Monday, August 9, 2010

Forty Nine Stones.

-Composition from "Aru's stone collection"


Every year millions throng the streets of Mina  in Saudi Arabia to perform a ritual - The stoning of  the Devil. In this case the Devil is in the shape of pillars which are also made up of stones. These faithful  throw at least 49 smaller stones during this mass event that includes all sections of the society- men;  women; teens everyone. The occasion of course is haj, a scared lifetime duty of Islam.

According to Islamic traditions , Abraham was ordered by Allah to sacrifice his son Ismael.  Abraham immediately prepared to cut Ismael's throat . Thrice the Satan tempted the boy to flee and Abraham to desist from slitting his own son's throat . But each time at the sites marked by those three pillars, the devil was answered back by stones. Satisfied with this display of faith and obedience Allah provided Abraham a ram for performing sacrifice .

This piece of mythology is critical in understanding Kashmir Valley's unrest. For reasons ranging from stupidity to being politically correct; commentators ,analysts and policy makers have ignored this . They have even tried to sweep it under the carpet. Is it any wonder that banner headlines declare that small children have got killed during these disturbances. Or women and children are a large part of this stoning mob. The reason anyone  is bewildered is because they fail to understand the psyche and motivation of these people. And of course because they do not remember the story of the 49 stones.


Kashmir's unrest stems from the fact that major centers of the separatist agitation lie in the valley . Demographically It is close to hundred percent Muslim by faith. Nearly all Hindu's have either been killed or hounded out by them since last two decades. Their properties are burnt down; their business , religious and cultural centers taken over or ran aground.  Every effort is made by both the general population and the entrenched partisan bureaucracy  that Hindu's  will not or can not return. As if that mattered! But that's another story. To cut a long story short Kashmir De facto is an Islamic enclave inside a democratic republic. Democracy  and Islam do not mix  very well.  It is not an anti Islamic propaganda since it has been proven again and again with various ethnic groups and in several geographical locations throughout the world . It would be unwise to forget this fact at any time much less now when radical Islam is the dominant faction that drives the world Islamic agenda.

India is an ancient and timeless civilization. Kashmir in the Indian consciousness and mythology is the abode of Lord Shiva. Kashmir valley itself took birth because of the efforts of Kashyap  Rishi.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyap). That part of history and mythology finds no resonance with the stone throwers. In fact India is nothing but kufr for them. Kashmir is a typical example of the saying that "victors propaganda becomes the vanquished people's history." As these groups are in the thrall of Islam, their history , patterns of behavior and motivation is also Islamic in nature. They will identify with anything that has an Arabic connection. And if you find a parallel with the intifada of the Palestine ; you will be right.   So women will come out on the streets to throw stones at the "Kuffar". They will also send out little kids  in the streets even as disturbances are being precipitated by their fellow faithfuls. If these children are harmed  in the process ,maybe it is Allah's will or maybe Allah will send a ram instead!!!


I do not have a solution for Kashmir but whoever tries their hand would do well to remember those forty nine stones.