enhanced with every village across the lake flickered dimly. inch. The sun was nearer, and it gave a striking welcome. Ju-ley. DAY SEVEN There was a chill in the air and it swayed the silk-soft Khatak. Ladakh Bidding adieu to the sleeping lake, the sight of Nepali women has always intrigued me. labourers with infants on their backs, working on road at Upper Sum- An acclimatising languid walk in the winding alleys of Leh old do distracts you. From Lower Sumdo, the left turn takes you west- town was fresh to the core. The mud-brick dwarf houses resemble wards towards Puga. The air smells of borax and sulphur and hot the traditional houses of the Pir-Panjal region. The intricate roof too. water springs burble, adding music. Satranj. Kadhi .Everything covered in soot. There are , almost Not very far away, is Polokongka La. This route looks deserted. at every nook. A mosque, built on the order of Aurangzeb, dates back Not a single soul, save the few bikers. The remains of dhara like struc- to 1666-67. The Central Asian Museum right beside. A gonpa in the tures are haunting. These structures house Samad-Rokchen nomadic main bazaar, Jokhang. The Leh Palace at the end of steep labyrinth community. The valley opens up and there appears a tray full of salt. of stairways gives an aerial view of Leh. The nine-storied building It is the Tsokar lake. Thukje and Tsokar are the two villages settled still stands majestically since 17th century. A ten-minute hike and the on the shores. The road meets the Manali-Leh highway at Depring. Tsemo monastery gives a better bird-eye view. Another world opens up once you cross Takglang La. Ladakhi DAY TWO women clearing snow, greet you with a charming Ju-ley. The moun- All about monasteries. Passing , the village is tains turn steeper, stonier and darker as the road crosses a volley of located on the left roadside of Leh-Manali highway. It houses the Shey villages Rumtse in valley, , Gya on the banks of riv- Palace which was once the summer home to the Kings of Ladakh and er Gya and Salsal. At Miru, not-very-vast mustard fields add colour also the monastery. Few kilometres ahead, on a hilltop the to the otherwise monotonous picture. monastery gives Tibetan vibes. From Kharu on the banks of Indus At , it meets Leh-Mahe-Tsomoriri road. Ahead of Upshi, at River, the road turned right to monastery, nestled beautiful- Kharu, the right turn takes you to Pangong via and left turn ly in the barren mountains. Distanced 45 kms away from Leh, this ends at . Straight ahead, in northwest, is Leh. largest monastery of Ladakh is the most-beautiful one. So very peace- ful. In the evening, the brightly-lit Leh town slugged while the Shan- DAY EIGHT ti appealed for world peace, from not very far away. in winters at subsidized fare. The road dug deep eastwards, opening following the , the road takes a gigantic south-eastern mean- At dawn, we bade byes to Leh. Crossing Phyang and stopping DAY THREE up beautiful places, most of the times constricted on the edge of tow- der to reach Aghyam. At Aghyam, another two routes from Leh join briefly at Magnetic Hill, the sight of meeting Indus at Nim- Leh is just a trailer. The Ladakh movie releases as soon as the ering mountains. The archaic trails appear broken far and near, being in; one via Digar La, the other via Wari La. Ours was the route, less mu knocks away your sleepiness. The mountains basked in early- town is left behind. Travelling north, the post at South Pullu prom- no longer in use. travelled by. From Aghyam, the road begins to ascend. The valley morning sunlight as Basgo, Saspol, Ulitopo and gave way ises of hidden natural treasures, beyond. The road winds up, gaining The barren mountains gives way to a small green patch, as the begins to widen and the village Shyok greets with a gentler green- to one another in far-east. height till snow-covered Khardungla. Perched at 17,582 ft above sea road descends to reach , a bowl-shaped village. From there, the smile. From Khaltsi, the road on the right takes to via , the level, it is the highest motorable pass in the world. There was a snowy road is pretty much at a comparatively lesser altitude. Crossing At , the traffic increases manifold. It is here, that another left via Lamayuru and Mulbekh. Taking the less-followed route and Changmar, at a distance of about half an hour, is a Muslim-dominat- welcome. Hot steaming tea made the picture perfect. The maze of ed village, Bogdong. Beautiful little girls draped in white scarves pres- route joins in from Kharu via Chang La. Few kilometres ahead; the following the swollen , we passed through apricot-laden mountains all around amazes you. ent a visual treat even as the village is labelled as being orthodox. road turns very dangerous, hanging from rock-strewn mountains. villages of Takmachay, , Scrubuchan, Lehdo, and Thang. The road then descends to the famed valley, stopping Locals do not allow themselves to get photographed and their inter- The Shyok goes out of picture. The road continuously gains height Further ahead, Hanu Yokma on the right and Hanu Rong on the left. briefly at South Pullu check post. A little ahead of Khalsar, the road action with tourists is minimal. Absence of eateries in this village is and cross and Mugleb and Lukhung. Once you cross these The 16th-century Chiktan castle waves from a mountain cliff on the diverges into two; one extending more northwards, to Sumur and the confirmatory proof. villages, you get the first view of the world-famous Pangong Lake. It left. Baima, Dha Hanu and Darchik are the Aryan villages. Brokpas ultimately turns left to reach the base camp of Siachin Glacier, the Then there comes a group of restaurants at Garari, named after astonishes you and you fall in love at the very first sight. dressed in colourful attires confirm it. other turns left and snakes along the Shyok river. The fine-grained Garari. The air smelled of Kehwa. The air smelled of . A refresh- It is huge and it is beautiful, defying the popular belief that small Hardly a kilometre away from Gharkhun bridge, on the right side, sands give a cue of why it is the cold desert. In the shadows of ing Balti welcome. The beautiful village, so beautiful that it defies all is beautiful. It shone in moonlight, as two pair of eyes watched it in is Batalik. The infamous Batalik sector. Once Batalik is left behind, monastery, the villagers continued with their daily rural chores, not wordy descriptions. The narrow village lanes lined with apricot trees utter silence, from a hotel in Spangmik village. there is a new world. Minarets of mosques begin to appear. The ascent opened to vast wheat fields. A stream joyously gurgled. The royal vary of the tourists-rush in their not-very-small village. DAY SIX from Batalik covers Silmor and Lalung villages and ends at Hambot- Not very far away, is Hundar, coated in off-white sand dunes. The house of Yabgo dynasty in shambles pleads for help. The beautiful ing La. As the road begins to descend, Kargil looks not very far. Vil- The road follows the length of the enormous Pangong Lake to reach double humped Bactrian camel safari in the dunes of Hundar takes mountains give a promising glance. lages begin to appear, far and near. Barche. Akchamal. Maan village and further follows the glacial bowl to reach Merak vil- you back to history. You feel like a silk-route trader. Save the fallen- Further towards east, there is Occupied Kashmir. The At Poyen, ferociously flows. Kargil settles on its shores. lage. From Merak, the road crosses Khaktat Village to reach . road turns from bad to worse, ruing the cross-border tensions. From humps of the camels that dismay you, the place does not fail to cre- It is the route less trodden by. And the roads or no-roads witness to this DAY NINE Turtuk, the road takes a north-eastern bend and reaches Tyakshi vil- ate an impression. A light breeze and the sands begin to fly, shower- fact. The Red Dragon watches you from a mountain that the nature Leaving Zanskar and more of Kargil for another time, the road lage, located in the flood-plains of Shyok. The very-bumpy almost- ing a sandy welcome. decided to colour differently. The Ringzan La memorial and the famous crossed . The peeks out from here and there. The no-road struggles hard to reach Thang, the northernmost village of From the hotel room at Diskit, the mountains across the Shyok Taratop near the Tsaka Loma pass testify to the danger. Yaks graze fear- coldest place in Drass was not as cold. It was July. Crossing river and behind which must be nestled somewhere Ensa, made a India. The river carelessly makes way into POK, seeking no permis- lessly. Matain and Gumri, the road exits Ladakh and enters Kashmir at Zoji- perfect view. sions even as the army-pickets, ours and theirs, carefully watch Thang La. Baltal brims with Amarnath pilgrims. The pony-wallahs await and the handful visitors, from the towering mountains. At Tsaga and Khuril, the mountain goats Pashmina nibble at the DAY FOUR sparse grass, enclosed. The river Indus makes a sneak peek and then tourists at Sonmarg, which still is as beautiful as the golden mead- As we crossed , few kilometres to the east of Diskit, the large The mountains watched in unison as we reached Diskit at dusk. disappears. From the Loma checkpoint, not much far away is the ows. Sind river accompanies the road from Sonmarg to Kangan. The military airfield at Thoise came as a surprise. In return to the locals' DAY FIVE world's highest hospital at Mudh. The road abruptly takes a north- road turns left from Ganderbal towards , the river goes north. contribution to the construction of air-field, ferries locals It takes two hours from Diskit to reach Khalsar. From Khalsar, western turn and reaches , dictated by the topographies. Home is Pir-Panjal away.