“Denials are in proceed, even faith is denied”
“I live in a world of resistance, where realism is a myth”
Whenever we talk of phobias, naturally our mind goes into pessimistic scenario as “Phobia” is defined as a type of anxiety disorder that involves an extreme fear of something. In present arrangement of the world ambience, the word “ISLAMOPHOBIA” is gaining its congruence mostly in west, but now it is entrenching its roots in Asian part of the world too. If one defines “Islamophobia”, according to Islamophobia.com, “Islamophobia is a rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of muslimness or perceived muslimness”. There are about 4300 religions in world in present times, but so unfortunate to the world, that by most of the anti-Islamic ideologists, the religion of Islam has been categorized into a Phobia. But this condition is severely deteriorating the social conditions of Muslims all over the world. Islamophobia gained its name after the so called 9/11 attacks on world trade centre in New York City, which according to USA was done by the Al Qaidaa translational extremist termed organization founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden, who was then killed by America in response to these attacks under “Operation Neptune Spear”. The “Operation Neptune Spear” was braced with “Operation Enduring Freedom” and “Operation Iraqi Freedom” against the two Muslim countries Afghanistan and Iraq, which were thought to be the home for the Al Qaida. But many of the conspiracy theories blame USA for the 9/11 attacks, and the theorists deny the facts about the 9/11 attacks that Al-Qaeda arranged and accomplished the attack and both Clinton and Bush administration were faulted with the “failure of imagination”. In the beginning years Islamophobia gained its congruence in the western world and created difficulty for British Muslims, but it had increased in past few years and has spread its roots here in the Asian world too. Muslims are no more treated as a part of society but are alleged to be inherently violent and misogynists and it is believed the Islam is the antithesis of civilization. Talking about India, Islamophobia is not a very new concept, From Gujarat riots in 2002 to abrogation of article 370 and 35 A in the Muslim majority area of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019; we have uncountable cases of killings, lynching’s and violence against Muslims all over the country. Every Muslim following his religion in tagged as antinationalist. We can’t run from the fact that India in the biggest home to Islamophobia in eastern world. There are many crimes alive against the Muslim community but harassments, employment inequality, hate crimes and denial of religious rights have been on top. There are many incidents in India which happened in recent times and can be linked with the rise of Islamophobia in India like mob lynching of many Muslims over carrying beef , 2020 Delhi riots, the CAA bill and corona jihad in which Muslims were blamed the for spreading contagion virus Covid 19.
Islamophobia in our very neighbouring country China is not very new concept. According to Washington times post, anti- Muslim sentiments are rambled in media in China, according to which Muslims are dangerous and are vulnerable to terrorism. Though countries like Singapore, Vietnam, Srilanka, Pakistan and Korea had put many efforts forward to promote secularism in their countries, but they also could not escape the speculation of world under the shade of Islamophobia. From last 70 years Kashmir has been in unrest revolving round the slogans of Azaadi; the real meaning of which can be defined by none. But the fight for freedom in Kashmir is been watched by the eyes of Islamophobia, which caused the real unrest in Kashmir. The reality of Kashmir is known by none but the effects of unregulated media over the minds of people living outside Kashmir are creating the biggest void. The fight of freedom, which is a birth right of every citizen of Kashmir, is being tagged as antinational, terrorist and so on, thus creating a gorge of mental conscience resulting in Islamophobia. From 1970 till date Kashmir has lost many of its sons in the name of freedom, which actually is our right. But unfortunately our fight to freedom is somewhere vanishing behind the ferocious curtains of terrorism. Every problem has a solution as every night has a bright morning ahead, but just the sun behind the Alps has to be sighted. So every Muslims fate is in his own hand, to write his future on better scenarios, unity is the need of the hour. To represent whole Muslim community strongly on international levels we need youth leaders. To remove the stains of unofficial discrimination, a universal representation is necessary. All the Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Iraq, and Pakistan need to understand the frailty of the time and need to unify to strengthen the plinth of future of Islam in the world.
(The author is a student of English literature from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Views are author’s own)
5 best tourist destinations of Jammu region in J&K
Maanvir Jaglan
Bounded by Himalayan ranges in the northern part of India, Jammu & Kashmir is a union territory. The region of Jammu in Jammu Kashmir too has one of the best tourist destinations in India that attracts a large number of tourists all over the globe. Surrounded by mountain peaks, gorgeous landscapes, lush green valleys, charming lakes, temples, and monasteries, Jammu & Kashmir is often called Paradise on earth. Simplicity, pristine beauty, spirituality, unique culture, and tradition is the specialty of this region. The city of Jammu is blessed with hundreds of temples while Kashmir is famous for its scenic visuals of the greater Himalayas, PirPanjal range, wildlife, unique monuments, and local handicrafts. Jammu & Kashmir is an ideal destination for a vacation with the family, romantic honeymoon, thrilling adventure with friends, solo trip, sacred pilgrimage tour, wildlife holiday, and trekking. Jammu and Kashmir has numerous places to visit, so we are happy to suggest 5 best destinations of Jammu region for your next ideal getaway.
1. Vaishno Devi: Vaishno Devi temple is located on the Trikuta Hills in Katra, Jammu- Kashmir. Set at an elevation of 5200 Ft above sea level, it is one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in India. Mata Vaishno Devi temple is a cave temple which is one of 108 Shakti Peethas dedicated to Maa Durga. The cave of Mata Vaishno Devi is three naturally formed rocks (known as Pindies) of Maha Kali, MahaSaraswati, and Maha Lakshmi. You have to go on a trek from Katra nearly 14 KM to reach the holy temple of Mata. You can also hire cars, buses, taxies, ponies, Palkies, and helicopter rides. It is believed that Vaishno Devi fulfills the wishes of devotees (known as Moon Man KiMuradei Poori Karnewali Mata). Every year millions of visitors and Hindu devotees visit the temple. The holy temple of Mata Vaishno is open throughout the year, the best time to visit is in the months of Navratri and Diwali festivals.
3. Patnitop: Patnitop ( also known as Patni Top) is a hill station at an elevation of 6,640 Ft in the Ramban district of Jammu Kashmir. Surrounded by beautiful meadows, stunning landscapes, and fascinating Himalayan peaks, You will experience the exceptional beauty of nature in Patnitop. A trip to Patnitop is an ideal winter getaway in Kashmir packages. This place also offers some of the best adventurous activities to pump the adrenaline like skiing, paragliding, and trekking. The hilltop also features three freshwater springs to relax in the lap of nature. Some places to visit in Patnitop are Nathatop, Kud park, Madhatop, NaagMandir, Billo ki Powri, Shivagarh, Sudh Mahadev, Patnitop circular road, and sky view Patnitop.
4.Doda : Doda is a district in the eastern part of Jammu & Kashmir situated at an elevation of 3631 Ft above sea level. Set amidst surreal nature and blessed with diverse landscapes, Doda is the least known and unexplored destination among tourists. Bounded by a dense forest area, majestic mountains, and beautiful Chenab river, Doda offers some best adventurous opportunities for trekking, paragliding, mountain biking, snow skiing, mountaineering, and rock climbing. Surrounded by plum, apple, and peach orchards, Bhaderwah is known as Mini Kashmir and a major tourist attraction in Doda. Gupt Ganga Temple, Chinta valley, Chandi Mata temple, Padri, and Baglihar are some other attractions in Doda. The best time to visit Doda is March to October though this place goes through a cool and pleasant climate all around the year.
5. Kishtwar: Enclosed by captivating mountains, pristine rivers, and lush grasslands, Kishtwar is a district located 213 KM from Jammu. Kishtwar is also known as Land of Saffron and Sapphire as it is one of the largest saffron producers in J&K. Nestled at an elevation of 5374 Ft, Kishtwar is home to dense forests and rich wildlife. Kishtwar national park attracts lots of tourists and wildlife lovers with rich flora & fauna. Sinthan top, Chowgan, Machail Mata temple, Kishtwar national park, Qilla Kishtwar, Saffron safari, Bharnoin, Padyarna, and Mughal Maidan are sightseeing locations of Kishtwar. During the months of winter is the best to enjoy the magnificent beauty of Kishtwar at its peak.
6. Sanasar: Perched at an altitude of 6730 Ft above sea level, Sanasar’s name is derived from the name of two villages Sana and Sar located near Patnitop in the Ramban district. Renowned as aero adventure sports capital, Sanasar is a hidden gem in Jammu and Kashmir. Sanasar is a paradise for adventure junkies as it is famous as a hub of adventurous activities like paragliding, trekking, camping, golfing, rock climbing, wilderness adventure camping, abseiling, and rappelling. Sanasar lake, Naag Temple, Shankar Pal temple, Suri Kund, and Golf course are tourists attractions to visit in Sanasar. Months of April to June are the best time to try adventurous activities in Sanasar.
(The author is a Digital Marketer by profession. Views are exclusively his own)
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