IMOW - Kashmir: Beyond the Clichés

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Kashmir: Beyond the Clichés
Warisha Farasat

India

GALLERY

CONVERSATION

“I know that I will never be able to retrieve the body of my missing son. All I want the security forces to do is show me a photo...”

The Imam was still delivering the ritual qutbah (or sermon) and most women seemed disinterested. Some were performing the nafil (voluntary) prayers, some were moving to and fro as if reciting the Koran, and a few were weeping uncontrollably asking for god’s mercy.

Being used to clamor for prayer space on Friday afternoons, the airy and spacious prayer room was invigorating. Most mosques in North India don’t have separate prayer sections for women, who are expected to perform the prayers at home. For instance, at the dargah in Nizamuddin, women can pray in an informal tiny space allocated to them.

This was in contrast to the conservative image frequently portrayed by the media. Since the inception of militancy, political spaces, no doubt, have been dominated by the men of the community. But the isolated women’s voices that are highlighted by the mainstream media are obscurantist groups that involve themselves in moral policing. This viewpoint neglects the diverse experiences and struggles of the women in the region.

Someone tugged at my dupatta and I was shaken out of my thoughts. A middle aged woman carrying a pink booklet was attempting to explain something to me in Kashmiri. I presumed that she was asking for a contribution to the mosque funds and I declined. She continued to stand there and stare belligerently. The woman sitting beside me realized that I didn’t speak the language and interpreted the message.
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