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Massive crowds
surged all over. As the evening progressed, hotels and house boats
reported full occupancy with the tourists. Lights dazzled from all
visible corners and mirrored from the clean waters of the Dal Lake,
they created a keleidoscopic ambience.
Srinagar was
experiencing the return of carnival time after years of unrest. One
could easily see the contrast. Where terror and bloodshed had ruled
the roost, bonhomie and joy were to be seen everywhere. The locals
and the visitors mingled freely without any inhibitions. Their
mutual trust appeared to have been restored so much so that many
tourists arriving late in the night would readily accept the offer
of hospitality at modest prices from local residents without any
questioning. This was unthinkable till sometime ago when the entire
city used to be silent at dusk. Very few tourists came to the
Valley.
But this time
nobody seemed to be afraid. The festivities even at midnight were
something one had not anticipated. There were people from all over
the country. The children were the happiest lot. Everyone seemed to
be enjoying the drizzle and breeze and freshness not experienced
elsewhere. The Amarnath pilgrims on their way to Baltal seemed to be
a spirited lot. It appeared everyone had overcome fear.
As the clock struck
midnight, we, a group of scribes, set out on a shikara ride
in the Dal Lake. Our enthusiasm knew no bounds even though it rained
in torrents for some time. Undoubtedly, that was a lifetime
experience of being rowed around the renowned lake in a moonlit
night and see its beauties including the islet of Char Chinar in the
backdrop of mountains. Everyone had forgotten when the night ended.
There were floating shops selling all kinds of merchandise and
delicious, piping hot cuisine of the local variety. One did not mind
gulping down cups after cups of kehwa, the spicy local tea.
The dawn came when we were passing through an area full of blooming
lotus flowers. Soon the golden rays of the sun touched the lake
waters and the calls of different native birds were heard. All of a
sudden, a cormorant dived under the water and surfaced with its
prey, a fish.
Today the local
people in the Kashmir Valley seem to be very happy. Their faces are
beaming. After experiencing the worst phase of militancy over a long
period, they are seeing an economic boom now. The revival of tourism
is bringing them a fortune everyday and they are confident of
overcoming all their desperation and impoverishment. The terrorism
that gripped the Valley in 1989 had not only vitiated the local
socio-economic life but also dealt a body blow to its
mainstay-tourism.
The ornate house
boat in which we stayed was owned by Shamima. She was thrilled on
having a regular clientele but could not restrain herself when she
described the gruelling times her family had faced for survival
during the years of militancy. She recalled how economic hardships
had brought the locals to a breaking point. With the rise in
militancy and violence after 1990, tourist arrivals dwindled from
lakhs to just a few hundred. Shamima reminisced when the militants
unleased their brutal agenda on tourists, the local people were
terrorized into complete subjugation. The militants’ diktats brought
an endless agony to the people in Kashmir. But in the prevailing
gloom one fine day when she unexpectedly received a call from Mumbai
for booking both her house boats for a group of tourists, she took
it as a divine blessing. There was no food to serve the visitors and
she was skeptical if they would ever come at all. But they did come,
enlivening the spirit of the whole family.
Since then there
has been no looking back for Shamima. The times have changed
overnight. The flights and buses are always coming with full
occupancy and over one lakh people have already visited the Valley
in the last three months. This number excludes the Amarnath
pilgrims. After ages the Bollywood has also once again turned to the
picturesque locations of Kashmir like the Dal Lake, Pahalgaam and
Gulmarg for shootings. The President, the Prime Minister and other
national and foreign dignitaries have visited Kashmir in this
season. High-profile political meetings have sent the unmistakable
message all around that the State is safe. The contented Amarnath
pilgrims this time have also created an enormous goodwill for the
people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian Air
Force (IAF)has organized several recruitment rallies in the State to
give a chance to the meritorious local youth in its services.
Already, the IAF has recruited 300 youngmen from Jammu and Kashmir
in its ranks. It has also organised air shows in Srinagar and
elsewhere in Jammu and Kashmir, drawing enthusiastic spectators
everywhere. They have been a tremendous success. Such activities
have tremendously raised the morale of the local people.
The prospect of
seeing the Valley on the country’s railway network in a few years
from now has also enthused the people of Kashmir. With a perceptible
improvement in governance and concrete steps to fully integrate them
in the national mainstream, one finds that the residents of Kashmir
are increasingly overcoming their scepticism and pessimism. They are
now sure of a secure future for themselves without any let or
hindrance.
As one leaves
Srinagar, a roadside bill board on the Boulevard attracts one’s
notice. It reads: "Kashmir wants peace. Restore it with dignity".
(PIB Features) | 
