The two-decade-long violence in Kashmir has impacted the psyche of children so much that toy guns have emerged as their favourite plaything.
Most of the parents say their children, especially the boys, just want to play with toy guns. So when they go to shops they choose from various toy guns, like machine guns, music guns, water guns, and more. “Our children have not seen childhood or enjoyed it. They have spent it in fear and trauma due to the bloodshed,” says Madiha, a mother of three, who lives in uptown Rawalpora locality of Srinagar.
Children in the Valley remain restricted to their homes due to an unsafe atmosphere outside. Psychiatrists say the children in Kashmir are caught up more in violence and conflict and less in their education.
“The political climate in the region has affected the personality and development of our children. The almost daily violence, shutdowns and closure of schools have created fear among them. No wonder, they choose guns rather than cars or video games as the violence continues to haunt them,” says a Valley-based psychiatrist.
A shopkeeper, Feroz Khan, says the kids feel imprisoned in fear and the parents do not let them go outside and play in open. “They are always told to sit inside and play inside due to the volatile atmosphere. The children in Kashmir have been robbed of their childhood, they don’t enjoy the privilege of being children,” he says.
In 1990s when militancy was at its peak in Kashmir and crackdowns were common, keeping a toy at home was not less than a risk.
“Over the years the situation has improved and now children buy toy guns, especially on Eid. There is always a good demand unlike 1990s when the fear was so high that no one dared to buy a toy gun or keep one at home,” said Shabir Bhat, another dealer of toys.
Kashmiri kids prefer to play with toy guns
