Praagaash ÒççiççMç Net-journal of 'Zaan’ `]pççvç' kçÀçÇ vçíì-HççÆ$çkçÀç For Private Circulation Only Tarsar Lake, Aru, Kashmir Image : Namrata Wakhloo ß vçcçççÆcç lJççb Mççjoç oíJççR, cçnçYççiççR YçiçJçlççR kçÀçMcççÇj hçájJçççÆmçvççR çÆJçÐçç oççƳçvççR j#ç cççcçd j#ç cççcçd~ vçcçççÆcç lJççcçd~ Jç<ç& 4 : DçbkçÀ 6 ~pçÓvç 2019 Vol 4 : No. 6~ June 2019 01 Praagaash ÒççiççMç `]pççvç' kçÀçÇ vçíì-HççÆ$çkçÀç Jç<ç& 4 : DçbkçÀ 6~ pçÓvç 2019 In this issue Editorial - M.K.Raina l Editorial - M.K.Raina 01 l Our Heritage : Er. Manzoor Nawchoo - Why I Love Kashmiri Pandits 02 With the release of this issue, l JççKç lçe ÞçáKç 05 Praagaash is completing one l My Medical Journey : Dr. K.L.Chowdhury - The Puzzling Case Of Temporary Return .. 06 more year of its publication with l kçÀLç sô lç@lççÇ : ]pçjçÇHçÀ Dçncço ]pçjçÇHçÀ the new name (its old name was - nç hççvçe yçe kçáÀmç iççímç? 09 Haarvan). We thank all our l kçÀçJ³ç : iç]pçuç - HçÌÀ³çç]pç çÆouçyçj 10 writers, subscribers and readers l History : M.K.Parimoo - From the Pages of Ancient History - 2 11 for having helped us to run the e- l Urdu Poetry : Dr. Rafeeq Masoodi 15 journal without any hitches and in l Revisiting Motherland : Nirmal Bhat a professional manner. We are - Home-coming after 29 Years in Exile 16 also proud to have the inputs and write-ups from l Kundanspeak : T.N.Dhar ‘Kundan’ - Fire and Sacrifice 19 our well wishers in the Valley, leading to inclusion of l Wails : Prem Nath Shad Kashmiri content in Nastaliq script, making - And I Left 21 Praagaash the first of its kind of e-journal, l Know Your Motherland : Zaan Archives - Cheshma Shahi 22 dedicated to Kashmiri language and culture. We l Viewpoint : Prof R.N.Bhat invite more and more Kashmiri writers from the - Gandhi - His Relevance in the ...... 23 Valley to send us their Nastaliq write ups in digital l Ghulam Hassan Gulistani Poet - A Poem on Dr. O.N.Wakhlu 27 form. l kçÀçJ³ç : vç]pcç : çÆvçiçnlç mçççÆnyçç 28 A 2-Day Kashmiri Language Workshop is l kçÀçJ³ç : ]pçe iç]pçuçe - yçMççÇj Dçlnj 29 proposed to be held in Srinagar on 24-25 August l kçÀLçç mççÆjlç mççiçj-5:cç.kçÀ.jÌvçç 26 l 2019 to discuss ways and means to popularise Grandma’s Stories : M.K.Raina Kashmiri language. Though the Workshop is -34yço KJçç@nçÇ (kçÀç@çÆMçj) l Your Own Page - Ashwaq Masoodi 37 organised and planned by a group of Kashmiri l New Publications of Nadim 38 authors and Kashmiri language lovers, it is l Photo Feature 39 expected to get State govt’s support for logistics. l Letters to the Editor 41 Anybody willing to attend the Workshop is welcome and may contact the organisers directly or through Editor, Praagaash. Recently, great tributes were paid to the Kashmiri scholar, freedom fighter and Poet Amar Shaheed Sarwanand Kaul Premi at various places particularly in Jammu and Delhi. Premi was martyred 29 years ago on May 1 in Devpora, Anantnag along with his son. His contribution to Kashmiri literature has been immense and his loss has undoubtedly been a great loss to Kashmiri language. [[ Editor : M.K.Raina ~ Guide & Consulting Editor : T.N.Dhar ‘Kundan’ ~ Editorial Office : 104-B, Galaxy, Agarwal Township, Babhola, Vasai Road (W) 401202, Dist. Palghar, Maharashtra, India. E-Mail: [email protected] ~ Cell: +91-7507114890 ~ Website: https://kpamumbai.org/praagaash/ ~ Layout & DTP : Ashwin Raina Project ZaanZaanisis the supported Literary by Initiative Kashmiri of Kashmiri Pandits’ Pandits’Association, Association, Mumbai. Mumbai. ÒççiççMç June 2019 ~ pçÓvç 2019 01 02 Praagaash ÒççiççMç `]pççvç' kçÀçÇ vçíì-HççÆ$çkçÀç Jç<ç& 4 : DçbkçÀ 6~ pçÓvç 2019 Our Heritage - Er. Manzoor Nawchoo Why I Love Kashmiri Pandits? This is in consonance with the transition of Mandir of a highly revered my life from my childhood to date with no Devi on the other side of hypocrisy, bias, discrimination or any element hill. of appeasement. It will be in place to I was born in early 50's at Aali Kadal, in mention the names of Downtown Srinagar, the heart of Kashmir prominent areas with Valley amid mixed religious and cultural respect to predominant environs which have left an indelible communities in the vicinity impression on development of my personality. of my birthplace like Since Kashmir Valley is called 'Resh Vaer' for Batyar, Reshpeer, having been abode for Reshis, Munis, Sufis, Budhgeer, Bulbul Lankar, Gurgari Mohalla, Molvis, Muftis, Sadhus and Sants spread all Sehyar dominant with Pandit families and over the valley, the influence of mixed Wusi Sahib, Wazapora, Maharaj Gunj, religio–cultural impacts would be felt in every Rehbab Sahib, Jamalatta, Aali Kadal, citizen in one form or the other. Owing to the Gunzkhud dominant with Muslim families. faith of people in their respective religions and Prominently, Pandit families carried having got settled along the banks of River Dhar, Gagroo, Kanna, Gigoo, Kaul, Khar, Jehlum flowing through the heart of Srinagar Raina, Wali, Khuda, Bhan, Bhat, Salman etc city, we see many shrines and temples as their surnames and Muslim families carried situated at different strategic locations in Bhat, Zargar, Khan, Dhar, Nawchoo, Siddiqi, proportion to strength of population of different Chiken, Halwai, Wani, Mundo, Patto, Sofi, communities. It is as per this analogy that Qazi, Fazili, Shahdad, Naqeeb, Suhaf etc as there is a temple called Batyar Mandir and a their surnames. Mosque–cum–Shrine complex called Wusi Since there had been conversions from Sahib Astaan located neck to neck on the right Hindus to Muslims, having taken place in the bank of River Jehlum atAali Kadal, as Muslims valley after the advent of an Islamic Scholar of and Pandits would live together here in almost highest order namely Hazrat Sheikh Abdul equal numbers. Accordingly, we the children, Qadir Jeelani popularly known as Shah both Muslims and Pandits would mix up in Hamdaan from Khatlan city in Tajikistan, we schools, play areas and religious places find many common surnames carried by during festivals or even during daily Pandits and Muslims together. performance of respective religious rituals at Among from Pandit community there Mandirs, Mosques and Shrines. Such was a highly learned and educated Pandit amalgamation of Muslims and Pandits would namely Sh. Shamboo Nath Kaul Sahib from be seen at the Shrine of Shah Hamdan at Reshpeer Mohalla who would teach Quran Khankah–e–Moula Srinagar again on the right with its appropriate translation to Muslim bank of river Jehlum where there is the Mandir children (as told to me by my father) and of Kaali Maata also and on Koh–e–Maraan among from Muslim community there was one hillock (Hari Parbat) in the heart of Srinagar highly learned and knowledgeable Muslim Downtown where there is Shrine of Sheikh personality Kh. Abdul Samad Sahib popularly Makhdoom Sahib on one side of hill and known as Khushdil, his alias as a poet. Since ÒççiççMç June 2019 ~ pçÓvç 2019 02 03 Praagaash ÒççiççMç `]pççvç' kçÀçÇ vçíì-HççÆ$çkçÀç Jç<ç& 4 : DçbkçÀ 6~ pçÓvç 2019 Khushdil Sahib from Rehbab Sahib Mohalla tragedy in 90's, the peak of militancy era in was a trader at international level, he knew Kashmir when unknown gunmen killed many languages viz Urdu, Hindi, Pushtu, Sohan's two brothers (one a veterinarian and Chinese, Arabic etc and would compose other an agriculture officer) in their home at the poems in these languages which people from dead of a night. They had not migrated from both communities would read with utmost valley. This tragedy shook us all and we are respect and interest. still grieving for them. Luckily Sohan who had As is known to everybody, those days become an engineer, was posted outside literacy rate was high among Pandits and less valley, so escaped this dastardly act of some among Muslims. It is due to this reason Pandit insane and inhuman unknown gunmen for no children would be more sophisticated, well reason and cause. Here I put on record my mannered and well educated than Muslim strong condemnation of every kind of such children. For these qualities I would prefer to killings whenever and wherever happened in befriend Pandit children more than Muslim our valley called Paradise on earth. children. This equation drove me close to I had my primary school education in many Pandit families who would treat me just downtown Srinagar at then Govt. Primary like their own son without any consideration School Gurgari Mohalla where there were and discrimination. many Pandit teachers and students. One I still remember many close Pandit teacher namely Sh. Avtar Krishen and one friends with whom we would celebrate Eid and student Mr. Anoop Kannaw were exemplary Herath festivals together by inviting each and outstanding in their respective capacities. other on lunch or dinner which would give Mr. Avtar would be impressive by his dress immense pleasure to our parents and other code and teaching whereas Mr. Kanna was family members. Mothers from both inspiring by his mannerism and hygiene. Mr. communities would exchange love and Kanna later on became a Skiing Instructor and affection equally on children belonging to retired as Director Tourism Kashmir. His father other community which was selfless and had been a high ranking Govt. officer. I would unblemished. always sit beside him in the class. In this regard I cannot forget to mention After my primary schooling I went to one Pandit family residing at Jamalaatta, Mission School Fateh Kadal, then called whose one of the sons namely Sohan Lal Central High School and then to a branch of whom we would call Sohna and who was Biscoe School at Lal Chowk.