A Kashmiri Pandit
Kashyap Bandhu
[Reproduced from - Kashmir
Sentinel, Oct. 16-31, 1998]
[Late Kashyap Bandhu was not only a foremost reformer and a pioneer
journalist, he was also a great humourist-satirist. In 1940 in his weekly
'Desh' he drew caricatures of such collective personalities Kashmiri Pandits,
Kashmiri Peasants, Kashmiri Traders, Kashmiri Leaders, Kashmir Gost, Kashmiri
editors etc. While drawing these 'QALMI CHEHRE', Bandhuji said, our
approach is corrective and reformative and not critical or sadistic." We
are thankful to Mr. Shamboo Nath Gurkha, the veteran journalist who worked in 'Desh'
with Bandhu Jee, for providing us these old writings and Dr. K. N. Pandita for
translating these from Urdu to English. -Editor]
If Kashmir is a Junk house, Pandit is the
master-piece of its show-room. He is more ancient than its archeological
antiques. Gradually he is becoming the archeological remain of this
country. Longevity of age suggests that his physical evolution has come to
a standstill. His limbs and body are shrinking day by day.
Many physicians and faith healers have made prescriptions for his
metamorphosis. He did make use of some of these prescriptions. But
his prescription for metamorphosis could not become as effective as that of
Madan Mohan Malviya. These days also one prescription for metamorphosis is
under use with him.
Mental State
This much briefly about his physical state. As regards his mental
state, his horizons are wide and plain. He has never fixed any religious
hurdle in this. Therefore anybody can traverse it without any hindrance.
In his mental horizons, from one way marches Mahatma Gandhi with his goat and
from the other way marches Stalin with his red legions. Alongside this you
will find Hitler holding the hand of Mussolini, and also Roosevelt and Churchil
strolling. The Bhikshus of Buddha and their Viharas are also found along
these path ways along with the Churches of Jesus, the hospices of prophet
Mohammed and also the temples of Lord Krishna.
This segment of Kashmiri Pandit is very fertile but only clerically.
Turnips are grown on it as yet which nobody in the market is prepared by buy for
a pence even. But time is not far away when Kashmiri Pandit will grow cash
crops in his fertile Valley with the help of new implements and tools.
About his heart
Comparing the expanse of his brain with his heart, we find a different
picture. The latter is nothing more than a narrow lane. At one end
of his narrow lane sits Mano Maharaj and on the other end the clerical mentality
with a broken pen in its hand. In this age of motor vehicles and railways
the need is to widen the lane of the heart, but owing to non-availability of
experienced engineers this project cannot be put into action.
Political and Religious state
After examining his physical, mental and spiritual state, let us examine his
political and religious status. His mental expanse has elevated his
politics high so that the narrowness of his heart does not overpower his
politics. If there were no religious percentages in India, if there were
no question of religious minority and majority and with that the resurrection of
Kashmir with minority-majority syndrome had not come up, he would not think in
terms of being in a minority in this country and has begun to think of practical
politics in the context of majority of this country. Therefore his present
political development begins with government biscuits and ends in minority
mixture. But this is only the passing phase of his politics. He has
a special place in the political landscape of this country which no other person
in this country can fill.
As regards his faith, he is a victim of external and internal conflict.
He wants to give up his conservation but cannot. He is free by birth from
mental superficialities, but at the same time is their prisoner also. His
religious and social life is dominated by his better-half, but in terms of
mental and spiritual framework, she is widely different from her husband.
In order to stay put his household management, the poor fellow has surrendered
his brain to his wife who sometimes gives his skull a strong jolt. This
puts him on the homs of a dilemma. Sometimes, therefore, his social life is a
bit (insipid). Some of his hobbies are interesting. He is a fan of
roganjosh which he consumes during the day and to counter it reads Kalyan at
right. On beholding the suffering of beasts and insects, the Brahmin in
him is moved. Rice may be very costly, he will carry two or three hundred
grams with him while visiting HariParbat in the morning to throw it to ants and
insects. He is moved by the suffering of insects, but not by the
privations of a widowed daughter or daughter-in-law in his house. He has
been interested in the moving stars and heavenly bodies. He listens raptly
to their influence on him and his future with as much curiosity as those waiting
for Derby horse race lottery. He strongly believes in the impact of stars.
He holds on to conventions and his daughters' marriage eats up his earning in
full. It has impact on his Brahmanism which gives him immense pleasure.
In short, he is an interesting being in the garden of Kashmir. The
garden has no lustre without him. In his long life he has seen many
cataclysms which he braved and emerged more reinforced. After storms we
heard him sing.
There are many more ages to come, be not proud, you my annihilator.
| 
Previous
Article
