“I feel it is important to write personal narratives about Kashmir. There should be plenty of stories of Kashmir from all points of view. Our enemies are often those whom we don’t know. It has been thirty years; it is only through these stories that we can embrace each other. It is in the stories that the skill of forgiving and being forgiven is hidden.”
Kashmir cannot be reduced to a single narrative. No matter how many perspectives you seek, you will not come even close to comprehending her reality. Manav Kaul’s ‘Rooh, A Novel’ gives you the perspective of a Kashmiri Pandit boy who fled to Mainland India, and who returns to seek the Kashmir his father had locked away in a cupboard only he could reach. He wants to revisit the Kashmir of his memories, yet is fearful of doing so.
At the soul of the book is Kashmiriyat- the centuries-old indigenous tradition of communal harmony and religious syncretism in the Kashmir Valley. The traditions which Kashmiris share regardless of their religion- the food, the language, the culture.
Though categorised as fiction, the book is a deeply personal account, because unless a person lived those experiences, they would not be able to capture them with the rawness and tenderness with which they have.
The fragrance of the Valley, the fragrance of his father permeates every page. The sights, the sounds, the smell, the touch, the taste. The book is also a visual treat- Kaul paints the beautiful landscapes with his words as only a true artist can.
Do read the book to capture yet another facet of Kashmir. The translation by Pooja Priyamvada is almost invisible- at no point do you feel you are reading a book which was not originally written in English.
And till the end, the question asked in the book remains unanswered- who lost more- the Kashmiri Pandits who left everything behind and tried to create a new life outside, or the Kashmiri Muslims who stayed behind in a land where the situation remained dangerous?
[I received an ARC of the book, but the review reflects my honest opinions.]
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