SEXUALLY ABUSED AND YET BALMED FOR IT

Sarah Keith was an innocent and a naive young girl who wanted to live her life as per her own conditions. She wanted to explore the world, ALONE. She wanted to make her parents especially her mom proud of her. Her mom Jennie Keith was equally innocent and simpleton as her daughter but sadly her whole life as a wife was smitten by her sister in law who was dominating, rude and always at something.

Unfortunately due to Tsunami in Sarah's region, everyone abandoned their homes including Keith's. This natural calamity shattered homes, people (old, young & newborn)  and their lives. But for Jennie, it was a blessing in disguise as she no longer had to share her future life with her sister in law. Due to migration and then living in a metro, changed things, drastically. Everyone scattered all over for living and the joint family system automatically shifted to Nuclear family.

New place ,new people and new climate made it difficult to survive but Keith's were strong enough and they managed to survive. Sarah was keen on giving everything back to her family. So she decided to go for a degree of Engineering, which would guarantee her good job with good remuneration, in future. She qualified it and with her she took few of her family friends along with, so that they too  get benefited.

Sarah was excited and happy to join a professional course. She was desperately looking forward to her  new course and to the students who would be her classmate for next 4 years. It was co-ed and hence that made it more exciting.

Sarah has always been very pretty and very intelligent. She had this belief that she could do anything and everything. In fact she truly believed that she was more stronger, more intelligent and more human then all the guys around. She would conquer the world one day.

Sarah was afraid of God & God only. She was adventurous and loved to experiment with her hair. Sometimes she would  go bald, sometimes she would go for perming and sometimes would colour her hair. She was so free spirited. These attributes made her different from other student friends around. She was seen as a rebel and slowly and slowly her own friends started framing wrong opinion about her. She was termed as a REBEL & A LOOSE CHARACTER FEMALE.

Incident No. 1.

Then came the HOLI. Wow! Festival of colour and BHAANG. Whole night Sarah along with her friends churned bhaang and made fruit punch. The day had started and with oil all over the bodies and hair Sarah started playing with colours and water. It was so fun and she was loving every bit of it and then suddenly few male friends came down to play too. The senior most among them was Majuba who was respected and regarded the most among the Tsunami hit lot. He was working with a govt run agency and had taken leave to complete his professional degree. Everyone used to visit him for advice and for help. He was considered as GURU. Well the game begins and everyone is drinking, playing and enjoying. Then all of a sudden Majuba approaches Sarah and smears colour on her face after this he tries throwing water and poor Sarah runs, she does not want to get wet like this. Majuba runs after her and catches her from behind and then all of a sudden he squeezes her assets and push himself hard against her. Sarah is shocked and she tries to free herself but the demon had taken the charge and he was crushing her dignity, her body and above all her soul. Somehow she freed herself and ran inside her house and shut herself down. Sarah was shaking with fear, shock and anger. The person they trusted most had turned Raavan today. Outside the world was enjoying and  moving on. Somewhere someone was dying ...

Sarah choose to discuss about this incident with her friends but unfortunately she got another shock when everyone refused to buy her story. They again termed her as a LIAR. How can Majuba do like this ?. He is not like this and of all the people why he choose a girl like you ?. You are lying and defaming a saintly person like Majuba. You can be wrong but Majuba, NO, NEVER.

Was it due to jealousy or they were scared of getting branded or it was their complexities, whatever the reason, Sarah had to pay the price. SARAH FOR THEM BECAME UNTOUCHABLE. People were hoping Majuba would top the course. The results were declared. Sarah had topped the course and most of her EX FRIENDS flunked, Majuba barely managed to pass and today he is where he was 20 years back ,with the same Govt run agency.

Incident No. 2.

One hurdle was crossed and now the challenge started. Sarah started looking for job and as good luck prevailed she got into a steel industry where she worked for 3 years and then due to her knowledge, nack for things and intelligence she went on to become the VP of one of the most reputed company of the world. She was the youngest VP among her lot and every where her named was flashed, in magazines, in newspaper, in TV, everywhere. It was Sarah and only Sarah.

Her new Director Mr. Sinha, was very calm and a rustic fellow whose wife used to accompany him most of times in office. Gradually Sarah and her interaction with Sinha family increased and they became good friends so much so that after work Sarah started sleeping in their house only. One day Mrs.Sinha had gone out for shopping Sarah drops in Mr.Sinha makes her comfortable and then the DEMON took the charge again and once again Sarah's modesty was challenged and humiliated.

Mrs. Sinha's PATI PARMESHWAR could not do this ?. He was God to her and to everyone around. Sarah left the job and the place. Eventually, Mr. Sinha divorced Mrs. Sinha and went ahead to marry his Secretary.

Incident No. 3.

Sarah came back to her parents house and with the help of one community leader she got a damn good job in a Newspaper Agency. Everything was going well and Sarah was enjoying her work. One fine day her boss called her in his room to discuss something important and the moment Sarah entered his chamber, he pounced on her and started fiddling around. By this time Sarah had gathered enough courage to give it back. She slapped her boss tightly and went out and resigned immediatly.

Next week she went for her salary collection and was told by the accountant that company owes her nothing. She went and discussed about the incident with the local leader and his Director friend who were instrumental in giving her job in that office. They assure sarah that they would do something about it. Sarah waited for days, then for months and then for years ... Nothing has happened. Few years later she met the Local leader again and he told her that his Director friend has obtained the real information from that Newspaper Owner and the truth is that you were sleeping around with the boss of yours for which he used to pay you. Since your demands for more rewards and cash increased so the BOSS decided to kick you out. I know whatever my Director friend is saying is true .He can never be wrong nor can be the Newspaper Owner.

Today this Local leader, the newspaper guy and the Director friend  have become worst enemies because the Director friend had stolen away the story which the Local leader had written and the newspaper owner has shown boots to both of them and aquired new set of friends.

Sarah started her own business and today she is very successful. She runs her company well and is happily married and settled with her loving husband and two sons. Jennie proudly boosts about her daughters achievement and she no longer is smitten by anyone as her daughter has become UNTOUCHABLE AGAIN!!!

Ruchika molestation case made Sarah wonder if she should also go ahead and make all those people pay, who had not only physically but mentally molested her.

I leave it to my readers to suggest as to what Sarah should do ?.

Will the world stand by her this time ?.

Will she make a difference to all those people who are suffering because of it ?.

Or else should she forget everything and move on ...

HOMEWARD BOUND

Sameer Arshad, TOI Crest, Jun 26, 2010, 12.49pm IST

Indu Jalali was edgy and rarely came out of her uncle's house in a tony Srinagar neighbourhood when she visited the Valley in 1998. It was the first time that she'd been there since the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the late '80s. She would cover her head and face every time she stepped out, taking care to shun Kashmiri Pandit symbols to avoid attention . A year later, though, Indu's stay at a hotel in Srinagar's Boulevard Road and a 16-year-old attendant's innocent request transformed her feelings about the post-1989 Kashmir (when Kashmiri Pandits actually began moving out) and inspired her quest to reconnect with her roots.

"I looked at Mastani with hatred, but he made every effort to make me comfortable and advised me not to move out after 6 pm. He brought a tawiz (talisman) for me from the Hazratbal shrine and said, ‘Didi, please come back... we need you. Kashmir is incomplete without Pandits' ," says Indu, who is among the growing number of Kashmiri Pandits trickling back to their motherland in search of an identity. An extended spell of calm and a dip in militant violence to an all-time low since the tumultuous years of terrorism have encouraged many like Indu to reach out to a homeland they loved and lost.

Mastani's innocence moved Indu and restored her faith in Kashmir's centuries-old and cherished composite culture — Kashmiriyat. "I realised Kashmiriyat wasn't completely dead," she says. "Our neighbours, who came to meet us when they heard that my mom and I were visiting Kashmir, said they missed us and wanted us back." The emotional outpouring came as a surprise for Indu, as she thought Muslims would have forgotten them. "This made me take a vow to visit my homeland regularly."

Indu encountered more bonhomie while surveying Kashmiri Pandit property and temples. "Muslims were managing temples at Gulmarg and Manasbal and a Muslim woman even looked after Bhagwan Gopinathji's ashram in Srinagar," she says, adding that she was greatly encouraged by this and it gave her the courage to visit Kashmir with her head held high. "I go there now wearing my dejihoor (ornament worn by married Pandit women) and bindi. I no longer cover my face, and feel at home in Kashmir. Even those who don't know me welcome me."

Lately, Indu's daughter has been accompanying her on their annual trips home. "She understands and speaks Kashmiri," she says, brimming with pride. The mother ensures that the daughter visits Pandit shrines like Kheer Bhawani and Muslims tombs like Makhdoom Sahib and Baba Rishi to pray and light a candle for Kashmir's peace. "I also treat her to wazwan and make her interact with my local friends, so that she gets a feel of our culture."

Kashmir's Pandits, a successful community that has always prided itself on its education and erudition, are slowly gathering the courage to trickle back and a handful — around 4,000 families — is ready to return permanently. There are efforts at reintegration being made everywhere. From the back lanes of Barbarshah in congested old Srinagar, often in the news for stonepelting protests, the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharash Samiti's Sanjay Tickoo has led a silent revolution reopening abandoned temples in an attempt to instill confidence in the community. The Samiti organised a mahayagya to mark the reopening of the once-abandoned Vichar Nag temple in Srinagar on June 5. The temple, famous as a centre for discourse and learning, was closed 20 years back. Apart from Vichar Nag, the Samiti has revived 38 temples since 2004.

"The Pandits who stayed back in Kashmir started organising themselves after 1994," says Tickoo, among a handful of Kashmiri Pandits who stayed back in the Valley. "Earlier, the focus was on security. We even used to hide our identity. The return of peace encouraged us to revive our heritage and organise ourselves." He says each time the Samiti revives a temple, it opens floodgates of emotions and memories. "Elderly Muslims become emotional as they remember their old friends and neighbours. They know most of our rituals. The Samiti has now decided to involve local Muslim communities to jointly manage the shrines. Many of these temples are located in areas where there's no Pandit population and we can't look after them 24x7. Thus, we suggested joint management."

The Samiti revived Puran Raj Bhavan Ashtapan, a Shiv temple, at Sazgaripora in downtown Srinagar in January, and entrusted local elders led by Ali Mohammad to manage the shrine. "We approach local masjid committees and also involve some of our people in managing these shrines. The same model would be followed in reviving other temples as well," Tickoo says. "In fact, local Muslims are approaching the Samiti for reviving other temples. These temples aren't just shrines, but peace and reconciliation centres. They also represent the revival of our syncretic and pluralistic culture."

It may take a while for the complete revival of Kashmir's composite culture, but the congregation of over 100,000 Pandits at the Kheer Bhawani shrine, 30 km from Srinagar, on June 19 holds out a lot of hope. The biggest gathering of Pandits in the Valley in two decades saw visibly moved people embracing their Muslim friends. The faithful gathered at the shrine, chanting hymns to the goddess of peace. The shrine itself has stood as an enduring symbol of Kashmiriyat that remained open to devotees even at the peak of militancy , which forced the exodus of around 200,000 Pandits. Kashmiri Muslims have traditionally facilitated the annual Zyeshth Ashtami congregation at the shrine.

Residents, this time too, lined up the road offering assistance to pilgrims coming in from all over the country.

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah used the occasion to make an appeal to Pandits to return home and build a ‘New Kashmir' . The CM said, "An overwhelming majority of Kashmiris believe that the Valley is incomplete without its Pandit brethren. Your return would be an important milestone in the restoration of normalcy in the Valley."
If there is anxiety, there is also optimism. "It's palpable that my motherland has regained peace. The time has come to return," said Pune-based Ravinder Sadhu, 52, as he walked barefoot carrying flowers and earthenware lamps for the deity. On the same day, thousands of Pandits gathered at goddess Tripur Sundari and Rajnya Bhagwati's temples in south Kashmir.

"This was the first time in two decades that hawans, community kitchens and mass prayers were conducted to mark birth anniversaries of three Vaishnavite goddesses," said an organiser.

The efforts of activists like Tickoo seem to be bearing fruit. J&K relief and rehabilitation commissioner had till May this year received applications from 4,440 Kashmiri Pandit families wishing to return to the Valley. Around 38,000 families are registered as migrants across the country. Officials say Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's package announced last year, which promises Rs 750,000 for each Kashmiri Pandit family wanting to return, has encouraged the community to go back.

Abdullah said a multi-pronged strategy was in place to facilitate their smooth return. "They left because their security was snatched. Now we're trying to restore their sense of security," he said and added that the government is looking for their economic rehabilitation too. "Recently, 2,000 posts were filled under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan. More posts are being created."

The CM has the onerous job of pulling this one off, but his lineage inspires some confidence. The young leader needs to take a leaf out of the book of his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who, as M J Akbar notes, "structured the resurrection of his people on Muslim-Hindu harmony, on the traditions of Nuruddin Rishi and Lal Ded, on the philosophy of Sufism, on non-violence and a mutually regenerative creativity".

TOI - Link

KMECT

Kashmir was called a paradise on earth, once upon a time or maybe it still is for those who go there as Tourist.To us it seems a distant dream and a lost HOMELAND.

In Kashmir the majority community comprises of Muslims and we were there with them in a very minuscule no but honestly speaking Kashmiri pandits in general felt safe n secure but unfortunately year 1989 changed everything .That's when the gun culture came in this Lost Paradise and it wiped our legacy withing fraction of seconds.We were forced to leave our HOMELAND with just a pair of shoes and the clothes that we had worn.

Our struggle for our survival began henceforth and with the mercy of Jammuite's we got places in camps to settle down and let this feeling of loosing once home sink down. Till now this struggle is on and God knows how many more years it will continue. Unfortunately life in camps have been traumatic for Kashmiri Pandits .We could not acclimatise ourselves quickly to the change which was 360 degree and due to his almost 70% of people dveloped serious health hazards and on top of it with no concrete health policy we lost so many old and young buds.

Its people like Hari Kaul, B.L.Sadhu, Sunil Thusu, Jatinder Kaw, Maharaj Pajan and Indu Jalali (myself) who still believe and have faith in their hearts that,someday WE ALL WILL GO BACK and to Keep this belief alive, we all decided to help our community, to survive and be healthy enough to enjoy the gardens,the water and the lovely smell of our mother earth which so far is eluding us.

KMECT (KASHMIR MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND CHARITABLE TRUST) was born to make it a reality .KMECT is by Kashmiri Pandits and for Kashmiri Pandits who don't have any source of income or bare minimum, at the time of medical emergency.We hope we succeed in our aim and mission which to go back.

KASHMIRI MEDICAL EMERGENCY & CHARITABLE TRUST

(Registration No: 3959/2010-11)
Registered Office: B-206, Vardhman Apartments, Mayur Vihar,
Phase-I, Extension, Delhi - 110 091

Contact details: bl_sadhu@yahoo.com; sunilkthusu@gmail.com; hari_kaul@yahoo.com; jatinder.kaw@gmail.com; indu.jalali@gmail.com

OUR MOTTO:

" OM SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINAH"(May all be happy)

OUR ANTHEM:

"OM SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINAH
SARVE SANTU NIRAMAYAH
SARVE BHADRANI PASYANTU
MA KASCID DUHKHABHAG BHAVET"

(May all be happy, May all be healthy; May we all experience what is good and let no one suffer)

CORE TEAM / OFFICE BEARERS / TRUSTEES:

• Pt. B.L.SADHU President / Chairman
• Pt. Sunil K. Thusu Vice Chairman/ Chief Operating Officer / Treasurer
• Pt. Jatinder Kaw Chief Personnel Relation Officer/ General Secretary-Personnel relations
• Ptn. Indu Jalali Chief Administrative officer/ General Secretary-Administration,
• Pt. Hari Kaul Chief Fund Raiser / Chief Publicity Officer/ General Secretary-Resources & Publicity

SPECIALIST DOCTORS TEAM:

Dr. K. L. Chowdhary,
Dr. Anil Bhan,
Dr. U. Kaul,
Dr. Shakti Bhan,
Dr. Tej K. Kaul,
Dr. M. K. Mam,
Dr. Anita Dhar Bhan
Dr. Abishek Kakroo,
Dr. R. K. Saproo,
Dr. Sudhip Raina,
Dr. Sushil Razdan,
Dr. R. L. Bhat,
Dr. Anil Kaul,
Dr. Deepak Bhat,
Dr. Vikas pandith,
Dr. Rashmi Koul,

ADVISERS:

Pt. M. K. Kaw,
Pt. Moti Kaul,
Pt. Gautam Kaul,
Dr. Shakti Bhan,
Dr. K. L. Choudary,
Pt. Maharaj Pajan,
Pt. S. K. Khazanchi,

LEGAL ADVISORS:

Pt. Sri Krishan Kaul
Pt. Bansi Wali

BANK OPERATION:

Bank: Corporation Bank
Branch: Mayur Vihar Phase-I Extension, New Delhi 110 091
Beneficiary: Name: Kashmiri Medical Emergency & Charitable Trust
Account No: CLSB01100016
IFSC/RTGS Code: CORP0000546
(Further detail of KMECT will be made public on web very soon.)

Satari and Dhutari

Satari was a very intelligent, literate and a practical fellow. He always followed his mind and would proudly talk about his genetic inheritance which was a Nanwai shop. Once in a year he would give 1 anna discount on his chochiver and that too in the name of his hoon, BULLI.

He was religious too and made it a point to attend every religious and marriage ceremony with the nawabi cap on his head and blessed newly weds with empty poly bags to carry away extra food to home. So that Maharayn gets more time to spend with her new husband instead of spending it in kitchen preparing delicacies for him. People in his town used to look up to him and very soon he became role model of his society.

Dhutari was a dumb and a very rowdy fellow. He never had seen face of the school in his entire life. He had one pair of yezari and a phiran with God knows how many holes in it. He used to earn his earning by selling tickets in black and whatever little time he used to get after the Philmi shows that he spent at tharas pyath near his home, playing turuf. He hated going anywhere else other then his doodi maaji hoondh ghari. There he was KING in his own kingdom and and was answerable to her and to himself only. There no one accused him of doing wrong and never was looked down .

As fate would play its game. Dhutari and Satari one day met face to face and suddenly both of them took instant liking for each other. In spite of their different background they started seeing each other regularly and their point of discussion mainly........... BULLI kar laadi election ti bani Minister baye Ambitabh bacchan sinz nav khel kar yee.

One day Satari decided to take Dhutari for a long drive in his new Marvati alon with BULLI . They went to boulevard,then to chasm-e-shahi and then to maisuma for tasting Muni wazin , seeki tujji - ah hah hah!!! Satari was enjoying this luxury for the first time in his life and was thanking BULLI on and off. As it was BULLI who liked eating Muni wazin kabab and Satari had to oblige (After all could not afford to take his anger especially when he was in the race of becoming a parliamentarian).

Anyways after thanking their stars both of them proceeded towards their homes and suddenly Satari was stopped by one young lad,as he wanted him to pay some amount towards the making of a religious place. Satari by this time was dead tired and had no wish to spend anymore and that too on a thing which he was not sure which actually existed. As usual he buffed the lad away by cursing him for duping Innocent people.

Suddenly Dhutari held the young lads hand and took him aside. He gave him 1 anna from his pocket and promised him that everyday from his earning he would give him 1 anna. Till his mission was complete.

On seeing this Satari got angry as well was amazed to see Dhutari the blacker giving MONEY. He curiously and teasingly asked him....... Haya haram maal chukha bagravan, magar kya faydi, ye chu chyani khoti boud haramuk. Khyavan lookan heenj roopiyee?. On hearing this Dhutari replied Jinaab bhi chus bekil, mein kya wali navi tee karith agar vali ti pati kya ghav, akihr ghachay baajah myani koomuk jawany kini na. Jinaab agar doorust aus teli mejvi toohi byakh jaay DUA MANG NAS ti agar chur aus teli melyas aakh dooh aram karnas khastri. Dhoyn vani soortan maanj gav soney BOI baajah.

Shukhur khodayas kun KAKAS dyutim ni ke.