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The sounds of silence!

MAJOR KULBIR SINGH. Dated: 7/25/2017 10:46:04 AM

Lovely brooks, great lakes, Blue Mountains make Kashmir a paradise of sorts!

Major Kulbir Singh
Jammu, July 24
If there is something called as brotherhood of man in this world then checkout Jammu and Kashmir. Two different religions but the idea is the same.
It has been said by the great men in the past, ‘friendship and brotherhood lasts forever, enmity does not’. We have seen everything right in front of us whether in news or television episodics. Kashmiris do not have rush to theatres, (though they would love to’ but they have an alternative in from of television’. ‘ I as a writer cannot make a statement but as a commoner I will, ‘we on this planet earth some way or may be another we are connected with love and affection. I will tell you a story of a small girl and this is from interiors of Kashmir, to be on the point Noorabad’. This is back into the times when. This was the time when Imperialism was contested by Nationalism. The little girl playing amongst the brooks always for lunch to Vidhya’s house. It was always simple Tumul and Haak. Then some more joined me. But that little girl was brilliant, name (Asifa). Then came in another brilliance from mankind. We all had to leave but Asifa and her friends three of them decided to leave with us. Vidhya ( my grandma from Palasey somewhere in Basholi) told me get together everyone. If we have to leave, love and stay together we have to go. Thereafter I do not know what happened but years later something did.
I was in Kashmir and decided to visit Noorabad. I was taken aback when none remembered our family. I was about to break away when a kid stood in front of my vehicle. I told the driver to stop, ‘the child wants to say something’ so let us listen. A little tigress wants to talk to an aging Lion. Then walked in her mother. Hey! Bro (coming here and going back would be bad manners’! (I was taken aback). Frankly admitting I had not seen her for so many years (at least two in Kashmir). Then she said wait ‘a dry fruit tray awaited us. There were four of them. She remarked that these from all your garden of walnuts and almonds and we believe that India is the best country to stay in’. ‘We waited and then came in the child again and remarked, ‘Mamu have this’ and then came the second, ‘ Mamu have this’ and they were six on a roll. Suddenly my radio set burst apart, ‘Tiger to Tiger where are you’. My reply was Tiger to Tiger, ‘fist playing with the kids’. ‘It is copied and in affirmative’. (My camp was in the same village’ That night I went to the brook where as crystal as clear the water was splashing over the pebbles and making sounds of silence. Someone it seemed that my shoulder was touched. There were six kids standing. Though the security was all over the place but I gave a beep that no one should come to me since I am with kids. The last message was they are speaking in fluent Urdu and English, they cannot be bad. So let me have fun around a brook which the map you will not be able to eat (since the sounds were in silence). The children were asleep the next morning. I was still thinking that what a lovely place Noorabad was once upon a time. Then came in two gentle woman and three gentleman. Not to mention they were with Samvars and baked breakfast which Kashmiris love. I had it in plenty. ‘Suddenly the operator came in and said that everyone is searching and this is from big Tiger, ‘I took the call and said give me three days holiday and I do not need security!’ ‘Also mentioned that Love is the best security and not money at hand’. ‘Agreed Tiger was the reply’. Indian Army has realized it but Kashmiris have to. We are there for love and affection. We carry bullets for some one who decides to take us on but we will never even once fire first!
To cut it short after breakfast I had to leave and as I was about to talk to a lady and her daughter was right in front of me.’ Was it a redemption I thought?’ I recognized the one who gave me and my men a smoked trout but the other one I could not. And then one of them gulped out some words out of her mouth, ‘You fool didn’t you know that we played with walnuts once upon a time?’ Don’t you remember I stayed with Grandma in a village in Jammu’, Don’t you remember that we studied in different schools all throughout?’ Don’t you know you came to my daughters marriage’. I did not know and then she showed me a picture in a collage, ‘You were this and I am that. ‘The brooks are the same, the gardens are the same and so are the blue mountains but perceptions have gone different and so is the water rushing over the pebbles and shutting the sounds of silence but people now have changed and that too in a big way’. ‘ Wake up and recognize me, I am same but gone older, my name I give and I’m sure will be awe struck and then she told I am Asifa you stupid man. When I saw the collage I knew the brotherhood still existed. She is in USA. Shireen is Newzealand the other three are in Europe. I am still groping. They come every year and fill up my cupboards with clothes. We all are brothers and sisters. I go to Noorabad, Nehama, Pulwama and meet those who remember my face (by the way not a bad one). Think it over! The brooks are there, the lakes are there and so are the blue mountains. But somewhere brotherhood is missing! But it will be true one day!