Articles Archives | Page 21 of 51

Modi has wiped out space for dialogue with Kashmir

November 7, 2017 Editor

The Narendra Modi government’s dialogue with Kashmir has died even before it got a chance to be born. The fault does not lie with the leaders of the Hurriyat’s unified command, who last week rejected talks with the Centre’s interlocutor, but with the government in Delhi that speaks in many voices and does not know what it wants. Hours after home minister Rajnath Singh announced his government’s decision to seek peace in Kashmir through a dialogue, Prime Minister Modi ruled out any discussion of restoration of full autonomy for…

Robbing Kashmir’s Green Gold

October 18, 2017October 18, 2017 Editor

As citizens we too have responsibility not to violate the scenic beauty of our forests I don’t think it is judicious to blame Gulmarg-Sonamarg development authorities or the administration alone but we must look beyond the government authorities as we being citizens are equally responsible for the deterioration of Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Baba-Reshi tourists sites. These sites have been made dumping places for heaps of garbage scattered throughout these places which welcome visitors instead of the scenic natural beauty of Kashmir. As a conscious common citizen, I would never blame…

From Babri to Taj, Hindutva Fights History

October 16, 2017 Editor

One of the many outlandish ideas that had apparently been doing the rounds in the run up to the Partition included the demand to move the iconic Taj Mahal to the promised land of Pakistan. Thankfully, no one took that fantastic wish list seriously, not even the leaders of the Pakistan movement, and the Taj has remained the most celebrated of India’s national monuments and the symbol of its composite culture. It is not just its ethereal beauty that makes this architectural marvel, cast in sheer white marble, one of…

Demonetisation Drive: A colossal mismanagement

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 Editor

The perennial question about demonetisation is whether it helped to solve the conundrum of black economy, ostensibly, the first goal-post of the unprecedented move proclaimed by the government. The rhetoric of the government boasted to break new frontiers in economic transformation but nevertheless economic indicators released recently starkly expose such extravagant demagogue. Recent slowdown in economy indicates the demonetisation policy was poorly planned and badly executed by the government. Anticipatively the government articulates that much of the censure is tendentious judgement made on the basis of selective and inaccurate reports.…

Legacy of Jashn e Kashmir left by Late GM Bakshi inherited till date

October 9, 2017 Editor

Art and culture are interlinked. Art flows from vast ocean of culture. In a broader sense, art which forms part of culture of any society encompasses within it varied disciplines of music, dance, poetry, drama, photography, prose, painting, sculpture & suchlike. Art & culture together reflect character, and desire to preserve identity, of a community. Kashmiri community is no exception to it. Their art too stands for their unique cultural behaviour & social norm. Art gives an opportunity to a community to understand, inter alia, its past & present history,…

Facebook journalism in Kashmir

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 Editor

It is total chaos. Rumors push the panic button and we end up buying these fake stories from their stores. Neither they are professional nor reasonable, yet we trust them blindly. We blame them for sprouting the seeds of rumours, equally are we responsible for sharing it too. The micro-blogging site Facebook is turning out to be the headache in Kashmir. Everyone is reporting from so called ground zero. Some report from their cozy rooms and those who really are at the right place act brutally wrong. Now-a-days Kashmir is…

Braid Chopping: A political ploy

September 29, 2017 Editor

In past few weeks, strange and shocking incidents of chopping the braids of women have been reported in south Kashmir. Till date, more than 17 of these tragic incidents are said to have occurred at many places across south Kashmir, particularly in district Kulgam. Although, these tragedies remained a mystery at first, with passage of time, the mystery appears resolved. A few of the persons behind this shameful act are said to have been caught by the public on spot and quite surprisingly it is the army men who…

Earthquake threat in Kashmir is Real

September 25, 2017 Editor

Whenever a major earthquake hits any part of the planet Earth it always sends panic waves, and this has been going on for centuries. Jammu and Kashmir is one of the tectonic hotspots that has always been in news. The cause of earthquakes in this region is primarily because Indian plate is continuously trying to push harder to dive under the Eurasian plate, and in doing so it often breaks via earthquakes. Since the tectonic plates are solid and thus one cannot simply expect a solid to make a smooth…

The demon called Ikhwan

September 14, 2017 Editor

Writhing in pain he shouted for help but none dared to turn up Brothers form a close knit bond. Brothers share unrequited affection. Brothers love beyond imagination. I lost my brother. We struggle to live and ultimately die. The grief pooling after the natural death dies down. But the separation by the bloody gun prolongs the trauma. Gun rattling is a routine in this besieged paradise. It digests humans. Gun has turned Kashmir a graveyard. Gun does not discriminate. Gun knows no relation. It is devoid of human feelings. Ajas…

Songs of the wounded

August 24, 2017 Editor

Twenty five years of terror, alienation, exile. Kashmir’s art echoes the rage. And is now demanding a stage to vent it. The Srinagar Biennale will be a first step. Come butcher, sing me a song For I am waiting for sleep to come Weave me a lullaby” Ten sheep skins on the wall instead of a blackboard. On the school chair, an oxygen mask. Underneath, an oxygen cylinder. Ice, and a notebook. Shoe moulds on another wall. A childhood in a lost place. A memoir of extremes. Made in 2013,…