The foundation of modern societies is based on technology. In other words, the level of modernity is related to the level of technology that is operating in a society. In recent past we have seen some deep social changes in the rural areas of Pir Panjal which are directly or indirectly connected with technology. The effect of this can be seen on multiple levels and aspects.
Because of its terrain, villages of the Pir Panjal were never connected with towns, as there were minor geographical barriers. In this way the society and culture which flourished in these villages was independent of towns and cities. From the 19th century to the 1990s, the connections of rural areas with towns were limited for paper work (mostly revenue), emergency hospitalisation, and police inquiries. From 1990s to late 2000s, militancy further minimised the movement of rural folk. People of villages were reluctant to visit towns because of multiple military checkpoints, psychological torture, and rough paths.
In the post-militancy period, real connections were established between rural areas and towns. New ideas, values and technologies were exchanged. One important outcome of this was migration of village families towards towns to harness new avenues and opportunities. The vacuum created by inadequate infrastructure for agriculture and industry gave rise to the services sector. Proper basic education was only available in towns and people migrated towards towns. Here began the intermingling of rural and town population at multiple levels. New languages were learnt for formal and official communication. In this way a new cosmopolitan culture was developed on a small scale where mutual respect for neighbours was ensured through Islamic values and teachings but with time all these aspects were destroyed by narrow and short-term political interests of a few families of politicians.
In the present context, things are changing because of education, awareness and social media where the scrutiny of facts can’t be hidden. People who had migrated to towns and cities now also feel nostalgia for the village life they left behind. The connections and attachments of childhood contribute to a rediscovery of the rural past where peace, tranquility and nature were all fitted together. With the coming of social networking and multimedia, ideas and mental horizons are influenced like never before. Traditional values, concepts and beliefs are now scrutinised in a critical manner. There never happened a scientific revolution in Indian societies in general, except some reform movements where thinkers were influenced by the scientific wave of Europe. In case of rural villages of Pir Panjal, influence of beliefs, myths and superstition was profound because of a long tradition of past where storytelling and legends were part of day-to-day life. But the dawn of technology gave access to people to facts that exposed prejudices and unsettled presupposed truths and a rudimentary level of scientific intervention happened.
The concept of tradition as well as modernity has been challenged in the minds of people. Rural folk who earlier felt an inferiority complex experienced new avenues and institutions like the university where debates and opinions on global to local level took place. In universities, they re-examined the prevailing notions and customs of rural society. The claiming of spaces by rural communities in mainstream society is the story of struggle, competition and hope. Such competition is beneficial and healthy in societies. If intervention of technology is used to examine and crosscheck the wrongful notions of the past, then a bright future can be hoped for.

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Barkat Hussain Shaheen