Homecoming …

 

Recently we went for one of our friend’s family function . They are from North East India and have very few friends in Trivandrum, we got introduced to each other through a common friend. It was a very pleasant, surprising gathering, we had 3-4 Malayali families, 1 family from Jharkhand and 2 families from Kashmir. We have been in living in Trivandrum for last 7-8 years but we never had opportunity to meet such diverse set of people at one informal place , we got introduced to each other .

Family from Jharkhand shifted here recently, 3 – 4 years tenure and their first time in South India , their children grown up and pursuing Higher studies, Then we got introduced to the Kashmiri families , both the families have been doing business in Trivandrum for the past 12 years ! I was surprised children are studying in one of the best schools here and they speak Malayalam much better than me , infact they would have been born here as the age range between 5-10. Though the ladies don’t know Malayalam but speak very good Hindi and English – they were delighted to hear us speaking hindi and it did not take much time to hit off with Farhana and Shabeena and their children …

And so the usual talk on how life is here for them, business has not been doing great last 2  years  and how they long to go back to Kashmir, I ask Farooq 10 year boy where does he like better , without any  delay he says ‘Kashmir’ ;  Farhana says that every year they think of taking admission for their children in schools at Kashmir  and plan to spend the winter in Kerala , but somehow it doe not happen but they are determined that in another 2 years they will take children to Kashmir …..  We bid farewell with  ‘Insha Allah phir milengey’  ….

On our way back drive I think of the book ‘Homecoming’ which I had recently read about a Kashmiri who had left Kashmir during insurgency and started his life from scratch in Bangalore, establishes his business, involves his elder Son in the business , has his daughter studying for Medicine and younger son in Kashmir who also takes care of his parents . He is very clear that he wants to get back to Kashmir for his retired life and when he reaches there how he his life changes ….. I could not read the book chapter by chapter ….. ….. Homecoming  Shashi Warrier, grew up in different parts of India (his father an army officer) and I can very well imagine, his story is based on real people and incidents …  I have read quite a few disturbing and sad themed novels but this one I hoped for a warm ending … taking away my thoughts off the book , I hope for the warm ending or beginning for Farhana and Shabeena’s family when ever they go back to Kashmir …… Insha Allah …