Tears of Jhelum – A Tale of Emotions

Wali Mohammed Khan has two options; either save his family (mother & wife) and let the militants take away his daughter or sacrifice the family including self, yet lose the daughter to militants. He doesn’t want to exercise either of the options. Then what should he do and how should he go about it? Read on to find out about the trauma ridden day in the life of a Kashmiri family, held hostage by the militants.

Tears of Jhelum is a story of a close knit Khan family who has managed to hold on to its moral sanctity in spite of the torn and blood stained social fabric and failing human values in the valley. The family members included Wali’s father (Abba Jaan) who was the district educational officer before he retired and both his mother (Ammi Jaan) and wife (Sakina) were housewives. He has two children, Salim (an engineer, married to Veena, a Kashmiri pandit. He lived and worked in New Delhi) and Meher (an MBBS from AIIMS, practices in a government hospital in Pahelgam). They have an old domestic help Abdul, who also helps Wali in his orchard and a young orphaned boy Shakeel (same age as that of Salim) whom Wali brought home to look after him. He helped Sakina in her domestic work.

With the rising communal tension in the country and the atrocities against Muslims globally, the young Kashmiri’s were all charged up. The youth was brainwashed and easily lured into so called “Jihad” by vested interest groups operating on both sides of the border. And Shakeel was no exception. One fine day after Godhra riots, heavily influenced by these militant groups, Shakeel left the house and no one had any information on him, till he turned up at his master’s house with three of his accomplices (Hashim – from across the border, Ahmed and Shaukat) and AK-47s on the evening of 3^rd August, 2006.

That evening Wali’s world came crashing when over dinner, Shakeel put forth the purpose of his visit. He wanted to marry Meher. And without giving any choice, Shakeel and his accomplice told Wali to make necessary arrangements for the Nikah on 5^th August, giving him a day’s time to convince Meher, Sakina and his mother (Abba Jaan had passed away by then). Grief stricken, Wali couldn’t even share the dilemma with his wife or family as he couldn’t afford to take any risk with their lives. Wasim, his cousin was the only person whom he could confide in. Wasim was like his elder brother who was always a support system to Wali since childhood.

Next morning (4^th August) after giving instructions to his wife and Abdul, Wali rushed to Wasim, to seek his help. The risk was very high as Shakeel knew almost everything about Wali and his whereabouts except about Salim (Salim moved to New Delhi much after Shakeel had left home). So they decided that they will go to Salim’s house for a few days till it is conducive for them to come back. It was easier said than done as in doing so; he will have to relinquish his house, orchard and risk many lives. But there was a personal hitch for Wali in going to Salim’s house. He never approved of his inter-caste marriage to Veena and he never spoke to her, though she gave him all the respect and was like a daughter to him. Also, he never responded to numerous letters Salim wrote to him, though he preserved them all. He was not sure of how he will face them, especially Veena and this made the situation further difficult for him. He had no option but to gulp his personal apprehensions for the sake of family.

In order to deceive the men at home, Wasim with the help of Nusrat (a distant relative) did some shopping for the bride. He also withdrew all the cash from Wali’s bank account and booked the bus tickets from Srinagar to Jammu for the family to leave. The last bus left at midnight, so the plan was to serve dinner early and pretend to sleep early and leave the house by 10pm in the dark to avoid being spotted. Wali had instructed Abdul to make a lavish dinner for the men so that they retire to bed post it. While the dinner was being prepared, Wali revealed Shakeel’s purpose of visit to Sakina and Meher and updated them about the plot he has hatched with Wasim for their safe exit. While the men were relishing dinner, Wasim took Ammi Jaan away on the pretext of his wife Ayesha being hospitalized and needing help. Shakeel and his colleagues were oblivious to this development. Post dinner Abdul made sure that men are back in out-house, making it easier for the family to leave.

The escape was not easy as men kept watch on the activities of the house in the night and they had to walk a long distance before they could get into the waiting car, away from the prying eyes. It was very risky. The exit was not without its share of twists and turns like Sakina falling and injuring her ankle and unable to walk, a bullet being fired after hearing some noise, argument breaking out between Abdul and Shaukat and the display of some amazing presence of mind by Wasim, Abdul and Wali. Wasim had already dropped Ammi Jaan and Ayesha at the bus stop and now Wasim took Wali, Sakina and Meher to the bus stop. Once in the bus to Jammu, the family was safe from the hell that was about to break loose on them. And thus, Wali with the help of Wasim and Abdul managed to free his family from the clutches of these dreaded men without having to sacrifice any life.

Agony of Wali Mohammed tied down to the demands

The expression of pain, haplessness, agony, fear and courage that Anita Krishnan weaves is highly intriguing and the book is difficult to put down. It ends with the train journey from Jammu to New Delhi and that would leave you wanting to know more about the family and how they lived after that. Lot of attention is paid in detailing things which makes the book more enriching.

Though on the expected lines of typical mystery books, but I am sure, majority of those who will read this book, will definitely like it as it gets you involved with the emotions and the trauma, Khan family is going through.