Let God breathe...( The Holliest Pilgrimage )

The Holy Amarnath Cave

Hurrah!...Bravo!...The State Government finally succumbed to the massive public pressure and decided to revoke it's land tranfer order (rather land grab)...
A true example of a living and breathing Kashmiri Natioinalism...We got together and fought together for one common cause...we stayed united and WE DID IT....we got our land back...
The scene on the streets depicts a sense of pride and celebration amongst the people with fire crackers going off in the air every now and then as if last two decades had never happened..!
The spirit of the people finally won against all the odds and opposition forces....A perfect proof of people power...
But we must not forget the huge cost of this victory...It cost us 5 precious lives...5 Kashmiris had to lay down their lives to get us our land back...they are the real heroes of this victory...I salute the BRAVE families which had the heart and courage to give us such martyr's who could sacrifice their lives for our soil...
A tribute to all those who lost their lives in this battle against oppression and aggression...
Well, coming on to the issue....We might have won one single battle but we are in a WAR...A war against brute aggression and oppression...a war against human rights vioalation...a war against the propoganda carried by some communal forces portraying Kashmiris as communist...A war against media who only reports one side of a story...a war against the way BJP and VHP has communalised the whole issue and the way it killed this tourist season....a war to save our forests and rivers...a war to be regain our lost identity and freedom
Although the State Government might have dared to take a blow by going against BJP or VHP who supported the 'land grab' and destrengthening of SASB (Shri Amarnath Shrine Board) might have sent a wrong message to the rest of India and it added to the problems of the government...
anyways it still means the same thing other way around...First, the SASB would have constructed the CONCRETE structures over our virgin forests and destroyed the whole landscape but now it's the state government which has got the licence to cut through all the beautiful and dense PROTECTED forests and convert the tourist resorts of Pahalgam and Sonamarg into concrete jungles...
We need to stand up ONCE AGAIN to fight against the odds, this time the issue is of global recognition...the issue is to save environment
The media along with BJP has played a villainous role by reporting only one side of the story thus sending a wrong message out that Kashmiri people are against the Yatra and against the Hindus...when the truth is that we Kashmiris are the most tolerant and hospitable community in the world...and by kashmiris I mean all our Pandit brothers, the Sikh brothers, and the few Budhist and Christians...such a religious harmony..
India curently a growing world power has to play a major role in global issues such as global warming and environment degradation...After all, India is a part of the 'BRIC' nations..that means we are on the verge of being called developed nation....so why can't the Indian government come up with an alternative solution to accomodate all the Yatris and leave our forests untouched...?
Yes, we all agree that the Yatris need some world class infrastructure....But no, not at the cost of forests....
Dare I say, the Hindu God's living in the mountains won't be too pleased to see all their trees being chopped off.....(sorry if I might have sounded rude or unintentionally disrespectful, but I think no religion will ever allow us to ruin nature)


I don't know how many of you would be knowing it because it hasn't been yet popularised in the media...but there is an amazing fact...When one reaches the Holy Amarnath Cave and looks behind at a mountain with concentration...there it appears...carved into the mountain with coloured stones (mostly white)...naturally carved on one side of the mountain is beautifully written "MOHAMMAD" (in Arabic script)...I SWEAR, IT'S TRUE....I have seen the photographs myself...and my dad who once went to the cave in search of that very mountain, actually found it...very few locals (Gujjars and Bakerwals) know it..in fact it was one horse owner who showed my dad the mountain....such a tremendous proof of the holy harmony between all the religions.......with holy Shri Amarnath cave on one side and Mohammad NATURALLY carved into the mountain on other side...It's a miracle...This truely is God's own country


Our Hindu brothers and rest of India must realise the way BJP and VHP are communalising the whole issue and the way media is reporting only one side of the story...otherwise we Kashmiris might be left with a tarnished image which would kill our already struggling tourism industry...
If God created this paradise on earth...He must have created it for himself...
All you devotees out there on a pilgrimage to this valley...WAKE UP...awaken your conscience, elevate your minds, purify your souls....Join our hands to raise one single and united voice to save environment...

Allow God to breathe.....!

let's hope for a DIVIN3 intervention......

Spain end the drought...Enrique Iglesias in wonder land!

Torres didn't choke!

Spain finally end the long drought which kept them away from the major trophies over all the years when they had enough talented squads to run over a tournament....

I swear, just before the match I had predicted it to be a 2-0 victory to Spain with Spain scoring both the goals on break and Torres scoring one at least..And as it turned out the match was exactly as I had predicted it to be...only the second goal never came..maybe because Spain missed out so many chances and even when they could have scored in the last minute, they prferred to keep the ball and the possession....(I know, now you folks would be really fuming at the fact that I'm praising myself for predicting a WRONG scoreline...!!!!)

It was Shakira in the last world cup, Ricky Martin in 1998 and this time another Spaniard in Enrique Iglesias started the show with his own official song of the tournament......Spain just had to win thsi time!

Well coming on to the match...
Simply fantastic, the movement from Spain was so quick and amazing to watch...Marvellous football from Spain...Iniesta might be responsible for over doing a trick or two, otherwise Spain might have shown Germany what they really are....(A bunch of average players led by the only superstar in Michael Ballack)....
The workmanship and the resillience of Germany had to ultimately faulter at the final hurdle when they faced the most talented team of the tournament....(Maybe the Dutch might have the most talented individuals, but I am talking about a team!)

All praise to the lone striker Torres for the way he scored the goal out of nothing...Maybe it can be called as a goal keeping error from Lehman for coming out of his goal when Lahm had it covered but all credit to Torres for the phenomenal strenght and tremendous pace which took him past Lahm and the skill which made him to dink the ball over Lehman into the net...(Let's try to forgive the oldie.... Lehman at 38 ain't no Oliver Kahn!)

For me; Liverpool protege Torres, Brazillian born Senna, Real Madrid number one Casillas along with the ever so talented (supposedly next Maldini) Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos (nicknamed Tarzan!) were the true suprestars of the match......

And yeah...after a really long time we had a football match worth being called a final...Spain with swift passing and tremendous pace consistently broke into the German defence which seemed wanting in some tight situations....
it was a reallly an entertaining match...
(whoa!...I wonder where does Torres get his pace from...he must have been an Olympic sprinter...!)

Well to be honest it didn't really matter to me who won or who lost because there was no England in the tournament...but at the end of the day, we all would agree that the best team won...CHEERS...we finally had the kind of tournament we all desired for with all the teams playing more positive football than negative (unlike EURO 2004)

So now with EURO over and English Premier League almost two months away...I am really looking forward to Wimbledon...(since Maria Sharapova got eliminated I am just hoping for a Nadal-Federrer dream final...)

aaah....n yea the strike still continues in my valley and I am still sitting my ass in my room HOPING to do something.....!

DON'T SELL KASHMIR ("It isn't the time to cry but the time to unite and fight for one COMMON cause")

If you ever loved your mother then it’s the time to show that you really do love her…!

800 canals of land has somehow been transferred to SASB (Shri Amarnath Shrine Board)…The State Government says that it’s temporary but we all know that it’s permanent…
A total violation of the Article 370…The very article which was used to convince Kashmiris to call themselves as Indians…The article which promised to protect and safeguard the identity of Kashmir…

Article 370, according to which no foreigner not even an Indian citizen other than the state subject of Jammu and Kashmir can buy any property in the state
( http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/documents/jk_art370.html )

And here we stand, almost 60 years later trying to absorb the decision of the state government to transfer 100 acres of our state land to SASB…And that too happens to be the resourceful and protected forest land…!

The reasons which the state government is giving for the so called transfer of land are totally unaccepted and ridiculous…they say that SASB needs some land to raise their structures for a better organized and improved Amarnath Yatra for the pilgrims…

(It won’t take a genius to figure out the evil in the deal)…
Why State Government doesn’t raise the structures themselves under the control and guidance of Central Government with funds given by SASB just like the way PMGSY is currently operating in our state….
THEN WHY THE NEED TO TRANSFER LAND ???????????

Trust me people, it’s just a beginning…A beginning of an end…The end which will see us Kashmiris with nothing left but some nostalgic memories of the days when we used to play in the streets and alleys of the place we once called home…!
It’s time to raise our voices and fight for one COMMON cause…and this time it’s our very own cause…

In the eighteen years of my existence, this happens to be the first time when I think the cause is just and genuine, the cause is common, the cause of an ordinary kashmiri just like me or you…it’s the first time that we are finally fighting for something our very own…united with a single aim and single objective…The first time when I feel, that it’s time to get united and join hands to save Kashmir…

No, this is not an ‘independence day’ fight…or a cry for a republic…or any other political issue…but it’s our very own issue…It’s an issue of every kashmiri…
We can’t let them sell our mother…
We can’t keep quiet this time…We can’t let them rob us of our identity…We have to fight and fight it through…

No, I don’t believe in breaking my neighbors’ window or burning the cars of our fellow Kashmiris…Or raising anti-India slogans…We need to think and think deeply…What we want and what are we fighting for…

Trust me, this time the writing is on the wall…it’s very clear what we really are fighting for…we are struggling to save our identity…we are fighting to save our mother…we are striving to prevent the violation of the very article which gave our predecessors enough reasons to chose India over Pakistan..
We must realize whom we are fighting for and whom we are fighting against…No, we are not fighting against our neighbors or the fellow motorists on the roads but it’s a fight against the violation of Article 370 by our state government…
We must fight till last…We can’t give in…We can’t give up…

If you ever thought you were a patriot then it’s time to show that your blood is of a Kashmiri…Please don’t just sit in your homes criticizing and contemplating the fact that we are being victimized…
It’s time to wake up and realize the fact that ‘Kashmiriyat’ is on the verge of a forced extinction…

No, I didn’t participate in the aimless agitation right outside my home…But at least I figured out writing something might help me ease out the guilt in my heart that they are robbing my mother and I ain’t doing anything….
Please do something…anything and everything which you can to stop this beginning of an end…

(Follow up this blog with a chain of comments to at least show your support…We need some young and EDUCATED voices)

Biscoe through to finals...

In the ongoing U-19 inter school tournament for district Srinagar...Biscoe school thrased MP school 10-0 in the semi final to make it a repeat of last years clash with SP School in the final...
I still remember the unfortunate daylast year, the day we somehow lost the final against SP school...(The match happened to be the last I played for my school in the famous blue jersey!)
This year Biscoites are back and back with a bang...A fantastic team with all the talent required to thrash teams...!
Come on Biscoe, win it this year...show the world, why we brought football to Srinagar....!

DIVIDED WE STOOD...UNITED WE FELL (Second Half-'Demon Prevails...Time for reality check')

“The Demon is in every one of us…It’s in me, it’s in you, it’s in the crowd….!!! ”
What a great day for us all...we the Kashmiris standing together...supporting our team...our very own team...for our very own cause...and the team didn't disappoint...they really showed the spirit and heart by taking the game to the defending champions...We might not have our "El-Diego" (Diego Maradonna) to start a revolution but we have the likes of the Kashmiri born and Biscoe bred Ishfaq to unite the people with one single goal in their herat and soul.....!!!
And to put icing on the cake, ZEE Sports just announced that the match is not only being broadcasted live all over India but even across the Middle-East and USA....such a great occassion for Kashmiri people to display their spirit and hospitability...

”The demon is too timid to come infront of GOD’s human…and too evil to allow the things go in God’s favor without a fight…Demon always searches for the weakest of the prey… (always a human)….the demon, hiding some where in the crowd…”

“defending champions really never knew that a valley could echo so loudly…”
No, I won't be writing how it all happened and what happened...We have already got enough reasons to bring some water in our eyes...and there were enough reasons in the ground to bring some water in my eyes...and if you still wouldn't cry, they had the boom of a tear gas to make you cry...I am too weak to revisit the moments which scream out loud, "You murdered your own mother"...and there is no denying the fact, we ourselves are the criminals of our mother....united we stood, divided we fell...
Still, if you need to know what exactly happened in the stadium then refer to my previous blog "a tale of hartal ...and they all cried"....Only this time, if there was any shame left after invasion of the pitch....we wasted it all in chasing away the lives out of the tough Punjab players with stones and weapons...(and that's where I guess the pride comes from...chasing away the enemy...but I still wonder whose the real enemy)....!!!
Enough of this blame game......No, I won't be blaming anyone...neither the journalists,nor the JKFA officials...Not even the police or the crowd.....It's time for a reality check....for all of us to realise, "if we are not part of the solution then we definitely are part of the problem"....
We have put the whole nation to shame...(mind you...talking about the nation, You know which nation!)...a showcase of our real character...the character which infamously has made us enough famous all around the globe for being the people who hate their very own identity...people who can't bear to see their fellow people prosper...people so drenched in illiteracy and agony over the last two decades that they have forgotten the very basic fact which made them call themselves Kashmiri and take some real pride in the fact that they belong to the land proclaimed as heaven , a land of mystics and saints...a land of love and eternal grace...a land of unity and strength...a land where the sun shone brighter than anywhere else in the world and a land whose waters were heavenly enough to purify the most miserable souls....a land whose sons used to teach the world the character and values needed to reach the seventh heaven....a land above any other land...a land blessed by God himself...a land whose people would call themselves Kashmiri......
I wonder where did those souls come from which called themselves Kashmiri and set an example for the world to follow...people so strong in character and so sublime in faith...people with enough courage and gutts to even sacrifice their own lives for the sake of an ailing enemy...people who led through example...
a land far from the land of the evil...a land unknown to Demon....Gods own country....
let us all pledge to dedicate our lives to restore the lost glory of our land and the lost values ofur people...Devil might have taken over our minds but it can't take over the heart and soul of a born Kashmiri....all we need is to go back to the basics and realise we all are at fault....let's change ourselves before talking about changing others....
Don't we dare criticise the people for what they did at Bakshi stadium....It's time for a reality check..."If we are not a part of the solution then we definitely are part of the problem"

DIVIDED WE STOOD...UNITED WE FELL (First Half-'Living the dream')

“The time came to raise our united heads with pride and honor, demanding respect from those who ever doubted….Shameless, we ran away!!!”
“A step forward and ten steps back“ can be best described as the fast forward story of the destruction and turmoil in Kashmir since the day I breathed my first breath(unfortunately the day I was born…30 sep 1989….the day the whole city finally united for its own destruction, burning down their own homes for the sake of Shabir Shah, a rebel leader…what a great cause…!!!) and at the Bakshi stadium it was a déjà-vu situation…
Almost an hour into the dream match, all tied up at 0-0…The biggest game in the Santosh Trophy tournament so far…A high voltage match between the holders Punjab and the highly spirited Home team…The first half most definitely belonged to the team in whote,the home team, playing with the backing of big and VOCAL home support…Attacking the Punjab defence time and again…Chance after chance…Not exactly “CHAMPAGNE-FOOTBALL” but not much far away from the kind of football, champions are made of…The defending champions needed all the defence they had in order to defend what they loved the most, their clean sheet record…and they somehow managed to keep a clean sheet in the first half…Ishfaq,Adil and Rohit pushed by the crowd, were pressing the Punjab defence with super fluency and brilliant counter attacking moves…Punjab rarely had any possession of the ball and it was looking like we finally have got a team which could give the full house crowd, a reason to raise their voices in unison and celebrate their throats out…Such a wonderful mix of the united Kashmir in the crowd…the oldies in their khan dresses…the Sikhs in their turbans…few pundits with their renowned wits!…..the ever so vocal youth with enough stamina to shout their way into the match….Quite rightly as the press had put it, ”J&K team play with 12 players, 11 on the pitch and 12th in the stands…!”…the spirit which the home team had shown, brought the 12th man into play , “defending champions really never knew that a valley could echo so loudly…!!!”
So it was JK in the driving seat with almost half an hour left in the match…”Joga-Bonita” (playing football with a smile on the face) and the united crowd gave enough reasons to put a smile on the ‘fair’ faces of JK players!!!…Punjab absorbing all the pressure from the players and the crowd…Really what a success story, no matter even if we lose now but we have won all the hearts by showing the world, united we STILL stand to support what we love…a revival of footy back in the valley…a revival of united voices back in the valley….what a reason to celebrate…
But there had to be an intervention (as always)…No, not DIVINE…In fact, as expected in my mother land…It had to be a ‘DEMONIC’ intervention….!!!(as always)
Suddenly the photo journalists could be seen shouting and fighting with some JKFA officials (who are really worthy of being appreciated for conducting such a big tournament with such huge media coverage… a real successful effort)…but but but…
”the demon is too timid to come infront of GOD’s human…and too evil to allow the things go in God’s favor without a fight…Demon always searches for the weakest of the prey… (always a human)….the demon hiding some where in the crowd…”
Raisng slogans in between the already high voltage, fast paced match…what a mess…!!! And amidst all the chaos Punjab score……….a fantastic long ranger but can be equally considered as a goal keeping error…and take my words on that…I have watched enough football to say, that the shot was perfectly savable and it can be considered a goal keeping howler by the new goalie…(had the crowd given the given the team whole match to play, the way we were playing suggests that we could have esily equalised and who knows maybe gone onto win the match)
But who cares…the crowd are now really on their feet...Demon ready to rumble
“defending champions really never knew that a valley could echo so loudly…”

to be continued…

come on JK we will do it...

So here it is, Santosh Trophy and JK in the quarters and in some style(thrashing the capital of our vey own country)...!!!!!!!!!

yes, we might have lost against Kerala infront of a packed crowd at Bakshi Stadium but trust me, we really showed the attitude and the spirit to win the hardest hearts...!!

and when Ishfaq scored the goal....Oh My God!...the whole stadium erupted...the celebrations which made the folks remember the glory days of early 80's...celebrations that seemed to come from a land unknown to the valley...celebrations which made most of us forget two decades of our lives...finally uniting for one common cause and celebrating as one single unit.....the moments which seemed to have lasted an eternity. ..!!!
JK really did play well and deserved at least a draw...but the absence of star defender Mehrajuddin Wadoo (currently on national duty) proved to be the defining factor of the game...attack after attack, and chance after chance...JK team was on fire but then were caught out "3 TIMES" on counter attack!...wish Wadoo had been at the back to stop all moves and make it a first win for JK in the quarter finals...

Anyway, the atmosphere was electrifying and crowd didn't lose heart...and I am all prepeared to buy a ticket for tomorrows big match against the defending champions Punjab...Yes, they might be the toughest team...a team which can beat us and beat us easily.... the hardest opponent with enough strength and class to brush aside any team....but we have got the heart and the spirit to keep us going when the going get's really tough....
Come on you folks out there, let's all go the stadium to cheer our team on....no matter if you don't like the battered Bakshi stands but trust me its an honour to support your own identity....time to get united.....And yes, tickets are gonna be short, it would be a full house so better plan early...
let's all pray and hope we come out on top and show the world that we though maybe the eternal under dogs but still possess enough character to fight, and fight back hard...... a bunch of unfortunate players struggling to find enough oppurtunities to showcase their immense talent.....

One final request, please people keep out the stupid posters which say,"JK will defeat INDIA"...!!!
ridiculous and totally unacceptable...show some respect as well....cheer for your state..support your team.....unite for kashmir....no matter if you are not much of a football lover...but it's time to finally get united and to finally fight for one common cause, and this time our very own cause..we will shout, we will cry and no matter whatever the outcome we will be the real winners...winning the hearts and souls..united we will stand and if the unfortunate happens, united we will fall..
don't just sit in your homes and watch the match live on ZEE sports...be there to raise the spirits of the 11...
hand in hand, shoulders together.....it's time to show the world
WE are no pushovers....!!!!!!!