AN EVOCATIVE PORTRAIT OF KASHMIR’S SYNCRETISM

Book Review: 'Echoes from the valley' by Vinay Capila

Many contemporary fictions which deal with the Kashmir issue have been written in the recent years, and these describe the situation in Kashmir during the insurgency, the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, and the lives of the Kashmiri people- both the Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims during the post-insurgency years. The author Vinay Capila comes up with such a book “Echoes from the Valley”, with a premise wherein the remaining Kashmiri Muslims begin a campaign to restore the intrinsic cultural ethos of Kashmir.
The storyline follows three friends, fresh out of school in Srinagar, who decide to go for a trek into the mountains. On their journey, they hear whispers about armed strangers sneaking through the mountain passes into the Kashmir valley. The whispers soon convert into roars, and there is an elaborate web of intrigue being woven across the border. It becomes clear that a plan is afoot for the ethnic cleansing of the valley by the invading terrorists and their local supporters.
The ultimate exodus of the minority communities leaves a bitter taste of guilt and impotence among those of the majority community who have watched it happen helplessly. This is when one family decides that they will not watch with apathy while their lives are dictated by alien forces. They begin a campaign to try and convert the silent majority into a dynamic force to fight the terrorists and restore peaceful living and the culture of syncretism in Kashmir, which has been the unique feature of their valley. Will they succeed? The storyline then goes on to answer this question.
The characters in this book are complex and complicated, just like the storyline of the book and the larger Kashmir problem. The character portrayal, which is astute; and the engaging writing style of the author, along with the exquisite language used, is the strength of this story. The plot is politically correct- almost, that is, though more research could’ve been undertaken to include more details about the Kashmir issue, and the subplots also blend with the story well.
This is a book that features a complex and insightful rendering of Kashmir and its inhabitants, through the protagonists of the story. The prose is beautifully written and engrossing, and the fictional story features at its heart the syncretic Kashmiri societal fabric, complemented by a compelling look at life in Kashmir during the insurgency and the post-insurgency years. This is a finely-written book with strong themes and rich character details, and should be read by readers interested in a somewhat different, yet heartfelt account of post-insurgency Kashmir or those wanting to read a contemporary fiction on Kashmir.