Money does not always make mare to go!

Travelogue July 2015 (iv)

9^th July, 2015 by 3 PM the ‘Home on Wheels’ was already loaded with the camp paraphernalia. A little before our departure, Dilbar Mir  watchman of the Gagangir Park and Tourist hut told us that a solitary Kashmiri Pundit who once was a prominent figure in the area lives in village Gund Kullar, a few kilometres down Gagangir towards Kangan-Ganderbal. Fragile, he lives all alone, assisted by security guard from J&K Police.

Dilber Mir told me that being conspicuous he is known to all including village children and womenfolk in the vicinity. Curiosity did not let me go without discovering the Pundit. I finally located the particular lane and asked street children to guide me to only Pundit Ji in the area. They named him as Avtar and lead me to a small double storey house through the courtyard of Ghulam Nabi Sheikh. I was already told by a shopkeeper who guided me to the lane that he must be lying in a bed.

I entered into a dark dingy room. All its windows were shut. The room smack repugnant and foul. Intuition lead me to one corner where Autar Krishan lied under a quilt. I removed the quilt a little that made the dirty bedding live with the movement of its inmate. On my request Autar Krishan changed his posture and came to sitting position. He was dressed in dirty warm clothing. Soon two of his three bodyguards, Abdul Rashid, Ghulam Nabi and Ishtiaq from J K Police, in pheran stepped in. On my request the two opened the windows to let in fresh air to replace the stagnant one.

Autar Krishan Raina is a paralytic patient since 2004. He can’t talk. He conveys by gestures and signals.  His security guards usually take him to Soura Institute for treatment in a Police van. His guards are reluctant to admit him in the Institute for want of an attendant. They occasionally change his dress. His neighbour and  colleague Ghulam Nabi Sheikh, a disgruntled friend serves him with one time meal. At times of need they serve him with bed-pot and piss-pot as well.

On my exit, Ghulam Nabi Sheikh in the courtyard greeted me. One of the two guards accompanied me. Both of them pressed me for a cup of tea. My pleading that my younger brother was on wait for me on the roadside and it was the day of fast did not work. I was lead to a common room beside the kitchen. ‘Sheirie chaie’ and homemade roti fried in Dhara was served. On my instructions, the guard accompanying me served my brother with thermos full of ‘sheirie chaie’ his weakness.

Gossip at the tea party was on the topic related to Autar krishan. Thus spake his disgruntled friend Ghulam Nabi Sheikh:

“Autar Krishan Raina son of Pundit Nila Kanth Raina is basically resident of Vicharnagh. His younger brother Piyaray Lal Raina lives at Bantalab area, may be Durga Nagar II. Autar Krishan Raina lives a bachelor’s life.

After mass migration of Kashmiri Pundits, the lone Pundit Autar Krishan left behind became all powerful official at the Electric Department Ganderbal district. Knowing ins and outs of the department, the Chief Engineer, the Executive Engineer, AEE and others trusted him. All financial transactions routed through him. He was not the most favourite of his officers only but favourite of all militant organisations.  He used to throw feasts for militants and pay them well. Militant organisations through internal communication had pledged not to harm Pundit Ji.

Autar Krishan used to pay heavily to run the household of his younger brother Piyaray Lal, who was posted at Leh- Ladakh and whom he treated as his son. He used to send him rice, dry and fresh vegetables besides, meat and fish preparations. Once when admitted at Soura Institute, Piyaray Lal responded positively and came from Jammu to see, serve and attend on his ailing brother. He left for change for a little while. After a long wait he responded from Patnitop on way back to Jammu.

Autar Krishan, financially and officially sound was in a commanding position among locals, relations, colleagues and friends. He was always welcome by different households and so changed his ‘dera’ very often. One day he agreed to my suggestion and purchased five Marlas (272x5 square feet) of land apportioned from the courtyard with passage from me for construction of a house-a permanent ‘Dera’. One day he again shifted to some ‘Dera’ with all his belongings including carpets, TV and other household gadgets.  When back to his house he had to come back without any of his belongings.

Autar Krishan  told me that on its ultimate sale, he would charge me his initial investment of Rs.85,000. To my disappointment Autar Krishan approached the Divisional Commissioner with a complaint against me.  I had apprehensions that payment to a person who can’t speak may put me in the soup. Tehsildar stood witness to the payment and the Judge registered the document with the rider that until he is alive, Autar Krishan will live in the house as its owner and thereafter, the house would automatically in whatever condition be the property of my son in whose name the property is registered. From his gratuity and G P Fund collection, he sent Rs.1,00,000 to Piaray Lal and some amount to his elder brother for distribution among brothers and sisters. The money spoiled relations between the eldest and the youngest for the youngest refused to share one lac that was sent to him separately. Due to dispute of one lac the eldest refused the money.”

In the meantime, Autar Krishan had come out of his room and was in the chair basking in the sun. I offered him my services. He refused to accompany me to Jammu and by gestures and hands towards the sky told me that he left himself to the care of his destiny and God will take care of him.

Gesture of a good host, the guard and Ghulam Nabi accompanied me to ‘Home on Wheels’ collected the thermos and bade us goodbye.

At Manigam Crossing, we took to Ganderbal road, then to 90 feet road and via Dr. Ali Jan road reached Zainakot by twilight. (Travelogue concluded)

Autar Krishan, financially and officially sound was in a commanding position among locals, relations, colleagues ,friends and militants. He was always welcome by different households and so changed his ‘dera’ very often.
Today, despite a good financial position Autar Krishan Raina, paralytic since 2004 is neglected by his friends, relations and others. This is enough to prove that  money does not always make mare to go!
https://youtu.be/L8LRFMvccpA

Rainy Day along the River Sind

(Travelogue 2015 Part III )

 https://youtu.be/WPAiDh8KrkQ

5^thJuly, 2015 early morning after bath and breakfast with our elder brother Girdhari Lal at Zainakot rented house in front of our houses in debris, we; I and my younger brother Ram Sarup executed the plan for trip to Sonamarg-Baltal, 100 kilometres away from Srinagar. We took to Shadipor-Ganderbal bypass road through cluster of villages like Vokuer, Nunaer,  Vasuer, Manigam etc.  Until eruption of militancy in 1990, these villages were inhabited by Kashmiri Pundits too. Great saints like Nandh Bub and Kasheakak were from Nunear and Manigam respectively.

Belly of ‘The House on Wheels’ was filled to its capacity at a petrol pump in the vicinity of Prang. At Kangan market, we made a little of shopping of grocery and bakery items including bread, packed pickles, edible oil, potatoes, onions, tomatoes etc. Far ahead of Prang around 1 PM, we declared the hour for lunch break. The sumptuous lunch consisted of two local breads with local packed pickles for each of us. It was enough to let us drive further for our destination.

To avail of the benefit of the stopover, we preferred to defuse the little pressure on our respective bladders. I asked people around if they could guide us to any public or private convenience point around. Being one of them for the last 76years and five months, I was little surprised when they directed me to any secluded site on the roadside as the most suitable place for urination.  Conscious of the recent advertisements on ‘Swatch-Bharat’, we made it doubly sure that none was around with a camera for any sting operation. I recalled the caution that was given to me by my 2006 born grandson Avigna Jalali a boy of 5 in the year 2011 at Dubai camp site when being a Kashmiri,  I behaved and availed of my perfect freedom of urination in the interior of a bushy deserted  area. I took his caution lightly. The next day my hair bristled when I read one of the news in the News paper that read: “One Taxi driver from Pakistan was apprehended while urinating among bushes away from the roadside. He was fined, imprisoned and bundled back to Pakistan with orders never to land in Dubai again”. Mid seventies, Pundit Zanardhan Wali-‘Baitoth’ from Badiyar Srinagar visited his son Dr. Autar Krishan Wali, a scientist of repute in Germany. One of the don’ts in the verbal instructions given to father by his German national son was that before he stepped out, he must ensure that he emptied his bladder at home. In case anybody in Germany sits by the roadside to ease, he finds an ambulance behind him on wait for him. He is taken to a nearby hospital and all sorts of tests are made on him to ascertain the reason for untimely nature’s call to him at an odd place.

‘Thank god, we in India or in any part of India enjoy freedom to pollute the atmosphere to any extent.’  Restrictions imposed by the J&K State Government on polythene are only on paper. In case of strictness, the Government is scared of the reaction by those who fight for freedom to pollute the peaceful atmosphere. The Government believes in let the sleeping dogs lie asleep.

In absence of any public convenience point from Lakhinpore, the entry point to J&K State right up to Baltal, Pahalgam or other tourist spots apprehensions of pollution to Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz Dr. Omar Farooq, Shabir Shah and others in the present scenario are justified. I suggest they better to awaken the respective agencies to look for ways and means to ensure pollution free atmosphere around rather than to restrict the yatra.

Seeing male and female, old and young tourists helplessly sitting aside the road to ease is shame on the part of the State / Central Government/Directorate of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, and respective Development Authorities including the Shri Amar Nath Ji Shrine Board.  Tourism is the backbone of the State economy. A big chunk of our population survives on tourism.  Entire tourist route, tourist spots, gardens and parks must be punctuated with hygienic toilet outlets. Until the requisite toilet points are constructed, our Chief Minister cum Minister for tourism while luring outsiders for visit to Kashmir must provide each tourist with as many diapers as the number of days he/she stays in Kashmir.

 Sonamarg Development Authority seems to be concerned with revenue collection with little concern for development. Not to speak for the requisite toilet points, there is no dustbin in and around the crowded area in front of the Fish Point Sonamarg or in the Rafting Area in front of the Fish Point. At Gagangir-Sonamarg, the hoarding in capital letters reads:

“WELCOME

Sonamarg Development Authority Welcomes You                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       At the Enchanting And Picturesque Valley of Sonamarg”

The Tourist believes the hoarding and alights from his vehicle. Soon he gets disgusted when he on spot finds:

 (1)Broken water pipes with flowing water without any vertical length fitted with tap to it.

(2) Guest house amidst the park with no water connection and electric supply when private houses and hotels around are electrified with proper electric and water connections.           

(3)  When in absence of any toilet point he/she has no option but to cross the footbridge meant for locals and eases across the river Sind in the forest area.   

Same in ditto is true for THE ISLAND RETREAT PARK, Sonamarg about three kilometres ahead of Gagangir Park. There is no toilet point, no water connection and no electric connection when a huge number of water pipes are piled up within the Park premises alongside an idle transformer. Expenditure on idle material is in fractious and invites audit objection.  

Sonamarg 85 km away from Srinagar is a nature’s marvel. By the sunset we reached Sonamarg. With thirst to look for more, we went to Baltal fifteen kms ahead of Sonamarg. It was disgusting to watch the neglected dusty area overcrowded with parked vehicles. The Police suspiciously directed all vehicles including those that had to return to pass through the parking slot. Though I sidelined the parking slot and did not cross the barrier, yet the keepers despite their argument failed to get a payment of forty rupees as parking charges from me.

Comparing Dubai administration with J&K or Indian administration, it  is nothing short of comparing Parverdigar with Naidyar. Each park even those that have free entry in Dubai is provided with a classic public convenience enclosure with liquid soap, tissue paper and electric blower. Unlike India, toll tax gets automatically debited to the account of the car owner and likewise for any traffic violation, the owner of the car gets an instant SMS regarding the fine debited to his/her account. Indian administrators close their eyes to such type of foolproof system to let the pilferage continue on. Parliamentarians in India and MLAs of State Assemblies do go on tour to different countries but only to get tax free gifts for their near and dear ones. Mrs. Prathiba Patil the then President of India obliged her far and near relations with a tour abroad before she relinquished her office. ‘Leajie ti chuer te gujie ti chuer’ ‘yehan durvaishee bi ayaree sultanee bi’

By dusk, our tent, with the help of Vishal Sharma a taxi driver from Jammu was pitched on the bank of the roaring branch of the River Sind.  The roaring musical sound of the river during the nights of 5^th-6^th and 6^th-7^th July 2015 lulled us to sound sleep. Get-together with strangers during the day was an additional bonus of the trip. 7^th July after lunch, the camp was closed only to be opened at Gagangir, 9+3 km down the stream. At Gagangir, we sought help from three High School students headed by Irfan. The trio sought permission from Dilbar Mir, Chowkidar of the park and they carried the camp paraphernalia like our bedding, utensils, handigas, dining table, ration etc down to the camp site. Besides, they pitched the tent. 8^th morning a new team of helpers arrived. They were fascinated with our adventure. They were three years younger to the previous group. Their team leader was Janhangir Chouhan assisted by Irfan Chouhan. Other members of the team were Shamim-1, Shamim II, Nazakat. Parvez and Mehraj-ul-din. They were all Chouhan living across the river Sind among the Deodar trees in dense forest. 7^th-8^th; 8^th-9^th nights at Gagangir Park and the day in the company of Chouhan boys are beyond description. Thrice a day, they shifted our kitchen paraphernalia to shady areas under shady tree and finally back to tent enclosure. Handigas filled in 2012, finally breathed its last on 9^th July after it served us up to last and was to get packed. 9^th July Chouhan boys lead me to their Gujar Bahaks in the forest. Their love for a stranger with no expectations was a new experience for me at 76 and a half.  9^th afternoon we parted with a heavy heart. (To be concluded)