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Vol. VII, No. 1 : January-February 2012 ilchar MThe Official Organ of KPA, Mumbai

Winter in Kashmir Photo : kashmirnews.com

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Contact Us @ ASIATIC INC. ASIA PACIFIC OPERATIONS Corporate Relations (e-Mail: [email protected]) http://www.asiatic-inc.com/ SKYPE: asiatic.inc. ~ Call @ +91-9886717098. In this issue Ø Message from the President l Between Ourselves - Rajen Kaul Page 3 Milchar Ø Editorial Official Organ of l Milchar - M.K.Raina Page 4 Kashmiri Pandits' Association, Ø ]pçjç nbçÆmç³çí! - çÆvçkçÀe uççuç Page 5 Ø Sweet & Sour Mumbai l This Actually Happened - Sunil FotedarPage 6 (Regd. Charitable Trust - Regn. No. A-2815 BOM) Ø Thesaurus l Questions & Answers - A.K.Misri Page 6 Website: www.kpamumbai.org.in www.ikashmir.net/milchar Ø Report & Biradari News Page 7 E-Mail: [email protected] Ø Religions l A Matter of Approach Vol. VII ~ No. 1 - T.N. 'Kundan' Page 11 Ø kçÀçJ³ç EDITORIAL BOARD l yçiçeJççvçmç mçól³ç kçÀLçç yççLçç - hççÇ.kçíÀ.kçÀçÌuç Page 14 Editor :M.K.Raina Ø Saints & Seers l Mahatma Krishen Joo Razdan Associate Editor :S.P.Kachru - Dr.C.L.Raina Page 15 Members :S.K.Kaul Ø J&K Hindu Shrines Chand Bhat l Making a Case for J&K Shrines .... Consulting Editors :P.N.Wali - Dr. K.L.Chowdhury Page 19 T.N.Dhar ‘Kundan’ Ø Mçiçç& hçájçCç Webmasters :Sunil Fotedar, USA l kçÀMcççÇjçÇ hçbçÆ[lç DççÌj cççínuuçíyçç]pççÇ K.K.Kemmu - [ç. yççÇ.Svç.Mçiçç& Page 23 Naren Kachroo Ø Culture & Heritage l Cultural Legacy of KPs - Prof. R.N.BhatPage 26 Business Manager :Sundeep Raina Ø Know Your Motherland Circulation Managar :Neena Kher l Vasak Nag - Chander M. Bhat Page 30 Ø DçHçÀmççvçe Yearly Subscription : ` 300.00 l hçÓMçáKç çÆlç vç³ç ... - Ëo³çvççLç kçÀçÌuç çEjo Page 32 Lifetime Subscription:` 2500.00 Ø Our Literary Treasures l Leelas of Swami Shankar Joo Razdan Advertisement Tariff - Prof. Anil Raina Page 35 Ø Do You Know? Page 38 Matrimonial (upto 50 words): ` 250.00 Each Extra word : ` 5.00 Ø hç_®çç² Page 38 Back Cover (Colour) : ` 5000.00 Ø Revisiting Kashmir l A Sojourn to my Homeland - 2 Front Inside Cover (Colour): ` 3000.00 - Sneh Kaw Page 39 Back Inside Cover (Colour): ` 2000.00 Ø OççjçJçççÆnkçÀ Inside Full Page (B&W) : ` 1000.00 l içáuçí yçkçÀçJçuççÇ - 5 - cç.kçÀ.jÌvçç Page 41 Inside Half Page (B&W) : ` 500.00 Ø Know Your Motherland l Wular Lake - M.K.Raina Page 44 Views expressed in the signed Ø mçççÆnl³ç articles are not necessarily those of the l kçÀç@çÆMç³ç& lçucççÇn - æ®JççÆ®ç Jç@çÆjmç pçvçLç Page 45 Kashmiri Pandits' Association Ø Out of Box Page 46 or Milchar. Ø Editor's Mail Page 47 Articles can also be e-mailed to: [email protected] Ø ³çáJçç Mççqkçwlç - jçkçíÀMç jçíMçvç Yçf Page 48 ☯☯ WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS FROM

RAJEN KAUL

102, PANCH AMRUT PANCH MARG, VERSOVA OFF YARI ROAD, ANDHERI WEST MUMBAI 400 061 President's Message - Rajen kaul Between Ourselves

amaskar. souvenir to be released At the outset I would like to wish on this occasion & iv) N you and your families A HAPPY, selling of donor passes. HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS NEW I request all the YEAR. I look forward to 2012 with optimism biradari members to to serve our biradari members. come forward to In this issue of Milachar, I would like to contribute update you on the major activities wholeheartedly to make this event undertaken by your Board of Trustees (BoT) successful. from October 2011 onwards: Annual Hawan: BoT Meetings: As reported in the previous issue, Annual We had our Board Meetings in Nov. & Dec. Hawan will be performed on 21st & 22nd 2011. To fill in vacancies caused by the sad January. I request our biradari members to demise of Shri P N Takoo and resignations participate in large numbers with their of Shri Ashwani Hashia and Shri Anil Gadroo, families and friends on this auspicious your Board has approved in their place, occasion. nominations of Shri J L Kak as Vice President Directory: & Trustee and Shri Chand Bhat & Shri M K As reported earlier, Directory is being Kar as Trustees. released on 22nd January 2012 on the Annual Sharda Sadan: Hawan Day. Since my last communication in Nov–Dec. Involving Youth: 2011 issue of Milchar, we have finalized the We are approaching more and more Tender for Phase II of balance Civil and other younger members of our biradari to get associated works. We expect to award the them excited to come forward to make our contracts to the new contractors in January Youth Forum more active and vibrant. 2012 with the objective to complete the While closing, I would like to thank you construction activities by March 2013, for your contribution and appeal to you to subject to the availability of funds. remain engaged in our ongoing projects/ Fund Raising: activities. l will be pleased to receive your Our Cultural Committee has worked our suggestions for improving the functioning detailed plans to successfully host the Anup of BOT. Jalota Fund Raising Nite on 9th March, 2012 Regards, for raising funds for completion of Sharda Rajen Kaul Sadan. We are working on a four pronged strategy – i) having multiple sponsors to ☯☯ sponsor this event, ii) appealing to all the biradari members for donations, iii) raising Contact Rajen Kaul at [email protected] funds through advertisements for a ☯☯ Editorial - M.K.Raina Milchar

Very Very Happy and Prosperous the content published, New Year to all our Readers. but also on what they look A With the publication of forward to read. Nov-Dec 2011 issue, we have Unfortunately, in completed a year of new-face Milchar. Mumbai, we don't find Whether, we succeeded in providing good many who could favour us and informative reading material to our with their critical readers or not, whether we were successful comments on the content in producing a quality magazine or not, is or suggest improvements in the journal as for our readers to decide. However, going they would like to see, on a regular basis. through the letters and mails we received We however hope that this does happen from our readers over the year, gives an sooner or later. indication that we at Milchar, have done our Our enthusiasm in reserving a page job satisfactorily. We are encouraged. titled 'Your Own Page' for our readers, Producing a community magazine, especially our youth, did not make much which is not commercially viable, is inroads as far as Mumbai biradari is definitely a challenging job, both for the concerned. The page was meant to provide editorial staff and the management. space to our biradari to publicise their Resource crunches, not only put strain on achievements, achievements of their the organisation, but also effect the children like meritorious results, awards, editorial work in a big way. We can not rewards, high order placements etc. Though engage professional columnists, there is good response to this page from professional graphic designers, professional people around the world, we would wish proof-readers etc. to give our readers an our biradari here to share their advanced quality journal. We can only achievements with us, in text, in photos. approach authors, columnists, Almost same is the case with Crossword photographers, graphic designers etc. Puzzles and Out of Box Columns. We seem mostly from our own community, who are to be failing in persuading and encouraging definitely a dedicated lot and carry fire of our children to apply their minds on belonging to the community in their hearts. something which connects them to their We are thankful to all of them, for, we never roots, culture, language and history. faced a situation where we deferred our Though, the Crossword column has been publication for want of quality material. We discontinued now because of nil response, have renowned writers in our community, we are optimistic that we will be able to who spare time from their busy schedules restart it with the initiative of our readers. to write for the community journals, and One more area where we don't get doing it with passion. We salute all of them. sufficient material is the local news section. A good editor's quality lies, not in what We do get important news concerning our he wants readers to read, but in producing community from across the globe, but what readers want to read. In order to know there is hardly any news forthcoming from the readers' priorities, it is essential to have our biradari here. We would not only like regular feedback from them, not only on to impress upon the members of Mumbai biradari to tell us about important events for publication in Milchar, but çÆvçkçÀe uççuç would also request members of the ]pçjç nbçÆmç³çí! ... BOT and Area Mentors of KPA to lççÌnçvçÇ report what they think deserve publication. We would like to SkçÀ J³ççkÆ çlw ç vçí DçHçvççÇ HçlvççÇ kçÀç nçLç lççí[ çoÆ ³çç~ reiterate that Milchar is your own cççÌ pÆ çmì^íì kçíÀ mççcçvçí pçyç Gmç í HçíMç çkÆ çÀ³çç iç³çç, lççí mouthpiece. Give it a hand, a big Gmçvç í mçyá çkçÀlçí mçáyçkçÀlç í mççjç Ç Içìvçç mçvá çç oç~Ç cçÌçpÆ çmì^íì hand. Regarding self-financing of vç í HççlÆ ç mçí YççÆJç<³ç cç W Dç®s í J³çJçnçj kçÀç Dççéççmçvç Milchar, it has been stated a number uçkí çÀj sç[í çÆo³çç~ of times that a magazine will survive only if it is able to raise money by oÓmçj í jçpí] ç Gmçí Hçlvçç Ç kçÀç oÓmçjç nçLç lçç[í vç í Hçj way of regular subscriptions and cççÌ Æpçmì^íì kçÀí mççcçvç í çHÆ çÀj uçç³çç iç³çç~ Fmç yççj Gmç vçí more importantly through advertisements. While we are mçHçÀçF& oçÇ, ``n]pçÓj, sÓìvç í Hçj DçHçvç í kçÀç í mçcYççuçvçí kçíÀ thankful to all those whose support çÆuçS cçQvçí Lçç[í ç Ç Mçjçyç Hçç~Ç np] çÓj, pçyç Fmçmç í Yçç Ç kçÀçíF& came instantly through cover HçÀkçÀ& vç Dçç³çç lççí Lçç[í ç Ç Lççí[çÇ kçÀjkçÀí cçQ oçí yççlí çuçW HççÇ advertisements for the 6 issues of 2011, we request our readers to iç³çç~ pçyç Içj Hçnbá®çç lççí HçlvççÇ vçí cçáPçmçí kçÀnç - come forward to make Milchar a ``Mçjçyçç Ç Dçç iç³çç vççuçç Ç cç W uççíìkçÀj''~ np] çÓj, cç Q vçí commercially viable magazine. We intend to make it a Monthly DçHçvçç Ç nçuçlç Hçj iççÌj çkÆ çÀ³çç DççÌj mçç®í çç Mçç³ço ³çn publication in immediate future, but þçkÇ çÀ kçÀnlççÇ nÌ~ cç Q KççcççíMç jnç~ FmçkçÀí yçço Jçn yççíuççÇ, this is possible only if ``njçcçKççjí , kçÀá s kçÀçcç OçOb çç YççÇ kçÀjç kçÀj''~ n]pçÓj, advertisements flow constantly. Those of our readers and well Fmç Hçj YççÇ cç Q kçÀá s vç yççíuçç~ Hçj n]pçjÓ , Fmç kçÀí yçço wishers who are associated with the lçç í Gmçvç í no kçÀj oç~Ç yççíuçç Ç ``Dçiçj Gmç cççÌ pÆ çmì^íì cçW corporate sector or running their own businesses, are requested to Lçç[í ç Ç YççÇ Dçkçwuç nçílççÇ lçç í lçÓ Dçyç lçkçÀ pçuí ç cç W nçlí çç''~ lend support in a big way to keep yçmç np] çÓj, Dçoçuçlç kçÀçÇ lççnÌ çvÇ ç cçáPçmç í yçjoçMlç vç Milchar alive. nFá &~ For a dedicated reader or a well wisher from the community, a small subscription of Rs. 300.00 per year Dççjçcç (Rs. 2500 for Lifetime) is not a big SkçÀ mçbiççÇlç kçÀuççkçÀçj mç í GmçkçíÀ Hç[çímçç Ç vç í kçÀnç, ``kç³w çç sum. We would request all those who have yet to enroll for Milchar, Dççpç jçlç kçÀí çÆuçS DççHç DçHçvçç çmÆ çlççj DççÌj lçyçuçç to send in their subscriptions as early cçPá ç í oí mçkçÀlç í n~Q '' as possible and reinforce our thinking that Milchar is real miltsar ``kçw³ççW, kç³w çç cçjí ç iççvçç mçávç kçÀj DççHç kçÀç YççÇ cçvç iççvçí and you all support it. kçÀçí kçÀj jnç n?Ì '' kçÀuççkçÀçj vç í HçsÓ ç~ ☯☯ Contact editor at : ``vçnç'R ', Hç[çmí çç Ç vçí pçJççyç çoÆ ³çç, ``Dççpç cçQ Dççjçcç mçí [email protected] mççví çç ®ççnlçç n~Ób '' ☯☯ Sweet & Sour - Sunil Fotedar Thesaurus - A.K.Misri This Actually Questions & Happened Answers

was once watching a quiz Why is shifting responsibility competition on TV. to someone else called I The show was in black and Q ‘passing the buck’? white, obviously before the Asiad A: In card games, it was once customary games in 1982 when we all started to pass an item, called a buck, from receiving color transmission. The player to player to indicate whose turn competition was between BSc students of Women’s college, Nawa Kadal (I it was to deal. If a player did not wish to believe) and the other women’s college assume the responsibility of dealing, he at Maulana Azad road. The girls were would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player. dressed in their white uniforms. Q: Why do people clink their glasses One of the questions was about Pari before drinking a toast? Mahal’s historical importance. The A: It used to be common for someone questioner asks, “Pari Mahal-as kya chhi to try to kill an enemy by offering him a khasoosiyat?” A few girls who seemed to know the answer to this seemingly poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that simple question were anxious to be the a drink was safe, it became customary first to answer. So, the questioner for a guest to pour a small amount of expecting the Dara Shikoh story picks his drink into the glass of the host. Both one girl to answer, who said and I men would drink it simultaneously. distintly remember, “ati haz chhi pari When a guest trusted his host, he would rozaan.” (Fairies live there, the word only touch or clink the host’s glass with ‘Pari’ for a fairy). his own. In the same competition, a while later, the questioner asks as to why we Q: Why are people in the public eye said should not sleep under a tree at night. to be ‘in the limelight’? Before the questioner could pick a girl A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used to answer, one girl jumped off her seat in lighthouses and theatres by burning and said, “bu haz wanai (I’ll tell you). a cylinder of lime which produced a ati haz chhi jinn aasaan (Jinn/Genies are brilliant light. In the theatre, a there).” performer ‘in the limelight’ was the Needless to say, I switched off the centre of attention. idiot box as I had better things to do with my time. vvv vvv Contact Sunil Fotedar at: Contact A.K.Misri at: [email protected] [email protected] Report & Biradari News

Youth 4 Panun Kashmir to organise active participation of the community. The International KP Youth Conference : radio station, with a 10-km aerial distance, The first International KP Youth Conference will cover areas like Janipur, Barnai, is being organised at Pune by the 'Youth for Nagar, Bantalab, Roopnagar, Anand Nagar, Panun Kashmir' on 7 & 8 January 2012. The Bohri, New Plot, Sarwal and Chinore, where Conference is being held under the aegis thousands of community members are of Panun Kashmir. According to information presently putting up. The programmes received from the organisers, the idea (of broadcast from the station will be mainly in holding this Conference) is to reinforce KPs' Kashmiri, Hindi and Urdu. political and ideological struggle through Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla hoped youth who have been at the backfoot in the that the radio station could provide a last 2 decades. "Time has come when we platform to the artists who are nostalgic of should seek our social, cultural and their past. The minister said setting up Radio geographical right in Kashmir, not just as Sharda here would help the community in victims of 7th exodus but as equal stake promoting their culture, art and language. holders", said the communique issued by Shabir Mujahid, director, Doordarshan the organisers. The Conference is expected Jammu, who was present on the occasion, to be hi-tech, providing audio & video hoped that the radio station should have features, so that those who can not attend, been named as 'Awaz-e- Dard' (Voice of can participate remotely. Pain). "It is the pain of migration and living Input : Veerji Wangoo/Rohit Bhat away from the Valley that Kashmiri Pandits [email protected] ~ [email protected] wanted to have a community radio station vvv here," Mujahid said. Kashmiri Pandits set up community radio Romesh Hangloo, President, Pir station : Panchal, said since the displaced The displaced Kashmiri Pandits have set up community members were scattered all a community radio station in Jammu in a over, the need of the hour was to have a bid to preserve, promote and revive their strong community institution. "Radio rich culture, art and language, which has Sharda is a step in that direction. It will give received a set back during the past two voice to the voiceless community," he decades of their mass migration from the added. He said the plan to set up a Valley in 1990. The community radio community radio station here was okayed station, a first of its kind in the state, was after the organisation had approached the formally inaugurated by Minister for Relief, Union Ministry of Information and Revenue and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla Broadcasting in 2008. "Today, the dream of at Muthi on 5 December 2011. every community member has been Christened as 'Radio Sharda FM 90.4' fulfilled," he said with tears in his eyes. with a punch line 'Boojiv Te Khoush Rooziv Report : Rajesh Bhat : [email protected] (Listen and be happy)', this broadcasting vvv institution will function under Pir Panchal, Honour for Jeevan Zutshi : a socio-cultural organisation, with the Jeevan Zutshi, the founder and Chairman Report & Biradari News of Indo-American Community Federation Meeting was also attended by stalwarts like (IACF-USA) has been selected for the Unity Mr. M.K.Kaw, former AIKS President, Pt. Award by California State Legislature this Gautam Kaul, Sq. Leader. B.L.Sadhu year. The event is on December 15th at (KMECT), Shri A.N.Kaul Sahib, Shri James Logan Center for the Performing Arts P.L.Razdan, Shri Jatinder Kaw, Ms. Alka located at 1800 H Street, Union City, CA. This Lahori and Ms. Nancy. Dr. Romesh Raina, is one of the only Indo-American events General Secretary AIKS conducted the which is attended by all other ethnic meeting. communities from different countries. Input : Sanjay wali Jeevan Zutshi is being honored for [email protected] promoting unity and understanding vvv amongst the diverse Californians since the Elections of Lalla Ded Educational & advent of unfortunate events of 9/11. Prior Welfare Trust : to this, Zutshi was honored in July 2006 by According to notification issued by the Herb Wesson, the then Speaker of the returning Officer Shri Jay Kaul, elections for California State Assembly for promoting the 6-member Managing Committee of assimilation of Indo-Americans in Lalla Ded Educational & Welfare Trust will mainstream America. be held at Vasai on 5th February 2012. Zutshi serves on GOPIO International, a Members of the Board of Trustees are global organization of Indian Diaspora, as eligible to elect the Managing Committee well as the GOPIO Health Council. He has members including the Chairman. Elected continued his efforts to be part of the committee will have a tenure of 3 years. solution for Kashmir problem, especially vvv the return of Kashmiri Pandits who are still Clusters for migrants in Kashmir : refugees in their own mother land. With 4,600 Kashmiri migrant families Report : Surinder Kaul seeking to return to Kashmir Valley, Jammu [email protected] and Kashmir Government is mulling a new vvv proposal to set up 20 residential clusters AIKS Elections : for them. "We have mooted a new proposal In an important meet of All India Kashmiri for return and rehabilitation of displaced Samaj (AIKS) held on 11th December at Pt. Kashmir migrants to Kashmir Valley in J.N.Kaul Memorial Hall, Pamposh Enclave which 20 residential clusters would be set New Delhi, it was decided to hold the up for housing displaced community elections for the President for 2012-2015 members," Relief and Rehabilitation term on 8th April 2012. Meeting was Commissioner Vinod Koul told a news presided over by Shri Moti Kaul, President agency in Jammu on 18 December, 2011. AIKS. Meeting also discussed amendments The proposal, mooted by Relief and to the AIKS Constitution. Rehabilitation Department is being fine Dr. Umesh Moza was appointed as the tuned for its submission to State Cabinet Presiding Officer to conduct the election as for its approval. per provisions of the AIKS Constitution. As per new proposal, residential plots Report & Biradari News in clusters would be provided by the state Report : Deepak Raina government to those who desire to return [email protected] to the Valley as per the place of domicile vvv and Rs 20 lakh would be provided for AIKS rejects clusters in Valley: construction of the house per family for All State Conference their rehabilitation. Koul said five clusters (ASKPC) today held a meeting under the would come up in Anantnag district, 2-3 chairmanship of its vice-president, R K Raina each in Srinagar, Baramulla districts, 2 each and discussed various issues. Shri Raina said in Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam and Pulwama the community rejects the clusters in the and one each in Shopian, Bandipora and Valley and blamed so called secularists for Gandherbal. "The Centre has already making a mess with regard to return of agreed to this new proposal and has asked Community. He sought a guarantee from us to get the proposal vetted through the both Central and State Governments that state cabinet for its formal approval by the no exodus will take place in future and Centre," Koul said. He confirmed that so far there will be constitutional, political and no migrant family has returned to Kashmir. educational security to the community. He Over 4,600 applications have been said Pandits will only return if they are received from the Kashmiri migrant rehabilitated at a single place in Kashmir families, who wish to return back to the with Constitutional and institutional Valley under the policy of return and guarantees. rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants. It was also pointed that Revenue The largest number of 1,237 Department is tampering the revenue applications for the return to Kashmir Valley records for changing the names of owners have been received from of displaced KPs. The ASKPC appealed to followed by 1,140 applications from the Revenue Department to stop such Anantnag district, 462 from Baramulla tampering under Migrant Property Act. district, 431 from Budgam district, 359 from They also stressed for immediate passage Pulawama district, 283 from Kulgam district, of Temple Bill, enhancement of monthly 240 from Kupawara district, 150 from relief upto Rs. 12000 and grant of Rs. 25 lakh Shopian district and 98 from Ganderbal as one time stipend for over aged youth. district. As many as 38,119 families of Report : Deepak Raina Kashmiris are registered as migrants with [email protected] Relief Organisation at Jammu. Of these, vvv 34,202 families are , 2,168 Muslims Milchar Subscription & Matrimonial Tariff: and 1,749 Sikhs. 19,338 Kashmiri migrant KPA, Mumbai has increased the families are living in Delhi, 11 families in subscription for Milchar from Rs. 250.00 to Himachal Pradesh, 924 in Haryana, 114 in Rs. 300.00 per year. Also the tariff for Chandigarh, 319 in Punjab, 57 in Matrimonials has been fixed at Rs. 250.00 Uttaranchal, 222 in UP, 43 in MP, one in for ads upto 100 words. Tamil Nadu, 38 in Karnataka, 208 in Input : Chand Bhat : [email protected] Maharastra and 48 in Rajasthan. vvv Report & Biradari News

New Co-opted Members of KPA BoT : Vinod Ahluwalia on 26 November 2011 in Shri J.L.Kak, Shri M.K.Kar and Shri Chand Bhat Mumbai. have been co-opted as trustees in place of ☯☯ Late P.N.Takoo, Shri Ashwini Hashia and Shri Kartiki D/o Smt. Rashmi and Shri Tej Kumar Anil Gadroo respectively. Shri Hashia and Karihaloo of Kandivali (W) got married to Shri Gadroo have resigned from the Bot Sanjeev S/o Smt. Sushma and Shri Surinder recently owing to their pre-occupation. Kaul of Delhi on 4th November 2011 at Input : Chand Bhat : [email protected] Jammu. vvv ☯☯ KP Woman Honoured in California : Sonia Neice of Smt. Sunita and Shri Krishen Shefali Razdan Duggal, has been selected Kemmu of Sion, Mumbai got married to to receive '2012 Most Powerful and Shivam S/o Smt. Urjita and Dr. K.K.Sopori at Influential Women of California' Award by Jammu on 3rd December 2011. the National Diversity Council. She will be ☯☯ formally recognized at the 2012 California Nishita D/o Smt. Lalita & Shri M.K.Koul of Leadership and Diversity Conference on Vasai got married to Kanwal S/o Smt. Thursday, February 2, 2012. Neelam & Shri Pradeep Kapoor on 1st Dec. Input : Ankit Monga 2011 at Mumbai. [email protected] ☯☯ vvv Ashmita D/o of Smt. Girija and Shri Ashok Kashmiri Sahayak Samiti, Jammu : Monga of Borivali (E), Mumbai got married The 6th general elections of the Kashmiri to Anshul S/o Smt. Kirti and Shri Ashok Sahayak Samiti, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu were Sheopuri on 11th December 2011 at held at the office of the Samiti at Trikuta Mumbai. Nagar Extn. on 28 Nov., 2011. Er. Lokesh vvv Ganju of Bhawani Vihar, Sec.3, Ext. Trikuta Yegneopavit : Nagar was elected as President of the Samiti Yagneopavit Ceremony of Rohit S/o Smt. by the electoral college for a two year term Bimla and Shri Roop. K. Bhat of Marol, of 2012-13. Shri B.N.Sadhu, Shri Bushan Lal Andheri was held on 9th October 2011 at Handoo, Shri S.K.Moza and Er. Kulbushan Jammu. Kaul were nominated as Vice President, Input : Neena Kher General Secretary, Social Secretary and [email protected] Treasurer respectively. The Samiti, a non- vvv political organisation is celebrating its silver New Arrivals : jubilee this year. Ivana Koul, a baby girl was born to Shri Sunil Input : R.N.Kaw : [email protected] Koul and Smt. Dimple Fotedar Koul (Grand vvv daughter to Smt. Kalpana and Shri R. Nuptials : Fotedar of Kopar Khairne, Navi Mumbai) on Kanchi D/o Smt. Hansa and Shri Uttam Kaul 3rd November 2011. of Lokhandwala, Andheri, Mumbai got Input : Chand Bhat : [email protected] married to Shabir S/o Smt. Mabel and Col. vvv Spirituality & Religion - T.N.Dhar 'Kundan' A Matter of Approach

have a great regard for all the an old man and a sick religious leaders, founders of person. He thought of I different faiths and seers and liberation from the sages. I hold each one of them in suffering caused by these high esteem, for these people appeared on afflictions. If we have a this planet earth from time to time and negative approach in life revealed the truth for the benefit of the we shall weep for the mankind. They invariably laid stress on one dead, grieve at the or the other aspect or facet of the Eternal incapacity caused by the old age and lament Truth with due regard to the times when the suffering caused by the disease and they lived, the place and region of their illness. If, on the other hand, we develop a activity and the type of people they were positive approach in life we shall see death addressing. Even so there is a universal as an inevitable end for that which is appeal in what they said and preached. perishable and see the truth in the fact that Christ propagated universal love. Moses death does not come to that, which is and Muhammad emphasized oneness of imperishable. A poet has said, ‘Dust thou God. Zoroaster was for worship. In the East, art to dust returnest was not spoken of the while Confucius stressed the importance of soul’. The Gita says about the imperishable discipline in one’s conduct, Lao-tzu showed soul, ‘ya enam vetti hantaram yaschainam the way, Buddha pointed out the apparent manyate hatam, ubhau tau na vijaneete na uncertainties of life, Mahavir was for non- hanyate hanyamane shareere – Those who injury and non-violence, Devji consider the soul as a killer and those who propounded unflinching devotion. The think it can be killed, both are ignorant of Indian sages saw a great merit in spirituality the fact that it does not get slain when the and self-realization and took a world-view body in which it dwells is killed’. With the of the human existence. All these same positive approach we shall see the principles, tenets and philosophies were ageing as a process and as yet another stage enunciated with a view to ensuring in the growth of a body, which requires universal good, peace and prosperity. There good habits and a life of purity and piety so is no conflict in these various ways. These that it is not troublesome and painful. We can be viewed as different approaches to shall consider the illness also as a natural the same truth in the true spirit of the Vedic phenomenon, which needs cure and dictum, ‘Ekam Sat viprah bahudhah vadanti treatment and not tears and lamentation. – The same truth is named in different ways We shall also realize that even the illness by the wise’. can be avoided by preventive action and There is another dimension to this moderate living substantially, if not wholly. approach. One can have a negative or a Death has to be conquered, decay has positive approach. Buddha observed death, to be curtailed and illness has to be decay and disease when he saw a corpse, prevented and all this is possible only by a positive approach. Any inevitability has to deterred by hindrances nor should we fear be accepted as something about which we difficulties encountered by us during our can do nothing. Any eventuality has to be life. If we get bogged down by the fear of foreseen and remedied to the extent death, degeneration and diseases, we will possible and within our means. We will all develop a defeatist tendency and shall be the time be well advised to keep in mind defeated even before encountering the that in the scheme of things we are only problem. The fear of defeat induces partially in a position to affect the inaction and inertia sets in with the result circumstances and the environment we live we feel helpless and at the mercy of in. Therefore, we must have the strength to circumstances. This tendency had started change what we do not consider good and to overpower Arjuna but the Lord warned also accept as good what we cannot change. him, ‘Bhayat ranat upratam manasyante A person with a positive approach makes tvam maharathah. Yasyam tu bahumato the best use of what he gets and considers bhutva, yasyasi lagavam – The warriors will not useful all that he is unable to get or think that you have abandoned the achieve. This helps him remain happy and battlefield out of fear and you will very contended in his entire life. small in front of those who used to hold This contentment should not be you in high esteem’. We do not want to be construed to mean inertia, inaction or labeled as defeatist or absconders or those laziness. Contentment does not follow from running away out of fear. We have to be inaction but frustration follows from it. dauntless, fearless, bold and ever ready to Contentment is the sweet fruit of our fight the evil and face the odds of life. This sustained effort, our persevered toil and our positive attitude will see us triumphant and resilient, committed and purposeful actions. victorious, substantially if not wholly. Even This fruit is sweet because it gives us if we fail there will be a great satisfaction satisfaction that we did our best to achieve that we did try but the odds were against our goal and inspires us to accept the us and it was not our day. Let there be no outcome in all humility. The abject surrender. Our fight should be like a tells us in clear terms, ‘Karmane- eva- tennis player whose service is broken time adhikaras-te ma phaleshu kadachana, ma and again but again and again he comes -phala-hetur bhu, ma te sangostu from behind to equalize the scores and karmani – You are entitled to do your deeds eventually wins a dues game by the dint of only and have no authority on their fruits. his dogged perseverance and resilience. You should not make fruits the reason to There are two ways to evaluate a thing. act and you should not get attached to your The first is that we accept it as true and then actions’. This is a directive for us to act in a go on to verifying it to be really true. In this detached manner. We should not hanker case our investigation may either lead us after fruits but we should have a clear to confirm our presumption or we may purpose in view. Our actions should be goal- come to the conclusion that our premise oriented and not for any fruit. was not correct. The correct one will in any This attitude is possible only if we have case unfold before us. The second way is to a positive approach to life. We should not deny it or refuse to accept it in the first get ruffled by obstacles, we should not be instance and then make an attempt to explore the reality. In this case we may viz. of wealth Laxmi, of knowledge either find that what we refused to accept , of eternal time , of was actually the truth or we may arrive at power and vigour, Mahashakti or the something else and find that as the reality. Goddess of the great illusion, Mahamaya. I would prefer to go by the first method The form, practice and procedure as also the because I find that as a positive approach. method of worship vary according to the There is an advantage in that method. It is personal acumen and level of spirituality not always possible to attain the ultimate of the seeker. In the end every seeker truth in our lifetime. The chances of our reaches the same goal as the rivers do by premise being correct are fifty-fifty and merging with the great ocean whichever even if we do not reach the goal we would route they may flow on. ‘Nrinam eko have believed in the reality all through gamyah twam-asi payasam-arnava-iva.’ even without knowing. If we take the Thus it is a matter of approach. second path, which is a negative path and ☯☯ do not reach the logical conclusion and if Contact author at: [email protected] the denied premise happened to be true, ☯☯ we would have lost the reality in our life- time. It is on the basis of this logic that many Matrimonial of our spiritual leaders, sages and saints have advocated that we believe in God with ] An austere and compatible (BE & or form and with attributes, ‘Saakaara’ and MBA) alliance is sought for my son (188 ‘Saguna’. It is this positive attitude that cms) born 5th July 1983 (3.10 PM) at devotion to Shri and Shri has Srinagar. BE (EXTC) from Mumbai and had its sway in the length and breadth of MBA (Marketing) from JBIMS, the country. Even those who worshipped, Mumbai, he is presently working as , essentially a symbol of formless and product manager (FMCG) for a attribute-less God, eventually turned to reputed MNC in Bangalore. Interested devotional worship. They began may contact me on Landline: 022- propitiating ‘’, the energy aspect of 25579878, Cell: 09969773592 & Shiva while firmly believing that the two Shiva and Shakti were inseparable. Kalidas 09869469895 (7.00 PM to 9.00 AM). has expressed this inseparable nature in a EMail: [email protected] beautiful verse thus: ‘Vakh-arthau-iva ☯☯ samprikhtau – the two are fused into one ] Suitable Alliance invited for a KP as the word and its meaning.’ He calls the Boy 5’.7" Born 5th July 1985 @ 15.43 hrs, two as the parents of the universe, ‘Jagatah Anantnag Kashmir. BE & pursuing pitarau’. MBA, presently working with Godrej I for one do not find any conflict or Group in Mumbai. Interested may contradiction in these various forms of contact Kapil Bhat on 9821189669 and worship, be it worship of the Divine with 9821023965. form or without form, with attributes or E-mail: [email protected] without attributes, Shiva or and His ☯☯ incarnations or the Goddess in any form, kçÀçJ³ç - hçç.Ç kçÀí.kçÀçÌuç yçiçeJççvçmç mçól³ç kçÀLçç yççLçç

Dççm³çç mçvçç kçÀçbsæ ç Ünç, ³çôçÆuç ]pçvç yç e kçáÀçvÆ ç Òç]pçevççJçen@Lç~ JççÆs kçáÀçÆþmç cçb]pç j@sd³ç kçÀçÆjLç, çpÆ çiçejmç Dçob j uçuçevççJçen@Lç ~~ kçw³çç mçvçç Dççmççvç sç, kçÀá çÆvç ç³Æ çcç æ®çô ]pççvççvç sçÇ hç]pççÇ çÆlçcç sç mçvçç hççj³ç çÆoJççvç, çÆlçcç vç@v³ç çÆlç sç Dççmççvç hç]pççÇ~ DçKç æsôçì mçyççÇuçç, kçÀçjye ççjçn, Ðççj JçìeevçákçÀ vççJç ®ççvçí ³çmç yçç@]p³ç iççjmç kçôbÀn vçe kçÀevçevçá³ç Dççmí ç, lç@c³ç kçáÀvç vççJç ®ççíívç ~ kçÀçÆvç Hç@Àu³çvç mJçvçe lççpç uççiççvç, lJççÆn hçvçev³ç çÆkçÀv³ç kçÀçôæs çÆoJççvç ³çámç DçKçç JççÆvç smá ç yçe yçyç, lçmç çsÆ Dç@m³ç uçç@çjÆ Lç içsæ çvç~ kçÀçbn ohççvç ûçônÐçvç oJçç kçÀj, hçlç e s á lçç@JççÇp] çç kçÀve ççvç ûçnô çÆyç®çç@³ç& kçÀçÆlç lççv³ç HçíÀjçvç, þiç çÆs DççmÆ ç uçþÓ ç kçÀjçvç ~

yçiçJççvçvç Ðçlá çve çcç pçJççyç hçãæsçíJç Mçílççvçmç çƳç kç@Àc³ç lççcç, ®çç@v³ç Mçá³ç& çÆkçÀLçe hççþîç uçmçvç lç@c³ç oçôhçámç ³çôçÆuç cçá[e ]p³çJçvç, c³ççv³çvç Mçá³ç&vç nebÐç içje Kçmçvç ~ kçÀçÌuç mçç@yçç kç³w çç JçôçvçáLç, çƳç çlÆ ç sç mçvçç kçÀçbn vç@Jç kçÀLçç MçÓMç kçÀìe mçbáo, o&cç yçì e mçávo, kç³w çç svçç çƳç kçÀnçJçLçç~ ☯☯ Contact author at: [email protected] Saints & Seers - Dr. C.L.Raina Mahatma Krishen Joo Razdan & Kashmir Shaktivaad

ntroduction: The topic, which I Kashmiri Pandits both men I am going to discuss, is on the and women singing : 'Shaktivad of Kashmir', with yb ³çuç lç³ç cççouç reference to the spiritual poetic J³çvçe iJçuççyç HçHb ççMí ç e omlç³ç heights of Pandit Krishan Joo Razdan. Shaktivad is the prominent way of life in HçpÓ] çççƳç uççiçmç maintaining the grand heritage of Kashmir Hçjcç çMÆ çJçmç çMÆ çJç vççLçmç lç³ç . The primary source of the [byal tai maadal vyana gulab pamposhu poetic thought of Krishan Joo Razdan is dastai Poozaayi laagay parama based on the , and the applied Shiva Nathas Taæ] religious thought of , read sKç cçnç JçÐô çç p] çiçlç cççlçç, sKç cçnçuç#çcçç Ç çMÆ çJç çÆÒç³çç with the Agama Shastras of Kashmir. No Jç<ô Cç e cçç³çç sKç mçJç& mçÐô çç, mçJç & Mççkq çlw çcççvç sKç cçnç jç%çç doubt, he was a Saint-poet par- [Chhakh Maha Veddya Zagath Mata Chakh excellence; a Yogic in spirit and ritualistic Maha Lakhmii Shiva Priya Vishnu in pattern in his Sadhana. He was singing Chakh Sarva Sedhaa sarva Shaktimaan the songs of immortality within the idiom Chakh Maha Ragnya] of . His choice of words were He says in the 'Ragnya hunz tvataa' chiseled, and fermented with the (jç@%çç oçJÇ çç Ç npeb] ç lJçlçç) : Kashmiri environment, which suggests that he was very close to the Prakriti aspect of jçp] çíéçjç Ç jçp] çvç nepb] ç sKç yç@[ mçjkçÀçj the Divine. I am here, concentrating on his çHÆ çÀj oç³Æ ç uççví ç³á ç mççví ç³á ç ®ççví çá³ç jçìô ojyççj representative poems, published under the mçLçç s ô ®çç@vçç Ç ®ç] ³ô ç çvÆ çMç Dç@m³ç Dççç³Æ ç JJçcçíoJççj title 'Krishna Darshun', edited by Pandit DçLçe l³çLá ç çÆolç e ³çLá ç Dç@m³ç kçÀjne ç@Jç Hçj-JJçHçkçÀçj Sham Lal Razdan, in 1996. [raizeeshvari raazan hunz Chakh ba’ida Literally ‘Krishna Darshun’ means the Sarkaar phir dayu lonuya sonuya chonuya viewing of Shri Krishna, or it can suggest ro’t darbar sathaa Chi chaini Tseyi nish Ayi the darshana/philosophy of Krishna the a’si vomedwaar athaa tyuth dituya yuth a’si poet. This is a ShleSha word in the Sanskrit karahaiv boDha wopkaar] diction. It can be interpreted both the ways. The beauty of Krishan Joo Razdan lies Whatever it is, the text of 'Krishna Darshun' in the fact that he prays Shiva and Shakti speaks of the beauty of the Divine within considering the Absolute both in the the Vedic Ritam, to become the recipient Purusha and Prakriti. He sees an integral of the Divine grace. It is an aspiration for approach in paying his obeisance to the Pandit Krishan Joo Razdan, to see the Divine. 'Satyam -Shivam-Sundaram' within the orbit of Shiva and Shakti read with Purusha kçÀLç e kç@À³ç & kç@À³ç & içJç cç ô uJçkçÀ®ççe j, Dççj ³ççlÇ çvç³ç MçcYçÓ and Prakriti. Dç@v³ç DççMçç vç@v³ç lç e vççoçj, kçÀçjÆ n í kçÀcç kçÀcç kçÀçj Discussion: I would love to listen to the vç®] çJe çve ³ç smç vç@v³ç lçjJççj Dççj ³ççlÇ çvç³ç MçcYçÓ [Katha kari Kari gava lokachaar aar Svabhaava/ nature. Mahatma Krishna joo yiyatanai shamboo”a.an~ya aashaa Razdan speaks of the Shuddha Vidya aspect na.a`nya tu naadaarakari he kama of the Trika Darshana/Kashmir Shaivism. A kaara nachuwunya chasa nanya devotional poet always pays obeisance to tarawaaraaara yiyatanaya shambhuu] Shri . So did Mahatma Krishna Joo Further he says: Razdan, in the traditional manner. In his Hçjcç e Mçkçlw çç Ç mJçmlç yçuÓ ç yççuç³ç devotion to the Adi Astuti in vçç@u³ç s³ç sæ çe vÆ çLç kçÀuç e cççuç³ç Kashmiri, he refers to Adi-Shakti, and sings cçmlççvç e yç í HçjJçç³ç,í Dçvçûá çn s á ®ççví ç pççç³Æ ç pçç³çí in ecstasy: [paramu\’ shaktii svasta bhuula bhaalai DçççÆo Mççkq çwlç noeb í DçççoÆ kçÀçjçí naa.alya Chai Chunitha kala maalaya SkçÀ ovlç Jçío J³çmlççj³ççí mastaanu\’ be para waaye anugraha chu [Adi shakti hundey Adi Kaaro Eika Danta chona jaayi jaayæ] Veeda Vyastaaryo.] These were the popular Bhakti poems A great significance has been attached sung by the Kashmiri Pandits around fifties to Adya Shakti in the Agamas of Kashmir. and so on, on the occasions of J³çÓiç $ççJçávç, The Adi Shakti is the Primordial energy, who is the Iccha –Shakti of Shiva. Shakti is cçççB pÆ] çjçLç, kçÀv³ççoçvç [vyuuga Trawun, ma’inzi revered with the Sanskrit [Bija] Raath, kanyadaan etc] yççÇpç , which is the fourth phoneme of the I happened to listen to these in -Mala, revered as the Turiya Satsangs/devotional congregations at Avastha/ transcendental state of mind. It Tullamulla shrine . Bel Tai madal was has the supreme significance in the in the air from the Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, Chakreshvara , and in the Matrika as well. These Bhajans had a strong effect Pujan, very special to the Kashmiri Pandit on me, in understanding, what the genius religious ethos. Mahatma Krishan joo of Pandit Krishan Joo Razdan would have been, to depict spirituality through his Razdan Ji further says: Bhakti Poems, in Kashmiri diction, phrase Hçjcç Mçkçlw çç Ç nçeb oÆ mçJí ççkçÀçjçí and idiom. He was a Mahatma. I should call ³çsôæ ç Hç$á ç J³çJçnçjçí him a Rishi, because Rishi is always a kçÀçÆJç [Pana Shakti Hundi seevaa karo, Yechha [Kavi], but a Kavi (poet) is not always a Rishi. Putra Vyavharo] Mahatma Krishan Joo Razdan’s poetry is The word Parma Shakti is Absolute integrated with the spiritual ethos, welded Energy, which is independent, is mJçsvo with the strong metaphysical approach to vachhanda]. Therefore, could create find Lord Shiva in Saguna form. But Saguna Ganesha through her innate Iccha Shakti / Shiva is always with Shakti, hence we have will power. It is the Svachhanda Bhiravi the beautiful Shiva Parinaya - a Roopa of Parvati. Iccha Shakti is the Moola transcreation of the Shiva Puranam, in his Rekha / Base of the Moola Trikona of the native language Kashmiri. When we go Chakreshvara at Hari Parbat. He has through the Shakti/ Devi Sahsranamas, we referred to Vallabha, in the same Stuti/ - read 'Shiva –Shakti Eka Roopinyai Namah' eulogy, as being the consort of Maha Verily, it suggests that Shiva and Shakti are Ganesha. Vallabha is the Shakti of Ganesha, identical in Samvit/pure consciousness and Vallabha means attachment, drawing together, closeness as jivatma is to the Mother of Uma or Parvati prays to Parmatman, so is Vallavha ti Ganesha. Maha vidya, which is the first attribute of Therefore, the Kashmiri Prepyuna / the Shri Ragnya, revered as Shri Bhavani. Naivedya Mantra invokes the Divine and She also addresses to Mahamaya, which is says: the elixir of life in human understanding of JçuuçYçç mççnÆ lçç³ç ÞççÇ içCçMí çç³ç the concept of Jaganmata, the [Vallabha Sahitayai Shri Ganeshai]. Motherhood aspect the Divine, to grace the Ridhi and Sidhi are often used with the couple of Shiva and Parvati. What a symbolic Ganesha in India in the form of wonderful message is given by our saint- Swastika. But Vallabha is within the poet in the Shiva Parinaya. Further she says recesses of heart of Ganesha, which again that Hari Parbat is the Lila of Shri Sharika. lays emphasis on the Shakti concept within What does it signify? It is the very source of religious symbols as given by Pandit Krishan Kashmiri Shaktivad. It conveys the message Joo Razdan. He has again used the word of the creation of Kashmir out of Satisar by ‘Avidya’, which according to the Devi Kashyapa Rishi. Shri Sharika is verily, . Atharva Shirsha is to destroy ignorance, Such is the affinity of Mahatma Razdan Ji and evil in the form of Mahishasura and for Shrika, Hari Parbat and the other mighty Rakshasas like Chakreshvara. He says: Parbatai Sharikayi ®çv[ cçCá [ jkçlw çyççpÇ ç Mçcá Yç çÆvçMçcá Yç OçcÓ çu´ çç®çí vç Leela Parasui. For Himvan and his wife [chanda-munda ,rakta bija, Shumbha, Maina, Parbat is more auspicious as they nishumbha, dhumralochana] etc. by Shri want to pray Shri Sharika for the good and Durga. The Vedic mantra is auspicious days to come for Shiva and mçç çJÆ çÐçç ®ç DççJÆ çÐçç ®ç Parvati. The Poshi Puza for Shiva and Parvati [Saa Vidya Cha-Avidya Cha] would be at the Chakreshvara spot, as per Devi is both mighty and witty. She kills the wishes of Maina. Therefore, Shiva was Mahishasura, for being the very to come to Kashmir from Kailash, for personification of evil and ignorance. He receiving the hand of UMA—,what a says in the scene of ‘Posh Pooza of Shiva beautiful description given by Krishan Joo and Parvati: Razdan! He affirms that Shaktipat as defined uç#çcçç Ç cçççÇ þ³Æ ç smç çoÆ Jççvç oçcççvçmç in the Trika philosophy is the essential [Lakhmi Meethiya Chhas Diwaan feature to receive the Energy force from Daamaanas] Shiva through Guru. He describes the place According to the Markandeya Purana, of Nishat for the same spiritual wealth, Dal is the incarnation of Maha Lakshmi, is the Shakti and Shiva is the Nishat. Dal is She is none else but the Ashta dash Bhuja the janan shakti —the creative energy and Sharika. Laksmi is / riches and wealth, Nishat is the manifestation. Here Nishat and is the second Purushartha, in the Vedic should be taken as the Nandan Van, close ethos. Developing his poetic construction to Ha’rvan, within the Mahadeva range of on the Posha Pooza, very dear to the hills of Kashmir in the Himalayas. He sees Kashmiri pandits during the Kanya Daan the Divinity in , the Shakti aspect of ceremony at the Lagna time of bride and Shri Krishna, who along with the Gopis in bridegroom, he receives the inspiration their ecstasies, as they see the Gopla from the , where ‘ Maina’— Krishna every where. Thus Krishan Joo Razdan refers to the Motherhood aspect of Divine Mother is OMKAR in the Tullamulla Divinity, both in the Vaishnavite and the spring. She is the Ragnya Devi. She Shaivite faith. Kashmiri Pandit culture sees incarnates with different colours, and is the no difference in the various incarnations of Jal Tattva / Primal Water element, the Divine. It believes in the mçJç& mççoQ ³ç & mJçªHç personified in the form of Raj Rajeshvari. F&éçj [Sarva Saundarya Svaroopæ] of the Krishan Joo Razdan wants to asend to the in the Ice- of Shri Amarnath heights, along with the Raj Hamsas, the and Sarveshvari Shri Ragnya, Mahatma mystic swans, who are always in tune with Krishan joo Razdan Ji is all praise for Vakh the Divine. Philosophically, he refers to the and says aspect of the Svayambhu s³ç lçmçpeb] ç Jçç@vçç Ç mç³á ç i³çç@vççÇ s³çá Shiva in SOHAM, where Shri Raj Rajeshwai [Chhai Tasunz Va’ini Suyi G’yani Chhuyi] is the Raj Hamsini, the Vaama —the left It means that he who recites the Bhavani portion of Shiva. There is the element of Sahsranama is verily, a Gyani, an embodied spirituality and devotion in the works of this soul with Pragnya—intuitive faculty . great saint, whose poetry will inspire the Conclusion: To establish his dedication and youth in KP Diaspora. It is hoped so. love for the Divine Mother, Shri Raj ☯☯ Rajeshvari Raginya, Pandit Krishan Joo Contact author at: [email protected] Razdan has chosen some of the names for Maharagnya Bhagawati from the Bhavani Kashmiri Pandits' Association, Sahsranama and explained their efficacy to understand the spiritual import in those Mumbai words. Bhavani Sahsranama is a section from the Rudrayamala . These are VAARSHIK HAWAN , Maha Lakshmi ,Shiva priya, 21st & 22nd January 2012 Vishnu Maya, Durga, Sarva Mangala Mangala, Kaalika, Sharika, , Shri Shiva, Vaarshik Hawan will be performed Chandra bhaga, Vitasta, Saraswati, Gomati at Kashyap Bhawan, Plot No. 16, ,Send/Sindhu, Jamna/ Yamuna. He has love Bhawani Nagar, Marol Maroshi for the places like Rudra Sandhya, Pavan Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai on 21st Sandhya, Godhavari/ gudur, Mattan’s & 22nd January 2012. Hawan will Tsaaka, Ganga, Gaya, He revers the Vatak commence on 21st January 2012 at puja. He asks us to have Ekta and 1.00 PM and will culminate with Shraddha. Aapya, Lanka, Dwarika, Shabda, Purna Ahuti on 22nd January 2012 at Bharamri and Ulka has been used to 1.30 PM. understand the geo-physical situations of the country. Tullamulla Nag, is the very All are cordially invited to be a part breath of his spiritual strength. He receives of the ceremony and for partake of significant vibrations for his works, in Naveed. confirmation to the Prakriti as a very complement to Purusha. In the poem President ~ General Secretary dedicated to Shri Raj Rajeshvari, Krishan Joo KPA, Mumbai Razdan says about Shri Rajeshvari that the J&K Hindu Shrines - Dr. K.L.Chowdhury Making a Case for 'J&K Shrines & Religious Places of Kashmiri Hindus Bill' Reproduced below, is the text of a lecture delivered by Dr. K.L.Chowdhury at a seminar in Jammu on 4th December, 2011. The Seminar was organised by the Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust for the passage of the bill on Preservation, Protection, Management of Hindu Religious Places in Kashmir in J&K legislature. Shri Raman Bhalla, Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation and Revenue was the chief guest.

am grateful to Prem Nath Bhat and courtyards of these Memorial Committee to have wonderful monuments to I invited me to participate in this our gods. I recall seminar on the burning issue of thousands of denizens the temples, shrines and other religious flocking to the precincts places of Hindus in Kashmir. It could not of Hari Parbhat in the city have come at a more opportune moment, of Srinagar every morning especially when a draft bill for the – Pandits, Muslims and management of these institutions is Sikhs – to offer prayers and pay their hanging fire for a long time now and being obeisance at the famous places of worship deferred under one pretext or other from – the temples of Hindu gods, the Makdoom being introduced in the J&K State Sahib shrine and the Chatti Padshahi legislature. – all placed on, near, and around All that is left of our community in the Hari Parbhat hillock, which defines the Kashmir are the dilapidated remains of old city of Srinagar. I would visit the these sacred institutions that have held us pantheon of gods in the many temples that together and are so much enshrined in our dotted the way, beginning with the Ganesha daily lives in exile. Our ancestors have temple on to the Chakreshwar temple of bequeathed to us these fantastic Sharika, the Durga temple inside the fort, monuments to their faith that we may the Hari temple, the Ambri Koul and cherish and draw inspiration from them and Pokhribal temples, and back home after nurture them with our love and devotion that long circumambulation. I wish I had the to carry forward the great traditions, rituals, time here to describe those unforgettable and religious practices that define us as a days, what with the festivals of badamvari distinct and proud community. (the almond blossoms), Sonth (Spring) , I am neither an archeologist, nor Naureh (New Year), Baisakhi etc. that we theologian, nor historian, who could speak celebrated in the sprawling lawns of Devi with authority on these religious Aangan and adjoining lands at the feet of monuments, but I was lucky to have grown Chkreshawr temple. But if you go there - and so must many of you here - in a now, you may not find your way about to uniquely spiritual milieu where the these coveted places of worship – the lands, temples of gods and , and the and lanes have been encroached, annexed shrines of saints and savants formed the and absorbed, the gods are besieged. The fulcrum of our lives. In my childhood, we Ganesha temple is locked most of the time would spend all our play time in the halls and in dilapidated state, the other temples are in a pitiable condition. Last month, a fire we left behind floats in every day. The consumed part of the Chakreshwar temples and shrines are falling apart and complex. No one in authority batted an going into ruin because the managers, eyelid, not to speak of doing anything about trustees, caretakers, devotees have all it. been forced out with no one to look after When I moved from my downtown and maintain theses institutions and their Rajveri Kadal home which was a stone’s estates. It seems we have lost everything. throw from all these spiritual centers at the What is it that makes our hearts bleed foothills of Hari Parbhat, I relocated at the about these places of religious import? feet of the famous Ramchander temple at What is special to Kashmir and what is Barbarshah. It was like coming from the lap unique to the temples there that the poets of Sharika into the loving embrace of Rama. sing about, the mystics mull over, and lay Twice a year, there used to be a nine-day people like me long for? While there is no festival, the Ramnavami, when devotees denying Kashmir is the paradise about from far and wide flocked to the sprawling which Jehangir, the Mughal Emperor, grounds around the mound on which the waxed eloquent: Agar Firdous bar roo-e temple stood. And what a sight it used to zameen ast-o, Hameen ast-o, hameen ast- be, what pageant, what rejoicing and o, hameen ast-o (If there is paradise on praying and frolicking. Alas, a huge chunk earth, it is here, it is here, it is here), for us, of this Ramchander temple land has been it is also the land of gods and goddesses, of assimilated into the highway by the saints, savants and sages as exemplified by municipal administration and the temple is the temples, shrines, and ashrams that dot now almost bared and exposed to the every nook and corner, every hamlet, town hazard of traffic, its sanctity blighted. and city. I moved on a second time, now to Indira In the words of Aurel Stein, who was Nagar and found myself face to face with stationed in Kashmir from 1888-1905, Shankaracharya. I could not restrain myself “Kashmir is a country where there is not a from the call of divine and I started my daily place as large as a grain of sesame without climb to the mountain top to feel the touch a tirtha (pilgrimage) – time and conversion of Shiva, to have a view of the heavens, to to Islam of greater portion of the population feast my eyes on the placid , the has changed but little in this respect.” To meandering Vitasta and the distant snow- this, I would like to add: There is not a spring peaked mountains that shimmered like which was not holy to us, not a hill where sheets of silver with the morning rising sun Siva did not reside, not a pasture where and enveloped you in a divine embrace. But Vishnu did not stride, not a river on whose even this most tourist-frequented temple banks we did not perform our ablutions, is now reduced to a mere fortress, with most rituals and rites, not a village around which of the traditional routes closed for pilgrims. a myth is not woven. Vitasta, Sheshnag, Then came an evil wind that blew it all over, Kaunsarnag, Gangabal (Harmukt Ganga), as if it had been a dream, and I woke up to Amarnath, et al - they are just a few names find myself in the wilderness of exile along that are inseparable from our ethos, from with hundreds and thousands of my our consciousness. They are the symbols community. It has never been the same of our culture and heritage and the again. Now the pangs get worse with each signposts of our civilization, and they passing day as news of the ruination of all occupy our conscious thought and our subconscious aspirations even after two scattered almost uniformly over the length decades in exile. Now, they are the very and breadth of the valley in all its nine fount of hope which strengthens our districts: resolve to return to our homeland. District Anantnag: Anantnag 17, Bijbehara Kashmir lives in our souls even as we 17 Phalgam 24, Duroo 23, Kokernag 13, have been torn asunder from her Shangas 22. Total = 116 physically. She is our mother, our beloved District Baramulla: Baramulla 13, Pattan 25, our deity. Our whole history is woven Tangmarg 15, Uri/Buniyar 6, Ruhama/ around the rivers, springs and hill of Rafiabad 7, Sopore 13. Total = 79 Kashmir, around and on which these District Bandipora: Bandipore 9, Sumbal- temples and shrine came up over the Hajan 8. Total = 17 course of history. Just for an example there District Budgam: Budgam 22, Beru 16, are sixteen temples, with the post fix of Khansahab/ Chadoora 6. Total =44 yar to their names, on the banks of Vitasta District Gandarbal: Gandarbal 4, Laar/ in the Srinagar city alone, starting from Kangan 12. Total = 16 Batyar downstream on to Somayar, District Kulgam: Kulgam 27, Dhmal Hanjipora Ganpatyar and others up to Shurah yar at 11, Devsar 10. Total =48 Shvpora upstream. Not only have they District Kupwara: Handwara/Karnah 31, inspired the Hindus, but Muslims also in Kupwara/Sogam 35. Total = 66 large measure. Recall the spiritual District Pulwama: Avantipora 5, Pulwama 22, experience of the Afghan governor, Ali Tral 10. Total 47 Mardhan, who had a vision of Shiva on District Shopian: Total 22 looking at Mt. Mahadev that inspired his District Srinagar: Total 44 famous verse: Grand Total = 499 Huma asle maheshar bood, Shabshahe Alas, most of the temples stand in utter ki man deedam ruin. Sometime back, Shri Raman Bhalla, the Ghazanfar charage dar barbood, Hon Minister for revenue, relief and Shabshahe ki man deedam rehabilitation, acknowledged in written (I saw the real Maheshwar this evening ...) reply to a question from a legislator that as But, it seems his inspiration has lost itself many as 170 temples had been damaged somewhere on the denizens of Kashmir during past two decades of militancy in like water falling off from a lotus leaf. Since Kashmir valley. I am sure the minister is Stein made that observation, Kashmir has aware of the fact that most temple estates changed a lot, and, sadly, changed for the of the 499 properties enumerated above are worse. It has changed so fast in the last two under the covetous eyes of land mafia; that decades, that if Stein were to come alive even the State government functionaries in he would believe he was not in Kashmir the departments of revenue and but in an Islamic State with the sad demise administration are hand in glove with these of those tirthas he spoke about that were unsavory elements; that several temple the showpiece of her glorious cultural and lands have been sold or seized illegally; and religious past. that unauthorized constructions have We have an inventory of the temples already been allowed by the concerned as they existed when the mass exodus of municipal and town area authorities. Hindus took place in 1989-90. A quick look It is not a question whether 170 temples at the list below shows 499 Hindu temples have been damaged or more than 400 as we claim with substantive evidence. Even the creation of Mata Vaishnov Devi University. damage of a single temple should be a Such models can be replicated in some of matter of grave concern and shame. But, the Hindu religious institutions we want to here, we are speaking about encroachment safeguard through this bilk in the valley. and annexation, desecration and We fail to understand what are the defilement, derailment and destruction of impediments in getting the bill introduced? almost all these institutions. The National Conference, when in Therefore, to prevent further rot of opposition in the last legislature, was nice these historic monuments and to to pilot the bill, but the introduction was reassemble them from the ruins and to deferred because the ruling alliance at that resume their proper upkeep and time gave us to understand that an development, we urge for their holistic improved version of the bill would be management through an act of legislature brought up. It did not happen. Now that NC which should be akin to the existing acts is in the ruling alliance, the bill has again that govern the institutions of other been deferred for no tangible reason. As religious communities, namely the Auquaf far as we are aware, none of the and the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. mainstream parties have expressed any We are not asking for the moon, and it reservation or opposition to the bill. If the is not just the Hindu community that will coalition alliance is genuinely in favor of benefit from the legislation, but the whole the bill, it can be introduced and passed valley and the State of J&K. We have without any hitch, bypassing any quaint reached the age of globalization when objections by individuals or groups with cultural and religious tourism is fast catching vested interest in keeping the institutions the imagination of pilgrims and vacationers in a perpetual state of mismanagement. all round the world. Imagine the great This is not a political issue but one that potential of some of these ancient and concerns the whole of Jammu and Kashmir. historic temples especially the sun temples Fundamental to the claim of those who rule at Parihaspura, Mattan, Naran Nag and Kashmir, those who do not tire claiming that Awantipura, the revered Kshir Bhavani in Kashmir is incomplete without Hindus Tulamula, the Jwala temple in Khrew and (Pandits), and those who desire to restore the numerous temples in the springs of Kashmiriyat, is the need to come forward Anantnag, Mattan, Pahalgam, which can all and support this cause. This is the cause of be developed and showcased. We have the Kashmir’s ancient and hallowed past, her example of Zeth Ashtami when more than proud heritage, her future projection as the a hundred thousand Pandit pilgrims visit real crown of a modern secular democratic Kshir Bhavni every year, bringing huge India. Let us prove it to the world that revenue to the local Muslims, transporters, Kashmiris are not Taliban who destroyed hoteliers etc. Look how Mata Vaishnav Devi the icons and institutions of their glorious was transformed to become one of the past by pulverizing the Bhamiyan Buddhas, leading and most well organized but true inheritors of the legacy of Badshah, pilgrimages in the country, the revenues Lalla and Nunda Resh. from which are filling the coffers of our ☯☯ State, benefiting all layers of civil society, Contact author at: [email protected] including the boost to education after the ☯☯ Mçiçç&hçjá çCç - [ç. yçÌkçÀá Cþ vççLç Mçiçç& kçÀMcççÇjçÇ hçbçÆ[lç DççÌj cççínuuçíyçç]pççÇ ®ççvÇ ç kçÀçuç cç W uçiçYçiç nj SíçlÆ çnççmÆ çkçÀ lçç í çkÆ çÀmçç Ç kçÀç í kçÀçFí & cçlçuçyç n Ì vç vçiçj cçW pçççÆlç³ççW DççÌj mçcçáoç³ççW kçíÀ kçÀçíF & mçjçkí çÀçj~ Içj kçÀí yçáp] çiá ç& Dçyç Òçç DççOççj hçj Dçuçiç Dçuçiç cççní uuç í yçmçlçí ®ççkÌ çÀçÇoçj yçvç kçÀj jn iç³ç í nQ~ Lç í çpÆ çmçkçíÀ kçÀçjCç nj 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SkçÀ LççR~ cççìí í Dçvçácççvç kçíÀ Dçvçmá ççj uçiçYçiç 1000 kçÀMcççjÇ çÇ ☯☯ hççb [Æ lçç W kçÀí Içj Lç í pçç í Dçyç hçç½ççl³ç mçY³çlçç DççÌj (Dçiçuçí DçbkçÀ cçW pççjçÇ) vçJç çJÆ çkçÀçmÆ çlç kçÀçuççví ççÇ, Dçhççì&cçìW DççÌj HçwuçÌì kçÀu®çj Contact author on Tel: 0522-2267146. Culture & Heritage - Prof. Raj Nath Bhat Cultural Legacy of KPs

ashmir has a very pristine culture For Raymond Williams that has undergone changes due (1981), culture, K to exigencies of time yet it has all attributable to both the through maintained a stable base. elite and the working But the threat after the displacement of 1990 class, is ordinary. He seems the hardest because the dispersal of states: "There are no the miniscule community may virtually masses; there are only destroy this rich legacy. The present essay ways of seeing [other] people as masses." briefly examines the origins of the cultural Claude Levi Strauss (1975) assigns culture base, its ups and downs over millennia, and to primitives. Mahadevi Verma (1994), in her the perceptible threat that it faces on seminal essays on culture assigns it to those account of the community’s dispersal across attributes that make life meaningful as a the globe. member of a society. One could be civilized Culture: Scholars have defined culture yet uncultured, or cultured yet uncivilized. variously over the last two odd centuries. Culture is determined by the geography, Some believe that it is an abstraction in itself and history of a people, where there is a that cannot be put in any specific sheathing gradual evolution of ethical and moral for it encompasses multiple, rather endless, values and philosophies, belief systems, practices that govern lives of men and festivals, rituals and rites, ceremonies and women of a ‘community’, belonging to worship patterns, traditions, art, literature different strata and sects, from their birth, and litterateurs. In order to sustain itself as rather conception, to death. These practices a unified, distinct group, the community evolve over a period of time and from evolves practices and institutions, generation to generation. Each generation organizations and identities that monitor, may make some amends and additions to rather pervade, their religious, intellectual the existing practices, thus rendering and secular lives. It must be mentioned ‘culture’ an ever evolving, non-static here that everything produced or provided construct. Culture has been used to refer to by tradition cannot be preserved. Histories cultivation of crops, rearing and breeding of of wars, kings, warriors, saints and seers etc. animals, and by extension to the active can be preserved but tradition is a different cultivation of mind of a people which entity which undergoes change with the eventually informs and perhaps monitors change in our thoughts, broadening of our their whole ‘spirit’; their way of life. A knowledge, expansion of experience, and professional anthropologist Edward Burnett our own karma. Knowledge and Tylor (1871) wrote: “Culture or civilization, experience influence our ethical and moral taken in its widest ethnographic sense, is values as well, which eventually impact our that complex whole which includes beliefs, practices, rituals, institutions etc. knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, Hindus, when they comprised the and any other capabilities and habits majority in Kashmir, were stratified into acquired by man as a member of a society.” layers depending upon one’s potential and capacity to contribute to the society at into two fortnights depending upon the large. There was a division of labour that presence or absence of moon during night: was not necessarily determined by one’s the dark fortnight (krisnapaksh) and the birth. The pursuit of knowledge, both moonlit/bright fortnight (shuklapaksh). The religious and secular, was accorded the sun determines seasons. Broadly speaking, highest place but not everyone could be a spring, pleasant-summer, rains, golden- pundit. There were agriculturists, autumn, winter, frosty-winter are the ironsmiths, barbers, potters, goldsmiths, seasons in Kashmir. In not so remote past, carpenters, and many other sections that the winter in Kashmir would force one to could be considered skilled in their be indoors - there were no roads and the respective professions. Such skills would means of communication were abysmal. usually flow from the parent to the child. Disease and death were two major However, if a young mind had the capacity characteristics that one would attribute to to shift to another profession, there were winter those days. The impact snow and no social barriers to prevent him/her to do frost made upon the Kashmiris can easily so. The men and women in the King’s court be evaluated by referring to the offerings were powerful people who owned large they make to gods and goddesses during this properties. They were primarily skilled in season. The months of magar, posh, and administration. There was a strong section magh, December-February are the coldest of people who pursued knowledge and so is the possibility of disease and death. provided explanations and analyses of the On the purnima - the 15th bright night of the mundane and theories of the spiritual. This magar month, tahar ‘yellow rice’ is offered section comprised dharmacharyas, to the deities. Fifteen days later, an offering litterateurs, critics, aesthetes, logicians, of rice, lentils etc., tshoT, is prepared for mathematicians, grammarians, yachh, (‘yaksha’ in Sanskrit),on khetsi astronomers; they were the men and mawas the night of posh amavasya- 15th women of scholarship. Their worldly dark night-, when it is frozen all around. This possessions used to be very ordinary but is followed by offering gad-batI ‘fish and they carried an aura and respect with all rice’ during the second fortnight sections of the society, including the King (shuklapaksh) of the posh month to the and the men/women of King’s court. Thus house-deity, dayut, preferably on a there was a set of identities for every Tuesday/Saturday. The purnima of the family and further for each individual. The Magh month falls in January-February when role one played, the contribution one made the temperature shows a little upward determined one’s identity. The intrigues trend. This day is celebrated as ‘crow’s and conspiracies in the King’s court would purnima’, kavI punim, when rice and not normally affect all sections of society. vegetables are offered to crows and other Thus, there was an overall tranquility birds on ‘hand-spun cups’, kavI potul. Within and the community had ample a span of two months four major events take opportunities to celebrate. The climate and place to appease the deities to seek the flora and fauna added to the festivities. happiness and good health for the Hence, we find a festival or ‘holy’ day members of the household. The geography, almost every week. The lunar calendar that and the climate make these events the community follows divides each month significant. The elaborate herath ‘shivaratri’ celebrations take place in the month of calendar), and on the ashtami of zyeshTh, phalgun, February-March. Shivaratri, the May-June, purnima of shrawan, August, most sacred festival for Kashmiri Hindus, Krishna JanmaashTami in bhadra falls on the thirteenth day of the dark krishnapaksh and Vinayak chaturthi in fortnight of the month of phalgun. The bhadra shuklapaksh, August-September. weather during this season is not at sub- The birth-anniversary celebrations involve zero levels. Days are slightly warm and one a special kind of puja normally monitored can move out of one’s home with much by the Kulapurohit whereas pujas on ease. The herath naviid ‘ shivaratri prasada’, krishnajanamshtami, shrawana purnima, in the form of walnuts and roti made of rice are offered by family flour, is distributed to all the families in the members jointly either at home or in a village/locality and to all the near relatives community celebration. Ashtamis of all the in other towns and villages. This gives one shuklapakshas are devoted to one or the an opportunity to meet with one’s kith and other Goddess; some adults observe fast kin after a gap of nearly three months, on these days. Non-vegetarian food is not December-February, of frosty winter. consumed on ashtamis, ekadashis, The sonth ‘spring’ is welcomed on amavasyas, and purnimas. sankrati of chaitra krishnapaksh, the dark This does not mean that puja does not fortnight of chaitra, March. The first day of constitute an important part of the KH’s life. the moonlit fortnight of chaitra marks the On the contrary, the KH performs puja every beginning of the new year, navreh. Both the morning in his puja-room or in a nearby auspicious days of sonth and navreh are temple. Some people do both. And the observed by filling a plate (thali) with rice family members together sing bhajans, and decorating it with flowers, currency- devotional songs, in praise of God every notes/coins, a pen and inkpot on the eve of evening before supper. But as far as the the day. Usually, the eldest female member festivals are concerned, only a few can be of the family takes the thali to every termed as purely religious. individual member early in the morning The situation changed adversely after before s/he is out of bed. This is done with the advent of Islam in the valley. There the wish that the family members would were large scale conversions and killings have food, fragrance (health), knowledge when Sikandar (14th century) was and job with them during the whole year. enthroned, and again after Mughals It is pertinent to state once again that invaded and took control of the valley (16th Shivaratri is the major festival of Kashmiri Century). The ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Hindus (KH hereafter) and the only one Bahadur, attained martyrdom during the mentioned above where an elaborate puja reign of Aurangzed to save KPs from total is performed; others do not involve any annihilation; Gurudwara Sheeshganj at special kind of puja or prayer. A few, like, Delhi is an evidence of the savagery that kaavpunim seem to be merry-making was inflicted upon righteous and peace- occasions; on this day kids go to the house- loving souls during that period. KHs were top and invite crows to a feast offered on reduced to a miniscule minority after ‘hand-spun plates’, made of hay/paddy- people in large numbers were forced to straw. Puja is also performed on one’s birth- embrace Islam. The minority KHs have had anniversary (strictly according to the lunar to pay jaziya to survive. Even the payment of jaziya did not reduce barbarities of The KPs occupied a dominant place in the Muslim rulers. After the downfall of the political spectrum. They were reenergized Mughals, Pathan invaders played havoc with and rejuvenated. The rituals, rites, the lives of KHs in the 18th century. There customs, festivities lived on. was some semblance of peace when The post 1990 displacement presents a initially Sikhs took over the control of delicate situation. It is difficult to say as to Kashmir and more saner times came when what will survive hereafter. The community Dogras became the rulers which rule came has been scattered far and wide and the to an end at the time of India’s young have little or no time to learn about independence in 1947. our heritage. The festivities in ample Hindus and Buddhists were the only measure are indicative of a community’s inhabitants of the Valley before the advent zest for life. It breaks life’s monotony and of Islam. Buddhists were completely wiped gives each day a meaning and direction. Such out from the valley but a small percentage celebrations are possible with settled and of Hindus could, with great difficulty, cling contented groups; a scattered people to their faith. During those dark times, they rendered rootless and nameless may find it were forbidden to celebrate or observe any difficult to maintain observance of such religious festivities openly. However, the celebrations and festivities. Today the KP is neo-converts tolerated them if they did on the crossroads, his progeny is in a flux, anything religious without making any unsure of its morrow and unaware of the noise or show of their activities. Hence, the traditions that its forefathers held dear to minority Hindus could preserve their rituals their hearts. and rites to a great extent. However, there Festivities and Purification : In the sequel was a great deal of shift in the mode of we intend to record major socio-cultural celebrations due to the demographic beliefs, traditions, customs and festivals of changes that had occurred due to the KP with the hope that the younger KP conversions. For instance, it became will know, learn, and comprehend the customary with some families to eat non- essence of KP culture that has evolved vegetarian foods on Shivaratri-the most through long periods of peace and turmoil. pious festival of the community. This Religion has played a pivotal role in reflects the deep impact of Muslim way of shaping the community’s customs, rituals, celebrating Bakr-Id. rites, festivals and fasts, ceremonies, food Though the advent of Islam produced a habits and the worship of their deities. clash of civilizations, yet saintly figures Kashmir is widely known as the birth-place (Rshi, Pir, Mot, Shah) continued to be of ‘Kashmir Shaivism’, hence Shiva-shakti revered and respected equally by the Hindu constitute the substratum of their ritualistic as well as the Muslim. The journey through worship. Kashmir has also been a great over three millennia has shaped the cultural centre of Buddhist learning for over a moorings of the Kashmiri Pandit and millennium during which period a sizeable provided him with a vast corpus of number of revered Kashmiri Buddhist expressions, which give him a distinct scholars traveled as far as Sri Lanka in the cultural identity. South and Tibet, China and the Central Asian The Dogra rule brought a great relief to region in the North. ☯☯ the community. The community could (To be continued) celebrate its festivals without fear or fright. Contact author at: [email protected] Know Your Motherland - Chander M. Bhat Vasak Nag

Sanyaasai Ha Gosaaney, Kuney Kaanay Yekh Na Vaaney, Vasak Nag Tchu Yooni Kaanay, Kuney Kaanay Yekh Na Vaaney - Krishen Joo Razdan

asuki is a Sanskrit word for a naga, Kashmiri Pandits. Vasak one of the serpents of Hindu Nag is a fairly large spring V mythology. He is a great king of and is dedicated to Vasak the naga and has a gem on his the satellite of Shiva. It head. Manasa, another naga, is his sister. flows for six months and The famous legend in Hinduism in which runs dry for six months. A Vasuki took part was the incident of week before it begins to Samudra Manthan, the churning of the flow the wind blows very ocean of milk. In hard, there are the legend, Vasuki rain and thunder allowed devas storms, and (gods) and the people of the area Asuras (demons) say, “Vasak Nag is to bind him to coming”. A large Mount Mandara stream flows out (name of a of it and irrigates a mountain located large area. The on the highway water of this between stream will run Bhagalpur and five water mills. Dumka which was This stream flows used as a churning gracefully rod to churn the ocean of milk) and use him between willow orchards and turfy banks as their churning rope to extract the covered with yellow buttercups, ambrosia of immortality from the ocean of columbines and forget-me-nots. As soon milk. In the Bhagvada Gita (Chapter 10, verse as the autumn irrigation of the paddy fields 28) Lord Krishana explains his omnipresence is over and the crops are ripe, it runs dry. A by proclaiming, “Of weapons I am the story goes that a monk took Vasak Nag away thunderbolt; among cows I am the Surbhi. in his wallet to irrigate the arid parts Of causes of procreation I am Kamdeva and somewhere during winter, but the legend of serpents I am Vasuki.” is something else. My respected father Pt. Vasak Nag also known as Sarsa is located Dina Nath Bhat used to tell me the stories in the erstwhile Devsar Pargana at the base about Vasak Nag when I was reading in 6th of a mountain near Wagam in Kund area near standard. He was a regular visitor to this Qazigund in South Kashmir. The holy spring shrine. I can very well recall one of his is the ancient Vasuki Nag pilgrimage of stories which go like this, “In the month of April, one elderly Kashmiri Pandit namely Nag whose temples and springs still exist Pt. Neel Kanth Pandita of village Levdoora at different places in Kishtwar migrated to heard an un-usual sound during the day in Kishtwar and settled there. Right back in the month of April. He became curious and Kashmir, after the death of Kashyap Rishi, went out in the fields to see the source of succession dispute started amongst his sons these sounds. To his surprise he saw a big born from two queens Kadru and Vanita. snake crawling through the fields and going From Kadru were born Vasuki Nag, Shesh towards South. On the next day the news Nag and Mahel Nag and their elder sister spread like a wild fire that Vasak Nag is full Bhadra (Bhaderkali) while Garud and his of waters. It is a belief that the water of brothers were born from Vanita. Garud the Vasak Nag comes back on trithiur tray. eldest son attempted to eliminate Vasuki According to Hassan’s account, though not and his brothers. Bhaderkali had already confirmed, the water continues to ooze till shifted to Bhaderwah and settled there as the end of Bhadrapad, when paddy ripens, ruling queen. She extended invitation to after which the water suddenly disappears Vasuki and his brothers to come to and re-appears at a place at Bhaderwah Bhaderwah for safety. Bhadra divided her (since the history of Bhaderwah for the pre- territory amongst the three brothers. The historic and pre-epic period is closely linked Maon Bhaderwah valley on the left bank of with the history of Kashmir) and flows there Neeru was given to Vasuki. The temples of for six months. The phenomenon reverses Vasuki Nag at Bhaderwah are located at for the next six months. The shrine is spread village Galtha, Nalthi, Bheja and Nagar over an area of about 8 kanals of land and Bhaderwah where many locals worship has a number of Chinar trees. them as its ‘Kul Devi’ but at present it is Now the question arises, where the believed that village Nalthi with more than water does go for six months. There is a 100 springs is the abode of Vasuki in legend and a folk lore too that the waters Bhaderwah. The idol of Vasuki at Nalthi is of this spring go to Bhaderwah during marvellous and a wonder of art and winter. Bhaderwah also known as 'Nagon sculpture. Two idols of Nagraj Vasuki and Ki Bhoomi', the land of snakes, a land of Raja Jamute Vahan are made of black stone natural beauty, clear streams, green turf, which stands at an angle of 88o without any magnificent trees and mighty mountains support from either side. enveloped with glistering snow peaks is After settling her brothers at the abode of the Vasak Nag for six months. Bhaderwah, Bhadarkali migrated back to Numerous Naga chiefs ruled Kashmir when Kashmir valley and settled at a village the valley was a lake. One water borne Wadipora situated at a distance of about dragon named Jallodbhava, started killing seven km from Handwara, and at present and eating Nagas living in the lake the temple exists in the midst of pine trees relentlessly with the result many Nagas and on a hill top. This temple is being their subjects migrated to different maintained by Rashtriya Rifles at present. directions for safety. Some went to Bhaderkali is the Isht Devi (family deity) of Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, the nearby areas some Kashmiri Pandit families. One more of the valley. 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³ççô Ælç kçôÀb n vçHçÀj Dçç@m³ç vç@JççÇoe cçme çuçcççvç içjmç cçpb] ç p] çvçcç ¿çvç e mçló ³ç vçe~ cç ô iççÆæs yççhçLç mçyp] çç Ç ®æ ççjçvç, kçÀlçjçJççvç, lç e nçuçmç hç@l³ç cçç@HçÀçÇ çoÆ v³ç njiççn c³çççÆvç ç³Æ ç Jçvçvç e mçló ³ç lJççÆn çÆkçÀv³ç ³çôçlÆ ç ¬çÀçç³Æ ç hççKç kçÀ[vç e lç e jvçvç e h³çJçvç e ç³Æ çJççvç Dççp] ççj JçççlÆ ç ç]Æpç ³çLç cç@pççÆuççmÆ ç cçbp] ç çsÆ m³çþne³ç kçÀcç çlÆ çcç çƳçcçvç hç@p] ³ç hçç@þîç yç@ìîççÆuç lç e ³çLç nJçve çmç yçjçyçjeçkÆ çÀ ojpçká çÀ jçkô çÀá vç yç@çvÆ çLç jçpí] çvá ç s,á DççmçÆ h³çþ Þçoç sô~ vçlç e iççsôæ vçç ³çLç Dç@ivçe çoJÆ çlççnmç hççpÆ] ç çnE oámlççvç $çç@çJÆ çLç çÆlççÆsæ pççç³Æ ç içæsvá ç ³ççô Ælç vçe yçç´ Wn kçÀçÆvç, ³çôc³ççkÆ çÀ one e lç e Dç@ivç e mçól³ç cççvçvç e ç³Æ çJççvç DççcÆ ç kçÀme cçe®ç lçHçÀçJçLç DçççÆmç~ çÆ®çvçççb ®Æ ç, Mççô ³Æ ç jôl³ç s á çpÆ] ç mçççÆj p] çiçlçká çÀ JççlççJçjvç s á mçççÆjvç³e ç p] ççJçÇ hçlçe Dççç³Æ ç DççkÆ çÀ Ün Mççcçmç çÆohç e lç e mçççÆjkçÀç ìççÆþ p] çç@æ®çvç nbeÐç Dçlb ç:kçÀjvç çsÆ éço mçhçoçvç lç e cçvççMçÆ mçç@yçmç, mççÆj ìç@çþÆ mç lç e Mççlb çç yççyçç Ç hçvççe vÆ ç vçk] çÀçÆuç mçÐeb ç mçç@jç Ç hççHçÀ lç e nçvç e s ô içuççvç, ìîççkô çÀ kçÀjvç Jçlçvç kç@ÀçÆjLç kçÀÌ vçç[çnmç cç]bpç yçmçvçákçÀ HçÀç@mçuçe Jçç@çÆuçmç lç e JççsÆæ JçççB ÆvççpÆ ç vçlçcçmlçkçÀ mçhçovç Jçç@çÆuçmç yçç]ípçve çç@çJÆ çLç Jç&KçmçLç nôçvÆ ç~ Dçoe hçlç e kçÌÀvçç[nmç cç]bpç çÆone³ç ³ççílç vçe yç@u³ççkÆ çÀ Dçblç:kçÀjvç çlÆ ç éço mçhçove ³ç cççpÇ çç çlÆ çcçvç lççlÆ ççkÆ çÀmç mçcççpçmç cçpb] ç lççmí çyá ç e jçmçô lçe mçá lçánBçÆomç mçcççpçmç cçbp] ç j@çÆuçLç lçánáob DçKç k] çÀyççÓ Æuç³çLç çÆkçÀvçe ç³Æ ç çlÆ ç êçKç o³Ó çk&á çÀ êcçvá ç, çlÆ ç p] çççÆvç yççob Jç yçvçvá ç~ ³ççô Æcç çnÆ mççyç e lJççnÆ ³çôçcÆ çmç (mçççÆjkçÀççƳç o³ç~ kçÀá vç nç@çÆJçLç) ÞçoçJçççÆvç çvÆ ççMÆ ç nJçevçmç h³çþ Dç@ivçmç ☯☯ yç´çnW kçÀçvÆ ç hçjvç h³çLç lç e ìîççkô çÀ kç@ÀçÆjLç çlÆ ç o@u³ç Contact author at: [email protected] Jç@ìîçJç,e lççÆcç çnÆ mççyç e svá ç e lçánbeÐç çkÆ çÀv³ç ³çLç Dç@ivçmç Vasak Nag ... From Page 31 l³çlÓ ç Òçlççhç lçe çƳçcçvç MçuçkÓ çÀvç l³çLá ç lçç@mççÇj çpÆ] ç mçá way to Dudu Basantgarh in Udhampur Mççpô] çejççÆJç lçná Ðeb ç ³çç yççô ³Æ ç kçÀçBçmÆ ç nÐeb ç mççW®ç lç e cçvç~ District. The temple is located at an idyllic uçnô ]pçç mççívç ³ççô Ælç lJççÆn çvÆ ççÆMç çÆyççnÆ Lç hçvçvá ç hççvç location on the top of a ridge, providing a Dçéço kçÀ©vç sávç e DççmÆ ç cçpb] çÓj~ lççcÆ ç DçuççJçe smá ç vçe magnificent panoramic view on all sides. Another temple of Vasak Nag forms the part yç e vç@JççoÇ e JçKlç e lçánçB Æo yççhçLç ocç &e mçbkçÀì hçç@o e kçÀ©vç of village Batyari near village Khagote some ³çsæ çvç~ uçôn]pçç (Jçovç nçìÆ lçe vçcç ®çôMcçJç içuá ³ç 13 km from Udhampur on the way to Ram Nagar. iççB Æ[Lç) .... vçcçmkçÀçj~ ☯☯ mçççÆjkçÀçç³Æ ç Jçv³ççJí ç m³çþçn çoÆ hçmç vç@JççoÇ mç lççcç References: 1. Kashmiri Pandit: Culture and Heritage by Shri jçí]pçvç e yççhçLç Dçcççhçá]pç çoÆ hçmç Dççímç uçká çÀvç nebçÆo C.L.Koul. 2. Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend by Shri Anna L. J³çJçnçje mçól³ç yççje sdJçKç uççôiçcçálç~ lç@c³ç kç@Àj Dallapiccola. mçççÆjkçÀççƳç vççÆj LçHçÀ lç e êçJç MçççÆcç³ççvç e cç]bpç~e cçvá lççe Æp] çcç 3. History of Bhaderwah by Shri Swami Raj Sharma. 4. Kashmir: History & People by S.R.Bakshi. lç e yççkçÀ³e ç uçÓKç iç@çÆ³ç ªçÆ]pçLç n@kçw³ç vçe yç@kçw³ç lçe 5. Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya; Wooden Temple by Shri Omacanda Handa. hçMçcççÌ vç~ çÆlçcçvç p] çvç iç@ç³Æ ç ]p³çJç v³çib ççe uÆ çLç~ kçÀççB mçÆ ☯☯ Jççvô ç vç e çoÆ hçmç vç@JççomÇ ç lççcç jçíp] çvçe yççhçLç~ Contact Author at: [email protected] hç@çlÆ çc³çvç mçççÆjvç³e ç içpá] çjícçle ³çvç nç@çÆjmççlçvç nepçb] mççcç ¿çvç e hçlç e y³çÓþ çoÆ hçmç hçÓje hçç@þîç çpÆ] ç çnE omá lççvçmç Without Comments cçpb] ç lç e oçá Ævçç³Æ çnkçw³çvç Dçkçmw çj cçeukçÀvç cçpb] ç çsÆ vçmçuççÇ, Committee is a group of the unwilling, cçp] çn@yçç,Ç jbiç, p] çç@æ®ç lçe yçlí çjç Ç jbiç e lçH] çÀ©kçÀ lç e lççmí çyá ç~ picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary. njiççn DççÆmç mçcççpçmç cçb]pç yçnÌçÆmç³ççÆlç Fvçmççvç Our Literary Treasures - Prof. Anil Raina Leelas of Swami Shankar Joo Razdan - 2 ust a few specimens: I am reproducing below five J stanzas of the Leelas transliterated into modified Latin script from the original, along with the translation. This is to give you some idea of the poetic quality of Swami Shankar Joo Razdan the original, and of what one might be losing Bikrami 1886 - 1931 in the translation (ch stands for ®ç ; chh for s) :

Mayayi kandi zaal chathtam Haro, [He is blown up with the wind, Zani saet zani hund mucharam bar, Many Gandharvas are born, Tami saet yemi samsara nish taro, But dust returns to dust, Chai Ishwaro daya kar. Let me rock you.] [O , deliver me from the prison of Maya, Mechi beye mechi mechei, Open for me the gates of Knowledge Herei bona aas mechey, That will help me wade across the ocean of life, Mochhi manz sar mechay, Have Mercy on me, My Lord.] Karyo goor goorai. Anis kastam andhyakar, [Dust mingles with dust, Aanas kastam khay zangar, There is dust from top to bottom, Krudh, kaam, lubh, madh, moh nyawaro, What I clench in my fist is nothing but dust, Dandavat karhai namaskar. Let me rock you.] [Take the darkness away from the visionless, ☯☯☯ Polish away the rust of the mirror, 1. To Lord Ganesha Do away with my anger, lust, greed, ego, Introduction: Hindus all over the world and attachments, often start a new venture by praying to Lord I prostate myself before Thee.] Ganesha and invoking his blessings. Swami Gafilo gach bedar, Shankar Joo also begins his epic narration Kenh ma zaan mohara ta dyar, by invoking Lord Ganesha in this poem. It Kandyi zaal moh sansar, addresses Lord Ganesha by different Mana karo Raam Raamai. names, and describes his various qualities. [O ignoramus, be watchful, This eighteen-line poem consists of an Treat the worldly riches as petty, initial couplet followed by four quatrains. Treat the world of attachments as a net of thorns, The rhyme scheme in the original is abab. O my mind, keep chanting the name of Ram.] lll Praise be to Shuklam Lord Ganesha, Vathith chas vav andar, I bow before you, Balachandra. Kum kum drai Gandhar, O Mushakvahana, O Lambodara, Shrepeye beyi mechi andar, With a befitting forehead on your elephant Karyo goor goorai. face, The crown on your head looks so pleasing, Harihar consists of an initial couplet I bow before you, Balachandra. followed by four quatrains. The rhyme You are a bestower of blessings, Lord scheme in the original is abab. “Harihar, also Ganesha, spelled Hari-hara, in Hinduism, is a syncretic A saviour and a remover of obstacles are you, deity, combining the two major gods, O Lord of Sidhi, you are a giver of Vishnu (Hari) and Siva (Hara). Images of supernatural powers, Harihara (also known as Sambhu-Vishnu I bow before you, Balachandra. and Sankara-Narayana, variants of the You with your four arms and a trunk, names of the two gods) began to appear in Have three eyes shining like the moon, the classical period after sectarian Vallabh is with you, Lord Ganesha, movements, which elevated one god as I bow before you, Balachandra. supreme over the others, had waned sufficiently for efforts at compromise to be The two mice are your mounts, attempted” (Wikipedia). However, in this You are a remover of obstacles for your leela, Harihar is used as another name of devotees, Lord Shiva. O ‘Shankar,’ he has three eyes on his lll forehead, O Shiva Shankar and Hariharo, I bow before you, Balachandra. Have Mercy on me, My Lord. ] ] ] Notes: O blissful and graceful obstacle-remover, Line 2. Shuklam: It means 'white'. It is an Shower on me your boons and blessings, epithet commonly used for Vishnu in his I seek shelter in you, the Eternal One, white robes; in some instances, as in the Have Mercy on me, My Lord. present case, it has been used in relation to O Harihara, deliver me from the prison of Lord Ganesha as well. Maya, Line 3. Balachandra: 'moon-crested'; One Open for me the gates of Knowledge of Ganesha’s names. That will help me wade across the ocean of life, Line 4. Mushakvahana: One who uses the Have Mercy on me, My Lord. mouse as his vahana( mode of conveyance); I did not realise the Truth in time, that was One of Ganesha’s names Lambodhara: a mistake, 'Huge-bellied'; Another name of Ganesha. I did not comprehend the nature of this Line 10. Sidhi: Ganesha’s wife worldly Ocean, Line 14. Vallabha: Beloved, Spouse. The Now tell me, how do I cross this Ocean? meaning here is not clear to me. Have Mercy on me, My Lord. Line 18. ‘Shankar’: To differentiate between In the form of the Guru, help me overcome Lord Shankara, and the poet Shankar, my blurred vision, Shankar is put within inverted commas Tell me, ‘Shankar,’ this way you can cross when it stands for the poet, Swami Shankar the Ocean? Joo Razdan. The Translator has adopted this I have no other to fall back on but you, practice in all subsequent Leelas and the Have Mercy on me, My Lord. Shankar . Notes: ☯☯☯ Line 7: The literal meaning of the popular 2. To Harihar Kashmiri expression ‘mayayi kandi zaal’ Introduction: This poem in honour of means the thorny/barbed net/trap of Maya. The Hindi expression ‘maya jaal’ is made Take the darkness away from the visionless, more poetic and concrete in Kashmiri by Polish away the rust of the mirror, adding ‘kandi’ to it. I have to admit that my Do away with my anger, lust, greed, ego, translation ‘the prison of Maya’ fails to and attachments, catch the poetic quality of the original. I prostate myself before Thee. ☯☯☯ Seek inward in your mind, O ‘Shankar’, 3. To Lord Shiva It is inhabited by the one and only Onkar, Introduction: This poem in honour of Lord Cast away the ten colours to attain Shiva consists of an initial couplet followed Nothingness, by seven quatrains. The rhyme scheme in I prostate myself before Thee. the original is abab. In addition to ] ] ] addressing Shiva by his various names, it Notes: alludes to the traditional Hindu ideas: of Line 1: It is almost impossible to reproduce avoiding the typical five human the essence and the beauty of the original weaknesses of “kaam, krodh, moh, lobh, “Ananda ishwaro shakti aakaro” in the above and ahankar,” and of looking within to find translation. the Immanent God. Lines 5, 7, 8, 16: Gangadhar, Jatadhari, lll Neelkanth, Padmadhar: Names of Lord O Blissful God, the embodiment of Shakti, Shiva. ‘Padmadhar’ means Lotus-based. I prostate myself before Thee. Line 8: ‘Shahmar’ is translated by me as ‘king- O Supreme God, Immanent in everyone, serpent’. Once again, it is difficult to catch Sovereign of all that is in the Universe, the nuances and the rhythm of the word O Gangadhar, I wish to pray to you, 'Shahmar'. I prostate myself before Thee. Line 24: The image of wiping clean of the O Jatadhari, Praise be to Thee, rust of the mirror is found at many places in You carry a king-serpent around your Blue Neck, Swami Ji’s poetry. Compare the Persian Sufi Three moons adorn your forehead, Jalaluddin Rumi’s “I shall cry so loud,/I shall I prostate myself before Thee. play such trick s;/That the rust will be removed from the Out of your matted hair, flows the Ganga, mirror [of the heart] of every denier.” Holding a trident, and wearing a garland of Line 27: The literal translation of this line skulls, would be, “ Say Hu Ha in your Mind”. The You are the one, who took poison for his Sufis use ‘Hu Ha’ to describe God. There are food, enough indications in other poems to show I prostate myself before Thee. that Swami ji was familiar with Sufi You ride the bull, O Pre-eminent One, terminology. Parvati accompanies you, O Padmadhar Line 29: Ten Colours: The reference may be (Lotus-based), to the ten Indriyas. The original in Kashmiri You are omnipresent, you consort of Uma, uses the expression “dah veh shamith.” In I prostate myself before Thee. traditional philosophy and practice, O ash-covered ascetic, the formless one, the human being is visualized as a building You dispense mercy to the devotees, with ten doors: five entrance and five exit O Merciful one, grace me with success, doors. Consciously, actively and I prostate myself before Thee. intentionally witnessing these ten senses as they function is an important part of Yoga meditation, and meditation in action. 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n arriving in Pahalgam, we found an alien land that felt very little like me, " it to be bustling with people and and was very different from what I had O activity, and we had to clamor imagined it to be. Kashmir, had only traces, hard to find a picnic spot less of a population I belong to, and a few crowded. Some families carried food while decaying reminiscences of our history others had bought cylinders and cauldrons, there. and were cooking under tree shades. We Once in Srinagar, we went for a stroll found a nice shaded spot to spread our around Lal Chowk. In the evening, Srinagar mats, and sat down to munch hungrily on downtown was scrambling with life and the sandwiches we were carrying. We’d vigor. We got down near Biscoe School that bought some mangoes too on the way, stood at the outset of the marketplace. My which were now resting under a rock, dad had studied here, so naturally I was submerged in the ice-cold river water, somewhat curious about it. But tall dark utilizing the natural resource for wooden bastions surrounded the school refrigeration. I stretched out lazily on the now. I think it was only natural considering rugs, looking ahead at the tall grandiose the dark history of Lal Chowk. As I moved mountain peaks that spread out far and towards the gate, a tiny peephole appeared wide. The nearer ones were wrapped in in the wooden gate, and two cautious eyes bright green, with tiny white dots, which peered out at me suspiciously. “I don’t have must’ve been the mountain goats. The a good feeling about this”, my husband ones far away looked more formidable, murmured from behind. “Neither do I, let’s graying and barren, with oozes of creamy just go to the market”. And we turned white snow dribbling on the top. Later, we towards the busy street. The street was full went down to the river side and sat on the of tiny shops, selling about everything from rocks, enjoying the chill of the snow fed basic necessity items to luxury goods. In the water. Pahalgam valley was mesmeric, heart of the market stood the parched black although over the years, crowding and structures, bearing witness to the April 1993 general administrative apathy had carnage. I wanted to click some pictures, somewhat tarnished its exquisiteness. But but my husband advised me not to. “Look it still bore signs of a place which, in the around you”, he said, and then I noticed past, would have been scrupulously what he was talking about. We had beautiful. managed to invite much unwanted On the way back, I kept thinking about attention; people stared at us, with hard how I’d always referred to Kashmir as my repulsive expressions. A chill ran down my homeland, when only now, after a quarter spine, as I nervously tried to cover my small of my life had gone by, did I get a chance to gold earrings (Traditionally, Kashmiri discover it. In the past 2 days, I’d seen a married women wear a dejihoru that is an Kashmir; very different from the stories I’d almond-shaped ornament made of gold heard growing up. What I saw instead, was hung from a gold chain which is threaded through the middle of the earlobe or the and white purple flowers. The weather had cartilage of the upper ear. It symbolizes turned cloudy, and soon it was drizzling. As Kashmiri marriage and hence reveals our we drove around the meadow, we saw huts, true ethnicity). Some shopkeepers were cozy and inviting, they bore semblance to nice to us though. “This child would have rustic country homes, set comfortably never been here before”, a portly old amidst green, yellow pastures. The gondola shopkeeper said to my mother-in-law, was the most popular attraction, flocks of pointing towards me. “I don’t know why all tourists gathered in long queues outside it. that happened, otherwise, you and me, we While riding the gondolas, we passed were the same people”, he finished. We above the shepherd huts, made of mud and smiled, picked up our stuff, and left. Losing straw; their domestic flock grazing nearby. faith in kindness is perhaps, the final Many people had chosen to trek all the way triumph of terror over humanity. up. Some kids looked up as we passed Some family friends accompanied us above them and waved. As the clouds over dinner that night. As we talked and moved, some stretches of the mountain laughed out loud at common jokes, I felt terrain turned grey, while others became the unpleasantness of the day’s events bright brown and sunny. In some places, the wearing off. This, I realized, is where I sunlight pierced through the clouds to belonged. Home, or homeland, is made up produce radiant white patches. In life there of people, and feelings, of love, friendship are moments that speech cannot define, and respect; the significance geography is Gulmarg will give you some. I pushed aside only overrated. all the conflicting thoughts that were Later in the room, I stared out long, at raiding my mind since the last two days, and the dimly lit up bund, and the silent, passive let the simple plain beauty of this place sink Jhelum beside it, glowing in patches, with in. reflections of city lights. This was my last Gulmarg was our last stop in Kashmir. night in Srinagar, reminiscent of what we At around 3PM, we reached the airport to had lost and yet, what we managed to save. board the flight to Delhi. While entering Day 3 : through the airport doors, I looked back one The climb up the mountains to Gulmarg was last time, to get a final glimpse of the incredible. Small streams carved out tiny Chinaar tree that had caught my fancy just 2 passages down the hills that were days ago. otherwise covered with thick strands of My parents were at the airport to receive trees. We stopped at various site seeing us. “Welcome home! How was it?” dad spots on the way up, to get a breathtaking asked. “Best trip of my life…….but now, I’m view of the valley below and the snow home”, I said. “So, worth it or not?” he asked capped mountain peaks far-far away. The again……I smiled, and thought “Every bit of hills echoed with a concoction of mountain it, every bit”. “You should write about it”, sounds, from that of flowing river and my husband said, reading my thoughts. “I splashing water, to the loud whispering of will, I sure will”. tree leaves, to a faint distant melody, that sounded like a flute. ☯☯☯ Gulmarg was a meadow, of green fields OççjçJçççÆnkçÀ - cç.kçÀ.jÌvçç içáuçí yçkçÀçJçuççÇ - 5 Vç vç í DçhçvççÇ yççlç hçÓjçÇ kçÀçÇ hçj Mççn]pççoí uçiçç~ çÆpçVç vç í oÌl³ç kçÀçí içuçí kçÀç Ç nçuçlç oKí ç kçÀj Jçn kçÀá s mçç®í çvçí uçiçç³çç DççjÌ mçuççcç oáDçç kçÀçÇ~ çÆpç hçj cçpçyçjÓ náDçç~ Gmç vçí Mççnp] çço í mçí Kççvçç Kççvç í kçÀí çuÆ ç³çí pçyç kçÀnç, ``lçácç vçí cçPá ç í kçÀmçcç çoÆ uççF & n Ì FmççÆuç³çí cçpçyçÓj olÌ ³ç ]pçcççvÇ ç hçj yçÌþç lçç í Gmç n~ÓB cçPçá í SkçÀ jçmlçç çoÆ KççF& o í jnç n~Ì ³ççoÆ lçcçá kçÀçí Mççn]pççoç çÆoKççF& çÆo³çç~ JçmÌ çç nçÇ Kççvçç çHÆ çÀj mçí yçvççDçç í pçmÌ çç lçcçá vç í cçíjí Mççn]pççoç çHÆ çÀj mç í kçÀçhB ç Gþç hçj çÆuç³çç yçvçç³çç Lçç, lçç í cç Q Jçnç B kçíÀ SkçÀ olÌ ³ç, pçç í cçjí çÇ kçÀçhçb lç í kçÀçbhçlç í Gmç vç í olÌ ³ç kçÀç í mçuççcç kçÀç~Ç olÌ ³ç hçn®ççvç kçÀç n,Ì kçÀç í Kççvçí hçj Dçhçvç í ³çnç B yçuá çç uçÓB~ Gmç DççocççÇ kçÀç í ³çnç B oKí ç kçÀj nÌjçvç Lçç~ Gmç vçí ³ççoÆ Jçn lçcá nçjç Kççvçç Kçç kçÀj KçMá ç náDçç lçç í cçPá çí çÆpçVç mç í kçÀnç, ``Dççocç kçÀç lçç í ³çnç B kçÀçFí & kçÀçcç nçÇ hçÓjç ³çkçÀçvÇ ç nÌ çkÆ çÀ Jçn ncççjç Ç cçoo kçÀjvç í kçÀç í lç³Ì ççj vçnçR~ çÆHçÀj ³çn Dççocç p] çço kçÀçvÌ ç nÌ, kçÀnç B mç í Dçç³çç nçií çç~'' nÌ DççÌj ³çnç B kç³w çç kçÀj jnç nÌ? 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SkçÀ mçí SkçÀ yç{ kçÀj çpÆ] ç³ççHçÀlçW çÆKçuççF~¥ kçÀá s mçcç³ç lçcá ç pççvçlççÇ nç í çkÆ çÀ cç Q lçcá n W oKá çç Ç vçnç R oKí ç mçkçÀlççÇ~ kçíÀ yçço ncççuç vç í Mççnp] ççoçÇ kçÀç í yçáuçç³çç DççÌj Gmçí yççuí ççí, kç³w çç ®çççnÆ ³ç,í cç Q uçç kçÀj oÓib çç~Ç '' Jçnçb kçÀí kçÀçvçÓvç kçíÀ cçlá çççÆyçkçÀ Mççnp] ççoí kçÀí nJççuçí kçÀj (Dçiçuçí DçbkçÀ cçí pççjçÇ) çÆo³çç~ ncççuç DççjÌ cçncçoÓ ç, oçví ççW yçnlá ç KçMá ç Lçí ☯☯ uçíçkÆ çÀvç Mççnp] ççoç KçMá ç vçnç R Lçç~ cçncçÓoç vç í oíKçç Contact author at: [email protected] Know Your Motherland - M.K.Raina Wular Lake

(Photo : Yogesh Masuria)

ular Lake, the largest fresh water pastures and orchards which add to the lake in India, is situated at a scenic beauty of the lake. W distance of about 40 Kms. The Wular Lake plays a significant role towards north-west of Srinagar. in the hydrographic system of the Kashmir It is said to be formed as a result of tectonic valley by acting as huge absorption basin activity. for annual flood water. The Lake and its Wular Lake is about 189 Sq. Kms. in area surrounding marshes have an important which varies from season to season. It lies natural wildlife. The Lake is the home to as at an altitide of 1580 Mtrs. It has a length of many as 50 species of aquatic animals and 16 Kms. and a breadth of 10 Kms. Its several migratory and resident birds which maximum depth is 14 Meters. The deepest include waterfowl species such as Little part of the Lake is known as Mota Khon Egzet (Egretta garzetta), Cattle Egzet which means Gulf of Corpses. The Sopore (Bubulcus ibis), Shoveler (Anas clypeata), and Bandipora towns are located on its Common Pochard (Aythya farina) and banks. Mallard. Birds like Marbled Teal Jhelum river evacuates into the Wular (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and Pallas´s Lake at Banyari, which is 40 Kms. from Fish-eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) are Srinagar and again separates at Ningli. The species listed in the Red List of IUCN. Many flood water of river Jhelum acts as a natural terrestrial bird species observed around the reservoir. The catchment area of the Lake is lake are Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus covered with coniferous forests, alpine gallicus), Little Cuckoo (Piaya minuta), European Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Monal the Ramsar Convention. Pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus) and The rivers Bohnar, Madamati and Erin Himalayan Pied Woodpecker from the mountain ranges and the rivers (Dendrocopos himalayensis albescens). Vitasta (Jhelum) and the Ningal from the In 1986, the lake was designated as a south bring hundreds of tons of silt into the Wetland of National Importance under the lake every year. This rampant siltation and Wetlands Programme of the Ministry of the human encroachments have Environment and Forests, Government of devastating effects on the lake. India for the purpose of conservation and ☯☯ management. In 1990, it was assigned as a [Sources: 'Indianetzone-Geography of India', 'SAVE' Wetland of International Importance under and 'Project Zaan Archives'] mçççnÆ l³ç - kçÀç@çÆMç³ç & lçucççÇn Jçmççvç~ Dç@çkÆ çÀmç kçÀá çÆuçmç lçuç Jçsá ávç mJçvç e mçáob lçKlç~ DçLç lçKlçmç H³çþ Jççá Æsvç Hçvçve ³ç p] çvççvç e çyÆ ççnÆ Lç~ æ®JççÆ®ç Jç@çÆjmç pçvçLç ç³Æ ç lçcççMç e Jççá sÆ Lç ¿ççlô ç hççoMççnvç çlÆ ç yççiçmç cçpçb] vçvçe sá ç³Æ çJççvç çÆp] ç yçnuçÓuç Dççmí ç Kç@uççHÇ çÀç Dç]®çvá ç~ [ç[Ç îç Jççv³çJç Ðçlá ç vç e lçmç Dçob j Dç®] çvçe~ nçªvç j@MççÇo e mçbáo yççí³ç~ DççkÆ çÀ Ün içJç oçHô çná @mç, ``ç³Æ ç sá pçvçlç lç e ç³Æ ç s á nçá cÆ ç [îçkçÀ e yççÆpç Jç mç á Dç@çÆkçÀmç jçp] ç e mçeçb Æomç ojyççjmç cç]bpç cç@u³ç ¿ççlô çce çlá ç~'' Dç@L³ç mçló ³ç içJç hççoMççn náMççj~ K³çvç e Kçç@lçje kçÀW æsç cçib ççe vÆ ç~ jçp] çvç sæ evçevççJí ç mç á y³çJçç@jçÇ Hçiççn Mççcçmç êçJç hççoMççn çlÆ ç pçib çuçmç kç@ÀçÆjLç lç e kçÀvçmç LçHçÀ kç@ÀçÆjLç v³çyçj kç@Àç[Æ Lç~ yçnuçÓuç kçÀá vç~ DççlÆ ç Jçásávç yçnuçuÓ ç çÆkçÀçÆpç n³ç&vç çiÆ çob çvç~ Jççlí ç pçbiçuçmç cçb]pç lç e uçç@çiÆ çvç çÆkçÀçÆpç n³ç&vç neÐçb hççoMççnvç hçãæsámç, ``ojJçíMç mçç@yç, kçw³ççn çÆsJçe cçkçÀçvç e yçvççJçev³ç~ DçHçç@³ç &d êçç³Æ ç hççoMççn mçepb] ç p] çvççvçe~ kçÀjçvç?'' ojJçMí çvç Jççôvçámç, ``pçvçLç smá ç yçvççJççvç~'' lççcçÆ Jççvô ç yçnuçÓuçmç kçÀá vç, ``ojJçMí ç,e kç³w ççn sKçá hççoMççnvç Òçsáæ ámç, ``mççoí ç cçç kçÀjKç?'' ojJçMí çvç kçÀjçvç?'' ojJçMí çvç Jççvô çmá ç JççHçmç, ``pçvçLç smçá Ðçlá çámç pçJççyç, ``Dçç kçÀj~''e hççoMççnvç hçãæsmá ç, yçvççJççvç~'' hççoMççn yçççƳç Jççvô çámç, ``kçÀve çKç cçç?'' ``kçÀóçÆlçmç kçÀevçKç?'' ojJçíMçvç Jççvô çámç, ``mçlçvç ojJçíMçvç Ðçlá çmá ç pçJççyç, ``Dçç kçÀve ç~e '' hççoMççn yçççƳç HççoMççnvç nÐeb çvç mçlçvç Kçp] ççvçvç~'' hççoMççnmç ]®ç@pç hçsãæ vá çmç, ``kçÀçó lÆ çmç kçÀve çKç?'' ojJçMí çvç oçHçô vá çmç, KJçjJç lçuçe c³ç@]®ç vççÇçjÆ Lç~ mçç®W ççn kç@ÀçjÆ Lç Jççvô çávçmç, ``Dç@çkÆ çÀmç ®] Jçç®Æ ç Jç@çjÆ mç~'' ``vç np] ç, ]®çô kçÀevçáLç vçç çƳç pçvçLç jçLç ®] JççÆ®ç hççoMççn yçç³ç iç@çƳç m³çþçn KJçMç~ DçKç Jç@çÆjmç?'' ojJçíMçvç Ðçlá çmá ç pçJççyç, ``yçkí çÀuçe, lççcçÆ ®] Jçç®Æ ç Jççôj Ðçálçávç ojJçMí çmç~ ojJçíMçvç kçÀçÆjvçmç çkÆ çÀçÆpç kçÀçjô vç Jçsá ve ç³ç mççoí ç~ ®] ç e DççKç Jççá ÆsLç mççíoç kçÀjçvÆ ç~'' nJççuçe lçe ®] ççôuç~ hççoMççn yççç³Æ ç LççÆJç ç³Æ çcç e çÆkçÀçpçÆ hççoMççn içJç HçMçcÌ ççvç~ cç@nuç e Kççvçmç cçpb] ç lççkç®w çmç H³çþ~ HççoMççnvç hçsã ámç ☯☯ çkÆ çÀpçvç cçálççuÆ çkçÀ lç e lççÆcç Jç@çvÆ çvçmç ]®JççÆ®ç JççÆj®ç (Dçiçj kçÀçnb ®ççpÇ] ç m³çþçn êçiô ç DçççÆmç lç e kçÀççB mÆ ç yççvÆ ç cççá pçÆ o@uççÇuç~ hççoMççnvç $ççíJç þçn þçn kçÀ@çÆjLç Dçmçvá ç~ cJçuçmç, oHççvç çsÆ `lçmç yçv³çJç ®] Jçç®Æ ç Jç@çjÆ mç pçvçLç~'Dçiçj kçÀçbn vçHçÀj êçiô ç ®çç]Çpç ÞJççiÆ ç cJçuç e sæ ççb [,Æ oHççvç çsÆ `mç á sá oHççvç Dçcçç Ç jç@]®ç s á hççoMççn mççHçô ávç Jçásçvç~ ®] Jçç®çÆ Jç@çjÆ mç pçvçLç sæ ç[b çvç~' mççHô çve çmç cçbp] ç Jçsá ávç pçvçLç, ³ççô Ælç cççsb kçwJçuç e Dççmçe [Archives - Project Zaan] OUT OF BOX

Flowers on your side of the path : make our lives together so very interesting An elderly Chinese woman had two large and rewarding. You have just got to take pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which each person for what they are and look for she carried across her neck. One of the pots the good in them. So, to all of my cracked had a crack in it while the other pot was pot friends, have a great day and remember perfect and always delivered a full portion to smell the flowers on your side of the of water. At the end of long walks from path. stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived ☯☯ ☯☯ only half full. For a full two years, this went on daily, with the woman bringing home ANSWERS TO JUMBLE 2 only one and a half pots of water. Of course, (Milchar Nov-Dec 2011) the perfect pot was proud of its HENDA VENDA ; SOOMYAR ; VITASTA ; accomplishments, but the poor cracked pot ROGAN JOSH was ashamed of its own imperfection and ☯☯ ☯☯ miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of Question : Insert the numbers 11, 12, 13, what it perceived to be bitter failure, it 14, 15, 16, 17 in the circles below in such a spoke to the woman one day by the stream, way that the total is the same in all "I am ashamed of myself because this crack directions : in my side causes water to leak out all the Answer : way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are 12 flowers on the side of your path but not on the other pot's side. That is because I have 11 always known about your flaw, so I planted 13 flower seeds on your side of the path, and 14 every day while we walk back,you water them. For two years, I have been able to 15 17 pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace 16 the house." Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it is the cracks and flaws we each have that Compiled by: K.K.Kemmu

Learn Kashmiri. It is our mother-tongue. Editor's Mail

Ø Dear Editor, [email protected] Thanks a lot for Milchar. At least our younger [Editor replies: 1886-1931 is the Bikrami generation will get know what has been our Samvat which was not indicated due to culture and ethos. Eminent writers are on oversight. Error is regretted.] the job and hence results are bound to bear lll fruit. I would request that a Kashmiri Ø Dear Mr. Raina, calander be displayed in every issue for Thank you so much for the effort, for information to all, i.e. Dates for all the producing a good magazine. Kashmiri functions like Ashtamis, Punims, Sandhya Shungloo start and end of dertapannchuk, Herat, [email protected] , auspicious dates for different lll occasions to help Kashmiris to organize their Ø My dear MK, events accordingly. I am enclosing a Kashmiri write Best wishes and warm regards, up in Devanagari script for your Ravinder Tikoo assessment and for being Gurgaon. corrected. It is for the first time [email protected] that I have used this script to [Editor replies: Thanks for mail. Looks like write. Whatever I have written in Kashmiri you have missed some of the inner pages. so far is in Nastaleek script. If you feel the Panchang is regularly included in the write up has some merit, please give it some magazine and appears on Page 32 of the space in ‘Milchar’. Nov-Dec 2011 issue.] My blessings to you and your family. lll Yours, Ø Dear Raina Sahab, P.K.Kaul I Thank you for sending me the PDF Santacruz, Mumbai copy of Milchar (Nov-Dec 2011). [email protected] Accept my congratulations on lll publishing such a quality Ø Dear (Rajen) Kaul Sahib, magazine. I was delighted to see my Namaskar. It gives me immense Preface to Swami Shankar Joo’s 'Leelas' in pleasure to know that I am the magazine, and am really grateful to you associated with Milchar since past for deciding to serialise the 'Leelas' in your 6 years now. In these years I have prestigious magazine. Just one minor seen Milchar growing from mere 20 Pages correction. Swami Ji’s photo caption shows to 50 pages which is an achievement in him as living from 1886 to 1931. The correct itself. dates are 1830 to 1875. In all it is a great achievement whereby Regards, Milchar has contributed to Kashmiri families Prof. Anil Raina living in Western India. The best part of the Dept. of English & Cultural Studies, Milchar are the sections where the articles Panjab University, Chandigarh referring to our great Gurus are depicted Mobile: 91-9815232318 and told about their miracles. I have gone Editor's Mail ³çJá çç Mççqkçwlç ... jçkçÀí Mç jçMí çvç Yçf through many articles in Milchar, but think DçOb çíjí jçmlçç W hçj çyÆ çKçj í Lç í ncç that there should be one more section of 'Learn to speak kashmiri, our Mother- Dçyç çoÆ Kç jnç mçJçíjç nÌ tounge'. this will be required for our ³çJá çç Mççqkçwlç vç í çcÆ çuç kçÀj youngsters who have born and brought up nìç³çç ³ç í DçbOçíjç nÌ in western India. Of course they will learn Kashmiri if we insist them in speaking at ncççjçÇ mççoiçç Ç kçÀçí home but if it is a mixed religion whereby ncççjç Ç kçÀcçp] ççíjç Ç mçcçPçç iç³çç either mother/father have been married SkçÀ yççj vçnçR mççlç yççj ncçW out side of our religion then it becomes Içj mç í çvÆ çkçÀçuçç iç³çç important for us to make sure that these children know Kashmiri also. p] çKcçç W kçÀç í mçnuçç³çç, içcçç W kçÀç í Yçáuçç³çç Secondly, it was indeed a pleasure to nj yççj, çHÆ çÀj mç í GvnW içuç í uçiçç³çç know that Annual Havan is being carried out ncç vç í pçyç pçyç DçççMÆ ç³ççvçç yçmçç³çç on 21 & 22 January. I would like to participate as an active volunteer for this Havan and mçyç kçáÀs uçáìç nDá çç pray for Maej Sharika's blessings. Hence if Kçoá kçÀç í Gmçç Ç ®ççÌjçn í hç í hçç³çç any work is assigned to me, it will be great. Fmç yççj FçÆlçnçmç vçnç R oçínjç³çiW çí May Maej Sharika bestow peace and yççÆukçÀ vç³çç FçlÆ çnçmç j®çç³çiW çí happiness on all Kashmiris. Ashish Dhar hçÓjç Ç oçá vÆ ç³çç kçÀç í DçhçvççÇ SkçÀlçç Borivali, Mumbai cçkçÀmço DççÌj ¢{æ lçç kçÀçÇ PçuçkçÀ çoÆ Kçç³çiW çí [email protected] ³ç í cççlçYã ççÓ Æcç, ³çí Içj, pçç í lçíjç nÌ DççjÌ cçíjç nÌ lll Ø Dear Editor, jçoW kçÀí ncççjç nk] çÀ, oMá cçvçç W vçí It is always a pleasure to go through the çÆpçvç hç í pçcçç³çç nDá çç [íjç nÌ pages of Milchar and frankly speaking, we ncç W lçç í DçhçvççÇ OçjlççÇ ®çççnÆ ³çí eagerly wait for the new issue. The content ncç Dççmçcççvçç W hçj oçJçç vçnç R kçÀjlçí is superb with all the three languages included. Information given through the DççjÌ ³çí lçç í ncç hçç kçÀí jniW çí column 'Know Your Motherland' is very kç³w çççW kÆ çÀ, ncç Dçyç çkÆ çÀmçç Ç mç í vçnç R [jlçí informative and I am sure, our youngsters pççiç Gþç nÌ Dçyç ³çáJçç hçbç[Æ lç who have not been to the valley are benifited a lot. I would like to record my nçmí çuçç n Ì çpÆ çmçkçÀç Oçvçøá ç, Fjço í çpÆ çmçkçÀí lççÇj special appreciation for the net edition of Dççpç mççkçÀçj nç í jnç Ç n Ì Jçç í kçÀuhçvçç Milchar, coming in colour. It is really a treat pçç í Lçç Ç Dçyç lçkçÀ kçíÀJçuç lçmçJççÇj to the eyes. pç³ç hçvçvá ç kçÀMcççÇj ... pç³ç hçvçávç kçÀMcççÇj Regards, ☯☯ Manoj Dhar Poem penned for Ashok Vihar, New Delhi International Youth Conference at Pune [email protected] Contact author at : [email protected]

RNI Registration No. MAHMUL/2004/13413 Milchar - The Official Organ of Kashmiri Pandits' Association, Mumbai

Printed and Published by S.P.Kachru for the Kashmiri Pandits' Association (Regd.), Kashyap Bhawan, Plot No. 16, Bhawani Nagar, Marol Maroshi Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400 059. Tel: 022-29259954. Printed at Manual Print, 7, Shah & Desai Ind. Estate, Navghar, Vasai Road (E), Dist. Thane 401 210. Tel: 6990808. Editor : M.K.Raina