Ashok Ogra
“The more we long for home, the farther away it appears.”
January 19, 1990, marks a grim turning point in the history of Kashmir and its original inhabitants, Kashmiri Pandits. Terrorism uprooted an entire community, forcing them to flee their ancestral homeland. This mass exodus was not a singular event but a multi-generational trauma marked by immense suffering and the arduous struggle to rebuild lives in unfamiliar places. Thirty-five years later, the longing for home remains an ever-present ache in the hearts of those displaced, a painful reminder of the enduring cost of forced migration.
From Shock to Survival:
Migration, especially when driven by force, unfolds in distinct and often painful stages. For Kashmiri Pandits, the first decade after 1990 was defined by profound shock and suffering. The sudden and violent expulsion thrust them into makeshift camps in Jammu and other parts of India. These camps were overcrowded, lacked basic resources, and became breeding grounds for psychological trauma. Questions haunted the displaced community: “Why were we targeted?” and “Will we ever return?”
During this period, survival was the foremost challenge. The community faced economic hardship, deteriorating health conditions, and the psychological burden of leaving behind not just homes but an entire way of life. As the second decade approached, hope for an imminent return to the Valley began to fade. This shift marked a new phase-one focused on survival and rebuilding. The drive to ensure a better future for the next generation became the primary motivator.
Education became a cornerstone of resilience. Reserved seats in educational institutions were arranged for Kashmiri Pandit students, enabling many families to transition out of temporary camps into more stable housing.
By the third decade, relative stability had been achieved for many families. The younger generation, equipped with education and professional skills, found opportunities in India and abroad. For the first time in decades, families began to experience financial security. However, despite material success, an intangible pain lingered-a quiet ache that no material progress could alleviate.
The Lingering Pain of Displacement:
Resettlement, even when it brings hope and new opportunities, exacts an emotional toll. Spanish psychiatrist Joseba Achotegui introduced the term “migratory mourning” to describe the profound grief associated with migration’s losses-of home, culture, identity, and community. For Pandits, these losses manifest in the form of deep nostalgia. The aroma of traditional cuisine, the sight of old photographs, the strains of Kashmiri folk songs, or the yearning to revisit an ancestral temple evoke an intense longing for a life that now exists only in memory.
This nostalgia transcends the geographical and has taken on an almost mythic quality. Return visits to the Valley, often limited to temple pilgrimages or fleeting visits to ancestral homes, only serve to reinforce the distance between them and their homeland-both physical and emotional.
The sentiment is poignantly captured in a passage from Bimal Kar’s short story “Exodus”:
“They left the village with bundles on their heads, children in tow, but their hearts stayed behind, chained to the banyan tree and the fields that once echoed their laughter. Every step forward felt like a betrayal of the soil that had nurtured them.”
Navigating Identity and Belonging:
Migration also forces individuals and communities to navigate complex questions of identity and belonging. Kashmiri Pandits have had to adapt to new environments, adopting new customs, languages, and ways of life. However, this process of assimilation has often been incomplete and alienating. It is like living in a cultural “no man’s land.”
As a Somali refugee once expressed, “My body is burning with the shame of not belonging, my body is longing.” This sentiment resonates deeply with Pandits, who grapple with the paradox of moving forward while trying to hold on to a past that is slipping further away.
This sense of cultural duality often places the younger generation in a particularly challenging position. They must reconcile their parents’ nostalgic longing for a lost homeland with the realities of growing up in a different cultural context. As Jhumpa Lahiri writes in her exploration of diaspora, “It is a sort of lifelong pregnancy-a perpetual wait, a constant burden, a continuous feeling of sorts.”
Memory as a Tool for Preservation:
Memory too plays a vital role in shaping identity and fostering resilience. For Kashmiri Pandits, memories of their homeland evoke a spectrum of emotions. For some, these memories are a quiet ache-a reminder of what has been lost. For others, they are a source of strength, inspiring efforts to preserve their cultural heritage for future generations.
Cultural preservation has become a community priority. Initiatives such as language preservation programs, traditional festivals, and community gatherings serve not only as acts of remembrance but also as assertions of identity. In a world increasingly shaped by globalization and technological advancement, new tools-such as digital archives, social media platforms, and virtual community spaces-offer opportunities for maintaining and sharing cultural heritage.
Organizing a solidarity walk for homeland ‘RECLAIMATHON’ on November 19 by Panun Kashmir at Jagati Township, Jammu is indeed both an innovative and a commendable initiative.
The efforts of communities like the Parsis, Syrian Christians and Tibetan refugees who have managed to maintain distinct cultural identities within India’s multicultural framework, serve as inspiring examples. Similarly, the histories of Jews and Armenians- though now almost extinct in India- demonstrate how minority communities have preserved their identities over centuries in the face of significant challenges.
Making Peace with the Past:
For the younger generation of Kashmiri Pandits, the struggle to reconcile the past with their present identity remains a significant challenge. They live with the dual burden of their parents’ memories and the realities of their own experiences. Revisiting the ancestral homeland, while emotionally significant, is often bittersweet. As Mark Twain aptly observed, “When a man goes to visit his hometown, he goes to visit his boyhood.”
For Pandits, returning to Kashmir may not restore all that was lost, but it offers a chance to reconnect with their roots, their heritage, and their ancestors. However, this connection is fraught with the realization that the homeland they long for has changed in ways that are difficult to reconcile. As Rahul Pandita, award winning journalist and author, writes:
“Even if I return to the house of my childhood, the walls will not recognize me. The land I knew has changed, and so have the people. The Kashmir I long for exists only in my memory.”
The Return to the Valley:
The hope of returning home remains an enduring aspiration for many Kashmiri Pandits even when the road is fraught with challenges. Sporadic violence against minorities in the Valley continues to undermine any sense of security. A dignified and secure return requires addressing a range of political, economic, and social realities, and political inclusion.
History provides examples of successful reintegration. Take the case of 1994 Rwandan Genocide when over 2 million ethnic Hutus, fled to neighboring countries. The Rwandan government actively sought to reintegrate refugees with programs focused on national reconciliation, resettlement, and economic rehabilitation were established.
Similarly, during the Bosnian War (1992-1995), ethnic violence among Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs displaced millions. Ethnic cleansing forced many to flee. However, the Dayton Accord (1995) included provisions for the return of displaced persons. Efforts were also made to restore property rights and rebuild homes.
Religious and ethnic violence, particularly targeting Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities, displaced millions during the Saddam Hussein regime and later during ISIS’s rise. And yet efforts by the local governments have encouraged displaced populations to return, particularly to areas liberated from ISIS.
These examples illustrate that while some countries have taken significant steps to welcome migrants back, reintegration often requires substantial political will and reconciliation efforts to overcome historical grievances.
Redefining the Homeland:
For many senior citizens in the community, the painful truth remains: “The place I currently belong to is not mine; the place that belongs to me is fast disappearing.”
This highlights the urgency of listening to the wise words of late Henry Kissinger: “In cataloguing the desirable, we must not jeopardize what is attainable.”
The challenge lies in articulating what is desirable in the long run (whether it is Panun Kashmir or another solution) -and detailing what is achievable in the short run.
It is also important to remember that returning to Kashmir may not mean reclaiming the life that was lost but rather accepting a changed reality. The question then becomes: Can we find peace and redefine our relationship with our homeland in a way that honors both its past and its present?
Migration, as the Kashmiri Pandit experience shows, is not only about leaving; it is also about returning, often to a place that exists only in memory.
(The author works for reputed Apeejay Education, New Delhi)
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