BRINGING THE MILITANCY ONSLAUGHT FACED BY J&K’S PIR PANJAL REGION INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

Book Review: "Snakes in the Meadows" by Ayaz Kohli

There have been numerous accounts and books- both fictional and non-fictional, about the militancy incursion in the Kashmir valley. However, there are many other regions of Jammu and Kashmir that have faced an equally ravaging onslaught of militancy, one such region being the Pir Panjal region. However, the brunt of militancy encountered by this region is often relegated to the periphery in newspaper headlines. The author Ayaz Kohli comes up with the book “Snakes in the Meadows”, which forays into the onset of militancy in the Pir Panjal region, the people’s suffering in these hard times, and their resilience and perseverance.

This book presents a fictional account of militancy in the Pir Panjal, though the story is inspired by real events. The author has also steered clear of opinionated political discourse, and has tried to present an unbiased narrative in this story- with perspectives of both the general populace and the military establishment being included.

The story begins in the hilly village of Pathri Aali of Jammu and Kashmir in 1987. The protagonists Aslam and Ashwar are two young lovers, who dream of marriage but that is not to be. Fate intervenes, and Aslam leaves Pathri Aali. Years later, as men migrate to Saudi Arabia for employment; Pathri Aali is populated mostly by women and children. Soon they realize the Mujahideen, who guise themselves as their liberators, are the worst perpetrators, and misery seems inescapable. Ashwar refuses to be cowed down by this reign of terror and is determined not to let it devastate the once-peaceful village. The only one she can bank on is Aslam—and she calls out to him across the distance of time and space, to return and live up to the legends of their village. Will they be able to face the monstrosities of the militants and tide over these difficult times? The narrative then goes on to answer this question.

The book is well-written with a very poignant premise. The author has described the verdant locales, the picturesque valleys and the diverse flora and fauna of Pir Panjal in vivid detail; and the writing is simple, yet elegant. The book offers a rigorous dissection of the daily lives of the protagonists and the other characters, and how their lives change after the onset of militancy. The atrocities that are meted to ordinary people by militants are haunting, and the story grips the readers with its heart-wrenching details.

The characters have also been etched with exemplary detail, and the readers’ heart will certainly go out to the protagonists. Both Aslam and Ashwar are fighting their battles in different ways, and both are fighters in their equal right. However, the book sometimes shifts between different storylines, which can be somewhat confusing for some readers.

This is a story which is both thought-provoking and soul-stirring, and depicts the enduring resilience of people in difficult times. This book offers a poignant exploration of the repercussions of militancy, and brings into the spotlight a region that has not been discussed much in the predominant media narrative.