Festivals of Kashmiri Pandits

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Festivals of Kashmiri Pandits

By Dr. S.S. Toshkhani

Let us cast a glance at some of the religious festivals celebrated by the Kashmiri Hindus. An interesting fact about them needing investigation is that some of these are celebrated a day ahead of their celebration by Hindus in other parts of the country. Shivaratri, regarded as the most important festival of the community, for instance, is celebrated by them on trayodashi or the thirteenth of the dark half of the month of Phalguna (February-March) and not on chaturdashi or the fourteenth as in the rest of the country. The reason for it is that this long drawn festival that is celebrated for one full fortnight as an elaborate ritual is associated with the appearance of Bhairava (Shiva) as a jwala-linga or a linga of flame. Called ‘Herath’ in Kashmiri, a word derived from the Sanskrit ‘Hararatri’ the ‘Night of Hara’ (another name of Shiva), it has been described as Bhairavotsava in Tantric texts as on this occasion Bhairava and Bhairavi, His Shakti or cosmic energy, are propitiated through Tantric worship. According to the legend associated with the origin of the worship, the linga appeared at pradoshakala or the dusk of early night as a blazing column of fire and dazzled Vatuka Bhairava and Rama (or Ramana) Bhairava, Mahadevi’s mind-born sons, who approached it to discover its beginning or end but miserably failed. Exasperated and terrified they began to sing its praises and went to Mahadevi, who herself merged with the awe-inspiring jwala-linga. The Goddess blessed both Vatuka and Ramana that they would be worshipped by human beings and would receive their share of sacrificial offerings on that day and those who would worship them would have all their wishes fulfilled. As Vatuka Bhairava emerged from a pitcher full of water after Mahadevi cast a glance into it, fully armed with all his weapons (and so did Rama), he is represented by a pitcher full of water in which walnuts are kept for soaking and worshipped along with Shiva, Parvati, Kumara, Ganesha, their ganas or attendant deities, yoginis and kshetrapalas (guardians of the quarters) – all represented by clay images. The soaked walnuts are later distributed as naivedya. The ceremony is called’vatuk baru’ in Kashmiri, which means filling the pitcher of water representing the Vatuka Bhairava with walnuts and worshipping it.

The Puja comprises elaborate Tantric rituals that involve observance of a fast during the day and performance of a yaga or fire sacrifice at night. Choice dishes, mainly of meat and fish but also vegetarian as an option, are cooked as sacrificial food and partaken of by the worshipper and his family after being symbolically offered to the whole host of deities and attendant deities associated with Shivaratri. This is essential for everyone, the related texts em­phasize. Those who do so are supposed to achieve progress and prosperity in life and have all their wishes fulfilled. But those who do not partake of the sacrificial food and do not break their fast after the Puja are bound to go to hell or take re­birth as lowly animals besides facing all kinds of disappointments in life, as related texts like the Shiva Samhita say:

“yo yagotsavam ulanghya tishthet nirashano vrato

jivan sa pashutameti mrito niryamapnuyat”

The symbolism of the aniconic earthen images, vagur, sonipotul and others representing Shiva, Ganesha, Parvati, yoginis and kshetrapalas, is not clear, as no available text has cared to have thrown any light on it. The vagur, specially worshipped on the dvadashi night itself, is perhaps a vestige of the rites of the Kaula cult as the manual on Shivaratri Puja suggests. It further indicates that these rites are related to Bhairava Puja: “atha dvadashyam pujanam Bhairavam namami”, without elaborating. This has resulted in ridiculous etymologies of the names of the anicons being claimed by some people. The clay images are, nonetheless, essential to the performance of the ritual activity. As they are not made on the potter’s wheel, their worship may have originated in an early period.

However, it is clear from what we have said above that there is difference in the way Shivaratri is celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandits and by Hin­dus elsewhere in the country. The Pandits not only celebrate it as Bhairavotsava one day earlier but also perform quite different rituals. Further, the tradition among Hindus in general is to strictly observe a fast on the Shiva Chaturdashi day. Even taking fruit or betel leaf is considered as violation of the fast.

“Shivayaga chaturdashyam ma vrate phala bhojanam”, says the Padma Purana. The Markandeya Purana going a step ahead adds: “tambulam api na dadyat vrata bhanga bhayam priye”. It is not that the Kashmiri Pandits do not celebrate on the chaturdshi day, but it is a day of feasting for them. The Nilamata Purana, it may be noted, clearly says that Shivaratri is celebrated on the chaturdashi of the dark fortnight of Phalguna.

Khetsimavas:

There are several other festivals and Puja rites peculiar to Kashmiri Pandits, some of them dating back to hoary antiquity. One such distinctly Kashmiri festival is Khetsimavas or Yakshamavasya which is celebrated on the amavasya or the last day of the dark fortnight of Pausha (December-January). Commemorative of the coming together and co-mingling of various races and ethnic groups in prehistoric Kashmir, khichari is offered on this day as sacrificial food to Kubera indicating that the cult of Yaksha existed there from very early times. Khetsimavas appears to be a folk-religious festival – a pestle, or any stone in case that is not available, is washed and anointed with sandalwood paste and vermilion on this evening and worshipped taking it to be an image of Kubera. Khichari is offered to him with naivedya mantras and a portion of it is kept on the outer wall of his house by the worshipper in the belief that Yaksha will come to eat it.

Navreh:

Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their New Year’s Day on Chaitra shukla patipada or the first day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (March-April) and call it Navreh – the word navreh, derived from the Sanskrit ‘nava varsha’, literary meaning ‘new year’. On the eve of Navreh, a thali of unhusked rice with a bread, a cup of curds, a little salt, a little sugar candy, a few walnuts or almonds, a silver coin, a pen a mirror, some flowers and the new panchanga or almanac is kept and seen as the first thing on waking up in the morning. The Bhringisha Samhita says that the thali should be of bronze (kansyapatraka) and adds that a devamurti or an image of a god should also be kept in it along with the things mentioned above. It may be noted that the rite of seeing the thali filled with unhusked rice etc. is observed on Sonth or the Kashmiri spring festival also.

The Saptarshi Era of the Kashmiri Hindu calendar is believed to have started on this very day, some 5079 years ago. According to the legend, the celebrated Sapta Rishis assembled on the Sharika Parvata (Hari Parbat), the abode of the goddesss Sharika, at the auspicious moment when the first ray of the sun fell on the Chakreshvara on this day and paid tribute to her. Astrologers made this moment as the basis of their calculations of the nava varsha pratipada, marking the beginning of the Saptarshi Era. Before their exodus Kashmiri Pandits would flock to Hari Parbat in thousands to celebrate Navreh.

So widespread is the cult of the Mother Goddess among Kashmiri Hindus that every family in the community has one form or the other of hers as its tutelary deity. The most popu­lar manifestations of the Great Devi are Kshir Bhavani or Ragya (pronounced ‘Ragnya’by the Pandits) and Sharika. The shrines of these two goddesses at Tulmula and Hari Parbat are held as most sacred by all the Hindus of Kashmir irrespective of their cultic affiliations.

Jyeshtha Ashtami:

On Jyeshtha Ashtami, or the eighth day of the bright half of Jyeshtha (May-June) a big festival is held at Tulmul to celebrate the pradurbhava of the Goddess Ragya (Kshir Bhavani). Another festival is held at the shrine on Asharha Ashtami with equal devotional fervour, the sacred spring of the shrine that miraculously changes its colour having been discovered on the saptami of that month. The devotees offer their worship, individually or in groups, waving lamp (dipd) and burning incense (dhupa) while reciting hymns to the Goddess and singing devotional songs. They make offerings of khir to her and of milk, loaf-sugar and flowers, which they offer into the spring. Ritually no specific procedure is prescribed for the Puja at Kshir Bhavani. The Bhringish Samhita simply says that the Devi, whose mantra is of fifteen syllables, accepts offerings of milk, sugar candy and ghee only – “sa kshira-kharuladi bhojanam”.

Tiky Tsoram:

Tripura Sudari, literally meaning “she who is lovely in the three worlds”, is one of the most important goddesses worshipped in the Tantric tradition in Kashmir. Her cult is particularly popular among the Tiku clan of Kashmiri Pandits who celebrate her festival on Tikya Tsoram, one day before Vasant Panchami. The surname ‘Tiku’ is derived from “trika”, according to popular etymology. Her devotees believe that she combines in her form all three Goddesses, Mahalakshmi, Maha-sarswati and Mahakali, and all three of her cosmic functions. However, she is also worshipped by the entire Hindu community in Kashmir and from very early times. As Tripura Sundari (Shodashi), she occupies a prominent position in both Kashmiri and South Indian Tantrism. Apart from her anthropomorphic image, she is accessed ritually through her mantra and yantra.

Pan:

Pan (literally meaning thread) is a festival originally associated with the spinning of newly produced cotton and worshipping the twin agricultural goddesses, obviously local, Vibha and Garbha to whom roths or sweet bread cakes were offered. Though Kashmir is not said to have a climate suitable for growing cotton, there is a strong tradition suggesting that it actually did grow there. The festival falls on the Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Tsoram) day and the worship of Lakshmi on this occasion seems to have been inducted later. Not that the worship dedicated to the local goddesses was appropriated wilfully by followers of the cult of Lakshmi, but there appears to have been a mix-up at some point of time. The twin goddesses themselves seem to have merged into one another assuming the identity of the folk deity Beeb Garabh Maj, whose very name- obviously a distortion – points to such a possibility. Beeb Garabh Maj is represented by a lota or a water pot which is placed in the centre of the place where the Puja is to be performed, a cotton thread being tied to its neck and handful of dramun or runner grass kept inside it, pointing again to its agricultural origin. A story is told at the Pan Puja which is quite similar to the Satyanaryana Katha, showing some sort of confusion between two different Pujas. Preparation of the roths and their distribution for ushering in prosperity and auspiciousness has, however, become an important part of Kashmiri Pandit religious life.

Other Festivals:

Kashmiri Hindus celebrate many other religious festivals also like Kava Punim, Ganga Atham, Tila Atham, Vyatha Truvah, Anta Tsodah, Mahakali’s Birthday etc. which had distinct ritual flavour, but most of which are now forgotten, the changed times and the exodus of the Pandits from Kashmir having taken their toll. Some like Janamashtami, which, quite interestingly, is actually celebrated one day earlier on the saptami, Dashahar (Dusshera), Durgashtami, Ramanavami etc. are still celebrated but not all of them have a distinctively Kashmiri flavour. Many others have been lost to geography, the Pandits being unable to celebrate them as they have been thrown out of their habitat.t

*The Author has worked on Rituals and Ritual Arts of Kashmiri Pandits. His earlier studies on Lal Ded and Kashmiri language have been widely acclaimed.

—Editor

 posted by :vipul koul

Mekhal Ritual of Kashmiri Pandits....“Mekhal”

By Dr. S.S. Toshkhani

“Mekhal” is what the Kashmiri Pandits call upanayana or yajnopavit (sacred thread investiture) and the whole range of ceremonies connected with it, though wearing the mekhala or the girdle of Munja grass is only one of them. How they came to use the word for the whole samskara is not clear. But it seems that at some point in time it must have been for them the most important part of the sacred thread investiture ceremony as it stressed the vows of celibacy and purity of conduct as an essential prerequisite for the initiate to go to the Acharya to learn. Actually, upanayana, with which it has become synonymous, was in the beginning an educational samskara which was performed when the teacher accepted to take charge of the student and impart necessary education to him. According to Dr. Rajbali Pandey, it was made compulsory to make education universal. Slowly it began to loose its pure educational sense and assumed a ceremonious character with the investiture of the sacred thread, which took place at the end of the yajna performed to mark the initiation and became the main ritual. In course of time the boy initiated with the Gayatri mantra to enable him to read the Vedas, was regarded as having acquired the status of a dvija or ‘twice-born’.
Whatever the case may be, in Kashmir the samskara, whether called “mekhal” or yajnopavit, became a package of about twenty-four samskaras from vidyarambha or learning of alphabets to samavartana or the end of studentship. Interestingly, these include elements from even the prenatal samskaras like garbh-adana and siman-tonnayana. Even kahanethur (namakarana) and zarakasay (chudakarana or the first tonsure) if not performed at the prescribed time can be combined with it. This has made mekhal or yajnopavit a prolonged affair lasting for hours together. However, it is the wearing of the sacred thread to which the greater significance or sanctity is attached. That may be so because it has come to be regarded by the Kashmiri Brahmans, as by Brahmans elsewhere in the country, an essential symbol of their Hindu identity.Let us have a look at some of the peculiarities of the samskara as performed by the Hindus of Kashmir. According to Laugakshi, the upanayana ceremony of a Brahman boy should be performed in the seventh year from birth or in the eighth year from conception, that of Kshatriya in the ninth year and that of a Vaishya in the eleventh year: “saptame varshe brahmanasyopanayanam navame rajanasya ekadashe vaishasya”. This differentiation between the ages of the initiates, however, has no relevance for the Kashmiri Hindus today as there was hardly any Kshatriya or Vaishya left among them after the advent of Islam in Kashmir. Optional ages have also been prescribed in the Grihyasutras in case of exigencies, the time limit for a Brahman boy being sixteen years. As the samskara has become purely ceremonial today, even this extended time limit is hardly adhered to and it is performed at a convenient time, generally a few days before marriage.
A uniquely Kashmiri and an essential preliminary ceremony performed a day or two prior to upanayana (and also marriage) is Divagon. The etymology of the word ‘divagon’ is not clear but it is probably derived from the Sanskrit ‘devagamanai, meaning ‘arrival of the gods’. The ceremony is performed for invoking the presence of gods, especially Ganesha and the Sapta Matrikas or seven mother goddesses, to bless the initiate or the boy or girl to be married. It begins with a ritual bath, called kani-shran, which is given to the initiate by five unmarried girls, pancha kanya, four holding a thin muslin cloth over his head at its four ends and the fifth pouring consecrated water with a pitcher. These days usually the officiating priest himself pours the water.
A havan is performed on the occasion amidst chanting of mantras by the presiding priest with the initiate offering oblations while facing the east. On the eastern wall, the motif of the kalpavriksha, supposed to be the abode of the goddesses in Nandanavana or the Garden of Paradise is painted with lime and vermilion. The kalpavriksha or the ‘wish fulfilling tree’ has a shatchakra (hexagon) made at its base symbolizing Shakti, and the drawing is called divta moon or the ‘column of the gods’. At about the same time khir is prepared and poured into seven earthen plates called divta tabuchi or ‘the plates of the gods’. Roth of rice flour and monga varya or fried cakes of ground moong are placed over the khir. The plates are consecrated with mantras and offered to the seven matrikas after which the khir with the moong cakes are distributed as naivedya. At the end of the ceremony, ladies take the seven earthen plates in a procession to river for visarjana. They go singing hymns and folksongs in the praise of the goddesses and praying for the long life and happiness for the initiate.
Another typically local feature that literally adds colour to the ceremony is krul – a vine scroll painted on the outer door of the house. This is usually done by the paternal aunt of the boy who executes the design of flower-laden creeper in different colours on a white background. As the design is being executed with the sacred symbol Om at the top, ladies assemble outside and sing auspicious songs. A dish called veris distributed with rice flour rot is among all present.
Though painting the krul- krul kharun as it is called in Kashmiri- is sort of ritual art denoting auspiciousness, it has all the elements of folk art. In fact, it is one of the few Kashmiri folk arts still alive.
The divagon over, the yajna for Upanayana is performed much in the same manner as Hindus elsewhere perform it. A jyotistambha or jwala linga with a shatchakra base is drawn at the head of the agnikunda, with a rectangular configuration showing ayudhas like the mace, trident, bow and arrow etc. topped by a pataka. To the west of it seating arrangement is made for the officiating priests, the chief of whom is called ‘tsandra taruk’, literally meaning ‘the moon among the stars’. The tsandra taruk sits on a special seat and leads the reciting of the mantras and also monitors the proceedings of the yajna. The child to be invested with the sacred thread is taken under the canopy where his father lights up the sacred fire. Then his hair is shaved off by the barber – in the ordinary way if he has already performed his zarakasay.
Then he is given a bath and made to wear a snana-patta (loincloth) kept in its place by a cotton cord called atya pan which is tied round his waist. He is also given an upper and lower garment dyed in saffron or yellow colour so that he is dressed up like a Brahmachari. The Grihyasutras though prescribe that the clothes of a Brahman initiate should be of kashaya or reddish colour. The ceremony of offering clothes to the Brahmachari is described in detail in the Laugakshi Grihyasutra along with the Vedic mantras to be recited on the occasion.
Kalasha Puja is performed before the actual ceremony of Upanayana starts. The kalasha, a pitcher filled with water, vishtara (shoots of kusha grass ) and walnuts, is an important ritual object full of symbolic significance. It is consecrated by making shrichakra and swastika marks on it with vermilion (sindoar) and placed on an ashtadala kamala (eight-petaled lotus) drawn with lime or rice flour on the ground at the ritual site towards the east and on the left side of the agnikunda. Kalasha Puja is a prolonged affair as the kalasha is said to contain the entire heavenly vault and is the seat of all the gods with Vishnu occupying its mouth, Rudra its neck, and Brahma its bottom. The group of matrikas is known to reside in the middle part. Indra, Kubera, Varuna and Yama all reside in it. Within the kalasha the planets and the gods are bonded together and above it there are seven naga deities guarding it. The kalasha is worshipped with flowers and rice grains (arghya) and the presence of all these deities is invoked with appropriate mantras so that the day is auspicious for the yajnopavit ceremony that is about to be performed. Kalasha Puja begins with the hymn ‘ Omkaro yasya moolam, portraying the Vedas as a wish-fulfilling tree (kalpavriksha) and praying to it for protection. In fact the Puja is performed at the beginning of all major rites of Kashmiri Hindus.
Mekhala-bandhana or maunji-bandhana is in itself a most important ritual related to upanayana performed in the process when a girdle of the Munja grass is tied round the waist of the Brahmachari (called “mekhali maharaza” in Kashmiri). Laugakshi and his commentator Vedapala elaborately describe this rite. Some symbolic acts take place before the guru (the officiating priest) takes charge of the initiate to be. The teacher makes the Brahmachari to go round the sacred fire and to place his foot on a stone, asking him to be firm and steadfast. Then he touches the heart of the pupil uttering the words: “Into my will take thy heart; my mind shall thy mind follow; in my word thou shalt rejoice with all thy heart; may Brihaspati join thee to me” (“mama vrate hridayam te dadami mama vachenekavrato jushasva Brihaspatih tva mayanuktak mahyam”). After this the Brahmachari takes curds thrice and approaches the teacher to be initiated. At this the teacher ties the girdle round the waist of the boy with the words: “Here has come to me, keeping away evil words, purifying mankind as a purifier, clothing herself by power of inhalation and exhalation, with strength this sisterly goddess, the blessed girdle: “pranapanabhyam balamabhajanti sakha devi subhaga mekhaleyam”.
The mekhala or girdle in the case of a Brahman is to be made of Munja grass and at the end of upanayana is to be replaced by a cotton girdle, but as this grass does not grow in Kashmir, a girdle of Kusha grass or of cotton is tied. And strange though it may seem, the rite is increasingly being discarded even though the yajnopavit ceremony continues to be called mekhal.
The decks are now clear for the main and the most important rite – the investiture of the sacred thread. In Kashmir, wearing of the sacred thread was essential not only for initiating a young boy into Brahmanhood by teaching him to recite the Gayatri mantra but also an essential prerequisite that made him eligible for marriage. Yajnopavit, it must be noted, continues to be retained as one of the most important rituals because of this reason also. The astrologically chosen auspicious moment is, however, generally strictly adhered to. The boy takes a few steps to the north and it is his father who first puts the three cords of the sacred thread round his neck, which is then replaced by the set of three cords which the priest makes him wear with the mantra “yajnopavit am paramam pavitram”. In the meanwhile the boy is made to look at the sun. He is to put on another set of three-folds on being married -one for himself and one for his wife. While the father of the boy has a definite religious role to play, the mother and other close relatives gather around him with the ladies singing auspicious songs to make it a colorful occasion socially and everyone rejoicing and having a sense of participation.
There are some features, peculiarly regional in character, which are introduced at this stage. In one of them, to which we have referred earier, the ladies of the family enact a performance closely resembling simantonnayana. With the help of mulberry twigs (instead of Udumbara) husbands of these ladies put through the locks of their hair strands of narivan or protection cord in a manner that they dangle alongside the strings of their dejihors. It is believed that this helps newly married women to become mothers soon.
Another peculiar feature is the tekytal – the figure of the shrichakra over a rectangular configuration painted with vermilion or saffron paste on the top of the ladies’ headgear. As an option the design may be cut out on coloured or golden paper and pasted on the headgear. Tekytal shows show deeply Shaktism or the Mother Goddess cult has influenced the social and religious life of Kashmiri Pandits.
Yet another interesting and typically local feature in the Yajnopavit ceremony of the Pandits is varidan. Varidan is a kind of hearth specially made for the occasion by the potter, having thirty-six holes on which thirty-six sanivaris or small earthen vessels are placed for cooking rice for rituals purposes. The thirty-six holes correspond to the thirty-sx categories mentioned in the Shaiva texts as the basic constituents of the manifested world. As the sanivaris are very small and are filled only ceremonially, rice is cooked separately also in a large pot to serve the ritual purpose.
Having worn the sacred thread, the Acharya gives him specific instructions about how to wear the sacrificial cord on different occasions. He then gives him a deerskin to wear, Laugakshi prescribes: “anah-anas-yam vasanam charishnu paridam vajyajinam dadh-eyamiti vachayannaineyam charma brahmanya prachh-ativaigyaghram rajanyam rauravam vaishya”. That is, the skin of a black deer should be given to a Brahmana for wearing as an upper garment, the Kshatriya the skin of a tiger and the Vaishya that of a Ruru deer. Today the skin of a spotted deer is obtained for a Brahman boy for ceremonial wearing, the other two castes virtually not exsiting among Kashmiri Hindus. Dr. Rajbali Pandey quotes the Gopatha Brahmana as saying that “the deerskin was symbolical of holy lustre and spiritual pre-eminence.” It inspired a Vedic student to attain the spiritual and intellectual position of a Rishi”. At the time of receiving the deerskin, the Brahmachari is made to look at the sun with the mantra tachchakshur devahitam”.
The Acharya (priest) now hands over a staff to the Brahamachari so that he may set upon his journey as a traveler on the path of knowledge. Laugakshi prescribes that the staff should be of Palasha wood for a Brahman: “palasham dandam brahmanaya p-rayachchhati”. As Palasha wood is not available in Kashmir, the Brahmachari is given a staff of the mulberry wood, which is readily available. But today what the priest hands over is a staff in name only; actually it is a twig which has no utility, except ceremonial, the modern student no longer going to the forest to study.
Having equipped the initiated with a girdle, deerskin and staff (which were considered necessary for the Vedic student going to study at his Acharya’s place), the Acharya now imposes five commandments on him: “A Brahmachari art thou.
Take water. Do the service. Do not sleep in the daytime. Control your speech”. Vedpala, the commentator of Laugakshi Sutras explains service (karma) as serving the Acharya, studying the Vedas etc.
Repeating five verses from the Vedas in which the Seven Rishis and the gods are requested to stimulate his (the brahmacahri’s) intelligence, he is made to repeat a sixth verse also which is a yaju about milking the sweet milk of the Vedas.
At this point the Brahamchari is to be shown the reflection of Agni or the burning sacrificial fire in a pot of ajya or clarified butter. This is called ajya darshan, which has been distorted to ‘adi darshun’ in Kashmiri. According to Laugakshi’s prescription, it is to precede bhiksha or the round for alms. Siting in front of the sacrificial fire with his face towards the east, the Acharya is to teach the most sacred Savitri mantra in the Gayatri metre (and therefore known as the Gayatri mantra) to the Brahmana pupil, reciting it three times-”first pada by pada then hemistich by hemistich” and last of all the whole verse so that he is able to learn it properly.
Vedarambha, or the beginning of the study of the Vedas and vidyarambha, or learning of the alphabets, are both mixed up in the present way of performing the sacred thread ceremony. What happens is that after offering him the panchagavya or the five products of a cow (cow dung, cow’s urine, milk, curds and ghee), the teacher (impersonated by the officiating priest) makes the Brahmachari write some words on a thali in which finely powered mud is scattered. The words generally written on this occasion are “Om svasti siddham” or “Om namah siddhaya” (Salutation to the Siddhas). The script in which this was originally written came to be known as the Siddham or Siddhamatrika script, an earlier form of Sharada. The teacher would make the child read what was written and explain its meaning to him. It may be noted that in Kashmir vidyarambha was regarded as a part of upanayana and not a separate samskara. The rite has, however, almost gone out of vogue now.
It is now that the Brahmachari gets up to ask for alms (bhiksha) for the Guru, which in effect means to collect money for the officiating priest. The first person he is supposed to approach according to the Kashmiri custom is his maternal aunt. Observing the necessary decorum has to address a lady he approaches for alms with bhavati bhiksham dehi, abid habi” (“Venerable lady, give me alms”) and a man with “bho bhiksham dehi, abid hasa” (“Venerable Sir, give me alms”). The etymology of the Kashmiri word ‘abid’ is, however, not clear. Some say it is the Kashmiri form of the Sanskrit word ‘abheda’, but though phonetically plausible, this does not sound convincing.
To conclude the yajna, the priest summons everyone for the last ahuti, offering a handful of a mixture of soaked wheat grains and flowers. This is called athiphol, literally meaning a handful of grains and is to be offered as oblation. Everyone makes a beeline to receive the athiphol, making it sure that he or she is present during the samapti or the concluding moments of the day-long yajna. Hymns for the pacification of the gods and the planets are recited in a chorus led by the priests and there is a clamour for offering the athiphol into the fire as soon as the priest pronounces the last “svaha”. The priest then sprinkles water from the kalasha on everybody present and distributes the walnuts as naivedya. The water thus sprinkled is called ‘kalasha lav’ and the walnut as ‘kalasha doon”.
What is most interesting is that samavartana or the sacrament marking the end of the “student career” of the boy and his “return” home from the house of the Guru is treated as a part of the Yajnopavit ceremony. It is assumed that the boy invested with the sacred thread has completed his “studies” and has come back to the family. This is regarded as a very important period in the boy’s life as he is now supposed to be ready to share the responsibilities of the world and get married. In accordance with the spirit of Laugakshi’s ordain-ments, the boy Invested with the sacred thread is given new clothes and shoes to wear instead of the brahamachari’s garments. A muslin turban is tied round his head. He is made to stand on the vyug or a colourful mandala. Someone, usually a young friend of the initiate, or mekhali maharaza as he is called in Kashmiri, holds a parasol of flowers over his head. He is then taken in a procession to the riverbank for snana, the ceremonial bath as a snataka (one who has completed his studies). There, the priest, who also accompanies him, gives him instructions about washing the sacred thread and performing daily rites like the sandhya etc.. He is also taught how to offer libations of water to gods and ancestors. After this he returns home in a procession. In the meanwhile, ladies sing auspicious songs and perform a special dance in a circle, the origin of which could go back to centuries. This is a unique feature of the celebrations.

The yajnopavita ceremonies do not end with the samavartana. On the next day a small homa known as ‘koshal hom’ (Skt. ‘kushala homa’) is performed to thank the gods that all has ended well.

                                                                   

                                                                    Posted by : Vipul Koul

                                                                    Edited by :  Ashok Koul

China penetrating into Hindu Kush [Dr K.N. Pandita]

27 October 20:34

China penetrating into Hindu Kush [Dr K.N. Pandita]

Global strategy is opening up in the crucial north-west tribal areas of Pakistan. Waziristan has emerged as the epicenter of international terrorism. In a bid to uproot terror in the region, the US-NATO alliance has already committed its proportionate military strength. Terrorists of various nationalities at war with their respective native regimes, travel all the way to find not only safe haven in the region but also the warm embrace of world’s top terrorist organizations spearheaded by Al-Qaeda/Taliban combine.

Nearly a year ago, China moved considerable manpower into Pakistan controlled Gilgit-Baltitan, the part of original State of Jammu and Kashmir. Three times larger than France, Gilgit-Baltitan borders Khyber Pukhtunkhwa to the west, Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan to the north, China to the east, Pok to south-west, and Jammu & Kashmir to south-east. This explains geo-political and strategic importance of Gilgit-Baltitan.

On October 5, 2010, Indian Army Chief, Gen. V.K Singh said in an interview that 4000 troopers from PLA were present in Gilgit-Baltistan. They were in addition to the claimed thousands of skilled Chinese labourers and engineers engaged in providing crucial infrastructure like repairing of roads, bridges and culverts etc. GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt. Gen Parnaik said that presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan close to LoC posed threat to our security.

On May 21 last, Pakistani Defence Minister, Ahmad Mukhtar accompanied Pak Prime Minister’s delegation to Beijing. In a statement he expressed his happiness on China taking over the charge of Gawadar naval base which Pakistan wants to build to counter Indian naval presence in the Indian Ocean and Gulf Region.

But while speaking in a seminar in London, Chinese Defence Minister disowned the commitment. Actually China is interested in military and not naval base, he asserted, and in pursuance of that policy, China has asked Pakistan for a military base either in FATA or FANA.

Beijing has reasons for insisting on a big military base and in the region she has demanded. First, it is to counter the growing presence of the United Sates in the region which Islamabad wants to minimize through direct or indirect manipulation. Secondly, the fast growing fundamentalist-separatist movement in Chinese Turkistan or Xingjian is becoming a worrisome development in her eastern region. Pakistan’s Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) touches on Xingjian border, and China is eager to establish its military base there to control the area and not allow pro-separatist Sunni Uighurs of Xingjian volunteers receive training and logistical support from the FANA tribesmen and al-Qaeda outfits.

East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) thrown up by Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) has extended its tentacles in the length and breadth of Xingjian Autonomous Region, and has established liaison with a number of Islamic movements outside China, especially in the Middle East.

Beijing claims that hardcore activists of ETIM/TIP receive training in armed insurgency and sabotage from militants in North Waziristan and FANA of Pakistan. It is more than a decade that Beijing has been fighting counter-insurgency. Beijing’s patience was exhausted when bomb blasts happened in Kashghar in which Uighurs trained in Pakistan were involved and Beijing made a public accusation against them.

Sometime back, Uighur militants, trained and sponsored by jihadi groups in Pakistan had been arrested as saboteurs trying to disrupt law and order in Eastern Turkistan. Some of them were Pakistani national jihadis who were handed over to Pak authorities but the Uighur accomplices were executed summarily.

Beijing believes that ETIM/TIP leadership has raised safe haven in Waziristan (FANA) and their activists are regularly receiving training at the hands of terrorists of Al-Qaida, Taliban and other denomination.

A militant arrested by the Chinese in connection with Urumchi clashes between the Uighur Sunnis and Han Chinese, had confessed that the Uighur separatists received training in Waziristan despite the fact that after the Kashghar bomb blast, China had told Pakistan to impose curbs on them.
Following Urumchi and Kashghar incidents of violence, Chinese President Hu Jintao rang up Pak President Zardari and expressed his displeasure on growing activities of external terrorists in Xingjian. Pakistan swiftly promised extending all help and foreign minister Hina issued a statement saying, “terrorists, extremists and separatists in Xingjian province constitute an evil force”. In contrast to this, Pakistan calls Kashmir separatists as “freedom fighters” and audaciously announces all except military support to them, though in real terms, she gives them only military and no other support.

In October 2003, Pakistan claimed to have killed one Hasan Mahusum alias Abu Muhammad Alturkistani in Waziristan. He was labeled as the founding leader of ETIM/TIP. Next to fall was Abdul Huq al-Turkistani, the successor of Abu Muhamamd, and most probably he was killed in a drone attack. Now Abdul Shakoor al-Turkistani has taken over the command of the group of Chinese (Uighur)-Uzbek terrorists in North Waziristan.

It has to be recollected that just two weeks after the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad blitzkrieg, Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani traveled to Beijing to garner Chinese support in case American operations in Pakistan escalated. That was the beginning of new thinking in China to defer looking for naval bases and instead seek military base particularly in a volatile region which posed serious threat to China losing her western province of Xingjian to the Islamists.

In recent days, Chinese and Pakistani civilian and military brass have been meeting and discussing the pros and cons of China having military base in FANA. While Beijing wants control of a region of nuisance in North Waziristan wherefrom the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement gains its sinews, Pakistan Army wants to squeeze the opposition to its diktat in the region. But apart from this, both converge on countering American-NATO presence in the region and also what they call India’s “clandestine” role of creating gulf between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Only a couple of days back, the former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, delivering a lecture at Carnegie Institute Washington issued a warning to India to desist from conspiring breach between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan has yet one more vital interest in allowing China a strong military base in FANA. She is apprehensive that ultimately Afghanistan might get divided along ethnic lines in which Pushtuns will get Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and the Northern Afghanistan could end up in an independent ethnic entity, the Greater Tajikistan. Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan may have this dimension as well. Pakistan sees Indian hand behind this plan.

Whatever the truth, the fact is that regional strategy in NWFP of Pakistan is fast changing, and China is expanding its sphere of influence westward especially in the peripheries of Hindu Kush and Pamir regions something unprecedented in regional history. (The writer is the former Director of the Centre of Central Asian Studies, Kashmir University.

Posted by :Vipul koul                                                                                                   

Edited by : Ashok Koul                                     Vipul Koul

JAMMU AND KASHMIR GOVERNMENT DISOBEYS HIGH COURT JUDGMENT

Jammu and Kashmir chief Ministers grievance  cell proves to be a farce .
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HAS I BRING ORDERS FROM HIGH COURT OF PAKISTAN 
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The Jammu and Kashmir high court , Jammu wing directed  J&K Government to release all medical expenses in favor of Sh.Ashok koul for treatment of his son vipul koul who is employed with the Director, stores procurement department, Jammu vied judgment No ;365/2011 dated 25.5.2011 on the life consuming disease certificate issued by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi with in 20 days period , but the finance department of Jammu and Kashmir government did not obeyed it by saying that they are not bound to obey these certificates  as they have been issued by the Indian  Hospital  and send the case to Medical board of Jammu medical college vied No  DSP/956-60 dated : 1.6.2011.In reply to this Medical Board of of Government Medical college, Jammu send their report to concern vied NO:GMC/MBC-309/2556 dated :20.7.2011 stating that the patient is suffering from life consuming diseases .The court had given  further time of 20 days to settle the case , but instead of settling the case the finance department of Jammu and Kashmir government said that the case does not fall under rules and closed the chapter.
After this drama of finance department a complaint was filled in chief ministers grievance cell vied  no ;24046, but to utter surprise no attention was paid towards the judgment and case was send to Chief Ministers Medical Aid committee which is meant for those poor people  who can not effort medical treatment at their own due to very very unsound financial conditions and closed the topic thus clearly disobeying the orders of high court and the judgment .
Again other complaint was in the Chief Ministers office ( G Cell ) vied No 25784 dated 4.9.2011 against finance department , but the same complaint has not been settled so far. which clearly proves how poor and innocent public are deceived and cheated in Chief Ministers office and how much helpless  chief minister is before his subordinate officials .
Mean while contempt of court  was filled in the high court, Jammu vied No 80 of 2011 against finance and works department on 13.9.2011.In this connection very higher authorities of finance and works department were summoned by the registrar of high court on 20.9.2011 and the matter was discussed . both the departments assured the court that the case will be settled with in 15 days and all required amount will be released , but the till date nothing has been done and the case is pending with the Chief Ministers and finance departments office .
Helpless chief minister has send many reminders to finance department for settlement of case, but  they are not obeying the Chief Minister  resulting poor child's condition has gone from bad to worse  due to non availability of life saving drugs.
Mean while finance department are threatening poor parents of dire consequences if they did not with draw the case unconditionally .Talking to KASHYAP NEWS  poor parents asked , has we bring orders from apex court of Pakistan as judgment of Indian high court is not being obeyed in this state on communal grounds .
Poisted by : Vipul Koul , Edited by :Anjli kher 

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KP'S FOR GOING BACK TO KASHMIR by Vijay Parimoo

Vijay Parimoo 22 October 11:21 JAMMU, Oct 21: BJP, VHP, Sena take exception to CM's announcement on AFSPA :- aking exception to the Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister's statement that "with the gradual improvement in the security situation and return of peace, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is being removed from some areas within next few days", the BJP State chief spokesperson and national executive member, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that any decision in these matters must be taken with the cognizance of professional security experts and wondered at whose behest the Chief Minister was going about making announcements on such a sensitive issue and that too at a time when the GOC Srinagar Gen Hasnain is on record of having stated that there is at present an all -time high built-up of potential infiltrators on the LoC. Dr Jitendra Singh said that any final decision regarding deployment or withdrawal of troops from militancy prone areas is never a sole prerogative of any political party or political leader and asked the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to clarify the media reports that he had assured the J&K Chief Minister of withdrawal of AFSPA from three districts each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions respectively despite his own party colleague and Defence Minister A.K.Antony not in favour of a hasty decision in the matter. Making a plea to avoid playing politics in the name of AFSPA, Dr Jitendra Singh said in case the State's coalition Government genuinely believed that security situation had actually improved on the ground, then a more effective Confidence Building Measure (CBM) would be taken to reduce the level of personal security enjoyed by Ministers and chief minister because that would send out a more visible message to the common man. Meanwhile VHP has also warned the Government's move of revoking Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from State saying withdrawal of army from some parts of J&K would prove suicidal. The VHP State president Dr Rama Kant Dubey in a statement issued here today also criticized the Chief Minister for terming the AFSPA a black law saying it was because of this Act that human rights of the innocent people were protected in the State. The AFSPA has been extended to the State with the consent of State Government and so CM should not call it a black law, he added. Hindustan Shiv Sena has also taken a strong exception to the reported move on AFSPA withdrawal. Talking to reporters here today president of Sena, Dimpy Kohli and its general secretary G I Singh said that the terrorists threat still continues in the State which was prevailing 15 years ago and hence the revocation of AFSPA will prove counter productive. They said that the militants from across the border are making attempts to sneak inside and some have succeeded in infiltrating to this side while as per reports 3000 terrorists are waiting across the border on launching pads in an opportunity to sneak inside, they added. They said under these circumstances withdrawal of AFSPA will not be in the national interests. They also questioned the leaders of some mainstream political parties for making suggestions in this regard and warned that Sena will react strongly in case Government goes ahead with its decision to withdraw the forces form State. Posted by ; Vipul koul                                          VIPUL KOUL Edited by :Ahok Koul

Maharaja Hari Singh's Letter to Mountbatten

Maharaja Hari Singh's Letter to Mountbatten

Text Of Letter Dated October 26, 1947 From Hari Singh, The Maharaja Of Jammu & Kashmir to Lord Mountbatten, Governor General of India.

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Dated: 26 October 1947                                      
My dear Lord Mountbatten,
I have to inform your Excellency that a grave emergency has arisen in my State and request immediate assistance of your Government.
As your Excellency is aware the State of Jammu and Kashmir has not acceded to the Dominion of India or to Pakistan. Geographically my State is contiguous to both the Dominions. It has jvital economical and cultural llinks with both of them. Besides my State has a common boundary with the Soviet Republic and China. In their external relations the Dominions of India and Pakistan cannot ignore this fact.
I wanted to take time to decide to which Dominion I should accede, or whether it is not in the best interests of both the Dominions and my State to stand independent, of course with friendly and cordial relations with both.
I accordingly approached the Dominions of India and Pakistan to enter into Standstill Agreement with my State. The Pakistan Government accepted this Agreement. The Dominion of India desired further discussions with representatives of my Government. I could not arrange this in view of the developments indicated below. In fact the Pakistan Government are operating Post and Telegraph system inside the State.
Though we have got a Standstill Agreement with the Pakistan Government that Government permitted steady and increasing strangulation of supplies like food, salt and petrol to my State.
Afridis, solidiers in plain clothes, and desperadoes with modern weapons have been allowed to infilter into the State at first in Poonch and then in Sialkot and finally in mass area adjoining Hazara District on the Ramkot side. The result has been that the limited number of troops at the disposal of the State had to be dispersed and thus had to face the enemy at the several points simultaneously, that it has become difficult to stop the wanton destruction of life and property and looting. The Mahora powerhouse which supplies the electric current to the whole of Srinagar has been burnt. The numer of women who have been kidnapped and raped makes my heart bleed. The wild forces thus let loose on the State are marching on with the aim of capturing Srinagar, the summer Capital of my Government, as first step to over-running the whole State.
The mass infiltration of tribesmen drawn from distant areas of the North-West Frontier coming regularly in motor trucks using Mansehra-Muzaffarabad Road and fully armed with up-to-date weapons cannot possibly be done without the knowledge of the Provisional Government of the North-West Frontier Province and the Government of Pakistan. In spite of repeated requests made by my Government no attempt has been made to check these raiders or stop them from coming into my State. The Pakistan Radio even put out a story that a Provinsional Government had been set up in Kashmir. The people of my State both the Muslims and non-Muslims generally have taken no part at all.
With the conditions obtaining at present in my State and the grreat emergency of the situation as it exists, I have no option but to ask for help from the Indian Dominion. Naturally they cannot send the help asked for by me without my State acceding to the Dominion of India. I have accordingly decided to do so and I attach the Instrument of Accession for acceptance by your Government. The other alternative is to leave my State and my people to free-booters. On this basis no civilized Government can exist or be maintained. This alternative I will never allow to happen as long as I am Ruler of the State and I have life to defend my country.
I am also to inform your Excellency's Government that it is my intention at once to set up an interim Government and ask Sheikh Abdullah to carry the responsibilities in this emergency with my Prime Minister.
If my State has to be saved immediate assistance must be available at Srinagar. Mr. Menon is fully aware of the situation and he will explain to you, if further explanation is needed.
In haste and with kind regards,

The Palace, Jammu                                  Your sincerely,
26th October, 1947                                   Hari Singh

Posted By : Vipul Koul

Rdited by : Ashok Koul

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Religious Conversion with Sword

Aurangzeb, on assuming power in Delhi, took his sword out of the shield for converting entire India into a Darul Islam. For fulfilling his cruel desire one Subedar of Kashmir, Iftihar Khan, played a "bloody Holi" with the Pandits for increasing the pace of religious conversion.  
When after Shahjahan fundamentalist Aurangzeb occupied the throne of Delhi he tore to shreds the well debated and so called secular policies of his predecessor Mughal rulers. He, while rejecting all the double-edged policies of the Mughal emperors, took his sword out of the shield to implement God's dictate for converting India into an Islamic state. The entire country was shocked and shudered because of his atrocities. First of all he made Hindu scholars and the Pandit community as his target. He believed that this very community of Hindus would teach people their religion and nationalism. It is because of their preaching and teaching that the entire population of India had not become Muslims despite continuous pressure for many years. He thought that it was necessary to eliminate the Brahmin community for the elimination of that society that keeps on struggling against conversion.This analysis of the Indian mind made by Aurangzeb became the source of encouragement for him in his evil and cruel deeds. Since Kashmir has remained India's centre for learning and since the same land has produced great scholars, Aurangzeb entrusted the reigns of the land to dreadful Subedars for Islamisation of Kashmir. During his 49-years rule Aurangzeb deputed 14 Subedars to Kashmir for achieving his goal of Islamisation. And among those Subedars Iftihar Khan proved the most loyal who between 1671-75 perpetrated cruelties on the Hindus of Kashmir and forced them to adopt Islam. Kashmiri Pandits approach Guru Teg Bahadur for help After getting frustrated by the inhuman cruelties committed by Iftihar Khan, Kashmiri Pandits decided to approach great nationalist, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur, at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab for help, about 500 Pandits, under the leadership of Pandit Kripa Ram, met Guru Teg Bahadur. Giani Gurja Singh has given an account of the appeal of Pandits to the Guru. He has written: (Guru Teg Bahadur, son of Guru Hargobind, we have now no strength. Take us by our arm. You are world reformer, you are a prophet of Guru Nanak, just as Lord Krishna saved the honour of misfortune-stricken Draupdi and shaped and smoothened the work of his beloved Sudama, similarly you are the current Krishna to set right things. Kindly fulfil the hopes of the people. You will remain immortal). The delegation from Kashmir, under the leadership of Pandit Kripa Ram, narrated their condition to acquaint Guru Teg Bahadur of the situation in Kashmir. An account of this pity-inspring story has been given by Giani Gian Singh in his book "Shri Guru Granth Prakash" whose translation is published in September issue of the Weekly Panchjanya in 1991 and this describes the evil deeds of Aurangzeb and Subedar Iftihar Khan. He has written that the Mughal of Chugtai dynasty, Aurangzeb, is highly wicked. Being drunk he has occupied the throne of Delhi. He does not recognise the power of God in relation to the non-Muslims. This cruel person has willed to do evil deeds. He wants to dye the entire India in the colour of his religion and Islamise it. This proud and arrogant person has ordered demolition of all temples of deities without any delay. He wanted to finish ancient customs and religious and pious policies. He would not allow worship of deities, ancestors, God, prayers and association with saints and sages. Propagation of Puranic tales, importance of pilgrimages and worship of deities have all been finished. On the other Aide construction of mosques and propagation of the Koran have increased in India. It is not known what shape the future will take ? Through allurement and atrocities he has converted many Hindus to Islam. Many Hindus have been polluted after their sacred thread and vermillion were removed. This way a big misfortune has gripped the Hindus in India. It gives immense pain. There is no parallel to his cruelty. He removes 1.25 maunds of sacred thread daily. These Muslims have plundered honour of everyone. This cruel ruler had forcibly abducted many daughters of Hindus and offered them to cruel people. We all have thought over all these misfortunes and have come to your refuge for the protection of the religion of the land. Now you alone can save us. A historical decision for protection of religion Shri Guru Teg Bahadur became engrossed in deep thought after listening to the story of the Pandits. His face lit bright like the sun. The Kshatriya in him awakened for the protection of religion and nation. His son, Gobind Rai, enquired from him the reason of his trance. The Guru told his inquisitive son that there is need for the sacrifice of a greatman for protecting the Hindu society from the misfortune. The son of the Guru, who was dedicated to the nation and religion, had the same blood in his veins. He said instantly "Who else is more great than you ?" With these words of his son, Gobind, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur decided to sacrifice himself for the protection of the sacred thread and vermillion (Tilak). This decision was of national importance, because it changed the course of future history. Shri Guru Teg Bahadur sent a message to Aurangzeb that if he could convert Teg Bahadur to Islam, every Hindu will become a Muslim. On receiving this message Aurangzeb danced out of delight and ordered Subedar of Kashmir, Iftihar Khan, to stop forcible religious conversion because now it had to be easy to complete this work. Only one person had to be converted to Islam and the rest will automatically accept Islam. He sent a message to Anandpur Sahib inviting Shri Guru Teg Bahadur to Delhi. Prior to the receipt of this invitation Guru Teg Bahadur had left for Delhi alongwith his five disciples. On reaching the periphery of Delhi all were arrested and carried to the court of Aurangzeb. There was a discussion between Aurangzeb and the Guru. The Guru roared like a lion and told the king that he could not change his religion. Forcing anyone to change religion was against humanity. The Mughal ruler is irreligious by following an irreligious path. Honouring his dictates and orders is a deep dishonour for the entire country of India and for the vast Hindu society. He told him that he opposed, strongly, clearly and with determination these evil deeds. Aurangzeb felt losing ground under his feet on seeing the courage and strong religious faith of Guru Teg Bahadur. Aurangzeb flared up and gave two options to the Guru - either death or adoption of Islam. Great love for Hindu religion The Guru opted for the option of death for sacrificing his life for the protection of nation and religion. And for this very purpose he had come from Anandpur Sahib to Delhi. The desire of the Guru and his expression of courage finds an account in the book "Shri Guru Pratap Suraj". (On hearing Aurangzeb the brave Guru Teg Bahadur said: "We belong to Hindu religion. How can we give up our highly dear Hindu religion ? This Hindu religion is a source of happiness in this and the other world. No other religion seems to be equal to Hindu religion. Those having mean and unwise bent of mind and give up this religion are wicked and base. Such people suffer greatly in this world and even Yamraj (god of death) does not get satisfied while punishing them. We are wise and learned. Why should we forsake Hindu religion ? We have a permanent commitment and love for protecting our religion". This gave birth to a period of cruelty on Guru Teg Bahadur and his colleagues. Tieing to a hot pillar, throwing hot sand on their bodies, wounding their bodies and other intolerable pains became a routine. And whenever anyone was not made unstable, orders were issued to kill them mercilessly. As per the Fatwah (decree) of the royal Qazi the Gurus first associate, Bhai Dayal, was thrown in a boiling pot and killed. The second associate Bhai Sati Das, was packed in a bale of cotton which was set ablaze and the third one, Bhai Mati Das, was sawed to death. After the immortal sacrifice of these three persons, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded. Before his assassination the Guru had recited the first five lines of the sacred book Japuji. This way the name of this great nationalist is immortal in the pages of history for having smashed the arrogance of Aurangzeb. Guru Teg Badaur treats this misery as national tragedy This great nationalist sacrificed everything on the altar of India, its religion and its nationalist life values. He gave a call for the entire Hindu society to unite and get strong for preserving and protecting their religion. On the request of Kashmiri Hindus a greatman of Punjab went to Delhi and sacrificed his head. This by itself is an example of basic unity of our nation. No one, at that time, had said that he being a Panjabi why should he die for Kashmiri. There was no dirty game of votes and appeasement at that time. There was no danger of losing the Muslim vote bank through the sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur. Treating the cries of 500 Kashmiris as the pain and misfortune of the entire Hindu society and India he sacrified in the interest of the nation. He did not treat the problem of Kashmir as an ordinary national issue. It was really an image of the tragedy of the entire nation. Thus the woeful tale of 500 Kashmiri Pandits was given national importance by the Guru who sacrificed himself to fulfil the national duty. But today the woeful plight of three lakh Kashmiri Hindus, who have migrated from the valley, could not achieve national importance. Possibly there is no great nationalist and saviour of religion like Guru Teg Bahadur in India at present. Everybody is a victim of the policy of "vote bank" and appeasement and are busy in baking their bread in the naming oven of Kashmir problem. The traders of Muslim "vote bank" not only handed over Kashmir to terrorists in the interest of their self-interest but also wasted the sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur for Kashmir. The situation has reached a stage where anyone having solid, clear and right outlook on the security of Kashmir are being dubbed as anti-Muslim. It means that the importance of the Muslim vote bank is greater than the security of Kashmir and integrity of the country. Great sacrifice How strange it looks: the Guru who sacrificed himself for the safety of Kashmiri Panditis, the so called and disloyal followers of the same Guru are now supporting those who are the cause for the current disaster of Kashmiri Pandits. What else can be the national tragedy and misfortune that once again Kashmir is a victim of the schemes of Aurangzeb ? At that time 500 Kashmiri Pandits had found Guru Teg Bahadur but today three lakh Kashmiri Pandits are helpless in finding any saviour of religion. On receiving the news about the sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur his son, Shri Guru Gobind Singh, had said: "tilak janju raakhaa prabh taakaa keeno bado kalu mahi saaka ---- " Guru Teg Bahadur's religious steadfastness and his nationalism and his unique amd matchless sacrifice would be remembered for ages. It was a great deed for the protection of Hindu society, nation and the permanent values of humanity. With this unique sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur the rule of Aurangzeb started experiencing tremors. This sacrifice led to the wave of Hindutva, which swept the entire India, and direction was given to this wave by Guru Gobind Singh in Punjab, Rana Raj Singh in Rajasthan, Shiva Ji in the south and Chatrasal in the east. A united revolt was launched against the cruel Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb had himself, before his death, prepared the coffin for the Mughal rule through his fundamentalist and cruel dictatorial policies. After him the Mughal rule started witnessing continuous fall. Though many states in India had declared independence, Kashmir continued to remain under the Mughal rule. In Kashmir Mir Ahmed Khan was running the administration as Naib Subedar. His policies were liberal towards Hindus but the process of religious conversion continued with a slow pace. Muhata Khan's dangerous resolution Muhata Khan, a Muslim Sardar, was an influential person in the court of Bahadur Shah, who succeeded Aurangzeb on the throne of Delhi. He was a Kashmiri but having remained out of the valley for a long time he had established contact with the Mughal ruler in Delhi. He had become an owner of an estate in Delhi because of the benevolence of Bahadur Shah. But when he lost his estate after the death of Bahadur Shah he returned to Kashmir. He requested Subedar Mir Ahmed Khan to give up his liberal policy. He established an honourable place in the Muslim society becauge of his knowledge of Islam. Gradually he started criticising the basic principles of Hindu religion, religious customs in Kashmir. In his eyes conversion of Hindus to Islam in any fashion was the order of God. That is why he got fully engaged in this work. He objected to the grant of equal rights to Hindus by the Subedar. That human approach and policy was intolerable for him. Khwaja Ajim Khan has given information about the dangerous resolution Muhata Khan submitted to the Subedar of Kashmir. In his book "History of Kashmir" Ajim Khan has said that Muhata Khan was a scholar of Islamic laws. Once he had bitterly criticised the liberal policies of Subedar Mir Ahmed Khan towards Hindus. He had made it clear that progress of Hindus was not tolerable in any way. In this context he submitted the following proposals to the Subedar. 1. Hindus should not be allowed to ride a horse. 2. They should not wear "jama" (a type of Mughal dress). 3 . They should nat handle weapons. 4. They should not visit gardens. 5. They should not put vermillion (Tilak) on their forehead. 6. Their wards should not be given any education. The Subedar rejected all the proposals of Muhata Khan. He instructed Muhata Khan to remain away from such activities. Attack on Hindu function But Muhata Khan decided to have his way for achieving his aim by taking law in his hands. He set up a centre of his activities in a mosque. He incited people, who used to come for Nimaz, for remaining rigid on Islam and bring the idol worshippers within the ambit of Islamic principles. Having been influenced by his powerful religious discourses the Muslim youth decided to obey his instructions. Muhata Khan issued instructions for implementing his above mentioned resolutions on Hindus. The result was that any Hindu found with vermillion (Tilak) on his forehead would be smashed. Hindus could no longer ride horses and wearing good dresses was banned for them. At that time an attack on a famous trader, Majlis Rai Chopra, took a historical turn. Arrangements for a luncheon in connection with a religious function were made by Majlis Rai. When thousands of Hindus were having their lunch in a garden Muhata Khan, with a band of bigots, attacked them with weapons. Majlis Rai managed to escape and took shelter in the house of Mir Ahmed Shah. But that house too was gheroad and surrounded by the men of Muhata Khan. Mir Ahmed Khan escaped from a secret door and took refuge in a nearby cantonment. He waged a battle, with the help of a company of troops, against Muhata Khan but was defeated. Muhata Khan arrested and iailed this supporter of Hindus and assumed power himself. Majlis Rai was killed mercilessly and all his property was oonfiscated. It was followed by shameless atrocities on the Hindus. There was turmoil among the Hindu families. Many Hindus were converted to Islam in this atmosphere of terror. Muslims gave shelter to Hindus But there was no impact of the atmosphere on the common Muslims. Muhata Khan's influence was limited to the Muslims belonging to the rich and the upper class. According to one historian, Anand Rai Pahalwan, the attack on Majlis Rai is an indication of the class struggle. Common Hindus were tormented because their link with him (Majlis Rai) was based on religion and not money. But a big number of common Muslims would participate in this function and festival. One non-Muslim historian has written that many Muslims gave shelter to innumerable Hindus in their houses till the situation improved. Muhata Khan tormented Hindus but he did not spare those Muslirns who gave assistance to Hindus in any way. There were many Muslims officers, who, while being on key Government posts, had given help to their Hindu colleagues. And when this section of the Muslims became victim of the atrocities of Muhata Khan, they started getting annoyed. The result was that this sectien sounded the bugle of revolt. Anarchy gripped the state and one Muslim sardar beheaded Muhata Khan with his sword. Two liberal Subedars, Abdus Samad and Inayat Khan After this the Mughal emperor, Mohammed Shah, sent four to five Subedars, one after the other, to Kashmir but no one was able to control anarchy, communalism and uncertain political situation. Ultimately it was left to Subedar Abdus Samad to control the situation in Kashmir. He made a vigorous effort for resettling uprooted Hindus. They were given monetary help from the state exchequer. They were given posts in the government. After his Subedar Barkae Khan too installed many Pandits on high Government posts. This liberal Subedar appointed one scholar Pandit, Mukand Ram Kar, as his chief advisor. After giving him major powers, Barkat Khan started a new chapter of strength and co-existence in Kashmir's history. During this era there was hegemony of Kashmiri Pandits in the Delhi Mughal court. But despite this whenever Mughal emperors, Muslim Subedars or sardars, were obsessed by bigotry they started massacre of their trusted Hindu friends. There are many instances in support of their discriminatory attitude and cruel activities. The leaders of Kashmiri Pandits, settled in Delhi and Agra, Jairam Bhan, had great influence in DeIhi Durbar. Under this influence he worked for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus and for the education of their children. But one Hindu, being jealous of his influence, lodged a complaint against him in Delhi Durbar. Dubbing him as an enemy of the Muslims, he poisoned the ears of Kamaruddin, a minister of Emperor Mohammed Shah. Pandit Bhan was arrested and killed through deceit. His two sons were also jailed. Under the instructions from Delhi Durbar the then Subedar of Kashmir, Inayatullah Khan, was asked to confiscate the property of Jairam Bhan in the valley. But Inayatulla alerted Pandit Bhan's brothers before implementing the court order. As a result of it they were saved and so was saved their property. During the closing days of the rule of Mohammad Shah the invasion of an Afghan Sardar, Nadir Shah, had its impact on Kashmir too. Subedars of Kashmir refused to accept the leadership of Delhi Durbar. The administration became victim of local groupism and once again Kashmiris were pushed to the abyss of deep darkness. Kashmir a land of lust and tour in the eyes of Mughal Kings If an analysis is made on the impact of the rule of the Mughals on Kashmir it is clear that except for Aurangzeb Kashmir remained peaceful under the Mughal reign. During the Mughals people got relief and Kashmiri Hindus lived honourably. Even if these facts are correct, deep probe in the era reveals many other details. The Mughal emperors would live in Delhi. They would come to Kashmir with their harem for pleasure trips. Kashmir for them was nothing else than a place for pleasure trips. According to a known scholar and writer, Mr. Vachnesh Tripathi, eras went on changing. The Kashmir which was once famous for its sanctity as a pilgrimage and on whose soil baching of Sanskrit and fruitful discourses of Sanskrit scholars had given importance in life and which was treated with devotion by Prince Darashikov, the same Kashmir became a spot for pleasure for the Mughal kings. The Shalimar Bagh was known for being a garden where Jehangir and Noor Jahan would give shape to their lust and pleasures. As such Kashmir was turned into a centre for pleasure and luxury and from that very period India's freedom and integrity was jolted. Mughal kings ruled Kashmir from Delhi through their Subedars. These Subedars had two groups. One was influenced by the religion of "Din Illahi" propounded by Akbar and they allowed the cool breeze of goodwill to blow over the verdant vales of Kashmir. But the other group came under the influence of Akbar's practice of organising programmes for sensuous delights and "Meena Bazaar" type pleasure outlook. As such they patronised such shameless and uncivilised activities in Kashmir and tormented Hindu women. There is a big question mark on the personality of Akbar because as a secular he patronised both the "Meena Bazaar" and "Din Illahi", two contradictory trends. Kashmir felt the impact of these two opinions and trends. The result was that while roads were constructed, mosques were built but no one repented over the demolition and destruction of temples and idols by the Muslim sultans. No renovation of temples and shrines was carried out. None promoted ancient culture of Kashmir through schools and there was no system under which a Kashmiri Hindu would remain a Hindu. The eyes of the Mughal rulers remained fixed on the dreams of "Darul Islam" and "Islamic Millat". As a result of it the Hindutva which earlier was being poisoned to death was now being lured to sleep through sweet lullabies.

by Narender Sehgal

(

Guru Teg Bahadur with young Gobind Rai sitting next to him when the Kashmiri pandits came to Guru Sahib asking for help

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission INDIA: 685-crore Dalit park, a Bokkasan style monstrosity

At 5 pm Indian standard time today (14 October), the Chief Minister
of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Mayawati, will inaugurate a park in Noida, that
Mayawati claims is a Dalit memorial to symbolise Dalit liberation and
power in India. Noida is close to New Delhi, the national capital. It
is reported that the park, constructed at the expense of 685 crore
Indian Rupees of taxpayers' money, has more than two dozen statues of
Mayawati and her political mentor, Mr Kanshi Ram. The park also has
statues of real Dalit icons like Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, in an attempt to
justify the expenses or probably to make a statement which Mayawati
mistakenly believes, that Mayawati and Ambedkar are of equal standing.

Hundreds of Dalits, including Dalit children starve to death each
year in Uttar Pradesh, where Mayawati is the Chief Minister. It is
estimated that every third Dalit child in the state is malnourished.
Yet, spending such money on concrete, marble and granite in
constructing what is called a Dalit park, is nothing but a shameful
example of criminal wastage of public funds, for which Mayawati should
be prosecuted. It is nothing more than a Bokassan style shameless
self-indulgence.

While the Dalits for whom Mayawati allegedly work for continue to
live in abject poverty, their votes have made her today a millionaire,
from her humble beginnings as the daughter of a postal employee. With
no other source of reported income other than her salary and
allowances as an elected representative, none cares to ask how did
Mayawati acquire such wealth.

It is reported that Mayawati has instructed her police officers to
refuse registering cases, as much as possible, particularly concerning
atrocities committed against the Dalits, so that on records, the
administration can claim that during Mayawati's tenure as the Chief
Minister of the state, the crime rate in the state has drastically
reduced. Yet, for today's ceremony, the state administration has
arranged for 2,500 policemen. This includes nine Provincial Armed
Constabulary companies, 175 traffic policemen, 50 women cops, 1050
police constables, 184 Sub Inspectors, 25 Station House Officers, 15
Superintendents of Police and seven Additional Superintendents of
Police. This is in addition to the anti-sabotage units, bomb disposal
squads, National Security Guard teams, local intelligence units, fire
service units, emergency medical assistance units and the members of
the Chief Minister's security. The mobilisation of these government
agencies, just for the day, also involves enormous additional expenses
to the public exchequer. None of this indeed will help a bit to
improve the condition of the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh or in India. All
this apart, the 84-acre project is also allegedly an environmental
disaster. However, none of this has deterred Mayawati.

Had the state government of Uttar Pradesh intended to improve the
conditions of the poor, in particular that of the socially boycotted
Dalits, there are steps the government could have taken. This includes
among others: cracking down on corruption in the public food
distribution system, which is largely under the control of privileged
castes like the Brahmins and Yadavs (many Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav as
the Chief Minister); ensuring that the complaints regarding the
implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee
Schemes are immediately dealt with; ensuring proper functioning of
government schools that would allow the Dalit children to seek and
obtain education; guaranteeing that there is no discrimination of the
Dalit children and/or their mothers in rural health guaranty
programmes; ensuring that the practice of bonded labour in the state
that exploits the Dalits is put to an end; ending the evil practice of
manual scavenging; and above all, complaints of discriminatory
practices against the Dalits are investigated and prosecuted. The
state government has done nothing in achieving any of these. Yet, the
Chief Minister who heads the government believes, and many Dalit
groups concur, that the park Noida would contribute profoundly towards
ending caste based discrimination in the country.

To bring about social change, what is required are the tools for
social engineering. This includes an administration with the resolve
to end the unacceptable status qou of Dalit discrimination and a Dalit
leadership who are willing to challenge corrupt individuals like
Mayawati on the ground. It also requires a rule of law framework,
which includes a functioning policing system and other institutions
like the courts which are equipped to deal with crimes like caste
based discrimination promptly and effectively. None of this is debated
in one of the most lawless states of the country, Uttar Pradesh.

Yet, what it has today is a Chief Minister who wastes public money in
constructing memorials and parks filled with her own statues. This is
not any investment for the future, but sealing the destiny of some of
the most underprivileged in the country. In that, the inauguration of
the Dalit park today is the state sponsored celebration of the
monstrosity of it.

# # #

About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional
non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia,
documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional
reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The
Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Posted by:Vipul Koul. Edited by :Ashok Koul