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OPINION
DILEMMAS
HUMRA
QURAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include Kashmir: The
Untold Story. She co- C partition and the aftermath in complete compatibility. Needless for
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
Kartarpur corridor brings
Sikhs and Muslims closer
Gurudwaras connect human beings in more than one way.
They feed the hungry, they provide shelter to the hapless and
above all relay hope of the vital human togetherness
orrect me if I am wrong but travels to the interiors of the region, one
the opening of the Kartar- can be sure of spotting and meeting Sikh
pur Corridor has brought families who call themselves Kashmiri
the Sikh and Muslim Sikhs. They bond with the Kashmiri Mus-
communities closer. The lims to such an extent that they are living
that had brought in friction and creases me to write that the tough ground reali-
between the two communities were evi- ties prevailing for decades in the region
dent until efforts of few individuals who has only made the bond grow stronger,
tried to bridge the gaps. more connectivity than before between
I recall Khushwant Singh telling me the Sikhs and the Muslims.
that when the Rockfeller Foundation As the Srinagar-based lawyer, Hardev
gave him the Fellowship grant to write Singh Oberoi, had shared with me,
on the history of the Sikhs, he deliberate- “Though my home was partially de-
ly chose the Aligarh Muslim University. stroyed during the 2014 floods that hit
Why? To quoteKhushwant: “I could have Srinagar but I didn’t even think of mov-
chosen the Delhi University or Jawahar- ing out from here. We, Sikhs, will always
lal Nehru University but I chose the be here…no one from my family moved
Aligarh Muslim University …Why? out from here even during the turbulent
because, I wanted to do my bit in bridg- in 90s.” He even went on to tell me that
ing the gap that had come between the not just he but his entire clan has been “at
two communities, Sikhs and Muslims ease living in the Valley”. He then added,
because of the partition and the havoc it “Mohammadans are better friends than
brought along…It was very important for your kith and kin. They can give their
me to write on the Sikh history and also lives for you…the only thing is that they
important to write it from an educational are very sensitive about their faith.”
institution like the AMU…After I finished And, in the backdrop of this, today,
writing the two volumes on the his- there stands out much bonding between
tory of the Sikhs, I added in Latin- Opus the two communities in other locales of
Exegii- my life’s work is done…To write on the country. This time, with the opening
Sikh religion and history was my life’s of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, it got
ambition…Having done that I felt like one members from both the communities
living on borrowed time, at peace with emotional to such an extent that several
myself and the world. It did not bother of my Sikh friends hugged me tight and
me if I wrote anything else.” greeted me with salaams (salutation) and
And, definite pointers to the Sikh- more salaams!
Muslim bonding can be witnessed in It’s touching to see this bonding
the Kashmir Valley. Right from the early between the communities who share so
1990s, I have been a witness to this bond- much of common history and turmoil.
ing and it’s always been heartening to And, of course, both the communities
see the hapless finding shelter and solace have been victims of communal violence.
and food in the various Gurudwaras of I recall that after the horrifying anti-Sikh
the Kashmir region…And, even as one riots in 1984, many of my Sikhs friends
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