Divine Lights Must Dawn Upon J & K

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed conflict on multiple fronts for more than three decades. It has taken the toll of the people leading to many stress related problems and health issues. Traditionally Kashmiris are peaceful people having immense sensitivity towards nature and its bounties. The ethno-religious conflict inflicted on the people with the nefarious designs violated the aesthetics and place consciousness of Kashmir. Pakistan sponsored terrorism devastated many lives and enabled the patrons of terror to cultivate the space for conflict economy. This had a chain reaction that subverted the socio-cultural space and degradation of ethical values and moral challenges among the youth. The dreaded outcome has been the inclusion of narcotics in the lives of youth. This has led to immense threat to the impressionable minds that should have otherwise been living normal lives like the youth in other parts of the nation. Kashmir is a land of cultural refinement where various strands of spiritual consciousness have evolved and enriched its masses. The light of this spiritual consciousness has illuminated people not only in Kashmir but enabled people of various hues to drink from the spiritual nectar valley in India and abroad. Kashmir was sought by various thinkers and travellers who internalised the originality of the cosmic thought process in Kashmir. Kashmir has the distinction of evolving a framework in philosophical tradition that has no parallel in the annals of human development in the entire globe. Both nature and the refinements of the blessed minds have made this land as the land of the Divine. Its rich folklore and local tradition is full of wisdom that can enlighten the human mind in the worst situations. Who can forget the contribution of Lal Dyad( Shaiva Yogini Lalleshwari) and realised souls like Ahad Zargar who ignited the Kashmiri minds with the presence of the divine in human unity. Lalleshwari stressed upon finding the Almighty in one’s self and reaching the exalted state and proved that this is not difficult. She was an illumined soul who had taken birth in the Divine land of Kashmir to remove the cobwebs of apathy and ignorance. She lit the lights of the Divine in all human beings with her Vaakhs- Her Divine sayings that were composed on the basis of her inner realisations. What was astounding is that she composed these Vaakhs in her native language Kashmiri. Thus these sayings appealed to all sections of the society. From an educated person to a layman, Vaakhs illuminated the souls of all Kashmiris with the lamps of Divine that can never be extinguished. Even if there is immense turbulence outside but the soul and mind focussed on the One Divine will never allow the cosmic being present in all equally to extinguish the Light of the Divine. She holds the place of the Mother for all Kashmiris. It goes to the cosmic genius of Lalleshwari that her Vaakhs are verbatim on the tips of all Kashmiris be it the time of marriage or any celebration or the time loss Lalleshwari’s Vaakhs echo in the valley of the mind like the Lamps of the Divine. It is these lamps of our ancient wisdom in Kashmir that must guide us to promote brotherhood and peace in Kashmir. Ahad Zargar was on the same lines and went ahead in the lighting of lamps in the Kashmiri society. He was well versed in the knowledge system of Kashmir that promoted unity of all beings and the unity of Almighty. His works stand out. When his compositions are read or heard these light the lamps of Divine and enable the Divine Dawn to descend. On this Diwali let us all pledge to light the lamps of the Divine in each heart, mind and soul. These lamps are eternal and can’t be extinguished by any hurricanes and storms as these are fuelled by the grace of the Almighty. On this Diwali let us all invest in brotherhood and unity of Almighty, who is above all and lives in us all equally. Let us give Divinity a chance to enable the Divine Lights to Dawn upon the land of Kashmir.