'Huni Mashide-Hondh Jin'

In the valley, I was one of the19  members. Exile has drifted us appart. The self is now all but one- Huni Mashidi hound jin.

Friends and foes are scattered globally. Some physically and some mentally. None is within himself. The few, living in Jammu have become all the more rare and distant. We generally meet either at Hotel Sayoy Or Hotel Asia by courtsey   the marriage season or at the Ghat opposite AG's office. For want of a Coffee House, a common gossip centre, Jammu is deprived of one of the  features of a civilised city. Friends give dates, never to be executed. Price hike in petrol seems to be the impediment. Thanks to the moblie phone system.To be in good humour, I blame the hostile Sun and not my friends.

Marriages too have become expensive and formality only. Neither the guest nor the host enjoys the feast. Gone are the days of Dapan Bate , Duri Bate and Koshal Home. Ghar achun & Bhar nerun has become a ritual without any taste.

My childhood, early fifties, I was one of the Dapan Bhate party of my mother's cousin's grandson's yegneopavit. Part of the party footed the distance from Dalhasanyar Srinagar to Babapor Lachipeth, boarded a doonga to Krendoos' at Rainawari. En route we were refreshed with safron-kehwa and tekhtechi. Those days none was diabetic, so sweet tekhtechi was preferred. Part of the party boarded  a bus that was requsitioned from KMD Bus Stand and some went in ones and twos on their bicycles. The event is still fresh in my memory. At Krendoos' the hosts welcomed the guests. Some were lead to rawakh, some to kani and some to the adjoining houses. The day being long awaited, I had to be on special leave from my school. Someone  in the family had suggested  that schooling is more important, but soon to my good luck the objection was overruled with the comment hata wani keth acutanti chus gachun,( Which Account's job in AG's office is awaiting him) let him go. I got the nod, borrowed some garments and joined the party.

It was a full day hectic job.

Amongst the hosts, a group of well dressed ladies in ceremonial dresses entered into the room touching everybody's forehead with isbendh and putting it into the kangri with live coal. They were followed by a lady with a basket full of small towel cloth handkies. Each guest was handed a khose on the handkie. A cook stepped in with a hot samavar of pure milk added with almonds and a few leaves of safron. The cook and the samawar were in total contrast. While the samawar was in bright golden colour, the cook was in white turned into dark black. One had to close eyes while he was pouring milk into the cup of each guest. The cook was associated with the one with a basket of tekhtechi. Milk was followed by non veg feast, and the feast was followed by Shieri chaie(namkeen chai).

 Return was again in a doonga, bus and bicycles.

It was nothing short of Loli handein khander -te Solie handien wosedros.. 

'Bríjû Dàs chhú vanàn låsív tû båsív'.