World renowned composer Zubin Mehta will conduct the Bavarian State Orchestra at the Shalimar Gardens, on the banks of Dal Lake, in Srinagar on Sep 7. The event, billed as Ehsas-e-Kashmir, has been sponsored by the German Embassy in India . Needless to say, as with any other event concerned with Kashmir, this too has already generated its share of controversy and hype.
Opinion is sharply divided over the significance of this event. As usual, the separatist politicians in Kashmir have openly voiced their reservations about this particular event as well as its timing. The national media in India, on the other hand, has projected this event, by and large, within its nationalist narrative, trying to showcase it as another pointer towards normalcy in Kashmir.
With this sharply polarising backdrop, it is hard to find voices which address the middle ground on this issue. It would be naïve to believe that this event will change the ground realities in Kashmir or lessen the sufferings of a people who have seen tragedy and violence up close for the last 25 years. It would not lessen the hardship that Kashmiris face every day. For a common Kashmiri, who hardly has anytime for such cultural events, Sep 7 will be another day where he/ she will face the grind of their daily life.
This event has generated quite some buzz on the social networking sites as well. Critics of the event question the motive behind this concert, alleging that it will be used by India to showcase to the world that all is hunky-dory in Kashmir. But then the same can be said of the tourist influx that Kashmir has seen in the past three years, or Kashmiris getting into civil services, a Kashmiri donning the Indian cricket cap etc. It is hard to draw the line in such cases. The State and the corporate Indian media will always try to project all such events as indicators of normalcy in Kashmir.
It must be mentioned here that the contours of the resistance movement in Kashmir have undergone a drastic change over the past two decades. From hardcore militancy in the early 90s, the movement has gradually shifted to nonviolent means, more in line with the realities of our times. It must be to the credit of Kashmiris that they have kept up the resistance movement, adapting quickly to the changing global realities. Many writers and poets have made use of their talent to showcase the situation in Kashmir to a global audience.
What could be the best possible way of countering this event, without sounding unrealistic, xenophobic and stuck in a time warp? The answer has already been provided by the civil society in Kashmir by means of creative engagement. An event, Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir will be organised on the same day in Municipal Park Srinagar to showcase the indigenous culture of Kashmir and to negate the ‘nationalistic’ narrative that is being tried to create through Ehsas-e-Kashmir.
Zubin Mehtas orchestra will not change the ground realities in Kashmir, neither will it provide any balm to the wounded Kashmiri feelings. It wouldnt even address the issues of the pathetic day today governance in Kashmir. Without sulking about this event, Kashmiris would do better to make their own Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir, a resounding success so that the accumulated pent up anger of over twenty years can have another positive outlet. The State on its part should not act as a bully and should allow the democratic space for this alternative cultural event also to be organised without any hindrance.
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