The Less Known Paradise

Paradise on earth!

Is it really a piece of land which the Emperor had lavished all praise on, Naseer A Ganai comments on the other side of beauty and tourism which Kashmir is known for the worldover

(from greaterkashmir.com)

Crores of rupees are being spent on propaganda that the Kashmir is paradise on earth. That Dal is the World famous. That Lake Geneva is nothing before it. That Mughal Gardens have no parallel in the world. So the tourists should come here to have feel of paradise. This propaganda is going on for several years and it is gaining momentum with every passing day. To give credence to their claim that there is no place like Kashmir in the world, some verses of poets are being quoted. That Aghar Firdous Bar Rooye Zameen Ast, Hameen Ast-o-Hameen As-o-Astt. It might have been true some 300 years ago, but the Persian couplet is not reflection of today’s Kashmir. Today’s Kashmir is an insult to couplet itself and those who utter it.

Is Kashmir really a world class destination and tourism is only sector here which requires development. Or was Kashmir a world class tourist destination where lakhs of people were visiting before the inception of the present movement in 1990. In 1988-89 only 60,000 foreigners visited ‘paradise on earth’ and this is the highest number of foreigners who ever visited Kashmir in such a ‘huge’ number. Compare these figures with Bali, Vienna and other place where Governments never claimed of having places in their country, which resemble paradise. Over 1,247,867 tourists visited Bali from January to October 2005. 21 million tourists visited Prague since April 2005 until March 2006. Ironically, the Government’s of these places never claimed that they are in possession of paradise on earth.

An overview of the ‘paradise’

Last year in this paradise, officials figures say, 1620 incidents took place killing 911 civilians, injuring 1018 others. In six months of this year over 500 persons were booked under Public Safety Act. And there might be no record available of those who were picked up for questioning by police and other agencies and later released after seven, eight days or a month.
But ironically there are voices in Kashmir, which accuse media of blowing small incidents taking place in Kashmir out of proportion. The pro-India politicians including present and former chief minister have been on forefront to criticize media when it highlights incidents. Last year former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffer Hussein Baig while addressing tour and travel agents in Mumbai cited an incident, which took place in Pahalgam and said media presented the incident in such a manner as if whole Kashmir was burning.

But is not Kashmir burning? Are not 1620 incidents and killings of 911 civilians or killing of 576 militants and 175 police and force personnel indication that Kashmir is burning. That situation in Kashmir is not normal. Last year tourism and tour operators invited journalists asking them they were projecting violence in Kashmir, which affects tourism. And asked journalists to present actual view of what is happening in the State. The actual view to them is not to highlight when someone gets killed or injured. They forget Kashmir is internationally recognized dispute and office of United Nations Militarily Observers Group at Sonwar is small example of it. So any incident howsoever small should have space in BBC, CNN, Newyork Times, The Guardian, Le Monde and all other media organizations of the world. It should have favored everyone and it could have brought pressure on parties of the dispute to solve Kashmir issue once and forever. These people who come up with these facile arguments should understand that ignorance by media leads the State into complacency and people into desperation and it benefits no one. Here media does not project or report five per cent of what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir and by telling it ignore this five per cent could bring disaster. A mere look at Doordarshan gives impression to viewers that Kashmir is a fairyland where every youth is bothered about why his or her beloved is unhappy with her or him. Though Kashmir is burning, the ‘singers,’ ‘poets’ and ‘artists’ here never came out of Zulfi Shamar and Chasmi Badam.

How to attract tourists?

Instead of persisting with paradise rhetoric, showing tourists wandering in Shikars in polluted waters infamous Dal Lake and projecting number of visiting tourists as sign of normalcy, Government could act honestly and portray the right picture. Because portrayal of visit of tourists as sign of normalcy is more of a political statement indicating Kashmir no longer is the dispute. That is the reason that pro-India parties accuse each other of sexing up figures of tourists to show Kashmir was normal in their regimes.

The honest way is that Kashmir be declared fit for adventure tourism. The State should advertise outside that it is unique paradise where facelift is being given to bunkers, though bunker is bunker even if it gets facelift from the best of the painters. In advertisement should read that in Kashmir you have look at ruined buildings, gutted houses, encounter sites, jails where youth of Kashmir are rotting. The place, where Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Disturbed Areas Act, and scores of other acts in vogue. It should welcome people to this human zoo and in Western countries there are lakhs of people who love human zoos.

Is tourism indispensable for economy

Just have look at a newspaper report (Greater Kashmir Dec 31): “The valley received 4,84,000 poultry birds from December 29 to December 31. The highest number of poultry imported to valley was on December 29. The valley received a record number of 3.72 lakh birds through 120 vehicles on the day and 3 lakh broiler were carried in 100 vehicles while as 15 vehicles carried 37,500 layer birds. The estimated cost of the imported poultry was put by the report as Rs 24200000.” Here eggs, poultry, sheep, and everything goes from Srinagar to villages, which are being imported from Punjab, Haryana, Rajisthan and other States. Earlier in 2006, when the State Government banned the import of poultry, there was strong reaction from Punjab. They forced the Government to revoke the ban. In Kashmir, Rs 700 crore is poultry consumption only and all this is coming from Punjab and Haryana. Economist here say the State of Jammu and Kashmir is feeding six States. Still Kashmiris have notion that Government of India is feeding them. The State suffer loss of Rs 6000 crore on account of Indus Water Treaty. The loss is neither compensated by India nor by Pakistan. The people who deserve free electricity because their resources are exploited are being taxed.

The agriculture and the horticulture were two important pillars of Kashmir economy and no one talks about them. The decreasing of agriculture land and problems of those people dealing with horticulture sectors were never addressed by the mainstream politicians. Tourism remained always on their agenda because it was New Delhi’s agenda.

Roads

The Doda-Kapran road has not been completed for last 30 years, which could have, reduced distance between Doda district and Kashmir Valley to few hours. The road requires only 46 crores. Mughal road always remained a slogan and it has been never allowed to complete. It requires only Rs 150 crore and it is only 84 kms long reducing distance between Poonch, Rajouri to Kashmir valley to few hours.

But Gondola project could be completed within few years. And work on 350 kms railwayline, which would join Kashmir valley to the Indian Railways Network is a Rs 10,000 crore project (Indian Express December 31). And work on the project is going on. Why New Delhi is prompt on these projects and why it is slow on the road projects for last 50 years. Any answers.

Copyright and courtesy of Greater Kashmir. com [link]
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The Dal Tales

Stories from Dal

Arif Shafi Wani interacts with the boatmen who recall some interesting encounters with the tourists from the time of their grandfathers

(from greaterkashmir.com)

Symphor, a Britisher visited the valley after 45 years in 1950s and found that his friend Subhan Wangnoo, a houseboat owner with whom he had stayed during his earlier visit had died. He insisted on visiting his grave and on reaching there immediately called a stone carver and engraved on the Subhana’s tombstone “Symphor had come”.

Muhammad Ashraf Wangnoo, grandson of Subhan Wangnoo, narrates the incident sitting on his houseboat while the deep lake below spreads out sombrously in the approaching dusk.

Over the centuries, Dal has attracted people from far and wide. And behind them they have left memories with the boatmen who hosted them on the lake. However, the tourists who have left most impress are the Britishers. In the eighteenth century, the state was favourite haunt of the English tourists. They are credited with introducing houseboats in the valley and modifying these for their own convenience.

Britishers, according to the boat people, taught them ettiquetes of hospitality and importance of discipline. “ They also taught us the value of hardwork, cleanliness and honesty, which are the keys to our success for over a century now” said 115-year old Haji Ghulam Ahmad Budoo of Dal Lake who is still wearing a watch gifted by a British tourist, Kathleen Raymond in 1911.

He proudly shows the dog-eared and moth-eaten visitor’s book which has Raymond’s penned-down remarks for him. “ We found him very willing, obliging and industrious during my stay in his Houseboat while camping in the Lidder valley”, notes the Britisher in the book.

Having been fortunate enough to live through his four generations, Haji spends most of time now in prayers. Pressing his memory hard he recalled some interesting encounters with the tourists in his youth. “ I used to ferry them from Srinagar to Varmul and back on a Doonga (houseboat). They used to maintain good hygiene and even bathed in harsh winter” recalled Haji.

Family members and relatives tease the old man by demanding the silver plated watch, gifted by a “meem Sahib”.