Hi dear reader,

If you are reading this  post then there are 02 possible scenarios…..first one is that you feel good to see me writing again after a long gap provided you have read me on earlier occasions…second one is that you must be wondering  what to  expect if you are a newcomer on this page.

So, before writing anything frivolous or mundane, let me deal with my favorite topic. Why so much long gap between 02 posts ? Last time , I wrote about Sundays in Kashmir valley during first week of November, 2016. So, again taking pains to write after nearly 10 months demands answers. But, I don’t have any reasons. It seems, I forgot to write. Choosing topics is a painful exercise.

So, I took a conscious decision to continue the Sunday chronicles and write about Sundays outside Kashmir valley.

It is Navratri time in most parts of India especially in eastern, northern & western corners of country. Though, nowadays it is celebrated in various forms across the country in autumn season. Normally, Navratri is a multi-day and multi-seasonal(04 times) festival celebrated due to various legends associated with it but post-monsoon Navratri is the widely-acclaimed among believers. Every festival brings joy. It is an occasion to mingle with loved ones and strangers. If feeling of happiness is not unbridled then the true meaning of festival is not realized. If , you can not do Garba on roads in Navratri in Gujrat then the fun of festival diminishes a little bit ?

But, Kashmir is different. Though, festival brings joy here also but there is a lingering doubt about security scenario of public places. Celebrating festival as a civilized society means using public places without fear of getting injured by stones or bullets. For  that matter, even unruly mob can spoil  festive spirit of whole neighbourhood, may be even country. A Kashmiri Police Officer learnt this lesson in a tragic way as he was beaten by a bullish mob on an auspicious occasion outside one of the most holy place in Kashmir valley.

So, festivals can also bring tragedy in a hostile neighbourhood. But, the question to ask is hostile to whom and why ? Is this the answer to the imbroglio of Kashmir ? Even, if militants succeed in their avowed goal then what ? Will they transport 10 districts of Kashmir valley to a fantasy land among stars and live happily thereafter ?

There is a need to bring sense among die-hard followers of this madness and talk sensibly.

Need to tell them that Sundays are meant for fun activities which they are missing. Sundays are not meant for throwing stones or causing hardships to fellow human beings.

Outside Kashmir valley, people go to public places like shopping malls, parks, theatres to let go of  the accumulated  stress of weekdays. Kashmir is a paradise  unknown even to local youngsters. There are hundreds of natural/scenic places full of  emerald-green lofty trees  and snow-white water streams/lakes to chill out. Take some time off and be a normal youngster and enjoy festivities of life in myriad colour. Life is precious and we don’t get even a single lifeline to get it back from the unknown heaven or hell unlike the participants of KBC who get 04. Once the light has gone out from soul it can not not be the same again . May be this simple truth is unknown to many among us and we keep destroying the life of others.

But, everything is not so gloomy nowadays. Incidents affecting common people  have come down  considerably in recent past when compared with statics of last year. Economy of tourism is again showing signs of revival. The year 2017 has brought clouds of happiness in fields of Kashmir due to heavy snowfall in the beginning of the year. Snowfall is considered good omen as it is harbinger of bumper crop of apple and other local but exotic fruits. So, sweeter apples means big smiles on faces of apple-orchard owners.

In fact, youngsters have started enjoying life again. They even love coffee which can not in any way substitute locally-brewed Kahwah. Kahwah is basically an exotic type of green tea heavily flavoured with wonderful spices including the king of spices specific to Kashmir i.e. saffron. It is wonderful.

But, drinking coffee in cafe is a positive sign. It was amazing to see a Game of Thrones-themed Coffee Shop in Srinagar. It means Winter is Coming and there  are happy days all around. So, Sundays in Kashmir valley are on the way of becoming like Sundays outside Kashmir valley.

That’s it for now. Happy reading.