[Reader-list] The Last Journey From Sarda

[Pawan Durani]

   *Kashmiri Pandits - The Last Journey From Sarda*

By RKS Shandilya



Village Sardi, which houses the holy shrine of Goddess Sharda, is perhaps
the most scenic place in 'Kishenganga (Neelam) Valley'. It lies about 20 kms
to the north of Muzaffarabad. Till 1974 the village had no motorised
transport link with the outside world. Due to its strategic importance
Maharaja Gulab Singh had constructed a fort here. Dogra Kings maintained
here a permanent military post. In October 1947 the garrison was headed by
Pt. Sham Lal Khushu, the Thanedar.



*Kashmiri Pandit population:*

In 1947 the Kashmiri Pandit population of Sharda included the shopkeepers,
the *purohits* and the employees. Swami Nand Lal, a saint of great merit had
his *kutiya* at Sharda. He would stay here during summers. There were three
shops run by Kashmiri Pandits. Tika Lal and Nand Lal Thusu, the two brothers
who belonged to Lidderwan, had shops at Sharda and Dudniyal. Nath Ram of
Seer Jagir and Dina Nath of Tikr ran another shop. The other shop belonged
to Deva Ram and his brothers, who hailed from Gotheng.

[image: A view of Sardi village.]*

A view of Sardi village.
*

Pt. Sat Lal and Pt. Govind Ram Bhat served as Purohits at the shrine. There
were many Pandit employees in the area, serving mostly in Forest Department.
Pt. Shridhar Dhar, Conservator of Forests and resident of Chotta Bazar,
Srinagar had served in the area in different capacities. A great devotee of
Goddess Sarda, he used to perform havan on every Sarda Ashtmi at Sarda. Most
of the employees in the forest department in Kupwara region had been
recruited by him.



*Tribal Invasion:*

Soon after the news about the 1947 disturbances (tribal raid) reached
Dudniyal, Pt. Sona Lal Thusu, son of Tika Ram, closed the shop. He entrusted
his belongings to the care of his servants and moved to Lidderwan (Kashmir).
Pt. Jagadhar Bhat (Patwari) and Sham Lal Gagru (of Karahama), a forest guard
were his companions on this journey.

Kashmiri Pandits in Sarda came to know about ribal invasion from Sultan
Malik, servant of Pt. Dina Nath, the shopkeeper. Malik had brought a letter
from Dina Nath's family at Tikr.

Dr. Gauri Shankar, the Ayurvedic doctor had already left. His Dawasaz
(Pharmacist) Pt. Narayan Joo Pujari (brother of Purohit Govind Joo) left
along with his family members, which included Govind Ram's wife, children,
besides Nand Lal Pujari's mother, Parvati diyad. Parvati had a local friend
called Zeba. One day Parvati sensed the gravity of the situation from her
conversation with Zeba. Apprehension that invasion could force them to
change their faith, Parvati asked her family members to pack belongings
immediately and leave for Gotheng.

[image: Sharda Temple in ruins at Sardi (PoK)]*

Sharda Temple in ruins at Sardi (PoK)
*

The *purohit* family left Sarda the following day at 4 AM and reached
Jumagand in the forest range at 4 PM. The family was carrying ten kgs of
Silver, which they had received as Chadav (offerings). Locals of Jumagand
robbed them of Silver and other valuables. They also ordered them to
dismount from the horses. The family marched to Lidderwan on foot. The
horseman (Markban) returned with horses from Jumagand the next evening and
narrated to Kashmiri Pandits at Sarda what all had happened.

Swami Nand Lal Ji had refused to leave Sarda till Pandit employees from
periphery of Sarda also returned. The day Pujari family left for Lidderwan,
Swami Ji had organised a mehfil at his Kutiya at around 2 PM. This was
attended by Nath Ji Razdan (the shopkeeper) of Gotheng, Dina Nath Tikr,
Shamboo Nath of Zolura, Shamboo Nath Thusu, a Kuth Watcher, Hriday Nath Kaw,
the Forestor, Shridhar Joo of Goshbug, and two Pandit constables from
Malmoh. Pt. Govind Ram Pujari, his brother Prakash Ram and Thanedar Sham Lal
Khushu of Srinagar were also present in this gathering. Prakash Ram was an
employee in the forest department. Thanedar functioned as administrator of
Sarda and operated from fort. He was in his mid fifties.

Normally Fort was a forbidden territory for the public. In the mehfil one of
the Pandit employees requested Thanedar to get Kashmiri Pandits into the
fort on some pretext in view of prevailing security situation. Pt. Sham Lal
who was slow in understanding the gravity of the situation virtually  flew
into a rage and threatened to arrest the employee who suggested this.
Thanedar accused the employee of spreading panic. Prakash Ram calmed Sham
Lal down, arguing that the particular employee was a man of little
consequence. This had sobering effect on Thanedar.

The horseman (Markban) who had accompanied Purohit family to Jumagund came
to see Swami Nand Lal Ji and narrated to him how the Purohit family was
robbed of silver and divested of horses.  Swami Ji was now desperate to go
to Kashmir but expressed his inability to walk. He asked Pt. Shamboo Nath
Thusu and Pt. Shridhar Joo to fetch a horse for him from Ram Saran Das, a
shopkeeper at Surgan-a village 6 kms from Sarda Surgan is 8 miles from
Nurinarsar, the latter separates Sarda. Valley from Kaghan Valley in
Yagistan (Chilas). Ram Saran Dass's family was also with him. Both Thusu and
Shridhar Joo were Kuth watchers. Govt. had issued doublebored rifles to
them.

*Fort Captured:*

In October 1947 when locals were talking in whispering tones about the
invasion, Thanedar Sham Lal had secretly despatched two Dogra soldiers to
Srinagar to ask for reinforcements. While the soldiers were still in
Handwara they received the disturbing news about the invasion. One of them
returned to Sarda to put Thanedar on alert. Thanedar had a force of 11
constables—4 Dogra soldiers, six constables from the majority community in
Kashmir valley and Kartar Singh, a Sikh from Hamal, Rafiabad.

[image: The Fort at Sardi.]*

The Fort at Sardi.
*

Shridhar Joo and Shamboo Nath Thusu left for Surgan, carrying a rifle with
them, to fetch horse for Swamiji. The same night Wali Mohammad, son of Sayid
Ahmed Sardar entered the fort. Wali Mohammad was a forester and belonged to
Kharigam, a village 2 kms from Sarda. The drama began with six constables of
the majority community asking Thanedar to open the ammunition room (Kuhth).
They told him that situation was grim and asked him to open the ammunition
room so that they could take out the ammunition. As Thanedar opened the
ammunition room, Ahmed Khan, a constable, pushed him in and locked the room
from outside. Khan hurled choicest abuses on him. This constable hailed from
Srinagar city and had been recruited in police in 1933. In this confusion
four Dogra soldiers managed to escape while Kartar Singh was taken captive.

Meanwhile, a constable who manned the outer gate of the fort and was
carrying a rifle asked Thanedar to surrender. Pt. Sham Lal was handcuffed
and taken as captive, Maharaja's flag was burnt and a new 'Pakistan' flag
fashioned from the blue turban was hoisted. Wali Mohammed, the forester,
became self-styled administrator of Sarda. The forester and around 50 locals
then went to Swami ji's *kutiya*, asking Pandits there to change their
faith, Janki Nath Thusu was renamed as Jan Khan.

Shamboo Nath Thusu and Shridhar Joo left Surgan the next morning after
taking horse from Ram Saran. At Dunarian, 2 kms down from Surgan the duo met
Mohammad Hakim, a peon in Forest Range office at Sarda. He was carrying a
message for Shamboo Nath Thusu from his brother Janki Nath. The message
carried information of the happenings of the previous day-the hoisting of
'Pak' flag and conversion of Kashmiri Pandit and holding them as captives.
It impressed upon Thusu to change his faith and also suggested new name for
him. Mohammad Hakim forced them to hand over the rifle to him.

Swamiji and other Kashmiri Pandits were waiting for SN Thusu and Shridhar
Joo and had already decided to leave. Numberdar Mir Zaman, a man with deep
secular convictions, had told Swamiji that the situation was fast
deteriorating and had impressed upon him to leave. Swamiji was held in high
esteem by local Muslims of Sarda. Locals advised him to take Sinjli route
and not Dudniyal route which otherwise was easier. They feared that Dudniyal
may already have come under the sway of raiders. Locals were quite
sympathetic.

[image: Saint Swami Nand Lal in Aasan.]*

Saint Swami Nand Lal in Aasan.
*

*First Journey:*

Swamiji and Pandits began journey back home at 10 AM the same day. Swamiji
had hardly walked 2 miles of the uphil journey when he gave up and refused
to walk any further. Meanwhile, Mir Zaman's messenger caught up with them
and advised them to return to Sarda immediately. Two locals, armed with
axes, had been following them. They had lost the track and had gone ahead of
Pandits. After having learnt about it Mir Zaman got worried about the safety
of Pandits. The deep concern Mir Zaman showed about the safety of Pandits in
those turbulent times is remembered by Pandits to this day.

*Mir Zaman, the saviour:*

Mir Zaman heaved sigh of relief when Kashmiri Pandits returned to Sarda. He
had already convened a Jirga (meeting of local elders) in the courtyard of
his house. Kashmiri Pandits also joined them on one side. Mir Zaman
admonished his community brethren, asking them why did they not restrain the
two locals who had gone with axes to harm Swamiji and others. He warned them
that it was not easy to kill Pandits. Mir Zaman concluded his address by
saying with concern and authority that Kashmiri Pandits were his guests and
would stay with him.

Mir Zaman had already arranged a room for Pandits in his house and had
spread grass on the floor. Within two hours all the belongings and the
provisions in the three shops owned by Pandits reached the new 'hideout' of
Pandits. Mir Zaman had also arranged a Chulha in the room. Numberdar was in
his early sixties. He asked Pandits to lit the fire and prepare the food.
Mir Zaman emphatically told Pandits that they should cook food in their own
way and added that it was not his religion to impose things on others. Janki
Nath, Nath Ji  Razdan, Shamboo Nath Thusu and Shridhar Joo used to attend to
kitchen work by turns, with Shridhar Joo maintaining overall supervision.

During the month Pandits stayed in the house of Mir Zaman, the latter took
extremely good care of them. He and his wife would sleep near the door of
Pandits' room to keep watch on any stranger straying into their room. Locals
would of and on ask Mir Zaman whether the Pandits were following the new
faith with sincerity. He would put them off by telling that the Pandits were
observing new faith all the time. He would then come to Pandits and tell
them, 'Rascals, why you are not performing your own *pujas?' *Mir Zaman kept
locals away from visiting Pandits.

One day Swamiji felt like smoking his own special tobacco he had kept in his
*kutiya, *located 1 mile away from Mir Zaman's house. A Pandit employee not
only got the sack of tobacco but also ensured that nobody saw him while
going to the *kutiya *in the afternoon.

On another occasion Thanedar Sham Lal was brought to Mir Zaman's house to
show to Pandits that he was alive. Kartar Singh's beard and hair had been
trimmed. All the non-Muslims who were in Sarda were forced to change their
faith.

*Latif Malik and Barkatullah Khan intervene:*

Meanwhile Nand Ram Thusu of Lidderwan whose two sons-Janki Nath and Shamboo
Nath were among the captives in Sarda contacted his friend Latif Malik, a
Zaildar of Changan (Dudniyal) through a messenger, Nabir Sheikh of Kawari.
Nand Ram had asked Latif to help him to see his sons reach home safely. In
the prevailing situation Latif Malik had little authority as Zaildar. Wali
Mohammad was the sole authority that mattered. Latif, however, assured Nabir
Sheikh that he would do his best to help Nand Ram.

Pak troops had still not entered Sarda. Mir Zaman's house was 1½ miles away
from the fort, while the Sarda shrine was just at a distance of 1 mile.
Shops of Kashmiri Pandits were located in the shrine area. For a month
Kashmiri Pandits holed up in Sarda had remained cut off from the outside
world. Lateef Malik contacted Wali Mohammad, the self-styled administrator
and asked him, "What these Pandits would do here? It was Pakistan now.Let
them go". Another person who came to Sarda to intervene for their release
was Barkatullah Khan of Kawari.

Through the intervention of Barkatullah Khan and Latif Malik, Kashmiri
Pandits were set free. Mir Zaman asked Barkatullah Khan to take care of
Pandits for their onward journey to Lidderwan. The Pandits left at 11 AM,
carrying maize bread and Kishmish-Zirish along with them and reached
Dudniyal at 7 PM. It was dark by now.

The shops of Thusu family were locked. The godowns of Jodhamal Kutiyal were
located in the same building on the second storey. Pt. Sona Lal Thusu and
Amar Nath who also worked with Jodhamal had already returned to Lidderwan.
Amarnath also functioned as guard of the bridge at Dudniyal.

At Barkatullah's advice Pandits decided to spend the night at the house of
Sharif Dar, a forest guard. The latter's father, Satar Dar had business
partnership in water-mill with Sona Lal Thusu. Sharif's family was still
hospitable and courteous. They helped Pandits to relieve their fatigue by
bringing maize bread and a samovar of salt tea. Janki Nath suggested to
Sharif, "This *sadhu *(Swami Ji) has not taken salt for ten years. I will
prepare tea for him separately". Janki Nath prepared *kahwa *for him.
Swamiji took *kahwa *and the maize bread they had carried from Sarda.

*Thusu Shops Burnt:*

It was 11 PM. Pandits were still gossiping on the road when they heard the
sound of a bullet shot. Shops of Thusus had been put to arson, the godowns
of Jodhamal Kutiyal also perished in the fire. However, the two
three-storeyed houses owned by Thusus located some distance away remained
safe. Rai Bahadur Ishar Dass's godowns, a school and a *sarai* were housed
in these houses. The ladies of Dar household cried bitterly that the 'shops
of our Pandits have been burnt'. Pandits told them that they had built these
shops and hoped that they would rebuild these.

At the morning breakfast at Dar's house Pandits were joined by many locals.
Pandits asked the locals why did they put their shops to arson even after
they had converted. The locals claimed that the accused had been identified
and claimed that he would be taught a good lesson.

Soon Pandits reached Potkhai (Marhama) gully. From here there was a steep
climb of 1½ kms over one foot deep snow. Swamiji gave up and could not walk
any further. Janki Nath warmed him up with hot *kahwa*. Nathji and Shamboo
Nath Thusu carried Swamiji on shoulders upto Marhama gully top. From here
they could see Kashmir—their home. Swamiji was thrilled and puffed his
special tobacco. In downhill journey towards Lidderwan he moved like a tiger
taking 5-7 steps together.

*Zirhama:*

While passing through Zirhama Pandits were a little apprehensive. Soon after
the raid a Sikh youth had been killed here while his younger brother had
been saved by Karim Sheikh of Kawari. Karim had given him shelter in his
house. When situation improved he brought him to Kupwara Thana. The two Sikh
brothers were running a shop in Sarda and used to sell army shoes and
clothes. While fleeing Sarda a mob had attacked them at Zirhama, one km from
Lidderwan. When Pandits reached Zirhama, the mob had moved towards
Lidderwan.

*Thanedar Suspended:*

Thanedar Sham Lal reached Srinagar a few months later. He and constable
Kartar Singh were shifted from Fort to a Kotha (a Kacha Hut) and were put
under house-arrest. Kartar was taken daily to the Kishenganga river by
'soldiers'. They would terrorise him by asking their colleagues to open fire
at him. One day Thanedar and Kartar decided to escape. The door of Kotha
made lot of noise on being opened. The duo put some dust and dirty water
around it to ensure that it did not make any noise. They ran away during the
night. Their gum ammunition shoes helped them cover 26 miles over snow to
reach Kupwara.

At Srinagar Sham Lal had another surprise in store for him. He was put under
suspension and remained without pay for many months. Thanedar was shocked to
see a constable attending his duties at Hari Parbhat Fort. This constable
was among those who had stormed the Fort at Sarda and hoisted Pakistani
flag.

*Source: **Kashmir Sentinel*<http://panunkashmir.org/kashmirsentinel/index.html>