Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Any festival is an occasion to enjoy at its best. Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha are more than a festival. Besides festivities, we never forget God on these occasions. Through out the world, both the Eids are celebrated with the same fervour and enthusiasm. Everyone enjoys these moments. They thank God for the blessed-days. But in our Jammu and Kashmir, happiness has left us due to some reasons. We have been going through the most difficult times of our lives. Somehow, we were managing it. But now, it looks very difficult. Since 1990s, the burden has been increasing with each passing day. On the occasions of happiness and festivities, we go through sadness. But the most profound effect has been felt since August 5, 2019. Our previous two Eids were no Eids at all. Well, there was no ostentation but the real happiness was missing in its totality. Now, Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated in within two days. The advent of the Covid-19 has made this Eid the soft target of restrictions. For us, it is not a new thing. It is our habit to be under severe restrictions. But the most important point is that why Eids are very different in Jammu and Kashmir. So, let us try to know some basic causes.Firstly, Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory. It is the disputed- territory under the supervision of the UN. Since 1947 CE, it has been acting as a source of conflict in the South Asia in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular. Many lives are lost. Resources are destroyed. Diseases are on rise. Orphans are found here and there. Schools are no more. Happiness has gone away. Sadness has engulfed us from every side. No day passes when a human life is not lost. Ultimatums are given on baseless things. Personality development has taken a back seat. Health services are not available. There is price rise everywhere. Suicides are on rise. These all repercussions are due to the disputed nature of this erstwhile state. Secondly, the Central Government at the present is very much responsible for this. The government at the Centre is suspicious of neighbours. In foreign affairs, the basic thing is trust. When trust is broken, there are no chances that any thing will be good. In the Indian case, they believe that if Jammu and Kashmir is granted freedom, Pakistan may overcome it. This type of mindset is harmful. If an age of war is over and the age of trust and development has come then there should be concern for each and every human being. Jammu and Kashmir has become an entity. It is used for war bargain. No one is worried that the innocent die there. History is presented in such a way that it becomes very difficult to arrive at a single decision. In this case, happiness and development are distant dreams. And it is happening in Jammu and Kashmir.
Eid is an occasion to know one’s worth. What is the essence of an Eid? It should have been known to us. But we are very complacent in this regard. We burden ourselves with something imaginary on these occasions as well. If God has created us, it is His will that prevails. We should have bowed in front of Him and have become burden less.
Thirdly, we also are responsible. We never use our intellectual potential in any thing. Blindly, we follow everyone. If the main motive of life is to know ourselves then how we can afford to follow anyone blindly. Since time immemorial, it has been our trait that we will follow anyone who is going to show us false paradise. We are stooped so low that for the short-term profit, we mar the long-term gain. If at the right moment of our history, we had used our mindset, we would have not reached this situation. We are superstitious and very much orthodox. So, the result is that our every festival brings gloom. We are reminded of our dears and nears who got killed on these days, without knowing why they were killed. Fourthly, greed has occupied every part of the world. In the past, our lives were genuine. A man was natural. He had not hypocrisy in him. There was no dilemma in his life. But now, dilemma has engulfed him. He is not in a position to know that what is the way out for me. If he follows God, he is devoid of the worldly gains. If he doesn’t follow Him, he collects a lot of material but is never satisfied. In this situation, our condition has become thin. At the end, We have opted the second option. We need material at any rate. So, the essence of an Eid has been lost somewhere. Fifthly and lastly, we have burdened ourselves. Eid is an occasion to know one’s worth. What is the essence of an Eid? It should have been known to us. But we are very complacent in this regard. We burden ourselves with something imaginary on these occasions as well. If God has created us, it is His will that prevails. We should have bowed in front of Him and have become burden less. But unfortunately, this is not the case. We need something that is not liked by our Creator. And in the end, happiness is taken for ride. Let us hope that there will come an Eid in our lives when we will enjoy it in its original form. Till then, we have to wait. Happy Eid-ul-Adha!
( The author is a freelancer and writes regularly for Kashmir Horizon. Views are his own) [email protected]
