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Sweet memories, no more Sweet, of the Sweet Days | Kashmir || by Bhushan Parimoo || LIVE IMAGE |
No more to
rejoice wonderful moments
of those cherished days .That has been
buried deep beneath the agonizing heaped mound of exodus.
All the time festering neither time makes them heal nor sobbing
tears wash them out . It is another riches to rags story that emerged from
the core of heart from one of the sons of the soil other than
Kashmiri Pandits out of anguish.
A speck of bitter memories may seem
insignificant in general but beneath lay a hidden iceberg of callous
attitude in the sea of insensitive Government . This aspect has
remained untold thus uncared till date.
Who along with
others were uprooted from the soil and tossed far away to save life
and honour in the land of which many hardly knew. That has become nobody’s
concern or to take note of it in the scheme of things, back to the
soil program. Every one instead of taking a holistic view
in its totality, view it from one’s own angle. That makes one to think
where the valley is allowed to drift along the waves of uncertainty
despite umpteen assurance which lack essence and smack of intention
of those who matter.
The world is made to
know it is another mass exodus of the Kashmir Pandits .Needs to be
corrected that this ,the seventh one in line, unlike six previous
migrations , is not confined exclusively to Kashmiri Pandits . It
includes Muslims, Dogras,Khatris , Sikhs of the soil.
This mass exodus affected both sides of the Pir Panchal. Inspite of
it this multi dimensional migration has been painted with a colour that of
Kashmiri Pandit exodus .
Dissimilar to earlier migrations that took
place were under the tyrant rulers; this one unfortunately took place
under the Government of India .A largest democracy, fourth strongest armed
forces to guard borders, large central Paramilitary ,
State Armed Forces for internal security, above all under one of the
finest Intelligence set up. In spite of it continuing to reel under more
than three decades now without any flicker sign of deliverance.Neither blame
game nor passing buck to others, protect life and honour guaranteed
under the constitution is admissible. no government at the helm of
affairs can abdicate its responsibility from its
constitutional duties .
Every five years the Government is elected which
takes oath to abide by the Constitution to which we owe allegiance, and business
of the government has to be carried in the letter and spirit. Elections are
carried out for the check balance in case a government action proves anti
people, the new government has to take corrective measures as per laid down
norms.
The mention of Chuni Lal Sweet Shop and Chabra Tea Stall
Amira kadal Srinagar made rumbles through the pages of history
here.The owners belong to the Khatri Community, non kashmiri ,
from undivided Punjab. Known as Aadatis,Lalji , Panjeeab, excellent
traders and administrators.Among Kashmiri Pandit , buisness class is
called Pourbi,among Muslims generally referred to as Khwaja, there is also mog
them a class who deals exclusively in dairy products called
Gooree.Needless to add has the prettiest women folk in
the Valley .
Advent of
theirs in the valley must have taken place was
during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh , after Afghans were
thrown out .Until then the armed ingress came from the other
side of the Indus that brought with it faith and art, culture and
its cuisines that left an indelible mark.
Although there is a mention that
the Migrations of Sikhs to Kashmir Valley took place during early
1750s when Sukhjiwan Mal was the Governor during the Afghan Rule and latter
during the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh after 1819. Sikh
rule started expanding its frontiers, annexing the entire Ladakh right
from Gilgit, Nagar -Haveli, Hunza, up to Mesar Tibet.
Necessitated consolidation and fortification, to ward off or repulse the
counter attacks which they were facing constantly.
Quite but naturally
necessitated maintaining an assured supply line for the essential
warfare commodities to combat and for civilian administration. That is how it
appears this business class came to the state. With the passage of
time it was found to have spread far, wide and deep, slowly
and steady becoming part and parcel of our society.
They took
various routes that suited them, in some cases towards the valley
via Sailkote. Jammu, Rajouri etc. Towards
Gilgit, Baltistan, via Rawalpindi , Jhelum, enroute some settled in
Mirpur Kotli, Poonch Principality , Muzaffarabad and Ladakh via
Hoshiarpur – Kishtwar, -Zanskar.
Hoshiarpuri took its business up to
Yarkand to the west and Tibet in the east. These routes got a major flip
during Dogra rule after General Zorawar conquered part of Tibet. The British
got nervous, feeling threatened to the Hindustan Tibet
route that was constructed by Lord Dalhousie in
1850 .Britishers even wrote a protest note to the State Government
then. After the fall Sikh regime Kashmir became part of Dogra rule
with it other avenues other than business class were opened for the line
department professionals.
Maharaja Ranbir Singh soon after ascended the throne
1856, accorded priority for spreading education and administrative reforms
apart from expanding and consolidating the frontiers. A scholar of
Sanskrit and Persian languages and was also fond of speaking Pashto
conversing with his Afghan bodyguards in Pashto .
He established separate
departments for , judiciary foreign affairs, home affairs, civil affairs
and army. This further provided opportunities for the educated class from
Punjab to serve the State, be it engineering, Education, administration,
medicines or judiciary. This class had a monopoly in the field of
business in every part of the state.
It requires mention , Maharaja Gulab
Singh when he took reigns of Jammu Principality it the Panjais who helped
him to render the services in the administration. Again it was the influx
and edge over administrative service a agitation was lodged by the Jammuites,
that forced the Maharaja Hari Singh to introduce State Subject Certificate
in 1927 under which no person other than local can have government
jobs or purchase land in the state. They maintained their own culture,
tradition, rituals and faith.
Mostly followed Arya Samaj faith. Celebrated
Basant Panchami, Baisakhi, Deepawali, Lordhi, Holi and others festivals,
wherever they settled. These had been part and parcel of their lives back home.
Such festivals were quite unheard and witnessed till then by the Kashmiri
. Under Dogras Baisakhi, Diwali was celebrated with much fanfare
and declared state holidays.
Sweets, Chhole-Bhathure, Teas ,Dhabas
, Bakery , Pan Shops came in the valley along with the advent of Kharis.
Kashmiri Pandits had till then had no fascination towards
sweets, except probably Khree, Yellow dyed cooked rice called
Taatherr. Halwa is also a non Kashmiri item. While
Kashmiri Pandits used Khawa in the morning , Salted tea
called Sheer Chai in the evening, Kashmiri Muslims take Salted tea both the
times.
There used to be a
large business hub of them once housed a stock exchange-cum-business centre for
the traders from Amritsar, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and even Central Asia at
Alakadl fourth ridge known as Maharaj Gunj . It was
subjected to loot and arson which became the target of loot and
arson during 1931.Hastly adding scanner elements, came to
their rescue + provided shelter, protections and in some cases
helped them to restart business within their means.
Apart from had
a lucrative buisness on both sides of the Amira Kadal,
on river Jhelum, left side it is Hari Singh High Street , Prem ni
Ki Gali/old hospital road , now called Gani Khan Market and Maharaja bazar on
the right business shops extended up to Tourist reception
centre Mahatta & Co Photographers on the Bund . It is
said Amar Nath Mehta who was from Gurdaspur, as a self-taught
photographer, started Mahatta & Co. in 1915 on a houseboat on the Jhelum in
Srinagar, later shifted to Bazar Bund in 1918.
Coming back to Chuni
lal Sweet shop It was perhaps one of the oldest, rather first sweet
shops, in Srinagar. In the front of Gurdwara Singh Sabha Amira Kadal ,
SunShine Dry Cleaners owner back of the Gurdwara was located the
shop of , Chuni Lal initially called Halwai Chuni Lal Ki
Gali, earlier it had a News agency next to
it Khalsa bakery , a bit further on the left side, there
were Kashmiri Handicraft, on the right there used to be a Fruit Shop ,
and still function a Sardar ji Fish Shop between Rattan
Singh and Jai Hind Dhabas was Chuni Lal Sweet
Shop. Those followed him as shared are “There was one
sweet shop Prabh Dayal & Sons facing another one Amar Nath Sohal & Sons
across the road in the Maharaja Bazar, Amira Kadal.
Another sweet shop was in
the nearby Charas Gali adjacent to a grocery shop near Bulbul jewellers. The
owner had reportedly become a victim of terrorism in early 1990s. Sant Ram
Sohal & Sons in Malhotra Street was popular for Chhole-Bhathure, Ras-malai,
Gulab jamun, etc. Nishat Sweets below Khalsa hotel was very popular earlier,
but got burnt down in late 1960s or early 1970s. Shakti Sweets near Sri Chand
Chinar Temple on Residency Road opened in the 1970s and outsmarted all
others.
Just a few shops
after the Nishat Sweets towards the Amira Kadal side was Kailash Cafetaria, the
meeting place over a cup of tea with snacks for many esteemed teachers of CMS
Tyndale Biscoe School, Secretariat Employees, etc. It was perhaps the first
cafetaria of Srinagar. Run by Shri R N Gandotra, the double storied shop was
damaged in fire by miscreants, six or seven times, but Mr Gandotra didn’t give
up till the final migration in 1991.
Another
shop Sweet brought to notice was at Cheenkra Mohalla Haba Kadal, known as
Sh Piyarey Lal and Sons. The Lala Chuni Lal Sweet Shop used a bear
festive look, much sought after during festival season, with a heavy rush
of the buyers. Apart from Baishakhi, Deepavali another occasion was Karwa
Chauth, ladies thronged it in numbers . Kashmiri Pandits used to
celebrate Chaandan Sheesthi, inplace of Karwa Chauth, two days before
Janamashtami.
Question arises ,can anyone
bring back those peaceful days once again as said
strength of the chain lies in its weakest link. Kashmiriyat, Sufism, Gandhi
ji’s Rooshni Ki Kiran, has failed miserably, among us all that matter
onus lies on the big brother, together one has to exert and turn table
despite provocation on both the sides.The doctrines and spirit, let us face
together and live as we used to. Annexation and suppression, this state
has witnessed enough but there is a long unbroken history of blood ties nursed
by mutual suffering.
Bushan Parimoo
(The writer is a Jammu based environmentalist and a regular contributor to this Website.)
(Feedback at: blparimoo@gmail.com)
