I watched #Shikara yesterday. Trauma of leaving our homes & natural habitat in the beautiful valley is unbearable. While our parents were busy picking up our lives, they kept their trauma under cover. I start this thread today to begin a conversation on our exp. post displacement
This experience may help countless others to build and gain strength.After watching #Shikara and reading so many stories of KPs, it helped me put many things into perspective. Most significantly, I have respect for our community who put love above hate. So, let us hear and share.
My parents were in their late 20s when the burden of leaving their established life & homeland happened to them. They re-started their life from scratch in #Jammu. My father took a room on rent as he was worried for our future. He had 2 young daughters and wife to take care of.
Within 2-3 years after our forced migration, my mother forced our father to buy a land in Jammu as she couldn’t bear us living on a rent.They had never lived like that. We had our own house in Kashmir.They bought a land in the outskirts of Jammu and re-built life stone by stone.
It takes a whole tribe to raise a child.I was a curious child & would question why some of our relatives lived in tents or camps. I would ask my parents and they would ignore or avoid giving a direct response. They never wanted us to bear the burden of this past. #KashmiriPandits
One of my uncle lived for several years in a tent in #Udhampur after their displacement. During one of the visit, I was astonished to see my cousin read under a streetlight. Education was always so important for all of us. Most of my cousins are very well placed nw. I am so proud
My father was an involved parent. Even as a child, I would sense their constant struggle to give us the best of life. I would ask often if we can afford and he would say in Kashmiri, ‘Don’t worry. Everything will be possible’ {Tohe ma bhariv parvay, sorey chu mumkin}
Once I went to my friend’s place in Jammu and she showed me her album as a child.I came back home & asked my mother: Where is our album & my photos as a child? She told me that they lost it. Now I know where; when you have to choose between life & family album,what will you pick?
When as a child I would ask for something luxurious,my father set a benchmark: 'Get this much marks in exam & I will get it for you'. Once, I had demanded bicycle & he put all his might to get it when I met the set target. Another year, I asked for a bike and he fulfilled it.
When I was 18, I had decided that I want to do my higher studies in #DelhiUniversity. He was at first concerned that how would it be possible! But he never said ‘No’ to me. He made it happen and wanted me to focus on studies only. Only proves how meticulously he planned for life.
There are many many more stories of resilience, strength, love, loss and compassion. It has only strengthened me with time, now that I come to think of it. Despite all the hard conditions that were forced upon us, my parents & community never taught us hate. #KashmiriPandits
