CIVILIZATIONS ARE GLACIERS FOR HUMANITY.

Autar Mota feels.....

" Civilizations are like glaciers. Benign nature ,through its  seasons,  brings more continuity to them. They fill water in our rivers of thought  to  nourish humanity  and propagate life.  Every human being is duty bound  to protect human civilization in any form wherever it exists. If you treat a civilization with  prejudice ,  hate  and  intolerance, it  vanishes like a cube of ice put in boiling water. There can be no other disservice to humanity than   abetting  in the extinction of a civilization .'

(Autar Mota)



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TWO LINES THAT I WROTE FOR A KASHMIR PHOTO

                                                                              

KASHMIR.....

I wrote these two lines  in kashmiri  for this photo...

'Vaai zaanh vuchhizeh kaman Pushrovthhus
Trovthhus Maeshrovthhus Putchanovthhus".
.........
.........
........

"Alas! Never ever you sought to know what befell me after you handed me over to the heartless strangers,
You who dropped me,
Forgot me
And tore apart every petal of the flower that i was
.."
.

(Autar Mota)

 
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TWO QUOTES OF DR KASHI NATH PANDITA

           
                                                                      

TWO QUOTES OF DR.KASHI NATH PANDITA..

( Mobile photo..Autar Mota)


He spoke this to me  some days back when i visited him for some clarifications and guidance...

(1)

"When you are just below a mountain, you can't know how high the mountain is ; Only when you move away, you realise its loftiness . "

 (2)

" Fools hit a man in trouble or when he is lying low. The wise man knows that when such people get up and stand erect, they usually turn out taller . "

(Autar Mota)


PS

Dr K N Pandita Former Director Department of Central Asian studies , university of Kashmir needs no Introduction. He is a post graduate in Persian from Punjab university and Ph.D. in Iranian / Central Asian Studies from Teheran university . He is Author of many books and innumerable papers . Awarded Padamshri recently for his academic attainments , Dr. Pandita is a widely travelled man.
He has closely worked with so many scholars from Central Asia more specifically from Tajikistan.
His travelogue titled "My Tajik Friends" earned him the coveted Soviet land Nehru Award 1987.He has also been awarded Padamshgri by Govt of  India for his academics attainments .

Some prominent works of Dr. Pandita are:

1. Baharistan-i-Shahi, A Chronicle of Mediaeval Kashmir (translated from Farsi)
2. Avicenna – An Introduction
3. Iran and Central Asia
4. Ladakh, life and culture (edited)
5. Hafiz of Shiraz (Urdu)
6. Tohfatul Ahbab, ( English translation of a 17th century history of Kashmir .)
 

 
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INTERNATIONAL TEST UMPIRE SWROOP KISHEN REVOO ( 1930-1992) WAS A KASHMIRI..

                                                                                         

                                            ( With his wife,... Marriage Photo1960 )

                      ( MICHAEL HOLDINGS BOWLING IN CALCUTTA TEST MATCH UMPIRED BY SWROOP KRISHEN REVOO .. DECEMBER 1983 )

INTERNATIONAL TEST UMPIRE SWROOP KISHEN REVOO ( 1930-1992) WAS A KASHMIRI..

He was the umpire in some Ranji Trophy matches that were played in srinagar in early seventies of the last century .My friends in Kashmir remember hlm as a bulky gentleman who later proved to be a FIRM AND FAIR umpire that Test Cricket ever saw .
It was a great surprise for us to learn that he was a kashmiri .

As per Late Dr B N Sharga ( Writer from Lucknow ); 


" Swroop kishen' s grand father Pandit Sham Kishen Revoo had moved to Lucknow from Srinagar city after he married a girl from a kashmiri family of Lucknow. Through this marriage , One son and three daughters were born to Pandit Sham Kishen Revoo. Swroop Kishen's grandfather never lost contact with his srinagar relations .

Swroop kishen's father (Tej kishen Revoo ) served in Indian Railways and was posted at New Delhi . .After some time Sham kishen Revoo (grand father of Swroop kishen Revoo ) also moved to Delhi to live with his son Tej kishen . Tej kishen had built a new house at Bazar sita Ram Delhi . From Delhi , the family maintained close contacts with their srinagar relations . Swroop kishen was born in the family's ancestral house at srinagar city . Swroop kishen's mother was from kashmiri Pandit ( Zadoo ) family . In 1960, Swaroop Kishen Revoo married Sunita Handoo , a kashmiri Pandit girl .. He had three sons Sanjeev, Sunil, and Susheel.." .

Swroop kishen did his schooling in Delhi and finally graduated in Law from Delhi university . While studying at Delhi university , he played cricket and later did a professional course for umpiring. He served as Accounts officer in Accountant General’s Office New Delhi . 

In Ranji Trophy matches that were played in kashmir, we saw cricketer Abdul Rauf talking to him with respect and regard. He umpired the match that saw Bishen Singh Bedi being made desperate by stylish hitter Rauf. Pakistani cricketer Zaheer Abass has spoken high about his decisions and  integrity .

Sometime in 1977 , he was selected for international Umpiring and the first assignment he got in 1978. He was always held in high esteem by players for his firm and fair decisions . he was Possibly was chosen as Umpire for more than 15 Test matches . The Calcutta match that he umpired had 4 lakh spectators . He finds mention in "The Men in White Coats (1987) " , Teresa McLean' s book on umpires and umpiring.

He umpired many crucial test matches where Gavaskar and kapil Dev created Cricket history . Once he had to scold Imran khan for trying to tamper with the ball. His decision in appeal against Desmond Haynes for handling the ball is a cricket history . He had a great sense of humour that he silently displayed on field as well.
                                                                           

          


Swroop kishen was a perfect cook. He loved   kashmiri dishes  that he cooked so well. 

Capt. S K Tikoo  who was associated with JKCA adds ;:

  " He  had moved to Delhi much earlier and he could barely speak in Kashmiri. I asked him once if he could recollect where he originally belonged to, 'Batayar'- he replied without batting an eyelid. He was in SRINAGAR on an umpiring assignment and we had arranged his stay in Hotel Jehangir. We took him to Batayar one day and he was given a very warm welcome in that neighbourhood. I think he met some near/distant cousins too.
 Cricket was not economically the same then and we the JKCA as the hosts were even poorer and Swaroop Kishen never complained. He was a thorough gentleman and an honest nd dedicated umpire."

Shri Harish Bahri former Ranji Trophy Player from J&K State adds :

  "A through gentleman with a lot of humorous nature . He  would get well with players. He generally was known for giving corrective tips to the players.... One such incident I would like to share here. We had a very potential fast bowler Mr. Ved Kashyap ( popularly known as Buggi ) in our team who used to chuck the bowl in between his bowling...and that off cutter would be unplayable. Sawroop Ji noticed that and advised him to wear full sleeve shirt rolled down to the wrists. Thereafter he bowled successfully without any one’s objections. Another tip which he gave to me while fielding in slips and in short leg. That helped me to take difficult catches at ease on a  spinner’s bowling ...especially on MD Mirza’s bowling in short leg and  gully position. I never hesitated to ask him for guidance in batting against the opponent’s bowlers. He was a non speaking Kashmiri from Lucknow educated in Delhi who enjoyed chewing tobacco pan ...a great human being  and a great umpire who enjoyed great respect among the cricketing nations. His decision would rarely go wrong. I have many more memories of him but here I conclude on a lighter note... once Visiting team captain said “ we can do away without the side screen when Mr. Swroop is umpiring "


  Sunil Gavaskar   held him in high esteem. He  showered  praises  on  Swroop Kishen  when he wrote the foreword to the Book  "The Burning Finger " . Gavaskar wrote :

“If only Mr Swaroop Kishan  had been the umpire in my last Test innings, perhaps the story of that Test would have been different.”  

Swroop Krishen Revoo was awarded Padam shri and died of cancer at a comparatively young age of 62 .


( Autar Mota )

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DR MULKH RAJ ANAND AND KASHMIR

                                                                            

                                                                            

Dr Mulkh Raj Anand (1905-2004)

Capt SK Tikoo told me recently: 

" Dr Mulkh Raj Anand , the celebrated English Noverlist and wrlter was a passionate lover of Kashmir. He had very good knowledge of kashmiri culture , folklore and history. He loved kashmir's Autumn season in its entirety. Early Autumn( late September and early October ) for its abundance of colours / flowers and then the glorious late autumn for its golden hue spread by majestic chinars. I have had some memorable interactions with him. 

Once he stayed in kashmir for about two weeks and stayed in a private Guest house in Sonawar Locality . That time he had a lady companion . I am unable to recollect her name .She was a well known Art Critic. We would meet gardeners and villagers and he collected kashmiri names of about 71 flowers and flowering plants. Then he located their Botanical background and English names. He obtained complete details of these flowers and flowering plants and recorded them in his diary with his own hand. This diary would remain with me for the night . Every afternoon i would carry the diary and meet him.
One afternoon , i went to meet him and to my surprise, i found he had left for Mumbai due to some exigency. I spoke to him on phone and he advised me to keep the diary in safe custody till he comes back to resume the incomplete work. He could not make it for a couple of years and then arrived the militancy. 

This precious work was also lost in the blaze and destruction to which my house was subjected to by some miscreants in kashmir valley.
During that visit , Dr Anand told me complete background of his Novel " Death Of a Hero " that he had written about the Tribal Raid of Oct 1947 with Maqbool Sherwani as hero. His recapitulation power and memory was amazing..To me ,his personality appeared to be a mixture of Gandhian thought and Marxism. He had profound and unmatched knowledge of Art and Sculpture. 

All along his stay in Srinagar during that period , He  was mostly on liquid diet. He had a fairly ĺarge  Thermos flask with him and he  would fill it up in the morning with warm water and keep on having a sip or two at regular intervals throughout the day. Well, the flask didn't have  warm water alone, It had a fair amount of  Brandy mixed .
 
I think it was early  or mid  eighties of the last century . When he visited,  Kashmir was   the Old Beautiful kashmir  and this Captain who is narrating the story to you , was a real CAPTAIN to his friends and loved ones  " 


(Autar Mota)


PS

Prof. Neerja Mattoo Ex Principal Women's college  Maulana Azad Road Srinagar adds :


 " Dr Mulkh Raj Anand  visited our college in mid fifties and talked about his books to us / students and took questions graciously That was in the times of the great Miss  Mahmooda Ahmad Ali Shah "

 
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SENDING YOGURT TO A MARRIED DAUGHTER'S HOUSE

                                                                            

SENDING YOGURT TO A MARRIED DAUGHTER'S HOUSE

My Mother has told me something like this…

“ We kashmiri Pandits had a social Custom called DODH . Though Dodh in kashmiri means Milk , In that particular custom , it meant Yogurt. Ladies were shy in joint families . Orthodox ways were prevalent in kashmirian society . Many things were not discussed openly. So whenever a daughter in law was Pregnant , it was a real problem for her to declare it openly in her inlaw’s house. Even if the husband felt that during pregnancy , his wife needed a little special care , little attention , some rest and comfort from tiring routine work , he did not dare to convey it directly to his mother or father. The daughter in law conveyed this good news to her mother in her Parental home . The mother passed on the news to her husband or the father of the Pregnant woman . The father took no time in arranging two Big Pots full of Curd which he sent to his married daughter’s house . One pot was meant for her father in law and the other for her Mother in law .The good News and the message was thus conveyed . The purpose of this custom has died down with the passage of time though we continue to send huge quantity of yogurt to our daughters in marriage and other rituals .”

( Autar Mota )


PS
If you read Vedas , you repeatedly come across a food called Madhuparka . It is a mixture of curd and honey. During Vedic period Madhuparka was offered to honoured guest, Bridegroom , Saint , VIP visitors to the family and the king. Offering Madhuparka or sweet Curd was a symbol of love and affection. Since kashmiri Pandits  practice some vedic rituals in one form or the other , this could be the reason why they continue to send Yogurt to their loved ones on Birthdays, Marriage functions and other rituals .

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ARTIST M F HUSSAIN AND INDIA COFFEE HOUSE SRINAGAR KASHMIR.

Capt. S K Tikoo

And he told me....

" MF Hussain was always looking for his friend and fellow Artist  Bansi Parimu as and when he entered India Coffee House Residency Road  Srinagar. Sometimes,   Barefooted , he  would be seen i around Coffee House as and when he visited Srinagar during Summers.  ." Array Captain  !!  Bansi Nahin Aaya Abhi"  or " O Captai ! Hasn't Bansi Come yet ? " . This is what he would tell me when i met him inside India Coffee house He had many issues to talk to Bansi Parimu . He disliked sitting in the Hall. He disliked sitting In any  gossip Mehfil inside. May be for  noise. May be for  cigarette smoke .Can't say the reason but he disliked it. He would pull me out from a gathering inside and say " Aao Captain Balcony pe chalte hain. Neeche ka nazaara bhi Dekhenge. Tum se baat karne mein maza aata hai. Bahut ho gaya Art aur Culture ki baat " Or  " Come Captain , Let us go to Balcony . Let us look to the Road below .    I enjoy talking to you . Enough of these discussions on Art and culture now . " 

And he would ask  so many questions and seek reply.

 One day he suddenly told me:
 
" Captain zara paper Lao. I went inside and brought a cigarette wrapper. He didn't like and asked for paper. I went to Mr Chana manager and he gave me a letter head of India coffee House.  I went to  Hussain  but he said " No , No yeh nahin Bhai. "  Then i tore the portion that had India Coffee House written on it  and went back to him. He was waiting and  said "okay, okay". He then signed on it  in Urdu, Hindi and English and put date and place . "Yeh sanbhaalo" .I thanked him for the unique gift.

I lost that precious gift in the blaze and destruction to my  srinagar house by some  miscreants."

  And here are three kashmir specific paintings of Artist MF Hussain..

                                   

             ( A kashmiri girl)

                   ( A kashmiri couple)

          ( Untitled Kashmir painting)

(Autar Mota)



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