The Kashmir Files movie is a presentation, in most truthful and sensitive way, of the darkest face of Islamic terrorism that humanity have ever faced and despite facing savageries, inhumanity and insensitivity, resilience of Kashmir and Kashmiri Hindus.

Why Kashmir Files Movie is a Tsunami and Why Indians are Finding Themselves into it

Ever since the release of The Kashmir Files, media and all forums of discussion have generously provided various perspectives with amazing level of depth and dimension. The Kashmiri Hindu Genocide is top trending topic on all social media reflecting unified emotion for the victims of the one of the most heinous and brutal Pogrom perpetrated by Islamic Terrorists, and unquestionable consensus on ensuring justice to all victims who have suffered trauma and humiliation for 32 years. No one can deny that this movie has created a historic moment by galvanizing disparate emotions into one, to go for a fight with conviction for the right to justice for Kashmiri Hindu as if it was of their own.

But that is oversimplified view. The energy this movie has provided to create a Tsunami has come from the core; the way nuclear power comes from splitting of the core of the atoms. When we delve deeper at the core of the issue that this movie has brilliantly captured, we see a long span in which atrocities and crime were perpetrated against, humanity, spirituality, and civilization. In 1990, its inflection point, but was suppressed for over 3 decades. This movie has come out as a sudden explosion because the collective emotions of victims, sufferers and sympathizers got oxygen to reduce the negative energy.

Movie emphatically highlighted, that episodes of genocide and the one that happened was not exodus, but it was ethnic cleansing akin to the Holocaust. Kashmir being harbinger of spirituality and civilization has been a target of Islamic invaders. The most dreaded part that everyone would remember from the movie is radical terrorist calling “'Raliv Galiv ya Chaliv” (Convert, Die or Flee). Movie showed the raw side of the Islamic terrorists who went with conviction of eliminating all who did not follow their faith. The loudspeakers frantically hauling from mosques, distribution of pamphlets and other threat communications itself caused trauma to many who just saw it on the screen. The main characters of the movie who suffered the most brutal assaults represented all who follow Hindu faith inherited from the civilization.

To settle the misplaced argument that Kashmir is not a part of India, it is important for us to present some historical accounts (geographical, scientific, and civilizational). Spanning from the time of the continent drift off Pangea and merging (50 million years ago) of the Indian Sub-continent into Eurasia, Kashmir all the way to Himalaya, has been inseparable part of Indian Peninsula.

The preserved DNA from the women of Rakhigarhi taught the world that since 7000 BCE, there is no evidence of the South Asian genes being mixed with the central Asian genes. The scientific evidence was produced by analyses of five millennia old DNA samples extracted from the skeleton of famous “Rakhigarhi Women” from an excavation site at Hisar in Haryana. Bharat’s civilization (even predate to Harappa Mohenjo-Daro) has been mostly purely what we are now. The Sindhu/Indus is a trans-Himalayan River flows through the Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan regions of Kashmir.

The Vedic texts distinctly indicates that Vedic culture fostered in this Sindhu region. During Harappa Mohenjo-Daro, the archaeologist John Marshall, the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (1928–29) excavated the Pashupati Seal (Mahayogi seal or Proto-Shivaiva seal). He identified the seal to have Hindu God Shiva named as Pashupati (lord or father of all the animals). An article by Coningham and Young (The Archaeology of South Asia: From the Indus to Asoka, c.6500 BCE-200 CE, 31 August 2015), described that the valleys of Kashmir and Swat (Hindu Kush regions) had a rich agricultural tradition, and thus Pashupati (Shiva) could have been their source of Shaivism and is represented by Pushkar Nath character in the movie.

The Kashmir Files truly connects us to Kashmir, Kashmiris who have been unique symbol of our civilization and spirituality, thus to our identity! Therefore, all who derive pride in their great heritage encompassing civilization, culture and spirituality providing societal adhesion, they find this movie touching their soul, for what Kashmir was and what has happened to Kashmir and Kashmiri Hindus. They find their conscious as well as sub-conscious snowballed into an overwhelming emotion that cumulatively has built this Tsunami.

There is a mention in Rig Veda that Gandhar (Kandhar/Gandhara, was one of 16 Mahajanapada around Swat River valley) was a part of Kashmir and that extended across the Indus River to the Taxila region (Kabul Valley and Karakoram range). In the movie, Pushkar Nath writes many letters demanding removal of Article 370 from Kashmir which was extended beyond its expiration and caused the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide in 1990. His articles showcased how Hindus lived the Holocaust in their own country and suffered humiliation. Not only the instrument of accession of King Ranjit Singh was played against Kashmiri Hindus but also maintained to ensure their ethnic cleansing continues. With article 370 in place, justice was not possible and imposition of terrorism deterrent laws under Indian constitution and its enforcement was not possible.

The 32 years of pain and agony of Kashmiri Hindu has been shown in a way which could melts even the toughest of hearts. Kashmir Files is an awakening about our civilization and special place of Kashmir and Kashmiri Hindus. Legends say that Kashmir has been given a prominent place in the Mahabharata, and Pandava’s during the Vana Parva crossed Kashmir to reach mountains, Kailash and Bhadri Ashram. The Amarnath shrine is one of the most divine places in India. Ironically, those cults which do not have such deep roots in civilization, human and spiritual values will always feel threatened and embark on belligerent doctrines to overpower and convert the people from other faith and beliefs. People finding that the facts presented in the movie generates hard to deal with extreme emotion, and they are aware that the profuse amount of brutality in nerve-wrecking and gut-wrenching episodes of Kashmiri Hindu genocide covered in The Kashmir Files movie is just tip of the iceberg what Islamic terrorism has been perpetrating in Kashmir for ages.

The Kashmir Files is Tip of Iceberg of Islamic proselytization and Terrorism against Kashmiri Hindus

Kashmiri Hindus had to suffer the onslaught of Islamic invasions for last 700 years. Islamic invasions and rules ensured drastic and swift reduction of Kashmiri Hindus. Oftentimes persecutions were extremely severe resulting into large numbers of them fleeing to the hot plains of India. The Kashmiri Hindu Genocide has long history, and The Kashmir Files presented the most recent process. It goes as far as 1344 when Shah Mir killed Kota Rani to become first Muslim ruler of Kashmir.

The Hindu roots of Hindu Civilization was very deep and strong and thus resisted the Islamization. The Hindu intellectuals were the only ones who could support the administration of Darbar and Sanskrit continued as the official language of operation. Movie demonstrated that Pushkar Nath ji was not only dispensing academics but also contributing to the cultural literacy. On the contrary, Radhika an academician with malicious intentions peddled false propaganda about the persecuted Kashmiri Hindus. Before, Marxists undertook the activities of assaulting at the psychological, intellectual and spiritual levels, the same was done by Tablighis, Sufis, Dervishes and Qalandars. In addition to the sword, through proselytization they established Islam as the official religion and Persian as the official language. Temples were turned into Khanqahs and priests were killed. The most dreaded and infamous Islamic terrorist that practically annihilated the Kashmir was Sikander Butshiken.

Sikander got ButShiken in his name for But-shiken means dol breaker, because he worked on the top agenda to destruct all Hindu temples and idols. Simultaneously, Hindus were massacred, especially when they performed rituals and festivals or even wore Hindu style attires. Since then, the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide continued and Kashmir faced extreme brutality of Hamdanis, Jeelanis, Geelanis, Kirmanis, Andrabis and many others until 1819 when Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed Kashmir. The Kashmir Files leaves us with a question, whether Kashmiri Hindu would see resurgence of Punjab’s king Ranjit Singh era where Kashmiris were rescued from tyrant Durrani and could restitute from brutal Islamic ethnic cleansing, would someone fight something like the Battle of Shopian for them? Indians would like to take this movement that The Kashmir Files have initiated to attain something that the Sikh Kings did. They enacted many anti-Muslim laws to protect and rescue Hindus from trauma inflicted for centuries, and restitution of spiritual civilization, and that included death sentences for cow slaughter and banning the azaan.

With some support and tax reforms, Kashmir got empowered and started contributing to Sikh kingdom significantly. Kashmiri Shawl earned them heftily from the markets across the world, until British occupation occurred, and we all know how that region got severely neglected. By severing off the part of India that housed the most precious heritage, symbol of civilization, Britishers harmed India and the Kashmir region the most. The damage done to culture and spirituality rooted to civilization was colossal. The movie rightly catalyzes discussion on these issues. Indian independence and subsequent insertion of Article 370 provided the framework for the resurgence of the Islamic Terrorism against Kashmiri Hindus. But some in India tried to intervene, and one of the prominent one was demand of “ek vidhan ek samvidhan” by Shri Shyama Prasad Mukharjee who demanded the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir into Indian territory (1950s). Mysteriously, in 1953, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee –found dead while he was under detention by the government of Jammu and Kashmir.

With all support from Pakistan and then state government, Islamists comported as they governed the state and became hyperactive to Islamize the valley completely. For those who might find congress skepticism on The Kashmir Files amusing and why PM Modi and BJP led state government and ministers are supporting the movie, they needed to be reminded, that PM Modi has been working on Kashmir issues even before he was PM. If we recall the Ekta Yatra, that was conceived, planned, and organized by Narendra Modi, and led by BJP President Murali Manohar Joshi. The Ekta Yatra started at Kanyakumari on December 11, 1991 and conclude on 26 January in Srinagar with the hoisting of the Indian Flag at the Lal Chowk. No nationalist will ever forget Narendra Modi’s speech where he said, “The success of this yatra has jolted the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. There are posters on Lal Chowk issuing threats against those trying to hoist the Indian tricolor there. They had challenged our valor and warned that such people would be killed by the terrorists. Let me tell the terrorists now: Tomorrow is July 26. There are only a few hours left. Let’s see who has drunk the mother’s milk (an open challenge to terrorists).” Nationalists reclaimed the Kashmir for Kashmiri Hindu’s but the Article 370 was still the biggest hurdle to accomplish the ultimate goal.

Story of The Kashmir Files would have been different, less agonizing to all Kashmiri Hindus and less humiliating to all Indians if the movement of Narendra Modi had all freedom to operate. The team BJP lead by Narendra Modi continued turning strategies into implementation, and they got in their manifesto to repeal Article 370 from the state of Jammu and Kashmir that gave it special status. Who would forget the energy and conviction of Home Minister Amit Shah responding to a question regarding Kashmir, he said “Kashmir Ke liye Jaan De Denge, Kya Baat Karte Ho” (I will die for Kashmir, what you talk about).

On 5th August, the BJP-led Union government fulfilled the promise, but prosperity to return to Kashmir, still needed long way to go. The Kashmir Files has come as a wake-up alarm to take a lesson from the past and do everything in power to get justice to the Kashmiri Hindus. The way people have made this movie as their own movement of awakening is unthinkable. It on other hand gives us a confidence that this awakening, if continued effectively then it would not only bring restitution to the Kashmir and Kashmiri Hindus, but it may instill a renaissance of core of Bhartiyata, it’s civilizational and spiritual values. In an interview, when asked Sadhguru if he would like to visit Kashmir and conduct his spiritual discourses, he said that Kashmir has been brutalized and wounded for very long time and they need to heal before they could gain back to their spiritual spirit. It is, therefore, essential to build back all that Islamic Terrorism destroyed, temples, educational places, hearts and psyche of people

The Kashmir Files showed that many died and a few who survived and did not convert ran away. They hid themselves in forests or fled towards Kishtwar and Rajouri after hiding or carrying with them the idols they managed to save from destruction. The 12 ft tall Shivling standing up under the shade of a tree, but all alone, no temple, no pandit, no offerings, no devotees, and it is a site that may disturb even to those who have developed peach through spirituality. The God needs an Abode. Islamic radicals destroyed temples and idols, and the ruins of Martand, at Pattan, stand silent waiting for restoration.

The Kashmir Files awakened us to identify the forces and ask question why they are able to inflict us and how we could prevent and protect our ethos and values. Some may think it is an over stretch, but if you recall the “Bismil” song of movie Hyder, it portrayed the ancient Martand Temple (Sun Temple) of Kashmir as the “Shaitan Ka Gufa” (den of devil) and that hurts the religious sentiments of the Kashmir Pandit (Hindus) all over the world. But the way The Kashmir Files has brought all stratum of society, including those who are in power influencing government or spiritual movements, and this would get the justice to the Kashmiri Hindu and continue to build the civilizational and spiritual entities of what Kashmiriyat is built of.

Image source: The Times of India