Community Archives | Page 30 of 183

Bhand Pather: Kashmiri artist on mission to revitalize traditional folk theatre

March 9, 2023 Editor

While the “Bhand Pather” a traditional folk theatre of Kashmir is dying with each passing day in the valley, a young Kashmiri artist, Rayees Wathoori who hails from central Kashmir’s Budgam district has started a mission to breathe it again. Notably, Bhand Pather is an age-old traditional folk theatre of Kashmir. It is usually held in open spaces. It belongs to the oral tradition in which the scripts are handed down from one generation to the other following Guru Shishya Parampara. The vocabulary used in Bhand Pather has connections to…

Over seven Lakh ration cards to be scrutinized in Kashmir: FCS&CA

March 8, 2023 Editor

The government on Monday said that the process to scrutinize over seven lakh ration card holders falling in the category of AAY and PHH in the Valley. Talking to the news agency— KNO, Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Abdul Salam Mir said that the process to identify the undeserving families who have been categorized in AAY and PHH has been started. “We have directed the officers to complete the process across Kashmir within the period of one month,” he said. He added that a total of 1.5…

A Mesmerizing Springtime Scene – Blossoming Almond Trees in Kashmir

March 8, 2023 Editor

The pink and white flowers on the almond trees are no less than a floral wonderland. And the famous Almond Garden, ”Badamwari’ of Srinagar city has thousands of these almond trees, which are in full bloom and all set to welcome tourists as well as locals. The Gardens of the Valley are finally turning into colourful palettes with almond and cherry blossoms. And thousands of tourists are thronging the Kashmir Valley only to witness these beautiful visuals. These are the first flowers to bloom in a season and Badamwari garden…

Kashmir in Spring: A Vibrant Medley of Colors and Scents

March 7, 2023 Editor

Kashmir, also known as “Paradise on Earth,” is a place of unparalleled beauty, and the spring season brings out the best of it. As the winter chill recedes, and the snow begins to melt, the valley comes to life with a riot of colors and fragrances. The spring season in Kashmir starts in March and lasts until May. It is a time when the landscape is transformed into a canvas of flowers, with colorful blooms dotting the meadows, gardens, and roadsides. The valley is covered with a carpet of vibrant…

Targeted Killing: Fear grips among Kashmiri Pandits those staying back since 1990s

March 2, 2023 Editor

Local Muslims held protests and in hundreds joined the family of slain Kashmir Pandit Sanjay Sharma for the last rites in Pulwama’s Achan area on February 27, but the targeted killing has further shattered the confidence of the miniscule population of those Pandits who preferred to stay back despite raging militancy in the 1990s in the Kashmir valley. Putting her arms repeatedly around the three minor orphans — Sakshi, Diksha and Aryan — Sharma’s wife, in her late 30s, is still grappling to come to terms with what unfolded before…

‘Naya Kashmir’ is ‘Udta Kashmir’: JK Congress hits out at BJP

January 11, 2023 Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Spokesperson Advocate Pushkar Nath today in a press conference at the party headquarters in Jammu came down heavily on ruling BJP for its “abject failure” in governing J-K. In a press statement, Advocate Deepika said, “BJP right after their unilateral decisions which not only abrogated Article-370 but also dismembered the erstwhile state into two new Union Territories has been running a rhetorical propaganda of an unfounded development in Jammu and Kashmir.” The statement further added: “Their repeated attempts of obfuscation however are exposed through…

IMHANS Study reveals nearly one-third of drug addicts in Kashmir are married

January 11, 2023 Editor

Despite being happily married and having a good job, 35-year-old Rahim (name changed) felt like something was missing in his life. That’s when his friend suggested he try something that would help him relax. His friend had recently started using drugs and claimed it helped him escape the stress and monotony of everyday life. Rahim was hesitant at first, but eventually gave in to the temptation. He reasoned that just a little bit would not hurt, and before he knew it, he was hooked. As weeks went by, Rahim found himself relying on drugs…

Shehla Rashid ex-JNU student leader to be tried for sedition over ‘Anti-Army’ tweet

January 11, 2023 Editor

Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the prosecution of Shehla Rashid, former vice-president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, for tweets about the Army allegedly “aimed at promoting enmity” and for “acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony”, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. Rashid was, in September 2019, booked on a complaint by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava’s over her tweets a month prior, which accused the armed forces of ransacking houses and “creating an environment of fear” in Kashmir. The Army rejected the allegations…

Tourists flock to disputed Jesus Tomb in Kashmir

January 8, 2023January 8, 2023 Editor

Look at the picture carefully. This nondescript Muslim shrine in Kashmir has shot into the international limelight after many believers claimed it was where Jesus Christ was laid to rest. Inquisitive visitors– mostly Westerners–have started flocking to the shrine, forcing the caretakers to close down the religious structure. While traveling to Khanyar in Srinagar, in search of some spiritual answers. Where did Jesus spend his last days? Had he been to India? Had he been buried in Kashmir? There are several versions on Jesus’ India sojourn. Some books argue Jesus…

6 November 1947 massacre that cut Muslim population of Jammu city by half

November 7, 2022 Editor

In the aftermath of partition, the risk to Muslims increased ‘every hour,’ as hordes of non-muslim migrants began flooding into Jammu from areas that would become Pakistan. Following the March 1947 rioting in Punjab Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree, Bannu, and Hazara, the first trickle of refugees arrived in Jammu in April. The daily flood peaked in late 1947, when an estimated 160,000 Hindus and Sikhs came from Pakistan’s western provinces. (January 26, 1947, The Times, London) During the partition-related unrest, the majority of Sialkot’s non-Muslim population had fled to Jammu. Sialkot…