रेखा पाल एक पेशेवेर पत्रकार हैं. रेखा ने हाल ही में धारा 370 हटने और कोरोना काल के प्रतिबंध कम होने के बाद कश्मीर की यात्रा की है. रेखा ने अपने दिलचस्प अनुभव हिलांश के साथ साझा किए हैं. ये पहली कड़ी है. रेखा पाल की कश्मीर यात्रा की अगली किश्त जल्द हिलांश पर पब्लिश होगी.
My phone will be of no use as soon as I land in Kashmir because the prepaid service doesn't work there. This has been done citing security. At 8 in the morning, we left Ahmedabad, and exactly at 11 o'clock when knocked on the sky border of Kashmir, for a moment it felt as if the heartbeat stopped. Through the window, I was looking at the land, which I had just heard about. Everything had come to a standstill. Everything was quiet. There was such unmatched beauty below that cannot be described in words. I was just, without nictitating my eyes, looking at the exquisiteness of Kashmir. I was not at all giving a damn about the air hostess and the crew members, whose makeup and hairstyle I was looking at for the last 3 hours.
In my head, I was only thinking, “everything is so beautiful here!' The snow wrapped on the mountains standing straight is looking as if the white sheet has been muffled to them. The light and dark green leaves of the trees are spreading their own different color. Heaven is at its ultimate best beauty and it appears as if the rivers of heaven have enhanced the beauty of this place to many levels.
Stunning giant lakes, crystal clear blue water flowing in the rivers (sourced from the icy mountains), gardens buzzing with colorful flowers, everything was looking like a fantasy. It seemed as if I would collect them and take them home. In the meantime, I didn't even know, when the plane landed on the ground.
For the last two hours, our driver Mr. Faiz was waiting for us outside the airport. Due to Corona, Many practical problems had increased. At the airport, the corona test of the passengers was being carried off, and after that only permission was being granted to them to walk on the land of Kashmir. It was all very boring. The annoyance we were going through in fulfilling all those formalities was very painful in itself. After landing at the airport, our entire world just changed. Everywhere, people were seen wearing pheran. Our, the skin of North Indians was shining different among them. When the fair-skinned Kashmiri say in their tongue, 'madam, welcome to Jannat-e-Kashmir (heaven), then it feels as if this dialogue is being said to tear our heart apart. The illusion, which had been created in our minds about Kashmir, starts falling apart now. Since childhood only, I have seen Kashmir as though there is nothing but terror.
Well, Mr. Faiz picked our luggage and proceeded towards the vehicle. I have been to many places but first time in the valley only, I have come across a policeman who said," welcome to the field, sir…. Enjoy ma'am. If any problem occurs, then we are present at your service.” I was perplexed! Is it all just because the image of Kashmir has been made tainted or are these the instructions given to the employees to improvise the image. Whatever it is, after listening to this line, the heart bloomed like a garden. I immediately turned back and gladly replied, "Thank you, sir".
As soon as we stepped out of the airport, the bright sun started hurting our eyes. Faiz, in a humble gesture, asked us to sit in the car. In no time, our car was on the open roads of Kashmir. As Faiz went on increasing the speed of the car, cold winds started passing through the car.
I have never ever seen such tight security from the airport to the main city in any part of India or in any city. Wherever the eyes were going, J&K Police, CRPF, and Army personnel were present everywhere on the streets.
Suddenly, my attention was interrupted by Faiz’s voice, he questioned- "How was the journey, Didi? I also answered instantly- "journey was good, but you tell me one thing that does such tight security has started after the removal of 370?" It was appearing as if Faiz was waiting for this question only. He answered very patiently, "No Didi, this is Kashmir. Here, every day is the same. Then whether it's article 370 or corona or any kind of epidemic... We are sort of habitual, of living like this. Rest, don't know what these media people keep on showing on national TV of their own will. All-day, just do blabbering and nothing else. Because of this, our whole tourism has come to a standstill. The truth is, half the destruction of Kashmir is done by the media only," Faiz cried his grief in one stroke. Perhaps the photos that I have seen in between the airport and the city are responsible for disregarding Kashmir by most of the citizens.
Well, I decided right there I will not reveal to Faiz that I work in a TV channel. So that he could talk freely, it was necessary to not tell him that I am a TV journalist in real. My partner is a person who constantly keeps indulged in his phone and business meetings, while I am a talkative one. Can’t help it, it's a part of my profession after all.
I was just beginning to think of something that the voice of Faiz again struck to my ears - "Didi, you are my second customer in the past one and a half year. Article 370 is just a showpiece of politicians. Actually, we still are the way we were back then. But this lockdown made me completely penniless." Faiz's words were enough to hit the current economy, in which it is being claimed that India's economy is in good condition. It is shameful, that in this country so much propaganda has been served that even the thin gap between truth and lie has vanished.
Our car was galloping on the roads of Kashmir. Suddenly, within a moment there was silence all around and in the blink of an eye, the wind ripping the silence has changed the atmosphere. Whenever the winds of Kashmir, passes by kissing your face, your nose turns red. After witnessing the implausible beauty, while crossing through the various villages of Kashmir, I had become an admirer of this place. Even for a single moment, I haven't thought of closing my eyes. I was constantly peeping out of the taxi window. At every nook and corner, the army and the CRPF jawans, with their sharp eyes, were being seen monitoring. For a second, it seems as if how safe this valley is, but in the very next second, you will see some posters on the walls, which is enough to scare you. Actually, these posters on the walls belong to those who are registered as terrorists in the government records. Believe it, they were just like ordinary Kashmiris… They were looking less creepy and more like the people roaming around us.
Shortly after, our car was circling the Dal Lake, on the bank of which the entire Srinagar town is nestled. On the lake-side, I have an urge to drink the famous kahwah, so I asked Faiz to stop. He denied stopping the car saying- "Didi, I can't stop the car anywhere, tomorrow if anything happens to you and Bhaijaan, police will straightway pick me up." Don’t worry, I will take you to a safe place where you will be able to enjoy kahwah and breakfast both.
Finally, after waiting for a while, Faiz took us to a Dhaba, which was looking more like a restaurant. I was admiring the Dal Lake that in the meanwhile Kahwah and some dry fruits reached our table. Kahwah's first sip was like my celebration of landing in Kashmir. For a while, I just wanted to be of this place... a girl from Dal, a girl from Kashmir...
To be continued...
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