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| The Truth about facts | | | Surinder Koul
A man absolutely ab
sorbed with the motto " IN ALL THINGS BE MEN" of Mission School truthfully in action was none other than Late Shri Janki Nath Krundu. His prophetic prophecy decades ago came true when Kashmiri Pandits (KP) were uprooted from their native places in 1989-90 due to threat of Pakistan trained militants. Speaking genuinely out of his experience and understanding Krandu was of this opinion that all KP should register their names with Municipal Authority, in order to carry the bodies of deceased person to cremation ground for last rites. He could visualise that KP would be a scattered lot, as their children have quietly spread all over the World as a result of that would not find four persons to give shoulder to their dead ones. He was the person who devoted his whole post retirement span of his life in social and religious services, which was considered disrespectful in the eyes of community members. He used to be armed with items like shrouds, coffins and other articles all the time deemed necessary for the rituals performed prior to cremation of the corpse. Though, he faced criticism from his family members in indulging such outcaste activity yet he did not succumb to their pressures. His dedicated commitment for this selfless service invited flakes from certain community elements but he was not deterred by their pranks. He carried on with his self defined mission undauntedly till last breath.
When asked by his son to fill up application form for relief from government in Jammu region on the advent of his forced flee from the valley in 1990,he refused to accept any dole from the Government of the day because he had been a donor to the needy always. After lot of persuasion and coaxing by his family members, he agreed to fill up the form for migrant relief amount. The relief amount which he got was spent by him for the construction of small temple near his shelter at fag end of his life in Jammu . In his advanced age he had lost his vision, yet he was deeply thinking about the suffering and agony of his displaced community members.
It needs to ponder to trace out the cause that tinkled his spirit for this thankless activity. No doubt, he was the student of Biscoe Mission School, Branch Rainawari later on changed over to main Mission School, Fateh Kadal, where he had inherited the principle "Help thy neighbour as thy self" of social values of missionary service. He took up teacher's job in Mission School after he completed his education which lasted for short period. Reason of quitting his job from Mission School was askance of getting converted to Christianity, which he declined with pride. Besides, there must have been some vulcanising incident which woke up his inner conscience.
At social scenario what motivated him to be the front runner for this out casted service. A study has to be conducted on socio-religious interaction between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslim majority community particular in Rainawari, keeping aside the political aspect. Rainawari, located at the outskirt of Srinagar city in the backwaters of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar is intersected and surrounded by many water ways and canals. The use of boat service for transportation of vegetables, and ferrying of persons and goods used to be frequent more in this extended area of Srinagar. For Muslim population of Rainawari is graveyard space around Mulla Kha, Srinagar. And for the Kashmiri Pandit the cremation place was in the middle of water body in the backwaters of the Dal Lake, in Srinagar. Kashmiri Pandit was carrying their dead in a boat to ferry across to the cremation ground circled by water ways. These hired boats were oared by Muslim boat men. All localities of Rainawari are situated on water ways. Rainawari had significant inhabitancy of Kashmir Pandits who were active in all social, political and religious activities. With their strong nerve, they were competent to established two educational institutions of repute, in Rainawari, one each for boys and girls. By this productive and constructive thinking, community managed to bring in education to their wards was easily accessible within the limits of Rainawari. Vishwa Bharati Education Institution was reputed established centre of academic learning to professional level.
Pandits, Muslims and Sikhs in Rainawari, lived peacefully in harmony among themselves. Their day to day interaction of routine life and business deals were cordial in nature. Most of the petty trading, business, shop owners, trading, art and crafts were in the hands of Muslims. Whereas, Kashmiri Pandit preferred white collar jobs only, either in Government offices or in private companies. Going for business or learning to become a carpenter or tailoring was socially disapproved. With the result, KP was dependent on Muslim community for catering their needs of routine life. So there was deep, long interring dependency and interconnectivity between Muslim and Kashmiri Pandits for ages with common inheritance of social values, brotherhood, spiritual understanding . Dependency was so much granted to Muslims that the shroud for KP dead was stitched by a Muslim tailor. Or the boat hired for ferrying the dead across the river ways in Rainawari was by a Muslim boat man. The person at cremation ground who used to arrange the logs, wood for preparing of pyre was also by a Muslim. And the same Muslim was to handle the lit pyre till corpse was burnt to ashes. All these Muslims were getting their due remuneration for the work they undertook from the bereaved Pandit family. Certain families would generously pay them to their satisfaction . This social arrangement was going on normally till early seventies. But after certain years, some cracks started appearing in this social arrangement, when Muslim boat man was a little hesitant in ferrying the dead to cremation ground. At occasions, the boat man would keep the funeral group with casket waiting on the bank of a canal. Muslim tailor whose father used sew the shroud for the corpse of Pandit's was also unwilling to sew shrouds for the dead. By 1974-75, it became very hurting problem for the community members when a sort of noncooperation from Muslim artisans was open. Salama the boat man was indifferent to ferry the Hindu dead as his religious brethren disliked his working for Kaffur which was sin as per their religion. It was heart burning situation for Kashmiri Pandit to be waiting for Muslim boatman for ferrying the funeral part to cremation ground. Gravity of the situation wemt so deep among KP that persons like Late shri Janki nath Krundu, Late Shri Radha Krishen Koul, Late Kashi Nath Hakim, Late Shamboo Nath Mahaldar , late Dina Nath Saraf and Prof B.L. Dembi had to take serious cognisance of the hard reality encountered by the community. Late Shri Janki Nath Krundu took the responsibility of having boat built with its accessories of three to four oars for ferrying dead across, was the first immediately need. Questions and counter queries were argued about the practicality of managing all aspect of ferrying the dead across the canal. Who would row the boat and where can be the safe place for anchoring the boat round the year? Jankinath Ji gave the solution that most the Rainawarian were in know of swimming and boat rowing. There was no dearth of such volunteers, friends and family members who can row and steer the boat. It was also agreed to anchor the boat by side of Budd Mandhir, under the watch and ward of Salama who was living in a big boat with family adjoining to temple premises. It was also proposed to construct hot water bathing rooms to facilitate the male members of the bereaved family to have bathed after the cremation of their dear one during winter season. Another connecting issue was stitching of shrouds for dead and having a stock of stitched white shroud ready to meet the demand. For accomplishing, these three basics, there was requirement of substantial funds. But the social recognition of Jankinath among KP section was pervading and community members had exorbitant trust in his dedication and zeal. His collection drive from many noble souls among whom Late Radha Krishen Koul, a chronic bachelor gave major portion of his retirement benefits to Jankinath to start all three works. Within month duration time Jankinath was able to build a boat, hot water bathe rooms raised and stitched shrouds ready for use. Besides this, he got a room from Budd Mandir, Management committee, Kralyar, through his influence for storing all the items needed for the journey of the deceased. Reverence for him got doubled with such deeds of common cause. He would make his services available in performing the last ecclesiastical rites to the grieved family in case their family Purohit did not turn up. At occasions, his family members objected for handling mourning issues or keeping some piece of shrouds at home for ready availability for the help of deceased family. He spent his post retirement years in ideal services of the KP society in Rainawari unselfishly till the whole Pandit community got uprooted from their home and hearths in 1989-90. He led his simple honest life with meagre salary from D.A.V Educational Institution, Amira Kadal, Srinagar, to support his big family; yet he got his children educated up to post graduation level. He kept the flag of the Mission school motto IN ALL THINGS BE MEN fluttering high. |
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