Kashmir: Where heroes are mourned , not honored

Kashmir: Where heroes are mourned not honored


Every year when snow covers the valley and sunlight shines over the Dal lake , Kashmir with its breath taking and scenic beauty is portrayed as a paradise , a place which is a dream destination for honeymooners , trekkers and spiritual seekers. Pamphlets and brochures show boats floating swiftly, the laugh of tourists resonating under the pine tree, their hustle and bustle and the ponies waiting patiently for the visitors to take them up to the slope. But , there is another Kashmir ; dark and horrific Kashmir, the other side of the pamphlet that has never made it to the front page of the brochures and the travel vlogs.


It was in this haunted Kashmir where a man named Muhammad Ramzan lived . A humble pony ride operator in Pahalgam lived with meagre assets and modest earnings. He lived with simple dreams of raising his children in peace, growing old in the land of his ancestors and offering his services to those who came to marvel at the beauty of his homeland.


22nd April 2025, when Ramzan’s life took a dramatic change and ended with a full stop. The day when the valleys of Pahalgam were echoing with the sounds of bullets and the air was filled with a wave of panic and chaos, Muhammad Ramzan didn’t run with a fear in his heart instead, he threw himself in the mouth of danger.


He was not reluctant neither did he step back nor did he calculate the cause and benefits . He became the shield for the tourists and serve them with his body because that’s what humanity meant to him. To him a stranger’s life was as precious and sacred as his own. This was the day that marked the pause of Ramzan’s breathing. Ramzan died that day, a Kashmiri who served his life saving those who came to experience the very heaven he was never allowed to enjoy. Many people including the then Chief Minister attended his funeral.


He was mourned as a hero but for a very short time. His name got erased as the first drop of rain , overwhelmed by the louder tales emphasizing Kashmiris as threats, suspects and shadows in their own homeland. Few months passed and the valley again came to life. Tourists returned for the scenic beauty, hotels filled up and the hustle and bustle again continued. The government proudly announced the record breaking number of visitors, portraying it as a sign of peace and normalcy in the region. But for the natives peace was just a dream and an ideal thing to imagine.


Even if the valley came back to life and everything seemed normal,the meadows were still patrolled. Check points were visible cutting through the villages like invisible fences. Innocent sons were being disappeared on vague charges. Silence continued to take over the streets when the soldiers passed. And the memory of Muahmmad Ramzan, a Kashmiri who lived with honor and dignity was removed from the main page of the official story.


Young men living peacefully in their villages were picked up under draconian law of the Public Safety Act, detained without any voice , without any trial. Every knock on the door could be an arrest. The streets of Kashmir where tourists walk with joy , pleasure and sing their melodies, were the streets where Kashmiri walked with fear. The irony is unacceptable : Kashmiris like Ramzan who welcome and protect the tourist with a smile on their face and offer his life for their safety are described as being a threat even in their homeland.


The Kashmir Ramzan loved was not the one portrayed on Instagram or YouTube vlogs. His Kashmir was a name of sacrifice not selfies, a place of deep horrific silence not slogans. It was a Kashmir of hope that lost its breath everyday under slogans and surveillance. His story may never find its way in any guidebook but it has to be carved in the mind of every individual who enters this valley. The government markets the valley as a “heaven on earth”, the issue is whose heaven is this?

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