Everyone
is worth listening to
Gulam
Mohammad an old man of about 70years of age, wearing a customary shabby blue
cap with white lining. His face with deep wrinkles shows ages of anxiety. His
eyes were deep and green and they showed as if he was searching for someone who
would make him feel relaxed. Gulam Mohammed wearing a traditional Pheran, with
one side folded on his shoulder with his body slightly bent, one hand in the
pocket of waistcoat and the other holding a stick to support him to walk. His
whole body was shuddering and he was walking very slowly. I offered a helping
hand to him and tried to interact with him, he too was very interactive. I took
his hand in my hand, and we walked for a distance together, while he started
telling the tragic tale of his life, which turned him into a beggar.
Gulam
Mohammad a farmer from the hilly area of the Tangmarg, comes to Srinagar
regularly to implore for money. He had two sons but time changed drastically
for him which separated both of his sons from him, and with the result he
started begging. His elder son lives separately with his family and his younger
son died while crossing the line of control (LOC} in the nineties and left his
wife and three children behind. Although his elder son sometimes offers a
little monitory help but of no avail.
Gulam Mohammed,s wife passed away very early. He
brought up his children and also got them married. In nineties when the arm's
movement in Kashmir started, his younger son joined the movement and left to
Azad Kashmir for training and did not return.
Gulam Mohammed was in the dilemma that his son is living in Azad Kashmir
but after ten years he came to know that while crossing the border his son was
shot dead. This news broke him down, he suggested his daughter in law to remarry,
but she refused. Gulam Mohammed was earning through farming till he heard the
news of his younger sons death.
As
days turned into months and months into years, his grand children were growing,
and expenses were increasing, and he too was approaching towards old age. Although
his daughter in law would help him in farming but their life turned more terrible
when Kashmir was in turmoil for consecutively three years from 2008-10. They could
not cultivate anything. They would live without food for days. Gulam Mohammed
who became very old and weak with time was not able to continue farming. His
grand children who had now grown up understood their condition, and his elder
grandson started working in a restaurant at Tangmarg on 500 rupees a month only
but this was not sufficient for their family expenses.
Gulam
Mohamad's patience ended and for the sake of his grand children, he came to
Srinagar for begging. ‘My conscience does stop me says Gulam Mohamme, ‘but my
need pushes me forward’. Gulam Mohammed
who walks with the help of a stick has only one wish left before he meets his
end and that is to see his grand daughter getting married.
Conflict
has changed our whole discourse and those who suffered need to be looked after.
Thousands of organizations work in Kashmir but still a lot more is yet to be
done. We need to systemize the organizations which work on solving such
problems, so that those who lost their dear one’s would not feel alone and
helpless.
Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.
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