 |
| Peace brigades marching towards Srinagar on the eve of taking over the emergency administration of the State by Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah in 1947 Photographer: [K.N. (?)] Bamzai. [Photodivision India] |
Collected this story in Jammu while walking my father’s Badi Maami to the main road as there was no light in the lanes. She had heard Kashmir interests me. In darkness, in between pauses of heavy breath, while slow walking, she told me about death of her brother in 1947.
Few remember those dead people now. Few know their stories. He died so young. My brother…Bira…Somnath Koul Bira. He was with Shiekh. He was part of Militia. The ‘National Militia’. They defended Kashmir. When Kabailis attacked. They fought back. He died. There was communal unrest in Doda [then still part of Udhampur District]. Tribals were raiding. Hindus and Sikhs were killing Muslims. Muslims were killing Hindus. 700 people from Srinagar volunteered to go there as ‘Peace Bridage’. My brother was one of the leaders. Peace was established. But he never returned. There were stories. Stories of foul play. I was told he died even before reaching Doda. On the way they had to cross a bridge over Chenab. While crossing the bridge, they came under fire. I was told he fell in Chenab. He was gone.
Somnath Koul Bira was among the bright crop of young student leaders that came out of Lahore. Among his friends were Professor Apurab Somnath [Bakhiri] and Professor Durrani.
In 1947, a close to 600 Kashmiri Pandits were part of the Kashmir Militia. A lot of them communists.
-0-
 |
| Photograph of Somnath Bira, young man at the back in dark coat, pomaded hair parted neatly and a fountain pen in breast pocket. From personal collection of Somnath Bira’s brother Jawahar Kaul Bira based now based in Gurgaon. Shared by Anil Taku, nephew of Somnath Bira. |
Based on an online conversation here’s what I could gather:
*
Mehmood Hashmi went on to write a reportage in 1950 based on his experiences. ‘Kashmir Udaas Hai’ published in Pakistan is considered first of its kind book in Urdu. He worked in the parallel government for some years and then moved to England in 1970s where he continued to work for promotion of Urdu language.
-0-
Feb, 2019
 |
| Pushkar Zadoo [via: FB] |
