Book: Loal Kashmir: Love and Longing in a Torn Land
Author: Mehak Jamal
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 343
inam ul rehman
As I received the pre-ordered book I was impressed with its cover design and illustration of Veer Misra and Basita Shah. As a reader I always skip blurbs, quotes by others regarding books because I don’t want my opinion coloured by these, second, it usually is done to please the publishing house or the author. Hence holds no value for serious readers.
The book, as the author states, fructified during the traumatic events of reading down of Article 370 and 35A in 2019 Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehak Jamal’s book on love and longing starts with exuberance. In the early 90s when cordon and search operations were norm in Kashmir¬¬—where people used to be paraded before masked men sitting in armed gypsies—17-year-old Javid tries to dodge one such operation, notoriously known as a crackdown, but finds himself late to escape. As he moves toward the parade ground Javid is frisked by army men. They find an Urdu letter in his pocket and ask him what is written on it. “Love letter” pats comes the reply. Confused the army man consults his fellow men and a long discussion follows while Javid shivers about his fate. After sometime the army man hands the love letter back to him but commands him to stay where he is. Along with his comrades he signals Javid to sit and read the love letter aloud. A bemused Javid looks askance toward the Indian army personnel.
Then we are introduced to Sagar Razdan, a Kashmiri pandit living in Kashmir, who silently watches as Kashmir descends into abyss. One day while returning from his school his vehicle is stopped by paramilitary forces. All the passengers are asked to disembark and show their identity cards. When Sagar’s turn comes he confidently strides forward to tell them his surname which separates him from Kashmir Muslims in the hope he will not be frisked. As Sagar uttered these words next thing he remembers is a hand swings in the air and landed on his face shattering all his credence.
There is another story, which seems forced, of Laila, titled “Kashmiri in Gaza”. It has no connection with the events of 2019, 2016 et al. After these three stories it is all about lovelorn couples barring a couple of which one is about a lady who accompanies her husband from Pakistan administered Kashmir only to find herself unable to return.
As you turn page over page the stories become repetitive and bland. You soon realise you are reading similar love stories with change of names. You yawn as you know every story is about zealous lovers who are eager to contact their damsels whichever way as the government of India shutdown landlines, mobiles, and internet communication and put Kashmir under virtual siege for many weeks.
For Mehak Jamal the siege of August 2019, curfews and hartals of 2016, 2010, and 2008 affected young love birds only. 
Of course, there are a couple of stories that thankfully do not figure love couples. As is the wont of Kashmiris, Jammu does not figure in her stories. She fails to make readers understand why some students cleared medical entrance test in Kashmir but did MBBS in Pakistan?
Of course, there are a couple of stories that thankfully do not figure love couples. As is the wont of Kashmiris, Jammu does not figure in her stories. She fails to make readers understand why some students cleared medical entrance test in Kashmir but did MBBS in Pakistan?
Being a film maker and writer Mehak has tried hard to prevent these stories from becoming banal. The problem with the book is its one dimensional. What if she had narrated stories of single parents struggling to connect with their wards away from home? Non-Kashmiris stranded and unable to communicate with their families? Of non-resident Kashmiri coming here on vacation, only to find themselves deprived from their loved ones?
For outsiders who know Kashmir only through the lens of conflict it may attract them but for the local readership it is banal, boring, and out of sync.
Factual inaccuracies
=The Jammu and Kashmir Instrument of Accession does not mention provision of plebiscite.
=The Article 370 limited Indian jurisdiction to defence, foreign affairs, communication, and finance.
=The MUF was not going to win 1987 elections even if elections were not rigged.
=According to the author Maruti Omni van was mostly used by Indian intelligence agencies, factually unverified.
=Similarly, it is hard to believe that people in Magam village eat harissa in the mid 80s, and had hamam! Harissa is a city dish. Even now people in villages barely eat it.
=Militancy didn’t peak in 1989. It peaked from 1990.
Pic courtesy: Author's X account
Post a Comment