The beauty and brutality of life in the shadow of Kashmir’s killings

A centuries -old Persian tower, often repeated in the Kashmir administered by India, translates: “If there is a paradise on earth, he is here, he is here, he is here.” And many of Kashmiris insist that it was written with Pahalg.

The small town nestled between High Himalayan Mountains with a stormy Lidder river passing through it is called India’s mini-church.

The valleys and meadows here have long provided stunning places for romances in Bollywood and attract tens of thousands of tourists who have fled the heat and dust of Indian aircraft.

But on April 22, the calm valley struck the global titles when a scattered meadow here became the flight of murder.

The fighters separated male Hindu tourists and killed 25 of them in front of their families in Baysaran, a place for beauty about 7 km from the city. The local leader of the Muslim pony, who tried to help tourists, was also shot dead.

The slaughter brought nuclear armed India and Pakistan on the brink of war. India accused Pakistan of killings – the accusation of Islamabad denied – both sides attacked each other with rockets and drones for four days in May, after which a fragile truce was agreed.

But in Pahalgha, it seems that time is slowing down and residents are trying to pick up the pieces and move on.

When I recently visited Pahalgam, where a large majority made my livelihood through tourism, I found land and its people who are trying to cope with the collective trauma, complaining about the loss of life – and the livelihood. The peak tourist season here is from April to June – and this year the bigger part of it is already lost.

“What happened here is condemned … an inhuman act. Innocent people were killed,” says Jave Burza, President of the Pahalgam Hotel and Restaurant Association.

Standing in the back lawns of his hotel, he watches Lidder roaring pass. On the other hand are huge mountains covered by a thick carpet of trees. It was this type of view that made this valley in South Kashmir such a sought after destination.

Burza says that visitors came from all over India because of the lakes, forests, meadows and glaciers – and returned to rotate for the local people and their hospitality.

“People here are poor, they live a hand in the mouth, but it is known that they are very nice and useful. Now we are all faced with the consequences of this meaningless violence,” he adds. “We had reservations right until the end of June. But then everything broke up like a package of cards. There are not many here.”

The region’s chief Minister Omar Abdullah says that at the time of the attack, tourists fled the city and the people who offered to come canceled.

To persuade tourists to give Pahalg another chance, he visited the city within weeks after the attack, held a cabinet meeting there and ignoring the advice of security staff, passed through the streets.

For the abdullah, Pahalg’s well -being is personal.

“This is where our school picnics were; there we probably first dipped our toes in running water. For some of us, this is the first time we went to white water rafting or trout fishing. For others it is a day or overnight. For us, it’s part of our growth.”

Abdullah says it is always difficult to make forecasts, but he hopes to see Pahalg “Where was you on April 21 this year.”

He was full of tourists on this day, says Fayaz Ahmad, who sells embroidered scarves and cashmere dresses on the main market of Pahalgham, with shops lining both sides of the only time going through the city.

Many remain closed, but several have begun to open in the hope of attracting customers. On the day I met him, he was the first he opened his store after the killings.

The last three seasons-after cow years, have been marked by armor visits, says Mr. Ahmad.

“At least 3000 cars will arrive every morning by 11 hours. There will be traffic jams with a duration of two to three hours. Many tourists would say that they cannot find accommodation.”

His own store was sometimes crowded that a tail of buyers would be formed outside. “The business was fast,” he said. But now he had to release three sellers. They will only be perceived if the business rises, he said.

Tourists’ directing him left him confused. Since 1989, when the anti-Indian militancy covered the Kashmir Valley, Mr. Ahmad said, “The situation was really bad here.”

“We were afraid to get out of our homes, but the tourists who chose to come here were never hurt. We cannot understand why they were directed now. Who can do such a thing?” he asks.

India has accused Pakistan -backed fighters of slaughter in a region, for which both countries claim entirely but control only in parts.

Delhi accuses his neighbor of nourishing a long -standing rebel who has killed tens of thousands in India -administered Kashmir. Islamabad has long denied to support the fighters there.

In recent years, rebels have declined, carrying millions of tourists and a growing sense that the region finally becomes more favorable. But that has changed now.

“Pahalgam Ke Naam Par Dhabba Lag Gaya (the name of Pahalgam is colored),” complains Nisar Ali, an 80-year-old resident who earns his living by selling Papier Mache products.

“People had taken loans to open stores and buy taxis, now everyone is staring at an uncertain future. What happened to our paradise,” he asks.

Only 2 km from the market, the dashboard points to the unjustified road that approaches Baysaran, 5 km of hiking, covered on foot or ponies. The concert wire used to barricade the road has been moved to one side and the locals, and the sheep herds can see to head to their path.

Before the killings, it was one of the most popular places for tourists. The meadow, offering great views of the valley, was open from 08:00 to 17:00 and will receive thousands of visitors every day in the summer.

But now it remains out of bounds. Two men have been arrested for claiming to have provided asylum to the fighters, but those who have committed the killings have not yet been caught – leading to fears that they can return.

Abdul Wahid Wani, President of the Union of Pahalgam Pony, who was the first to arrive in place, says 1090 tourists have boarded the meadow until 14:00.

There were about 300 tourists during the Baisaran attack, he estimates.

At 14:36, he says, he received a call from the police and asked him if he had heard anything about an incident in Baysaran.

“I tried to call colleagues who had taken the tourists to the meadow, but no one answered. I decided something was wrong and my brother and I ran all the way and got there at 15:10.”

Police and the Paravoans arrived 15 minutes later. That evening, G -n wani, wrapped at 02:30. He says what he saw there holds him awake at night.

“I saw women and children cry and scream. I saw the bodies on the ground. I saw 10-15 people injured.”

In the first videos of the consequences that became viral on the day of the attack, G -n wani can be heard by trying to calm the survivors by offering them water, telling them that he is there to help.

He also called other pony manipulators who arrived at the scene to help evacuate people – “wearing them on the back and wooden beds” – and collects bodies strewn around the huge field.

“I still can’t forget what I saw this day. I panicked; I had a heartbeat. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

When I met him in Pahalgha, he seemed tired, his eyes sank deep into his lined face.

“For many nights, I couldn’t sleep and sleep still escapes me. With the fighters who are still at large, I worry what will happen if they come after us because we helped people who are trying to kill?”

But earlier this week we exchanged messages and it sounded more optimistic.

The city returned to life, with thousands of pilgrims arriving to participate in the Amarnati Yatra – the annual Hindu worship in the Amarnath cave sanctuary. It started on July 3 and will continue until August 9th.

Dozens of camps have been set up and thousands of police and security forces are located along the route to ensure security.

Pahalgha is one of the two starting points for the hike to the sanctuary – and as many worshipers hire ponies to take them part of the road, there is a steady stream of work for the vani and his colleagues.

But hoteliers and store owners say they will have to wait until the end of the worship, as most worshipers remain in cheaper camps and rarely buy crafts.

But many accept a heart from the fact that tourists have begun to return to the region. Ravi Gosaine, president of all India tour operators, says 40% of over 45,000 tourists who visited the Kashmir Valley in June went to Pahalgam.

On the day I visited, families who stopped for photos under the sign “Love Pahalgha”.

Shabiba and Hamid Jafar, who had visited last year at the same time, said it was so crowded then that they had to wait half an hour to be able to take a picture here.

“When we decided to come this year, our friends tried to discourage us, saying it was not safe,” Shabiba says. “But this is completely safe and my kids are so happy that they say to move to Kashmir.”

Jafar says their friends call them after they have seen their photos. “And I tell them to come here for a break. Where will you see this beauty? Where will you get this peace?”