R K Watal, R N Watal
On the remembrance of this day of 20th june 2019 on his first Anniversary I wanted to confine this day to the mere observance of essential ceremonies in accordance with strict Vedic rites as per the last wishes of departed soul with a view not to publicize the same for any purpose as he used to often recite the stanzas of Sahir Ludhyanvis poem “Mei pal do pal ka shayar hu….” the translated version with meaning of the relevant stanzas is that “why any one should mourn on my demise. Many like mine have come and gone before me after living the span of their life and why should one have any repentance over the demise of mine . Some have left this world having smile on their face and some after having tearful eyes. They were part of this mortal world. And I too being the same as such there is no fun of bothering your mind to have any remembrance at the cost of short moments of life for enjoyment of material objective ” one could say.
Once a human being comes in this world he plays his role which may be relevant though not for any other person in general but at least for himself or for his family .
There are a number of instances where many personalities have played significant role in the society who are remembered for their contribution by posterity.
Nevertheless few are also the instances where contribution and sacrifices of many such people who spend their life for the sake of service of mankind go unnoticed either because such personalities do not want their sacrifices to be rewarded in any way or by way of will binding their nears and dears not spend money time and energy for this purpose or common man thinks that such things are not required to be talked or made mention of for unnecessary taxing people brains on any active role played by such an individual in the past for the benefit or welfare of the people with an idea that “by gones are bygones” and it is no use to carry the memories of dead to the grave by posterity when no benefit will accrue to them out of it.
All such events can be talked to be a routine way of life but those who lead the societies either socially or politically from the front can not escape the liability of guilt of deliberate or gross omission for ignoring the role which symbolizes the values and ethos of the society , region or the state in which they live.
With repeated attempt to suppress the feeling of remembering him by writing this memoir with an the idea to restrain my mind from glorifying his contribution in any way on his anniversary as per his last wishes ,but keeping in view the duties at least as an individual honestly ,cannot resist the temptation of penning down these words in the remembrance of this great human soul whose lot of insight on various social and political issues with practical approach as a man of firm conviction with strict action in consonance with highest standards of wisdom could not be ordinarily contemplated to have been left with out any mention for all those who knew him or have heard about him and expected to remember their beloved with expectations to share the same with their immediate kins and close associates .
Born in a small village of South Kashmir of Bonapora (Manzalvoni) Akingam Anantnag District on 2nd of Poh Shukla Pakash Bikrmi Samvat1981 corresponding to the year 1924.
Realizing and admitting an unavoidable departure from observance of tenents of his testamentary disposition with emotional and psychological state of mind mourning , every moment of his association is vivid like any thing around me after completion of one year of his demise and piping down some sentences in his memory is also an obligation of persons who used to be around him especially his immediate descendants .
The descendant of Maha Saint Watulnath Acharya of gotra shandley Padsamankaushik as per the research done by him with the assistance of Dr.Baljinath Shastri, traditional feudalistic watal dynasty of Middle Class societal background though gifted with the agricultural patta during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on the recommendations of his officer rulers comprising of more than 1200 kanals of jagir kahreva land in favour of Pandit Ramchand, to the fourth generation dynasty descendant, this feudal structure of the society was not acceptable , who earnestly desired to strive for overthrowing the same by plunging into political arena after moving away from his ascetic way of life which he lived under the guidance of his Spiritual Guru Sh. Parkash Anand a Marathi Nagpuri Sadhu called as Babaji stated to be an associate of Mahatma Gandhi in Quit India Movement. Babaji was a learned Acharaya who finding an irresistible impulsive thirst of learning and an inquisitive urge for seeking knowledge in a young boy of adolescent age, endeavored to satisfy his curiosity and quench the thirst of his disciple who was with impressionable mind who had quest for learning particularly the original Vedic language of Aryans in order to study and know the annals of the history in Vedic Dharm and Sanskrit Basha inspired him, from whom he learned the Vedas and jumped into the ocean of learning knowledge from various chronicles, books and study of the original scriptures of various saints and writers of Ancient Vedic, Medieval and modern period.
During this period, he came in contact with greatest philosopher author and traveller Rahul Sankriatiyan with whom he was also associated and he was inspired from Badat Anand Kaunsaliayan motivated by the historical facts of superiority of Hindu culture in ancient times he was a great scholar of of Hindu philosophy and later on influenced from teachings of Leo Tolstoy. He came in contact with progressive ideologues and became associated with Quit Kashmir Movement which also fought against the feudal structure as he never liked that those who work on the land should be kept away from the usufruct of the same though many relative Jagirdars and feudalists opposed his moves.
He wished that workers should get their due, motivated and organized the landless peasants in South Kashmir emerged as their leader having roots of his working strength in masses of District Anantnag of Southern part of the State with particular thrust in Breng, Kothar, Shahabad, Shwangus, Dakhshanpora blocks of the District. Though his Guru wished and recommended him to be sent as an envoy to Buddhist countries for the spread of the message of Buddhism as being learned Scholar with all teachings of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy but he was later on impressed by the ideal that the greatest religion of mankind is humanity and humanness and was of the view that all other thoughts and theories of salvation or the ways of destination towards attainment of spiritual goal are subordinate to this idea of the teachings of humanism and humanity.
The firm conviction in Sarva Dharma Sambhavna greatest ideals of secularism with teachings of Kashmiriat as an assimilation of Sofi culture , of Hindu, and Muslim saints like Lal Ded, Shah Hamdan ,Sheikh Noordin Noorani unlike any other thought of religious superiority of one community over the other. His firm belief emanated from the ideal that All human beings possess the same blood and all are entitled to the natural resources without any distinction of religion, caste, colour, creed or race. He preached the human values of mutual brother hood and harmony among different social groups and communities. He was a firm believer of democracy and advocate of global peace and wished that cooperation and coordination among Nations only will lead to the path of peace and prosperity, and aggravated conflicts had no place in modern civilized world.
He was opposite to the idea of exploitation of man by man and subscribed to the political thought of human welfare individual liberty and freedom from exploitation of workers , labourers and supporter of social cause for freedom of women, and ruled and dominated class of the society exploited through generations dividing them on the unscientific belief of caste or work based upon the occupation considered to be below standard for earning of any livelihood.
He struggled for emancipation of farmers and peasants against ther jagirdarana regime and gave the slogan of “Sar do Surplus mat do”. His political life flourished as worker, social scientist, reformer and a politician and learned man of scholarly leanings of various philosophies with greatest wisdom and highest conflict resolving capability.He also worked in close association of contemporary co leaders of his time which included Late G.M. Bakshi the then PM. of the State; G.M. Sadiq the then CM of the of the State of J&K; Syed Mir Qasim the then CM of the State; Shamasudin Ganie the then Prime minister of the state Late Durga Parshad,(DP) Dhar, the Home Minister of State with whom he was always associated . Though not having the desire of holding any power position by manipulations or power politics but being close to the corridors of power , he always pleaded for the cause of the people farmers and peasants who had a positive approach and always gave valuable advice to the authorities or leaders in Government whenever consulted for solution of any crisis. He was loved and respected by them because of his high spirit of love for mankind, sincerity and human approach and wisdom and knowledge he possessed …..
(The authors are District and Sessions Judges)
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As a champion of human rights, he struggled throughout his life for nurturing and upbringing the modern thought, socialism, secularism, democracy, social integration and mutual brotherhood of mankind and never cared about social boycott of difference of opinion which even his close friends had with him. A scientific tamper having towering personality with nobody superior, an ideal philosophy with no grudge to any thought he believed that the evolution of ideas of nature and society as having the basis in a particular social set up as being an outcome of different stages of social development. His close associates believed in him who would listen to him ,to his suggestions learn from him and he was a man very much ahead of his times. Praised for his tremendous conflict resolving capability, used to idea of value of human life to live with respect and dignity of all. He had his friends in every nook and corner of the State and some of the associates included scholarly men of diverse ideologies and some of journalists and scholars of the other parts of the country as well.In his retirement of active politics after 80s e ,he was pained to see the degradation of values in politics of the state and hypocrisy of some leaders as opposite to the role of the leaders of Freedom struggle accepted and recognized by common masses. He stood like a rock behind the children and juvenile who were drifted because of the complexities of their behavior due to innocence, enthusiasm in their community loving superiority complexity or belief with basis in religious orthodoxy advocating the relief and remedy they needed for their apathy of frustration advising to be considerate to them with true spirit of humanity and humanist ideals. He always welcomed the disagreement on sociopolitical viewpoint and respected the difference of opinion in any economic, social and political ideology with him. He was one of the cofounding Members of Democratic National Confrence Sympathizers of the sincerity of ideals borne by Girdari Lal Dogra, R.P. Saraf; K.D. Sethi, Sardar Joginder Singh of Jammu Region and Kaushik Bakula Budhist Leader and Sonam Wangyal of Ladakh Region though having difference in theories and ideologies propogating extremism. He was of the view that ordinarily no human being is such that he will always prefer to be away from his urge to the material objects in material world but thirst for the power, enjoyment satisfying the desires and selfishness nature should never be allowed to dominate him in ones right approach to life. Unlike other species of animals, it is the man who is the enemy of man, murderer of another man, one group that of another with similarity or difference and this kind of nature should not be allowed to be exhibited by him in order to be human so as to be called as a human being.
A magnetic induction like power of love in him ,photogenic memory, his mesmerizing thoughtful speech , sweet and impressive art of conversation and motivation power, flow of stream like ideals and ideas was unique in him and no one would ordinarily have edge over him in deliberations and discussion on whatever issues. Characteristic multidimentional personality with a number of facets and qualities in him, some of them he had inherited from his father Sofi Saint Pt. Prassad Ram who was always surrounded by people who would always like to be in his company for availing benefit from his spiritual sermons ,teachings of Holy Book Gita, Holy Quran Ramayna, Mahabharta, Bhagwat, Sufism Persian poetry culture and shavism.
This writing may not be construed to be a grievance against those who are claiming to be the leaders of masses in the state who might have missed to visit him on his or on the last months of his illness or omitted in their courtsies or obligation of paying homage to the departed leader and freedom fighter except few of them on his demise.
Many of his admirers are of the view that awardees of secularism and human values of love and mutual brotherhood, Kashmiriyat for the purpose of promotion of human values could be honoured by awarding those deserving the same, in the honour of his personality and an award in his name towards fulfillment of obligation of the state in honouring him posthumously to discharge the debt which society can be said to be owed to him..
Besides highlighting different dimensions of his personality, in him we found a caring husband ,a loving friendly father who never rebuked his children ,an affectionate brother and Mama, compassionate head of dynasty a respectable person in the society, a top counselor apart from whatever was his image in the outside world.
With all these words, it may not be construed to be a deliberation on any social or political issue in criticism to any of his associates or opposite ideologist and the same should be taken to be no more other than remembrance /homage of wife to her husband, sons and daughters to their beloved departed Papa irrespective of his social political ideological belief philosophy, religion or expression on any political thought.
Concluding the same with couplet from Iqbal’s poetry Hazaroñ saal nargis apni be-nuri pe roti hai
Badi mushkil se hoti hai chaman meñ dida-var paidi the English translation of which is.
For thousands of years the narcissus bemoans its colourlessness
The person with insight is very hard to find in the garden.
(The authors are District and Sessions Judges)
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