Sandeep Bhat
Kashmir is a region of the north western Indian subcontinent and it is bounded to the northeast by the sinking and to the east by Tibet, to the south by Himachal Pradesh and to the west by Pakistan and to the northwest by Afghanistan.
Kashmir suddenly flashed into the world news when Pakistani marauders came over the mountains to annex Kashmir by force in 1947. Although repeated attempts to annex Kashmir on the flimsy ground of majority Muslim population, have been frustrated in the recent past, grim clouds of a more organized attempt, backed by modern arms and armoury, where as, India will again face such a situation with greater determination and united will and strength of our country. Right from the very ancient times, Kashmir had become a clearing house of spiritual knowledge, elaborating to nourish and to give shape to new thoughts and a place where scholars concourced, conversed and concurred to give ground rules for thinking processes, language, logic, religions, music, dance and sciences. Different religions were considered as complimentary aids to greater understanding of the human spirit from 1989, when militancy was at its peak, Kashmir tourism industry faces the worst and it was only last year, when the Amarnath Land row agitation divided the people on regions. The most sufferers were the businessman, Shikarawala and all those who are associated with tourism or pilgrimage tourism. Kashmir occupies a special place in India, because of its geographic location, its scenic splendour, and its contribution to the arts and culture of India. Early Times correspondent visits the beautiful valley of Kashmir and interacts cross section of people at several places including Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Mattan, Anantnag, Tangmarg, Tulmul (Ganderbal), Zethyar and many interior parts of Srinagar city like Nowhatta, Lal Bazar, Khanyar, Dalgate, Nehru Park, Soura, Karan Nagar, Raj Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, Zainakot, Batmatto Qamarwari and many other places.
Talking to ET, Showkat Ahmed a Shikarawala said that we are waiting for tourists both domestic and foreigners eagerly because last year agitation, there were huge losses in our industry. Before agitation, we had hundred percent occupancy, but then it reaches to zero. We had suffered a lot in last year agitation and hope this year, there will be absolute normalcy. Waseem Khan, a houseboat owner was of the view, that, it is only politicians who create wedge between regions communities by their speeches otherwise, ordinary people are not interested in these things. Our houseboats are empty and there is nothing for us to survive. We live only on influx of tourists and hope this year, better sense will prevail. We have nothing against tourists as they are our guests; moreover, they are our livelihood.
Abdul Ahad, a resident of Lal Bazar, (a down town locality), said, it is only politicians and govt. machinery who disturbs peace in the region otherwise people yearn for peace. Citing on example of stone pelting at Nowhatta (Jamia Masjid), every Friday, he said, it is the work of some miscreants and of course with the connivance of police personal, who indulge in stone pelting. He further added, why no stone pelting occurs at other place other than Nowhatta. On tourists, he said, Kashmiri are known for their hospitality all over the world and we will give all support and cooperation for their arrival in valley.
Mohd. Farooq Khan, a resident of Omarbad, Zainakot, Sohile talking to ET Correspondent at his residence, said Kashmir is known for its beauty and tourist places like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Mughal Gardens and tourism industry is the only industry on which majority of the population survives, whether it is houseboat wala, Shikarawala, Taxi Driver, Horse owners, Businessmen and all those directly or indirectly related to industry. We hope this year, a record number of tourists will visit and already many of them have started visiting. Rijaz Ahmed of Anantnag, Khursheed Ahmad of Pahalgam, Foutima of Tulmulla Ganderbal, S. Trilok Singh of Mattan (Martand), K.N. Pandita at Zeethyar (Srinagar) and many other, in their interaction, all were optimistic about the arrival and influx of tourists this year in the valley and hoped that after parliamentary elections majority of tourist both domestic and foreigners will come in large number in the valley.
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