The forced westernisation has caused an identity crisis. We must take pride in our language, music, and tradition as acts of survival, not nostalgia.
Aana Shabir Gojwari
Since my childhood, Kashmir has always been seen as the epitome of “Paradise on Earth”. This honour has been bestowed upon our delicate valley due to its canvas of wonders – the breathtaking sights of the ivory peaks, the frozen crowns of glaciers, the melting snow running down the mountains and harmonising into the gushing rivers and the renowned ambassador of Kashmir, the Hangul.
All these are the reflections of the serenity and purity of the eternal heaven. However, we are losing this heavenly essence of our valley due to our ignorance. We have watched it slip away and allowed it.
Every day, on my way home from school, in aching stillness, I observe the waning beauty of my beloved valley, be it the fading canopies, the choking exhausts, the venomous water or the moulded animals. I see the people surrounding me with a weathered heart that has lost the will of enduring.
Our wrenching hearts tend to blame others for this erosion, but the crude reality is that we all are collectively responsible for our valley’s present dilapidated condition. The forces shaping this loss are many, but one stands above the rest: influence.
The West and its culture have always enticed us greatly. We are lured by their way of leading life, be that dressing, style of speaking, societal and cultural norms. Unfortunately, we have adopted it as our standard for living. This has slowly stripped us of our sense of belonging, leaving us in an identity crisis as we try to blend in and connect with the unshared hues.
If asked about Western Culture, we will be able to give a comprehensive analysis, circumscribing its history, attire, symbolic references, and many other aspects. But if the same question is asked about our Kaeshur culture, will we be able to put forth our analysis on the same?
So, what are we other than dwellers of Kashmir? Can we be called Kashmiris even when a greater part of us is those who are disconnected from its culture and do not bear the burden of carrying on this legacy of centuries?
In the long run, what we are trying to achieve is forced westernisation, killing our bequest with our own hands, trying to turn the phenotype of Kashmir into a clone of the West, and turning our dale into a feigned megalopolis. We are just some people with no persona and integrity, longing to mirror those who stand apart.
As Kashmiris, to shield our paradise, the biggest role we can play is being the representatives of our culture, being proud of who we are, what we stand for and what ideals we promote. Protecting our land, keeping alive our Kaeshur Gaewun, following our traditional way of celebrating Khandar and Kan Chhamun and communicating through our silken, lyrical and honeyed Kaeshur Zabaan are ways by which we can best represent and promote our culture.
Kashmir is a living inheritance. We must preserve it not for nostalgia, but for our very survival.