A “mysterious fireplace” in Kashmir has as soon as once more decreased Hindu properties to ashes. After the temple was charred, now an “unintended fireplace” has engulfed the deserted homes of Kashmiri Pandits.
On July 28, 4 homes belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit minority in Anantnag have been gutted in an evening fireplace. Greater than 100 years outdated, the homes are architectural marvels owned by Hindus who have been pressured to flee Pakistan-backed Islamic jihad within the Nineteen Nineties. However the tragedy is not nearly the home.
The frustration inside the group was palpable as the federal government and police assured that “all angles shall be investigated”. A minority of Hindus requested in the event that they confronted sabotage to intimidate these planning to return. The scenario within the Kashmir Valley seems to have improved since 2019, with some Pandits beginning to renovate their properties and questioning if this triggered a response.
Umesh Talashi, whose mom’s dwelling was one of many homes burned down, shared the heartbreaking images on social media website “X”. Police are “completely investigating the incident”.
Amit Razdan was born in 1981 and spent his childhood in one of many now-burnt homes, which is believed to be greater than 100 years outdated. Razdan’s household was pressured to flee Kashmir and he continues to reside in Jammu. However these Hindu households by no means bought their properties.
The home had been deserted for 34 years. In an interview with India Right this moment TV, Razdan shared images of the go to and took images with the kids, hoping that they might in the future return to their ancestral dwelling.
Razdan confirmed that Muslims continued to reside in the identical space, however unusually the hearth was restricted to Hindu homes.
The coincidence was tough to simply accept amongst group members, as Pandit cited situations from the Nineteen Eighties when jihadists attacked and massacred Hindu households and had their houses burned or occupied.
In fireplace circumstances over the previous decade, officers have normally cited “quick circuit” because the trigger, however this has been usually dismissed by Kashmiri Pandits.
“None of those charred homes have electrical energy. How may there be a brief circuit?” Razdan requested.
Lalit Patwari spent his complete childhood and teenage years in his ancestral dwelling, which is believed to be 200 years outdated, and till 1985 he lived in a joint within the household.
However destiny had different plans.
Patwari spent the remainder of his life in Jagati refugee camp in Jammu, instructing college students who later turned IAS and IPS officers – a reality he mentions with pleasure. Patwari, who just lately retired as a arithmetic lecturer, determined to deal with his ancestral property in south Kashmir and began renovating it.
“We have been pressured to depart our homeland within the Nineteen Nineties, however the dream of returning has by no means pale. This summer season I renovated a part of my home and hope to begin spending a number of days in Kashmir. I additionally paid the contractor prematurely for the picket doorways and home windows, “Patwari stated.
When Patwari returned to Jammu, he acquired a name. “The caretaker informed me the home was on fireplace. Our conventional dwelling and household historical past have been gone,” he stated.
When requested who lit the hearth, Patwari paused to recall his ideas earlier than giving a cryptic and guarded reply.
“I do not know. However clearly there are people who find themselves not proud of our latest makes an attempt at comeback and renovation,” he informed India Right this moment TV.
The outdated home has a standard courtyard and is especially constructed of wooden. Locals use this house as a storage room. The homeowners imagine somebody set a fireplace within the yard and shortly flames engulfed the home.
“We have been warmly acquired by our neighbors and confronted no quick risk. However the danger was nonetheless there. Even when I got here again and a radical terrorist pointed a gun at me, how may I argue with a gunman who wished me useless? requested Patwari.
Requested whether or not the hearth in his ancestral dwelling would delay his return to the valley, Patwari stated: “I’m not afraid. It’s my household’s land. We now have to meet our karma. I walked these streets alone, strolling Going into these jungles in Anantnag, I’ll hold going again till I can.
It’s recognized that the Patwaris and Razdans of this village are descendants of Saint Parmanand, the well-known Pandit seer of Kashmir. They notice that the final thread linking Kashmir’s religious previous to its future is rising skinny.
Earlier than 1990, Hindus stated that Matan was about 60% Hindu. In the course of the bloody ethnic cleaning of the Nineteen Nineties, their village was burned down and shortly only some households continued to reside there. Though most Hindus personal houses in Matan, they nonetheless reside in close by temples for safety causes and are protected by armed forces.
However what does Kashmiri Pandit anticipate from the federal government now?
Patwari stated: “We would like the federal government to take over and fence our space. In any other case, I worry it is going to be encroached upon by miscreants. We would like the federal government to assist us rebuild from scratch as these outdated homes can’t be renovated however repaired .
Razdan added, “I hope there shall be an impartial investigation into this case in order that the arresting officers can present some duty and set a precedent.”
Kashmiri Pandits agree that one solely wants latest occasions to know why they don’t imagine the hearth was unintended.
In Gulmarg, the enduring Shiva Temple, also called Ranika Mandir, is a landmark for devotees and vacationers alike. The favored music Jai Jai Shiv Shankar was shot right here. The hearth decreased the temple to ashes, and the trigger was as soon as once more attributed to a “quick circuit.”
In January 2022, the traditional Mata Tripur Sundari temple in Kulgam (positioned in a forest space) was engulfed in fireplace late at night time. Police stated it was an “unintended fireplace.” The identical temple was burned down in the course of the terrorism period of the Nineteen Nineties. The Hindu group rebuilt it via donations.
In December 2014, the Mata Jawara Ji Bhagwati temple in Pulwamahru, Kashmir, was gutted by an early morning fireplace. Police stated it was attributable to a “quick circuit”. Native Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir rebuilt the temple and now Indian troops assist with every day prayers.
Regardless of the Modi authorities’s crackdown on the fear ecosystem and efforts to encourage nationalist voices, threats in opposition to Hindu minorities stay. Harmless residents like Ajay Bharti, Makhan Lal Bindroo and Sanjay Sharma have been focused and tortured merely due to their beliefs The taking pictures, which they thought-about “comfortable targets”, was additionally a measure taken by separatists to intimidate Hindus from their return plans.
In the meantime, the Kashmiri Pandits have preserved the rest of their heritage and handed it on to their kids. Every era of this minority should put together a path to rebuild their houses, temples and lives.
