Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The land of Kashyapa Muni?

This has been discussed on several levels over the past years. Several trees have been cut, reams of tape devoted to this anomaly.
I was reminded of it when I saw some videos on YouTube highlighting the difficulties faced by Kashmiri Muslims in the light of the Indian army's so called 'occupation'.
Here is a video highlighting the other side: Kashmiri Hindus who have born the brunt of extremism since the rise of millitancy in the valley in the late 80's and early 90's. Refugees in their own homeland, victims of the politics of religion, are nearly 0.7 million of these people.
Surely, even these people deserve to be heard.
In times where 'going green' is a metaphor for secularism, we should not forget that there are people from the other side too.
Gaza and Kashmir seem to grab eyeballs. But the tales of these Kashmiris seem to be less newsworthy and highlighting it, patently unsecular.
Do spread the word, not the hatred. Voices of victims need to be heard, be it a Muslim living in squalid conditions in a ghetto in Ahmedabad, post 2002, or a displaced Kashmiri Pandit waiting to get official compensation for his father's death in 1990 at the hands of extremists.

Friday, March 06, 2009

Gandhi ki Neelami

How did Gandhi's belongings come into Otis' possession in the first place?
Any ideas?
If it was auctioned, then why?
If it wasn't, did Otis steal it?
Was it gifted to him?
Is guththi ko kaun suljhaega?