Woes of Turtuk
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SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2014 (PAGE-3) SACRED SPACE BOOK REVIEW Contradictory statements Woes of Turtuk Mahesh Kaul reads:"Turtuk, small place nestled at In 1971, India launched an operation the farthest end of Nubra valley in to liberate Turtuk and reunited it with Lt Col R K Langar son should be from your heart and not that inwardly you do not Jammu And Kashmir State has feel happy but outwardly you are pretending that you are happy Ladakh has a unique history. It was Ladakh."(pp 66). Turtuk remained the distinction of being blessed with part of Baltistan, had remained with under Pakistani occupation till 1971 Sometimes apparent contradictory statements give deeper to meet. Here you must remember that your thoughts, words and varied topography, vegetation, cli- Pakistan for a long time and then was and it was during the Bangladesh lib- knowledge and understanding. Looks like a paradox but it is deeds should be in unison with each other. If you show warmth mate, culture and people. The fron- absolutely true. Again there is a tendency to express certain on meeting the other person for the first time, the other person reunited with India. Turtuk Unveiled eration war that this area came tier areas of the state had impor- which is first literary work of its kind under the ambit of theatre of war, things about life in a negative way where as these could also be shall feel very comfortable. tance for the strategic reasons for easily expressed in a positive manner. We shall study the above I have noticed that people do not show warmth and cordial- on Indian side of Baltistan, throws leading to the reunification of this the rulers of the state and when the light on Indian side of Baltistan, area with India. two aspects with examples. ity on meeting another person. You only show warmth on meet- state acceded to India in the back- Contradictory statements ing the other person when you have some self interest. This is throws light on the history of the People of Turtuk have witnessed drop of the partition of India, it region which is dominated by the the administration of both Pakistan " Meet some one as if you are meeting him for the first time" selfishness. This is the reason that most of the relationships are assumed political prominence for fragile and not sincere. Bhagavad Gita tells us to see yourself in and India. It who has is one statement . Another statement which is quite opposite to different reasons. the other person because it is the same Atma or soul which shaped their perception in it says " meet some one as if you have known him for ages." The imperial British overlords and resides in every one and see the other person in yourself. So the terms of identity and at These two statements look opposite to each other but see how the communal forces, which enjoyed other person you meet is you yourself. We all want that people present it has lead to iden- these give deep understanding about our conduct. their patronage, were hell bent to Meet someone as if you are meeting him for the first time should be nice to us, then why do not we show sincerity and tity crisis. The book deals warmth in meeting others. Your motto of life should be ' May I destabilize the state. It suited them at various aspects of this This holds good for person A who is holding personal grudge to maintain their foothold and stran- against some other person B. B has annoyed A on some issue give comfort and warmth to any one who comes in my contact.' issue and can act as a glehold over the Northern Frontier. and A has not forgotten it nor has he forgiven B. if some one has At one moment I feel that the whole world belongs to me and guide for the policy mak- Dogra rulers who defined the harmed you in the past and you have not forgotten it, then only the next moment I feel that nothing in the world belongs to me ers to devise mechanism geographical and political bound- you are suffering and not the person who has harmed or annoyed The above contradictory statement was made by king Jana- to develop this area. aries of Jammu and Kashmir in terms you. The person who has annoyed you does not even remem- ka. Janaka was the king of Mithila and father of Sita, wife of Lord Book deals in detail ber the incident, whereas you have kept this incident in your heart Rama. King Janaka was known for working for the welfare of all of viable administrative purpose kept with the traditions, culture people of his kingdom. He attained perfection from karma yoga. a keen eye on the ethnic tribes that and way of life of the Baltis. He taught others by personal example to work selflessly for their inhabited Gilgit and Baltistan. Their The major problem being When you know someone for a very long own upliftment and for the good of fellow beings. When king Jana- culture, tradition and way of life faced by the Baltis is the ka says that the whole world belongs to him, he is referring to needed to be understood in order to land ownership that has time, you are always happy to meet him. the Atma or soul inside him which is a fragment of God. When govern the people. led to their identity crisis. You extend warmth and hospitality to him. man attains perfection, the soul is liberated from the limiting Turtuk Unveiled written by Dr. Giving vent to the woes of Kavita Suri is a well measured move Similarly when you meet some one say adjuncts which are body, mind and intellect and we can enlarge the people she writes," and embrace the whole world. Then the man sees his own self and welcome addition to the archival Since 39 years, Ghulam even for the first time, you should show in all beings and feels that the world is his own. As is Macrocosm and research material available on Mohammed has been try- warmth in meeting him as if you have outside so is the Microcosm inside. Such a statement can be the tribes of Turtuk, a part of ing to get the revenue made only by a person like king Janaka who had attained union Baltistan. It is pertinent to mention papers made of his land known him for him for ages. of his Atma or self with Supreme self. that the British paid significant atten- and home in Turtuk. But all When king Janaka says that nothing in the world belongs to tion to Gilgit as far the strategic val- his efforts have been wast- him, he is referring to the famous verse of Isha Upanishad which ue is concerned .Gilgit was in the ed. He is among the 5000 and unnecessarily you are feeling miserable. That is the reason says that whole world belongs to God and whatever you pos- centre stage of the intrigues to desta- Baltis of this region who do that our scriptures advice us that we should not only forgive but sess is not your own. You are only a custodian of what you pos- bilize the defense of India so that Balti tribal's" not have any land records. There are also forget so that you remain free and do not carry the annoy- sess. Hence do not have a sense of possession or a sense of I advantage is given to Pakistan in the Explaining the locale of the place, absolutely no revenue records hare ance with you. Past is past. We are also advised by our scrip- and Mine. The other interpretation of this statement is that when Himalayas. In this process of desta- she writes, "Situated amid the mighty unlike the other parts of the state of man leaves the world whatever are his possessions are left tures and sages that we should live in the present without hold- bilization Baltistan was affected Himalayas and Karakorum mountain Jammu and Kashmir.( pp 74-77) behind. ing any regrets of the past in our mind and at the same time with- automatically as the region is in the range in northern Pakistan and Explaining this issue, Dr. Suri Both the above statements beautifully explain the reality of out worrying for the future. That is why it is said that you should geographical proximity of Gilgit. Ladakh, Baltistan or Baltiyal (Land of writes, "As Turtuk was part of Chor- life. The aim of life is to attain liberation and feel that the whole meet your old acquaintance who have annoyed you as if you are People of this area have been Baltis or Homeland of Baltis as is bat block of Skardu district of meeting them for the first time. When you meet a person for the world belongs to you as you feel oneness with all. But at the same suffering but it goes to their credit time one must remember that when one dies all his possession popularly known in Balti language) is Baltistan from 1948 to 1971,all the first time you are bound to be courteous towards him. So let us that they have retained their smile in the historic junction of the Buddhist land records and related papers forgive others who have harmed you. More important is to for- are left behind. There are some such statements in Bhagavad spite of the inhospitable terrain. Dr. and Islamic Worlds."(pp 40) were kept in the office of land rev- get the past and live in the present.