Kashmir Terminology

Of late there have been a lot of terms that have become quiet common in usage. But there meanings have been determined by the conditions prevailing in the valley. This is just an endeavor to uncover such terms.

Hartal: Lawful justification for not going to workplace

Protest: Shouting so loudly that your voice strike the walls of offices of concerned authorities

Identity Cards: Lifeline of a Kashmiri

Crackdown: Where you are down and your bones cracked

Blast: Minimizing the minority of Kashmiris

Road Map: Exactly a map but without signs and symbols

26^th January & 15^th August: Monstrous days

Cross Firing: Easiest way of suicide

Surrender: Get a gun, give it back and own a job

Round Table Conference: Where the center is ambiguity

Dialogue: One-way communication

Peace Process: Hypothetical concept

Cease Fire: Shoot limited number of bullets

Custodial Killings: Natural death

Search Operations: Employ five laborers for a week to get things again in place

Boycott: Cannot catch it, so we are not with it

Leader: Every 10^th person on the street

Government: Does it exist?

Election: In-house joke

Laws, Rules & Regulations: In books only

Tear Gas: It is always ‘in’

Stone Pelting: Oldest and most economic way

Lating Position: So that you don’t become Mr. late

Fidayeens: Omnipresent

Cordon: Surround everything else than the place you have to attack

Freedom: Whose & how

Press Conference: He got no one else to talk to / dying to speak

Media: Avenues of revenue

Human Rights Violations: Twice a day

Curfew: Prehistoric but relevant

Militant: Terrorist & Mujahid would be too extreme

Bunker: Next-door neighbor

Third Party: Optional party of Kashmiris

LOC: Out Of Control

According to Mamkol, “Do you know that terminology is not a word but a complete election – T(ERM END) + E(LECTION) + R(EGIONAL) M(EGER) + I(NC HEADS) + NO(LEFT) + LO(SP) + G(8Summit) + Y(ES TO IAEA) – next elections”.

Who Is A Kashmiri

Do you guys know how to identify a Kashmiri? This piece of writing will absolutely help you in actually knowing a few things about him. Without any more wastage of time and words, we begin;

Search To Get An ID Card

Wherever he goes, he always has an ID card with him. No matter what happens, he will never leave his home without it even if it is just crossing the road to the departmental store. A Kashmir has every now and then being asked to prove his identity by virtue of an ID card in his own land. And the best part is that his identity is confirmed by people who are not even a part of the Kashmiri nation.

First One To Help

Kashmiris have always been fearless, brave and courageous. If you see a crisis like a blast, or an accident or may be some serious thing happening, a Kashmiri will be the first to go out and help people. He doesn’t care about himself and all he can see is his duty to lend a hand out. That makes a Kashmiri very special.

Keeps A Distance

If you see a guy keeping an arm’s distance from any security personnel, be sure that he is a Kashmiri. Security forces have left deep impressions on the minds of Kashmiris and are associated with frisking, beating, bullets and what not. It is like the bad guy in your school whom you were always scared of even if you saw him on a street somewhere. But still, you see Kashmiris smiling at them, really admiring.

Sensitive Breed

A Kashmiri can do anything when it comes to emotions. They are ready to live and die for others. A Kashmiri is a very sensitive type of species who gets driven away by emotions and feelings. Even thought after 20 years of conflict, the hearts have remained the same – as innocent and hospitable as always. This tells you the character of a Kashmiri.

Response To A ‘Bang’

What will you do if you hear a bang? Different reactions come out but a Kashmiri will have certain fixed reaction to it:

• A current will run through his body and he would feel goose bumps
• He will attempt to locate where the ‘Bang’ came from
• Next, he will try to locate the place to run to
• Third and last, he will either really run or laugh at himself

But, people don’t blame him. Bang always meant blasts in Kashmir and they have seen enough of them. Unsurprisingly a Kashmiri cannot relate anything else to a “Bang’.

Toughest One

There won’t be a single family which has not been affected by conflict, but a Kashmiri still have not forgot to laugh. He always laughs and makes others laugh too. You would never know what he is inside because he never makes you even think about it. A Kashmiri is a very strong character who knows how to move on with life. He learns the best and worst lessons in life before he actually comprehends what life is.

Die Without Rice

A Kashmiri can fight and conquer any difficulty except not having rice. You may make him eat varieties of food ranging from Chinese to Italian or Mughlai to Mexican but if he does not have rice, his meal is not complete. He will really die without rice, which is all he wants at the end of the day.

I truly salute the character of a Kashmiri for all he has gone through and the way he has emerged out of it. I am proud to be a Kashmiri

According to Mamkol, “Kashmiri actually sees hopes midst intolerance, racism & indifference ”.