When KP Leaders Forgot Gandhiji And He Had To Travel On Human Shoulders

Sanjeev Tickoo

Before independence Maharaja of Kashmir Hari Singh wanted to stay independent of both India and Pakistan Lord Mountbatten's and Lord Haslings Ismay's visit failed to obtain a surety from the Maharaja that he would not declare independence On the idea of Sardar Patel and Mountbatten, Gandhiji visited Kashmir from 31 July to 2nd August, 1947, to clear anxiety that the Maharaja should make no declaration of independence.

As the nation was supposed to get partitioned after two weeks and due to conflict of the Jammu and Kashmir state, Kashmiris were apprehensive and passionate to see Gandhiji in the Valley In one of the days of Gandhiji's visit the Kashmiri Pandit Sabha organised an event where Gandhiji delivered his speech. This event was organised at Sheetal Nath Temple premises; as it had a large arena, a well concrete diais so that Gandhiji could be able to make his speech to the large gathering and also it was a centrally-located place in the heart of the Srinagar city, irrespective of people from all religions and walks of life. Hindu High School was, also, situated at the Sheetal Nath premises.

To give this occasion the best possible look the Kashmiri Pandit community had put microphones, loudspeakers, chairs, shamiyana some prominent Kashmiri pandit's were also expected to make speeches.

Mahatma Gandhi was supposed to arrive from the main road of Sathu Barbar Shah and then through the byline which connects the Sheetal Nath.

Along with the Sheetal Nath show ground was a maer (maer is a broad, low a volcanic crater, a circular depression in the ground. It is caused by the explosion of ground water coming into contact with hot lava or magma. Filled with water to form a relatively shallow crater lake, flat-floored craters as a result of a violent expansion of magnetic gas or stream; deep erosion. It is slippery with low rims composed of a mixture of loose fragments of volcanic rocks and rocks torn from the walls of the diatreme deep, and most are commonly filled with wild weeds, watery vegetables, to form a kind of a natural lake).

Kashmiri Pandits were excited and some had already started delivering speeches - before Gandhiji arrived - to emerge as speakers and leaders. One could hear the speeches far from the venue through loudspeakers at high volume. It was an afternoon time my father,

Dr. Radha Krishan Tickoo, was coming from Rattan Rani Hospital back to home towards Nai Sarak after his work (those days that road was the rough (kachi sadak); it is the same road upon which Kralla Khud Police station is built upon).

Walking a few steps down the road my father saw three persons; one skinny man sitting on his knees and two others standing. They all were looking towards the Sheetal Nath compound, over the maer, astounded with creepy looks.

To my father's surprise it was Mahatma Gandhi sitting on his knees. Upon being asked by my father why they came this way as the other way was made up to reach the Sheetal Nath, Gandhiji replied in a very feeble voice that no one was there to guidor receive him. Upon Gandhiji's reply my father was dazed about the arrangements made for him. My father was in his teens. He turned up his pants, shirt and coat sleeves, lifted the Father of the Nation in his arms and placed him on his shoulders with both Mahatma's legs over his front side, clutched Gandhiji by both hands and went through the maer to make Gandhiji cross the maer and placed him softly and gently on the Sheetal Nath ground across the maer, Gandhiji thanked my father and my father went back to home.

My father wondered about the organisers which belonged to our community only. Why were they not concerned about the Mahatma for whom the event was organised. Rather, they were within their own selves and groups, Where were all those kartas and dartas?

I asked my father as to why he did not tell the organisers/ KPs about this. My father told me: "No one bothered even to listen about all this especially, our Kashmiri Pandits who claimed themselves to be so-called privileged.

"Anthropology teaches us that the alpha male is the man wearing the crown, displaying the most colourful plumage and the shiniest baubles. He stands out from the others. But I now think that anthropology may have it wrong. In working with both, I have come to realise that the quiet man (my father), the invisible man; the man who was always there for patients, friends and family...AND for the Father of The Nation that was a real alpha male".

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Courtesy:- Sanjeev Tickoo and April 2012, Koshur Samachar