If Kashmir Wasn’t A Battle Zone, How Different Would Life Be?

Mekhala Saran has penned a poem, “If Kashmir wasn’t a battle ground”.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

Kashmir has long been a battle zone, But what if it was not? How different would life in Kashmir be? What impact would it have on the rest of the nation, television, politics et al?

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone ,

Salim, Kishan and Kabir would counter a cigarette,

Huddled around a radio,

Listening intently

To Dev and Raza's cricket commentary.

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

Radha and Atif would watch the sun set

into the Dal Lake,

And he would promise her a forever

amid awkward lines of poetry,

And her father would catch them holding hands.

And he would be very angry,

But really not for any reason,

But that dating is distracting,

And Radha's yet to finish her education.

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

Little children would sail paper boats

on melted snow, to un-bordered/un-patrolled lands,

Singing songs about monsoon and snow-fairies,

On days the weather was exciting,

and maths homework didn't seem too scary.

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

Noisy news anchors too would lose their jobs,

The fate of the nation not at their mercy,

Finding themselves robbed of an opportunity

to peddle lies, sell their soul, to gain favour, make tanker-loads of money.

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

They would only sprinkle Saffron

into hot cups of spicy kahwah tea,

For fragrance and flavour,

And not into the lives of real people,

For fear and fervor.

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

Politicians would have to look for other reasons

To stoke terror, to wage war,

If Kashmir wasn't a battle zone,

When they tried to incite hatred,

Maybe, you'd see through their ploy,

Hold your head up high

and show them the door.