I Dream of …. Part 1

Ever since I was lil’ gurl (yeah… do believe it), I’ve been watching this picturesque place in most of the Hindi films. The heroin dancing in the sloping green hill with yellow flowers softly swaying in the gentle breeze, the hero shouting at the top of his lung, happily calling out for his gurl, thus announcing his eternal love. Films such as Kashmir Ki Kali, Aap Aaye Bahar Aaye, Junglee, Kabhi-Kabhi, Jab Jab Phool Khile and Betaab have been forever etched in my memory, what with that romantic scenes in the snow clad hills and moving in the lush green plains that is rolling on and on. Simply breathtaking. That is the magic of Kashmir, the heaven on earth. Once dubbed the most beautiful place in the world. It's beauty is unrivaled.

The yesteryear film productions preferred to shot their film here rather than the foreign locales e.g Switzerland, Austria. Why wouldn’t they when they have such exquisite places like Sri Nagar, Pahalgam, Wuller Lake and so forth.

I Dreamed of This 20 Years Ago...

Hill Station Attraction

Kashmir...in Fall

Kashmir Ki Kali: Shammi is wooing Sharmila Tagore

Flowers in Bloom for Lovers in Love

Dreamin' of this while singing "Yeh Samaan Pyar Ke"

However, the land has been plagued by the territorial disputes between Pakistan, India, China and people of Kashmir. India's official position is that Kashmir is an "integral part" of India. Pakistan's official position is that Kashmir is a disputed territory whose final status must be determined by the people of Kashmir. Certain Kashmiri independence groups believe that Kashmir should be independent of both India and Pakistan. Kashmir’s population is made up hugely by Muslims as depicted in below figure.

So no wonder Pakistan is fighting like mad to get it. It belongs to the people and most of them are Muslim.

During the early days of the conflict somewhere in 1950, neighboring tribe in Pakistan decided to free those Muslim in Kashmir from India. The most prominent tribe was Pathan, my grandada’s clan! No wonder I love this place so much…hehe. Pathan tribesmen number was larger than the Mughal at that time, fought with bravery and determination to save their Muslim brothers. And here I thought my grandada was weaving carpets during his youth. Hehe

So it really is a waste that the conflict has torn the beautiful valley apart. The land was being shredded like a piece of meat thrown over to pack of hungry wolves by the British administration led my Mountbatten.

The timeless beauty had been compromised… and I never got the chance to realize my dream…