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| Prof Ganjoo stay put in Kashmir despite several odds | | Working on research paper on Shavism in Kashmir’ | | Srinagar, Sep 3: The 78 year old Prof T. N. Ganjoo prepares to celebrate the Janam Ashtami festival in his ancestral Habba Kadal home, both past and present inter-mingle to keep alive the ethos of communal harmony in Kashmir.
A learned Kashmiri Pandit, Ganjoo did not leave his roots even at the peak of violence during early 90’s. He continued to live among his Muslim neighbors while he strongly maintained his religious identity. A devout Hindu Ganjoo’s best friends are his Muslim neighbors. His joys and sorrows are shared by them and he blends so perfectly in the neighborhood that nobody can imagine what this small cluster of houses would have been in his absence.
“There were instances when I thought of leaving my motherland to secure my life but those thoughts vanished immediately after I recalled my precious past.” Ganjoo told this correspondent while narrating his story.
Triloki Nath Ganjoo, was born in 1931 in old city locality of Sathu Barbar Shah. His father Shyam Sunder Ganjoo was a teacher by profession. He started his education with the government ‘JABRI’ school Fateh Kadal. After completing matriculation he joined education department as teacher. He continued his studies and did graduation from famous SP College. The lust for education did not end and Ganjoo went to complete Master’s in Hindi and then got doctor of philosophy. Right from his childhood he was very passionate about his soil and culture. He commanded respect from the people and particularly he always was very beloved of his Muslim neighbours and friends.
Up till 1990 he was living with his family in his ancestral house, but when turmoil erupted soon after majority of Pandit community left Kashmir for the safety of their lives Ganjoo stood firm and believed it was a conspiracy by someone else to force people out of the valley. Even his only son Anil decided that there is no future for Pandits in Kashmir and he left with his wife and a minor son.
Ganjoo along with his ailing wife remained to live despite some severe hardships and pressure from both militants and Government. Ganjoo was once summoned by government agency and threatened to leave valley but he was resilient to prefer death here than living in an alien land. He was twice abducted by the militants who asked him why he was staying put when all members of his community have deserted Kashmir. His answer would be simple that he wants to die where his forefathers have lived and died and he had promised his Muslim friends he will breathe his last in his beloved Kashmir.
Ganjoo these days is working on a research paper ‘Shavism in Kashmir’. He is living alone for the past six months and his wife is in Delhi for treatment for her arthritis. Ganjoo is taken care of by his adopted son Ghulam Qadir who lives near his house. Family of Ghulam Qadir treats him as the family head and every important decision is taken after consultation with Ganjoo.
When this correspondent met Prof Ganjoo at his residence, he was preparing for Puja on the occasion of Janam Ashtami tomorrow. For the umpteenth time of his life Ganjoo will perform Puja in Bhagwan Gopi Nath Mandir, Kralkhud but this time only three families will sit in Puja and majority is still faraway from their birthplace.
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