Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office
Vaishnavi a Symbol of Nationalistic School of Thought
It was God’s will that Amarnath should do selfless service to the society as he was born in 1925 when the RSS was found by a great visionary Dr Hedgewar. Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi presented an example of an alternative way of life. He worked in adverse circumstances to strengthen the nationalist forces in the state of Jammu and Kashmir throughout his life and is considered a symbol of Nationalistic school of thought. At the time when Nationalist society in the state has been subjugated to develop a slavish mentality, Vaishnavi showed the path for leading the life with dignity and self-respect without striking compromises for short time interests. He was an RSS ideologue and one of the founders of the Nationalist Movement in J&K State. Amarnath is the source of inspiration for the younger generation and what is needed is to form a study centre devoted to research on thought and works of Amarnath.
Amarnath served his community in distress and also his nation up to his last breath. Whether it was setting his community members in camps after their Mass exodus in 1989-90, and getting their day-to-day problems redressed or seeking admissions for their wards in professional colleges in other parts of the country, Amarnath played a leading role. No one can forget the role of Amarnath as Praja Parishad, Jan Sangh and BJP leader and his struggle on the call of the then Jan Sangh President Dr Shama Prasad Mukerji to break the permit system for which he was arrested along with other leaders of the state and the rest of the country. There are enormous examples of his honesty and selflessness as a social activist and a political leader. When his adopted son Ganesh Kumar Vaishnavi Manager J&K Bank was transferred to a remote locality Bani in Jammu Province in 1990 when militancy was at its peak in the J&K state and he had to travel at least 30 Kms on foot to reach that place in the rainy season to cross the rough terrain, he requested his father to use his good offices and get the transfer cancelled. Amarnath retarded back and declined to do anything for his son. Instead, he admonished Ganesh Kumar and told him to recall sacrifices of Guru Govind Singh and never compromise for the self. The result was that Ganesh Kumar joined his services at Bani as per orders and remained at that outstation for six complete years instead of one year posting as per previous practice.
During the tribal invasion in Kashmir in 1947 Amarnath along with a dedicated band of patriots took part in the preparation of a makeshift runway at Damodhar Airport Srinagar so that first Dakota plane loaded with crucial military supplies could land soon after the accession of the J&K state with India. As a pioneer leader, he led the Sahayata Samiti along with Shri Ved Vishno Dutt and other patriotic leaders of Jammu and Kashmir during the period of exile and worked tirelessly for the displaced people from Kashmir and Doda district respectively.
In Amarnath death, Nationalist forces of the state have lost a great pillar of strength. He also played a role as a social reformer and was also a role model who led a very simple and austere life. I urge the state authorities to give official recognition to Vaishnavi’s legacy through Government participation in the programme commemorating his memory otherwise a negative message will go across that while, on one hand, the present ruling dispensation gives legitimacy to public figures like Sheikh Mohamad Abdullah, it is expressing bias against Pandit Vaishnavi and his genre of public figures. It will be a grave injustice to describe Amarnath a leader of a particular community. He was a Humanist by thought and a reformer by action.
Sqn Ldr BL Sadhu (Ex-Army serviceman & Social Activist)
PANDIT AMARNATH VAISHNAVI – A TRUE GANDHIAN
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was rightly the Father of the KP Community. In his death, the Community has lost a selfless and dedicated leader. Recalling my school days, I was initiated in Sangh Shakha at Sheetal Nath by an equally renowned and tall leader of the community, Swargeey Tika LalTaploo and if I remember well, Pandit Vaishnavi ranked perhaps second to the Sangh Pracharak of that time Pandit M L Aima, popularly known as Makhanlal Harkar. The Swayam Sevaks of that time were Pandit Omkar Nah Kak, Pandit Omkar Nath Mattoo, Pandit Janki Nath Dhobi, Pandit Shashi Shekhar Toshkhani, Pandit Pran Nath, Pandit Brij Nath Miyan, Pandit Prem Nath Bhat, Pandit M. L. Peshin, Pandit Makhan Lal Tikoo and many others Pandit Vaishnavi was the tallest of them all – so simple, so loving, so affable and yet so resolute and a die-hard Kashmiri Pandit easily identified by the dastaar (Turban) that he donned 24X7 on his head. He remained a hardcore patriot throughout his life and perhaps the only person who dedicated himself to the cause of the community. It wouldn’t be out of place to say that Pandit Vaishnavi, a true Gandhian, lived and died for the Community.
A word that I learnt from him when he rose to speak a few years back at Jammu Sabha where I was comparing the session and where Lt Gen S K Sinha was the Guest of Honour was “Pen Militancy”. This was a new word added to my lexicon. Explaining this word, he said that Gun Militancy was better than the former because in this case the man is hit by the bullet and dies instantly. And in “Pen Militancy” adopted by the Government, the slow movement of the files regarding the rehabilitation of the displaced community, we are not even considered for the right nomenclature of “Displaced persons” which is tantamount to slow poisoning eventually prolonging the miserable malady in which a man dies every day, every moment.
To this great stalwart, I bow my head in reverence. The best tribute that we can pay to this great son of the soil is to emulate his example of renunciation, dedication and service to the community and mankind.
May his soul rest in peace!
AN Kaul Sahib (Journalist)
ADIEU, AMARNATH
The sudden demise of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, also called Lalaji, the most popular and revered leader of Kashmiri Pandits, on July 1 this year naturally shocked and stunned our community not only in India but across the world. An epitome of grace and simplicity with an affectatious smile, Amarnath personified the traditional Kashmiri Pandit with his head always adorned by a coloured safa (turban) and shining forehead sporting a tilak, with a sense of pride. A teacher by profession, his life was an example of simple living, high thinking and unalloyed transparency. A dedicated social activist of the community right from his younger days, Amarnath was in the forefront of every struggle or agitation launched by Kashmiri Pandits to secure their basic rights, dignity and honour and for an end to their unending discrimination and victimisation, both before and post-exodus. During the 1967 Parmeshwari agitation, he provided dynamic leadership and direction to the people and virtually re-invented the inspiring cry of Jai Kara Har Har Mahadev, a slogan which had earlier been reverberating and uniting the community under one platform at Shital Nath during the historic days of leaders like Pandit Shiv Narayan Fotedar, Justice Jia Lal Kilam, and a host of many others of their ilk. A stubborn nationalist, he will always be remembered for his pioneering role in the 1953 Praja Parishad movement in Jammu against Article 370 and for complete integration of the J&K State with India. When he was posted to Ladakh by the State Government, he did not fail to notice the plight and persecution of Buddhists and spearheaded a successful movement for safeguarding the rights of that community, taking forward the mission launched by Pandit Shridharjoo Kaul Dulloo before him. A grateful Buddhist community always remembers both of them for all that they did for their emancipation. During the post-exodus struggle of our community for survival in the most inhospitable and hostile climate and surroundings, Amarnath plunged himself whole hog in the service of the hapless people by moving around the ramshackle tents and tenements day in and day out to comfort his brethren in those crisis-ridden days of anxiety and bleak future, try to wipe their unstoppable tears and exhort them to face their ordeals unitedly with perseverance and fortitude. He was always at hand to lead delegations after delegations to authorities seeking basic facilities for the redressal of the grievances of displaced people, and proper organization and distribution of relief. An excellent orator, he would establish an instant rapport with his audience everywhere and forcefully plead the cause of the community at his meetings with the highest government functionaries, political leaders, parliamentarians, legislators and bureaucrats. Whenever and wherever he went to represent his community, he was received with respect and honour. His last such important engagement perhaps was his testimony as a member of a representative KP delegation before the Parliamentary Standing Committee where he is said to have made a deep impression. He went there despite his bad health following a surgery which he had undergone just two days earlier. This testifies to his grit and determination. Though he was wary of the differences of opinion erupting occasionally between different community organizations and individuals, he would never hesitate in attending their conferences and conclaves in Jammu, Delhi, or any part of the country, trying to use his influence and persuasive powers to bring them together for promoting common causes and interests. That is why he was respected and admired by one and all and rightfully acknowledged as the Father of the Community. An iconic figure like Amarnath is born once in a century or a generation. We bow our heads in reverence to his sacred memory which we must keep alive in perpetuity. We can do so by following his ennobling ideals and principles like truthfulness, fearlessness and selfless service to our brethren. Let us on this solemn occasion of offering our tearful homage to the departed leader, also resolve to unitedly and relentlessly carry forward our struggle to go back to our homeland with honour and dignity. Again, to perpetuate Lalaji’s memory, it would be befitting for every Kashmiri Pandit community congregation, conference or conclave wherever held hereafter to begin the proceedings with the stirring and inspiring slogan Jai Kara Har Har Mahadev. (Reproduced from the August issue of Naad with the prior permission of the author – Editor)
R. L. Shant (Scholar)
A NOTE I CAN NOT WRITE
I do not find it easy to write a note on the late leader Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi right away, for some reasons. Some of my reasons may hold for others also. This kind of difficulty arises out of my community phenomenon. The phenomenon may be peculiar to some others too who belong to smaller communities like ours If I try to spell it out in so far as the Kashmiri Pandit community is concerned, I would say that the phenomenon is that of having large, educated and politically aware sections of people and of parading more leaders than the people whom they represent. Incidentally, Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi, the late President of All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) was unlike most leaders He was not very highly educated, but he was not a sceptic or a cynic and he did not mind if his followers chose to have many leaders or to listen to those disagreeing with him. He was not a sharp strategist but he followed religiously the map of action he chartered, caring little for what followed success or failure. This was because he clung to his very simple principles sincerely, come what may. He was happy that his sincerity to the cause, won at the end of the day. If it didn’t, he did not shift blames. He thought we fail also because our society has been developing disproportionately since our exile from Kashmir. We are either not amply represented in all walks of life or those representing us have not been made fully aware of our problems. He was a different leader in many other ways too. One found him always up on his toes not only when he was called upon to lead a demonstration or a procession of the multitudes, but also when he was approached by an individual in distress. Of course, the individual got his support only when he was on the right side of law, ethics and morality. Before Vaishnaviji set out for the day, to put his clout to test for that person’s benefit, by meeting some government official, some lawyer, some doctor, head of an institute etc., the truth of the plaintiff’s case was the only consideration for him. He knew his people so closely that he would tell them at the outset about their standing and the fate their plaint was likely to meet. He knew well that his compatriots were victims of exile and most could not explain convincingly why they needed his help. And once he came out to help, there was no stopping him. He cared little for his inconvenience. After the work was over you could see him walking the road alone or waiting for the bus at a crossing. He had so much to tell you, so much to share with you that within a short period of conversation, you felt equally involved in his world of care and worry for the community. He could not leave you uninfected. Thus I knew Vaishnaviji. I do not know what to write on such a person, who was so earthly, honest and humane that he hardly looked like a modern-day leader.
Pradeep Kaul Khodballi ( Journalist & Social activist)
The Turbaned Pandit
The recent history of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) is both tragic and tumultuous. The end of the last decade of the 20th century spelt a death knell to the much-touted Kashmiriat when the aborigines, Kashmiri Pandits (KPs), the real historic staff bearers of its hoary history, culture and secularism were hounded out of the fabled valley by Islamic fundamentalists. Those times were dismal for the displaced community. Day to day survival had become an uphill task. The straws of help were few and far between. There were total helplessness and gloom. The community wanted an anchor around which it could rally. In those dismal times, a man Amarnath Vaishnavi wearing a turban became a virtual central figure of the struggle of survival for KPs. He was not unknown to the community. He was not the product of the latest exile thrust upon the KPs. Amarnath was already visible in the community and beyond. By visibility, I do mean that he was already there occupying the important position to wage struggle for the community. But soon after exile, he assumed the central role. The reasons were obvious. The forceful leaders with cold political insight like Tikka Lal Taploo and Prem Nath Bhat were already martyred by the terrorists under a game plan which was to rid the KPs of effective leader in the times of crisis. The rest of them on which the community could pin some hope fell in disarray or remained willingly or unwillingly on the margins.
But emphatically Amarnath did not come on the scene to fill in the vacuum as a stop-gap person. He was not a man whom you could place as a figurehead and rally behind. Any community faced with a crisis of survival and more so of KPs who historically have suffered a unique set of problems cannot veer round a figurehead or a crony. Amarnath Vaishnavi was neither one nor the other. He was what he was. A chaste man, simple and honest, willing to devote all his time to communicate and try to redress the multifarious problems of the exiled community. He became a symbol of the struggle post-1990 for the KPs.
He was always seen in camps, on the roads, on the footpaths, in the Geeta Bhawan, Jammu, in Delhi or elsewhere in the country. He and his turban synergized into one formidable person whom you could not wish away easily. I wonder sometimes whether Amarnath would have become so popular and prominent face of the community minus his ubiquitous turban. His turban reflected a legacy which un-fortunately now finds no shoulder within the community to carry. Amarnath carried the turban on his head with grace. To him, the turban was not only a cultural symbol that has been now given a go by his compatriots. For him, the turban was the real Obrey which in Kashmiri means a combination of honour, respect and self-esteem. This word has no takers now in the materialistic lexicon of us KPs. If turban was the Obrey, its queer wearer Vaishnavi Ji equally measured to its essence.
The first event that propelled him to centre stage was the Parmeswari agitation of 1967. Sheetal Nath had become the focal point of the KPs’ historic resistance against injustice. I was a young toddler just beginning to come to terms with the limbs of my own but the intense passion for agitation of our elders was such that they ensured small boys to become part of the struggle. It was at Sheetal Nath I had the first tryst with Amarnath. The sublime impression of that tryst has always remained with me. At the beginning of the speeches by the leaders, he would electrify the surging crowds with the slogan of Jai Kaara—Har Har Mahadev. At the conclusion the same slogan was raised by him that would rent the air and mesmerize the people. When I ruminate over those events I feel that the trademark slogan of Amarnath was, in essence, a war cry which goaded the sleepy and timid Pandit to rise and fight for his just rights. A teacher by profession and a non-conformist by nature he would not countenance the injustices heaped by the dominant political class of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. A nationalistic to the core he strongly espoused the values of real Kashmiriyat. He wanted the state to be an integral part of India where there was no room for the duplicity of power centeRs That was perhaps the reason why he plunged headlong in the Praja Parishad movement of 1953. In this agitation, he strongly represented the KPs. Few surviving leaders of that watershed movement still recall the part played by him in the agitation at Jammu. As a non-conformist his rebel streak once again came to the fore when he was transferred to Leh. Pained by the ignorance and abject poverty of the people of Ladakh he embarked upon a plan to make the Ladahki Buddhists aware of their social and political rights. His silent work of reform among them started bearing fruit and today if we see them politically empowered or socially aware it is due to the efforts of Amarnath. This fact has been now appreciated by the people of Ladakh themselves.
After 1990 when the entire community of KPs was rooted out of Kashmir he became a father figure for the community. Any problem prosaic or substantial, the displaced Pandit thought Amarnath would solve his problem or at least would provide a solution to his sufferings. Geeta Bhawan at Jammu became the pivot around which the hopes of displaced Pandit revolved. And he was the spirit of that pivot. If Amarnath was not seen by the Pandit his visit to Geeta Bhawan was a mere waste. He had become a cult figure. Working day and night he never looked behind. Surprisingly the heavy work did not affect his health. He was for most of the years in Jammu in good health. This was a result of his inner strength and a life- long discipline of an RSS volunteer that kept him going on and on.
Accessibility is one of the cardinal traits of a mass leader. He had this trait in ample measure. His impressive personality, his Achkan and turban turned him into an exceedingly becoming person. He would leave an abiding impression on the audience. He was not a born leader of men nor was he a gifted orator. He lacked the uncanny guise of a politician but what he had and that too in full measure was his honesty. This has been acknowledged by almost all eminent men who had a long association with him. He tried hard to make the struggle of KPs a coordinated one. He utterly failed in it partly perhaps due to his naivety and partly due to the lukewarm approach of other leaders
The clout that he commanded within the community, in the State and within the corridors of power would have helped him make his life a bit comfortable. But being honest to the bone he never aspired for a personal gain. Sadly the KPs did not respond to his needs. Unfortunately we as a community have not come out of a peculiar syndrome which forces us to think that a leader is born to suffer all his life even for the basic and bare necessities. What we did to one of our tallest leaders Shiv Narayan Fotedar we repeated with Amarnath too. With disdain, we disregarded his needs. We did not provide him with the basic comforts that a leader of such stature and integrity should have deserved. We made him the Father of the Community but looked the other way round when it came to providing him with succour and material comfort. Countless times he was ignored when he needed a lift. This apathy made him walk miles that too to help some of our own. He was our Amarnath who despite many of his shortcomings was our leader. He had stood his fort when many had deserted. As a man of Karma, he did not need our support. Providence had a majestic end in store for him. He walked his way to embrace death without passing a single day in a hospital. The Turbaned Pandit is now gone. He has left behind a legacy which is difficult to be replicated. Our only recompense will be if we turn as honest in our lives as he was.
Hira Lal Gadoo (Writer)
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi – A Tribute
People write obituaries as well as remembrances for mere mortals but not for a person who always resides in everyone’s heart. Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was one braveheart, who to my mind is an immortal who took every stride with a smile. “Log Sunn Rahey Thay Baday Chaav Se,Par Tu Hi Sow Gaya Apni Kahani Sunate Sunate” “People were listening to you affectionately, but alas you went into a deep sleep while telling your story”
Our community was blessed to have been bestowed with a leader like him in our lives and our members of the community should cherish all the moments one spent with him. Now our community will miss him always but he will be around the community all the time as a guiding soul with generosity, grace, warmth, wisdom, values and love. As the time rolls by, his memories will grow stronger as the void created by him will not be easily filled but it will only be felt. The community will not only remember him every living moment but also miss him constantly with a deep ache in the heart of everyone as he was ablest of the able and humblest of the humble, bold, bright and truly divine as well as a symbol of love, service, sacrifice, and positivism. Pandit Vaishnavi was a brave heart, a strong and striking personality with a tremendous amount of courage, determination, confidence and had the courage of conviction to follow his inner voice and intuition.
He was calm, cool, composed and sublime and connected easily with one and all. Due to this fact, he was known as ’LALA JI’ and younger ones named him ‘BAB’ i.e. father of the community. He extended his helping hand to one and all without any creed and caste which can be judged by anyone from the fact that he helped the Ladakhis during their agitation against discrimination when he was posted at Leh as a physical education teacher. He was young at heart and always buzzing with energy. He always believed in hard work, always maintaining focus and achieving nothing less than the best. He loved every one intensely due to which everyone loved him. His dreams, smiles and speeches are the most cherished treasure which perhaps will help the community in future and inspire them to discover new ways and means to achieve new milestones. Pandit Vaishnavi left for his community tearful memories of love and affection to cherish.
I do not hesitate to mention here that Late Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri gave a slogan ‘JAI JAWAN JAI KISAN’ to the Nation. Similarly, Pandit Vaishnavi gave the slogan ‘JAI KARA HAR HAR MAHADEV’, to the community, a slogan which energized the community to fight against discrimination. He lived a simple life in the same way as Shastri Ji spent his life, the only difference was that Shastri Ji was the Prime Minister of India and Amarnath was a mass leader. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Balkrishan Sanyasi (Writer)
Dreamer’s dreams have come true
Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi is the name in the history of Kashmiri Pandits which will be remembered in the socio-political circles of the entire country. His patriotic fervour, his dedication towards the cause of the upliftment of the nation and his conviction for not compromising with the issues of the national interest has earned him the name and fame in his state as well as on the national scene.
It was the year 1944 when he matriculated and was eager to join Amar Singh Training Institute Srinagar for receiving training in fine arts. His dream came true and he remains to be among the senior students of the institute who availed training from Amar Singh Technical Institute Srinagar under the Principalship of J.C Mukerjee. The other dream which he had seen in year1943 also came true. In that dream, he had seen his Bhabi (sister-in-law) delivering a male baby after which Amarnath Ji requested his dearest elder brother Late Shri Gopi Nath Vaishnavi to allow him to take care of the boy who was to be born in the family and that he would look after him like his own son. His elder brother replied him in affirmative without any pause.
He completed his training with all success and also got qualified from Central Guild Institute of Art and decoration of London through the Amar Singh Training Institute Srinagar in 1947. Thereafter he got a job in D.A.V School RainaWari. Just after a year, he joined service in Hamdania High School Nawakadal Srinagar. In 1949 he left his state to serve in Punjab in a school at Pathankot.
The male child of his dreams born from his eldest brother and eldest bhabi in August 1943 is no one else other than me. It is true that I was brought up with his due care and affection up to the age of six years and thereafter also when I was in teens. These six years was a period of trial and error for me. When I grew up I learnt from my elders that I used to crawl and make an unsuccessful effort to reach up to a wooden almirah which used have a Desi Ghee bottle inside which was preserved in that almirah by Vaishnavi Jee for my use. He used to open the almirah on alternate days and extract a spoon of ghee from the bottle to put it into my mouth which I would tastefully swallow. The failure on my part to open the almirah would often make me look towards Vaishnavi jee and drag him to the almirah uttering the words LALA Mah this was just to call him by the name of the Lala and compel him to get the spoon of ghee to put it into my mouth. This adventure of mine carved out a name for him from my mouth and thus Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi got the name of Lala jee.
In 1953 I was at Hari Pur Kangra (HP) with Pt. Gopi Nath and Smt. Somavati Vaishnavi. Lala jee was at that time in Pathankot. The Praja Parshid movement was at its peak under the leadership of Pt. Prem Nath Dogra in J&K state. This agitation was for complete integration of the J&K state with the union of India. The three slogans of those days EK VIDHAN, EK NISHAN, EK PRADHAN (Single constitution, common flag and a common leader for entire country including J&K), symbolised the meaning of the ongoing movement which was later on raising its head in the entire country. It was under the leadership of Doctor Shyama Prasad Mukherji of “Bhartiya Jana Sangh”, that the agitation gained momentum in the entire country. Doctor Mukherji got arrested at Ravi Bridge in between Punjab and J&K state border when he broke the law and tried to enter the J&K state without getting any permission from the authorities. During those days special permission was required to enter J&K state as it was not fully integrated with the Indian state after the independence in 1947.
Lala jee being an R.S.S activist, also became a part of the movement. It was his intention to court arrest as a Satyagrahi however before he could do so a warrant of arrest was given to him when he was getting his shoes polished on the roadside. He was arrested immediately and was taken to Gurdaspur jail and subsequently to Ambala jail and thereafter he was taken to Shimla Central jail. We came to know at Hari Pur about his arrest through newspapers and All India Radio news bulletin. Only after his 15 days of arrest, I got a letter from him from Ambala Central Jail which was addressed to me. In this letter, he wrote that he wanted me to come to Pathankot and apply tilak on his forehead before he would go for Satyagraha. The letter also gave a brief history of the freedom struggle of India and also stressed the need for involvement of Kashmiri pandits in the ongoing patriotic movement. Among other things he has elaborated the role of ancestors of Vaishnavi family which they had played from time to time to maintain their dignity and honour against the tyrants of the times.
In December 1954 Lala jee left Pathankot to join as an Art teacher in Government High School Bandipora in Kashmir. He was well versed in sports. He was hockey player as well as a cricket player. Besides Art being an art teacher he was also in charge of sports. He also worked as a physical instructor in various schools in Kashmir. In Late fifties he was sent for NCC officers training course to Kamptee in Maharashtra. After he returned he worked as NCC officer in the various Government High Schools in Kashmir till his retriment.
Lala jee was a very good artist. I have seen him creating new designs out of torn cloth pieces, drawing paintings, making portraits of great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, J.L. Nehru, Mohd. Ali Jinnah, Shyma Prasad Mukerji, M.S.Golvalkar and portraits of many others including his father, his brothers and his uncles etc. I was fortunate enough to see Lala jee applying brush, the colours and the chalk and the pencil on the canvass. While at work he would look like a Yogi busy in his creative artistic activities. Alas ! these activities could not be pursued by him for long because of his involvement in socio, political and cultural activities which he continued till he took his last breath. However, his imaginative outlook and usage of his brush and colours had a lasting effect on my mind and thus I grew up as a poet and a writer in the years to come.
What was dearest to Lala jee was his motherland and he would not make any compromise with patriotism. In my childhood days, I got the chance to be in his lap and listen to his stories and patriotic songs. He had a melodious voice which would attract my mind, body and my soul together and would also influence my writing.
Last but not the least Lala jee was a dreamer. As already stated and his dreams had often come true. In June 2006 he fell ill at Jammu in the absence of his family members but he was accompanied by his friend Shri Hriday Nath Bhat. He saw a dream at 7 pm. In that dream, he met one of his close associate who had died in 1975 and whose name is Pt. Shambu Nath Parimoo, a Unani Hakeem. He in that dream was concerned that Lala jee was not taking his illness seriously. He then advised Lala jee to call on a particular mobile phone number which he made him remember by repeating the number three times. The number was that of a doctor and he told him to consult the same doctor. When he woke up he remembered that number and asked his friend Hridaynath Ji to call on that number and he was responded by a young doctor named Dr Rafiq Bahar, a Government Doctor from Srinagar known for his success in the treatment of the various diseases in the state. Lala jee himself talked to the person on the other side. He followed the treatment which that doctor suggested to him and he was cured within a month. Lala jee woke up remembering the said mobile number and requested Shri Hriday Nath jee to ring up the said number. Sh Hriday Nath jee did the needful and a quick response came from the other side.
It was his dream to see India emotionally united. When I asked him as to how that unity could be achieved, he replied that it could be done by having a common consciousness of oneness.
CL Kaul (Writer)
Lalaji As I knew him
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, fondly known as Lala Ji in his family circles, breathed his last at his residence at Buta Nagar, Muthi, Jammu in the evening hours of 1st July 2012. Pandit Vaishnavi, a veteran Kashmiri Pandit leader, will be remembered as one of the greatest leaders the community has produced in recent times. Known for his honesty, politeness, simplicity and straightforwardness, he will be remembered for the concern he showed for the community in general and for the compassion and sympathy he showed for those members of the community who needed assistance and help, in particular. He was always ready to go an extra mile if it helped someone in need. People often talk of the selfless service he extended to the needy and poor and about the responsibility that he shouldered in the wake of displacement of the members of Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley in 1990. He was instrumental in providing relief and assistance to the distressed displaced families irrespective of their affiliations and place of displacement. In the process, he exhibited an abundance of zeal, energy and warmth inside him, which could be seen even in his old age till he breathed his last. Before his demise, he had successfully undergone an operation in Delhi and thereafter had moved to Jammu to resume his normal activities related to the community’s social work. These and other qualities of his head and heart had rightly earned him the place of “The Father of the Community”.
My association with Lala Ji was not that old. Though I had read about him and his social activities earlier, yet, because of my professional engagements, I did not get a chance to meet him in person. It was only a few years back while I was working on Encyclopedia of Kashmiri Pandit Culture and Heritage and was compiling information about Kashmiri Pandits who had made significant contributions in various walks of life, that I got in touch with him that too over the telephone. The contact was made possible through the Pandit Balmukund Vaishnavi (Balkrishan Sanyasi), my friend. The response to my call was very positive and full of warmth and reflected a personality with a positive attitude. From the conversation, it appeared as if he knew me for decades. Not only did he send the information I was looking for but also followed it up subsequently with a visit to my residence. He wanted to see the work that was being done and get a feel of it. This is understandable given the fact that there was a project in the offing which concerned Kashmiri Pandit Community – the community he had been painstakingly serving since his childhood. He liked the idea of the project very much and was overjoyed to see the work in its totality. He blessed me and wished it to be published at the earliest. His visit impressed me quite a lot as I had met a graceful Kashmiri Pandit in the true sense and a typical Pandit attire, sporting a dastaar (turban) and tyok (religious mark) on his forehead. After this I met Lala Ji several times both in Delhi and Jammu. Many times it was a chance meeting in Jammu on the roadside. He was waiting for public transport to attend a social function or a meeting. These chance meetings were more revealing about his personality in the sense that there was a man, down to earth, who irrespective of the personal inconvenience made it possible to attend a function or meeting. What mattered to him most was the result and not the way he achieved the objective. Later on, I learnt that he often used a bicycle as a mode of conveyance when he lived in Kashmir before the year 1990. After this, the more I met him, the more I started adoring him for his simplicity and unassuming nature. Here it will not be out of place to make a mention of two other meetings I had with him. The first one was during a wedding ceremony at Jammu. This meeting provided me with an opportunity to talk to him at length about his journey over the years, the achievements he had to his credit and the regrets if any that he had for having thought of something but not having quite achieved that. Though he was happy that he served the community to the best of his ability, yet he was kind enough to give the credit to all those who worked with him and made things possible. From a historical perspective, I was specifically interested in knowing about the importance of Sheetalnath and the role this historic place had played in making the history of the community. I had learnt that great personalities like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi had addressed the gatherings from the precincts of Sheetalnath and, therefore, was keen to have a glimpse of the heritage photographs. I could see the discomfort that my request had caused him. He was quick to confess that he regretted the act of having passed on the file with all the heritage photographs and other material to someone (he did not disclose the name) for bringing it to light in the form of a book. This, however, never happened.
The second meeting with him was in his office at Muthi. That was the day when the latest issue of Martand was ready to be despatched to the members He talked about his emotional attachment with the paper and also about his efforts to revive it. When I asked him whether the paper served its purpose in the present situation and whether it was up to mark, he was honest enough to point out that there are certain deficiencies but they are trying their best not only to sustain it but also to improve it. I did not pursue the matter further. Among other activities that were going on in the office, the activity about the preparation for Samohik mekhla (community Yagnopavit ceremony, the thread ceremony of Brahmins) planned within a month caught my attention. Talking about these activities, Pandit Vaishnavi said that he considered two community activities, namely, Samohik mekhla and Samohik nethar (collective wedding ceremony) very vital for the community’s survival. He was convinced that such activities were the need of the hour and would go a long way not only in continuing the rich traditions and bringing about much-needed reform but also help economically weaker sections of the community to overcome their hardships. In this context, I feel that the best tribute that the community can pay to this stalwart of the community is to see to it that such activities are not only continued in future but also strengthened and expanded to include more beneficiaries.
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, born to Pandit Sarwanand Vaishnavi in 1925 AD at Jammu, was a father figure, a selfless social worker and a veteran community leader who served the Kashmiri Pandit community for more than six decades. He worked for some time with DAV, School Rainawari, Hamdania High School, Nawa Kadal and Arya High School, Pathankot. In 1955 AD, he joined the State Education Department and after working at various schools in the Valley retired in 1980 AD. Earlier in his career, he was commissioned in NCC from Kampty, Nagpur in 1959. Because of his social leanings, he started serving the community right from his childhood but launched himself into active community service in 1953 AD as an RSS Svayamsevak and lent support to Ek Nishan Ek Vidhan Ek Pradhan movement of Praja Parishad. He was arrested and detained many times for his activities in Praja Parishad movement (1953), working underground (1967), participation in agitation by locals of Ladakh (1969) and also as an activist of JP movement (1975). He also took part in the struggle for India’s independence. Members of the community remember him for the role he played during Kashmiri Pandit agitation, known also as the Parmeshwari case, in which he galvanised all the sections of the community by giving the slogan, “Jai Kara, Har Har Mahadev”. He is also known for having extended his support to Ladhakhis during their agitation while he was posted at Leh as a Physical Education Teacher. In his eventful career, he held many key positions in various social organisations. These include President, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference Yuvak Sabha, which he headed for several terms; Chairman, Amar Balidan Trust, Jammu and President Bahukhatkeshwar Bhairava Nath Trust, Srinagar. He has also been associated with various trusts, Samities and committees. He worked for the popularisation of Hindi, initially through Hindi Pracharini Sabha and later through Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti. For his contributions, he was honoured with Shriya Bhatt Kirti Puraskar (2002) by JK Vichar Manch, Silver Jubilee Celebration Award (2006) by AIKS, New Delhi and Sharda Samman during the 3rd World Kashmiri Pandit Conference held at Jammu. He was also honoured by Kashmiri Samiti Delhi and Kashmiri Samaj, Bangalore in the year SHRINE BILL.
The passing away of such a dedicated and devoted leader has left a void in the community which will be difficult to fill. The only satisfaction is that people from all sections of society and all walks of life did not only express their condolences but also joined the funeral procession to Shamshan Ghat, Bantalab in large numbeRs This only shows that he was adored by all. The popularity of this tall community leader and the reverence in which he was held by one and all can also be gauged from the fact that immersion of his ashes was done at more than one place, namely, Chandra Bhaga, Akhnoor, Jammu (on 4th July 2012 by his family members); Prayag, Kashmir (on 20th July 2012 by ASKPC in collaboration with Zeishta Devi Prabandhak Committee, Srinagar); Ganga, Haridwar (on 11th August 2012 by Sh. Chamanlal Moti and his wife Smt. Krishna Moti) and Sindh Nadi, Ladakh (16th August 2012 by Buddhist Association, Ladakh). This is rare and can happen only to someone who is a true Karmayogi.
Arvind Shah (Author)
“Hum Kashmiri Pandit Bikhar gayee” (We Kashmiri pandits are torn apart)
Amarnath Vaishnavi lived in downtown in Srinagar. He lived in Chattabal. Our family lived in the neighborhood at Safakadal. I have first known him when he was delivering a lecture on the ill-fated day when the Bharav Temple of Chattabal was attacked by miscreants while a havan was going on. No action by the police meant permission to the miscreants for vandalizing the place of the havan under a well-calibrated plan of execution. The temple premises was then locked and banned for Hindus. He spoke in-depth about the ill aims of the malevolent to grab the shrine. The temple was earlier also denigrated and the stones of the temple were used in making the Chattabal bridge. He could identify the stones which carried the carving of the Hindu deities of the time fixed in the bridge. Vicharnag Trust Asthapan developed a colony on the land of the shrine. Our family also purchased a piece of land there. We constructed a house to live there. Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was so happy to see the Kashmiri pandits settle there. He visited the place many times and he would come to meet my father occasionally in our house in the colony. Some malicious sections did not like coming up of a Kashmiri pandit colony in an area from where Kashmiri Pandits had already been evacuated under the murderous hard hit of 1931 when many Kashmiri pandits were killed based on ethnic hatred and intolerance.
He was a highly acceptable public person who spoke clear and candid. He had nothing to hide and he said what he believed in. He had no trick up the sleeve for a personal gain. I tried to contemplate his gains or gains to his family members and associates by virtue of being a known community leader and a person having access to the corridors of power but I have not been able to lay my hands on any.
Kashmiri pandit community has gone through a lot of thick and thin in recent times. Democracy and independence of India have brought no recipe to Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir. When one studies the different aspects of Kashmiri pandits in Kashmir whether social, political, economic, religious, academic professional or any other area of living and survival of the community, one of the persons who has played a well-defined role for the survival and growth of the community in Kashmir is Shri Amarnath Vaishnavi. His role is not limited to Kashmiri Pandits alone, he worked in Ladakh to save the demographic and cultural ethos of the place. There have been many and greater areas of work where the intervention of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was consequential whether it was the massacre of Kashmiri pandits in 1953 or the social erosion of Kashmiri pandit community in 1967 or the voice against emergency in the country or exodus of 1989, Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi played a role of purpose. He was jailed many times for his activism. But nothing was ever proved against him. Because of his strong and neat and clean character, nothing could even be cooked up against him to frame him.
He was not limited in his activism from Ladakh to lakhanpur but he extended his persona beyond Pathankot to reach the capital of the country where he commanded due respect as a voice of Kashmiri Pandits and democracy. When I received a telephone call from Shri Bal Krishen Sanyasi to write this article for the book, I enquired from him – what were the last words from Pandit Vaishnavi about the community. He replied that the last words were: “Hum Kashmiri Pandit Bikhar gayee – we Kashmiri pandits have got scattered.”
Jai Kara – har har mahadev: salutation to you for your abode with Har har Mahadev.
Dr R L Bhat (Social activist & Writer)
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi: The Artless Activist
A life-long social activist, Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi came to be the face of the Kashmiri Pandit community in its most critical period viz. the exile from their homeland Kashmir. With his characteristic saafa (turban) adorning his head, his long aquiline nose in prominence and his earthly being announced by his unassuming bearing, Vashnaviji would be spotted at every place where the Kashmiri Pandits lived during their exile. He led the exiled Pandits by virtue of being the President of Sanatan Dharma Yuvak Sabha in Kashmir, in 1987. It was a well-fought election in which Pandits from all over the valley participated. Vashnaviji obtained the trust of the community and kept it with himself until his death in 2012. Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi had not become the repository of the faith of his community for nothing. It marked the culmination of a long life of service to the community. He began this activism early, just after passing his matriculation examination in 1944, from Punjab University, Lahore. Being a matriculate in 1944 meant a lot. That had become possible by the efforts of his father and the family, since he had lost his mother in infancy, at the age of only two. However, the social activist in him soon took over and enrolled him in the nationalist cause. Seeds of this activism had been sown early on by his association with Balraj Madhok, who taught history in D.A.V. College, Srinagar. Vaishnavi became a Svayam Seevak, along with the stalwarts O.N. Kak, J.N. Koul Dhobi, M.L. Aima and Tika Lal Taplo. He had taken his R.S.S training with some of the most prominent persons of R.S.S and later BJP, at the national level. His becoming an active participant in the Praja Parishad agitation in 1953 happened naturally. He was arrested, and he earned the distinction of being among the persons released in consequence of the first Habeas Corpus writ filed in India.
A Pandit working for the nationalist cause in Kashmir is not a very rewarding enterprise. A fellow Kashmiri, albeit a Muslim, raised a few anti-national slogans at Jammu in 1949. ‘Brought’ into the national mainstream, he had a 2-decade long minister-ship in the Union Government and two Government-ships. Vaishnavi was appointed Art Teacher in a government school and posted at Bandipora! His nationalist urge made him an active member of Vivekanand Society in 1962. He became a prominent leader in the Parmeeshvari agitation, of 1967, against the forced conversion of a Hindu girl in Kashmir. The slogan ‘Jai Kaaraa’ raised by him from Sheetal Naath, still electrifies the Kashmiri Pandits. Parmeeshvari agitation saw the huge mobilization of the people. It put the angst of Kashmiri Hindus against the religious persecution on the national scene. That robust articulation of the fight of Kashmiri Pandits for the right to religion was frittered away by the negotiators at the table by portraying it as a cry for petty benefits. The problem of persecution got buried under but continued. Vaishnaviji was posted to Ladakh as a punishment. However, his activism continued. He worked for social awareness among Buddhists in Leh, Ladakh and came close to Buddhist leaders like Koushak Bakola. As a result, Leh began to ferment. Pandit Vaishnavi was transferred back to Kashmir to break the back of this agitation for equality. It is said that the seeds of what came to be called later the agitation of the Ladakh Hill Council agitation were sown in that rousing of social and political rights initiated by Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi. For this effort, Vaishnaviji was again arrested in 1969 from Utrasoo in Anantnag, where he had been posted. He continued to work for the community through the seventies. In 1973 as the President of Bhairav Naath Asthaapan, Chattabal, Srinagar he was badly injured when the shrine was attacked by Muslim hooligans. The ancient shrine is still locked and awaits another crusader to set it free. Vaishnaviji was again arrested when the emergency was declared in June 1975. On his retirement from his job as a teacher, he became a full-time activist. He worked as prachaarak of V.H.P at Jammu form 1983 to 1986, before returning to Kashmir to head Yuvak Sabha which later came to be called ASKPC. Delegates from all districts formed the Electoral College for Yuvak Sabha. As per the constitution, every Yuvak Sabha Kashmiri Pandit is a natural member and voter. Pandit Vaishnavi’s election to this exalted position of the leadership of the Kashmiri Pandit community put him in the eye of the stormy insurgency that struck Kashmir in 1989-90. Pandit Vaishnavi’s efforts, especially his access to then, prominent leaders in Delhi, is said to have contributed to bringing the governor’s rule. However, the politics within the nation and the active support from Pakistan brought jihadi terrorism to supervene in the valley. Kashmiri Pandits, along with a handful of Muslims and Sikhs, were forced into exile from their ancestral place. A settled, peace-loving community was turned, refugee. This created great problems for the people. Pandit Vaishnavi, as the president of Yuvak Sabha/ASKPC and the Vice-President of Jammu Kashmir Sahaayita Samiti at Jammu, strained all his resources to succour the citizens turned refugees in their land. The initial problem of a roof over the head and food for the belly was aggravated as the ‘return in months’ turned into a wait for uncertain yeaRs That uncertainty still looms large. Pandit Vaishnavi tried to address the problems. These efforts, aided no doubt by a battery of other activists, brought tents and the temporary relief. A more lasting relief was the admission of the young boys and girls in Technical Institutes of other states, particularly in Maharashtra, in which Pandit Vaishnavi had a primary role. Then there was the day to day problems which homeless people are prone to. Pandit Vaishnavi was always ready and responsive to these calls from the community members Kashmiri Pandits all over are, grateful to him for his service to the community.
This gratitude earned him laudation after laudation from the exiled community including the “Father of community” title, in 2005. The exile has put an enormous challenge before a community, which back in the valley had been relegated to political backwateRs Bereft of political clout due to a scattered position, Kashmiri Pandits in the valley lived on the mercy and goodwill of the majority Muslims. That mercy and goodwill got a favourite cog here, a usable log there, to be included in the political stream, especially after the unsavoury polarization after the seventies. In contrast to the robust political activism of pre-independence days, post-independence saw political inertia being imposed on the community. Exile, which was more a political imposition, demanded an awakening in the community. Vaishnaviji, the veteran of Praja Parishad, Parmeeshvari and Ladakh agitations was overwhelmed by the day to day problems. He tried to solve these problems, as he had been doing all his life. He also tried to unite the community to meet the larger challenge, but the rifts of the early years of exile turned to be irreconcilable. Somehow the Kashmiri Pandits, though living as refugees for two decades now, are still framed in the evanescent hope and waiting-to-return to a pristine Kashmir. Before Amarnath Vaishnavi breathed his last on the 1st of July 2012 at the refugee camp at Buta Nagar, in Jammu, his last lament was that Kashmiri Pandits had got scattered. That challenge calls for an awakening on the part of the large community towards their plight. The community needs to realize that their’s is a collective problem, that of being in exile. The community must get activated. That would be a fitting tribute to the lifelong activism of Pt. Amarnath Vaishnavi. May he prove to be a beacon light for Kashmiri Pandits.
Vijay Bakaya (Ex Chief Secretary – J&K)
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi – The voice of voiceless
I came to know Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi closely after the displacement of the community in 1990. Before that, I had known about him as an impassioned teacher who had made a mark in Kashmir. When I met him for the first time it was in my capacity as Divisional Commissioner, Jammu. He was leading a delegation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits. What I noted was that while others in the group were putting forth their demands intensely and were expressing their anger and despair, which was natural, Pandit Vaishnavi explained with great self-control what was required to be done by the administration. I immediately struck a chord with him and thereafter he acted along with Shri Hiralal Chatta and Shri Motilal Malla and many more as a bridge between me and the Kashmiri Pandit Community. He was always available for consultation with the administration and never allowed the pain of uprooting to be expressed in an agitational way. Because of his cool and farsighted behaviour at this time of acute distress the administration was able to attend to the main task of providing relief and succour. After this turbulent phase settled into a more placid activity of rebuilding lives, Sri Vaishnavi continued to be in the forefront in articulating the Kashmiri Pandit issues and he came to be accepted as the main spokesman of the community. I will cherish the affection and regard that he always gave me and the whole community should remember his statesmanlike role during displacement. He was a man with the courage of coviction but he did not exhibit any rancour nor any malice. He was a humanist to the core.
Prof. KL Tickoo (Writer & poet)
He is Amar
Born in Mastgarh Jammu in the year 1925, he lost his mother when he was an infant and his father and elder brother, Shri Sarwanand and Gopinath, respectively, had a significant role in his upbringing. Trained in fine arts from Amar Singh Technical Institute, Srinagar, Lalaji was an artist of repute. The expression of motherhood in Lalaji got manifested probably from the milk which he drank directly from the udder of the cow along with his childhood friend and ex-MP Shri Ved Vishnu Dutt when the cow visited their courtyard every morning and waited till the duo had the morning feed.
The patriotic revival in Vaishnaviji, fondly known as Bub, papaji and Lalaji carried messages among members of a revolutionary group of Kashmiri pandit youth when he was only six years old. S/Shri DN Nadim, JN Koul, KN Mahnoori, RN Dhar, and NN Raina were some prominent members of the group. When a student of class 7, he had the taste of the first lathi charge during the Durga Nag agitation but continued to crave for swaraj and was keen to participate in the freedom struggle. He sprouted the roots of RSS in the Valley in the year 1944-45, along with Shri Tika Lal Taploo, Omkar Nath Kak, Som Nath Ogra, Janki Nath Dhobi, Makhan Lal Aima and many others under the patronage of Prof. Balraj Madhok. In 1947, when Pakistani invaders tried to grab the Valley, he, along with his friends rushed to the Srinagar airport to assist authorities in ensuring the security of the airport, by keeping an eye on nefarious designs of the invaders and stood guard with others around temples where Hindus and Sikhs had taken temporary shelter, after fleeing from their homes for security. He was a great admirer of Maharaja Hari Singh and adopted his style of headgear (dastaar) and continued to wear it along with a tilak on his forehead, without fear, till the day he breathed his last, as symbolic of Kashmiri Pandit’s identity, honour and self-respect. People in the state and elsewhere, irrespective of their religion, caste, community, and political affiliation are unanimous in their observation that Pandit Vaishnavi upheld the honour and prestige of his headgear till the end, and did not let the community down.
Lalaji was a spiritualist having great faith in the Hindu way of life. Sanatan Dharma was deeply embedded in him and one would always find him in the forefront in performing rituals like Yagnyas etc. The incident of Bahukhatkeshwar Bhairava Nath temple at Chhatabal, Srinagar in the year 1973, is one such example where Muslims, without any provocation pelted stones on the premises where Yagya was being performed by Lalaji, as a result of which he sustained severe head injuries and had to be rushed to hospital by his family and neighbouRs
He was an embodiment of simple living and high thinking. I have never seen anger in him. The only time I saw him somewhat angry was recently in Delhi where his family resisted his departure for Jammu before completing the medical treatment.
Shiban Khaibri (Journalist)
Pandit Vaishnavi in perspective
Iam reminded of a saying, “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily even if you had no title or position.” The rustic, the simpleton, the non-egoistic and the like have been great people of all hues their claim to be from the modest, endear them to people. Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was a person with the blend of rusticity and simplicity, yet he had the requisite courage and fearlessness to lead from the front and speak the bitter truth. Pandit Vaishnavi, as much as I could know him, stood as unique and shall always be remembered with reverence by our community.
In Pandit Vaishnavi, I found a complete unison of words and action, a congruence of servitude and simplicity, a mix of a missionary and a philanthropist and above all, an embodiment of keeping alive the rich and unique Kashmiri Pandit culture. I am, at times at a loss to watch people boasting of our ancient culture while in meetings, while addressing the gatherings or while writing in journals and papers or while using social sites or tweeting. Wearing turban has been a part and parcel of our culture which gradually was given up except by a very few elderly, much before being hounded out from the valley. This turban is now confined only to a few minutes on Yagnopavit ceremony and for a few hours on marriages when the bridegroom has to wear it. Amarnath practised what he preached to the extent of how a Kashmiri Pandit in the cultural sense should look like, by wearing the turban and spotting tilak on the forehead and the two ear lobes. The hot and humid conditions outside the valley here in Jammu or wherever he travelled, did not deter him from adhering to this basic tradition of a Kashmiri Pandit. He also kept himself adorned by keeping the yone or the sacred thread at all times. Pandit Vaishnavi deserves all the accolades and praises for adhering to what he said about culture, in practice too. Nobody can force us not to talk in Kashmiri, pure Kashmiri, non-Persian-ised unadulterated Kashmiri language but it is we, who are systematically distancing ourselves, especially the younger generation, from this cardinal part of our identity and rich culture. On numerous occasions, Pandit Vaishnavi shared his anguish and concern with me on this issue.
It was his deep desire to have a newspaper published which could be the official organ of the All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference and be the voice of the Kashmiri Pandits. He revived the famous Urdu Daily “Martand” for which he incessantly worked culminating in a fortnightly 12 paged “Martand” in English from Jammu. I too was associated with it for more than two years looking after its front and editorial pages. He would extend whatever help he could and manage to ensure the paper saw the “light of the day” twice a month. It, however, struggled to come out of the hiccups of mismanagement including other reasons and went into a slumber.
Referring to the famous 1967 KP agitation which erupted with spontaneity and was the second most effective mass agitation after the 1931 Roti agitation, I chanced to gather scattered bits of that mass resistance of the community known as “Parmeshwari agitation” from the rich memoirs of Pandit Vaishnavi. I needed the information to enhance my knowledge about some most sensitive aspects of that agitation for a write-up. Pandit Vaishnavi felt pleased to share a lot with me as he knew about the events since he was one of the most vibrant and an infusible force behind that agitation of the masses which was against denial of justice and fair play to the community by religious fundamentalist forces. The Parmeshwari agitation was a six-month long agitation, longest ever combined resistance by the community against the communal, biased and chicanery forces in the state government. Pandit Vaishnavi’s missionary role in the agitation cannot be underestimated as also of other leaders of the community.
ML Misri (Educationist)
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi – A Tribute
Our beloved leader, a karma Yogi, friend, philosopher and guide Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi shed his mortal frame to merge with ultimate reality on 1st day of July 2012. This was a man who was rich in all the noble and virtuous gifts which God bestows on His beloved Bhaktas. Pandit Vaishnavi was a source of inspiration to all whoever came into contact with him. He was sober, gentle, noble and a compassionate person with the cheerful and endearing disposition and treated all equally irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion. I cannot recall any occasion when he would lose temper, get angry or agitated with any person-viz his relatives, friends or with his colleagues or coworkers with whom he had to work in the later stage of his life as a selfless leader and torchbearer of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit Community.
He was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family in In Jammu in the year 1925. He grew up as a normal child under the care of his father and elder brother and got his education in local schools. Afterwards, he got admission in the then Amar Singh Technical Institute, Srinagar (now Amar Singh Degree College ) to get training in Arts and Painting. After getting a Diploma in Arts and Painting, he also completed successfully training in Interior Decoration. This course was conducted by C.G.I. London (Central Guild Institute, London) through the said Technical Institute. He was so much adept in the art of interior decoration that in early 1947 he got an opportunity to be one among the group which was assigned the job of decorating the Palace of Maharaja Hari Singh.
After attaining the marriageable age he was married but unfortunately, the marriage lasted for only few years as his wife died due to her being afflicted by the disease known as epilepsy. Then he refused to remarry. Afterwards, he was attracted towards R.S.S. (Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sang) as its aims and objectives corroborated with his goal in life. He attended its Shakhas and was very much impressed because he felt that he could develop his personality and build his character by being associated with this organization. But unfortunately, the then Government got suspicious about the activities of this organization and the workers of some political parties were let loose to harass and hound the Hindu Youth. The R.S.S. workers had to flee from the valley. Pandit Vaishnavi went to Pathankot. In Pathankot, he got the job of an Art teacher in Arya High School (a Private school). Simultaneously he received a letter of appointment informing him about his appointment as a Subedar in the Indian Army and also another appointment order from Indian Northern Railways informing him about his being posted as a Draftsman in the said organization. But after due consideration, he preferred the teaching profession because he felt that the teachers are the nation builders and he could contribute a lot by imparting knowledge, attitudes and skills to the students under his charge. This was the time when a few years earlier India had got freedom from British Rule and he wanted to serve Mother India and help keep it united as he felt that our country – India- was a country where people of different faiths, different cultures, different customs, different lifestyles and speaking different languages live. He desired to create common consciousness and feeling of oneness among the people of different sections of society. In Arya High School Pathankot he encouraged students to become Boy Scouts. He organized many camps wherein the selected Boy Scouts were imparted practical training in scouting. He also established Auxiliary Cadet Corps (A.C.C) so that the students attending the said school could become worthy sons of India. Along with A.C.C. he also tried to establish N.C.C. so that the students could be trained in 3 S’s viz: Serve, Suffer and Sacrifice. He along with his students contributed his might as Shram Dhan in constructing a DAM which was being constructed by the Punjab Government at Narote Jaymal Singh, Punjab in 1952-53 and his efforts were hailed and lauded by the then Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Sardar Pratap Singh Kairon. After some years he returned to Kashmir and joined the J&K State Government Service as a teacher. He was posted at Handawara Higher Secondary School. He started the N.C.C. activities in this school as well and encouraged the students to join the N.C.C. (National Cadet Corps) to become true patriots and disciplined persons. This practice of training and encouraging students to become NCC cadets continued in all the schools where he was posted till he retired on superannuation in August, 1980. The last school where he worked was Higher Secondary School, Zadibal, Srinagar.
A very interesting event happened during his service career in the year 1967 when the most unfortunate Kashmiri Pandit Agitation known as Parmeshwari Agitation took place in the capital city, Srinagar. Peaceful processions, dharnas and demonstrations were held at every prominent place in Srinagar by Kashmiri Pandits.
Pandit Vaishnavi took a very active part in this agitation. Those days he was posted in M.P. Higher Secondary School, Bagh-i-Dilawar Khan, Srinagar. Day after day the agitation gained strength and in fact it was covered and given publicity by the most important media channels of the country and also by the international media channels of the world. The then Government accordingly began to think about the measures to control the situation. They alerted the State Police Department and the Police started arresting the protestors and the activists. Many Kashmiri Pandits were arrested. Now was the turn of Pandit Amarnath Amarnath. One day the police party came to Bagh-i-Dilawar Khan Higher Secondary School at 4:00 PM sharp, the hour when the last bell of the school rang. All the students and the teachers of the school came out of the school gate. The police were expecting the turbaned Pandit Vaishnavi to come out but were disappointed not to find Pandit Vaishnavi. They waited outside the school so that Pandit Vaishnavi would not be able to escape. Soon a man in full NCC uniform with goggle on his eyes and a baton in his hand came out riding on a bicycle at a high speed. Surprisingly the policemen on duty saluted him and he responded promptly and saluted them back in return. This man was none other than Pandit Vaishnavi. Such was his intelligence and mental prudence. Thus the police could not arrest him though on other occasions while fighting for the causes and the demands of the minority community especially of the Kashmiri Pandits, he did go to jail and faced the imprisonments bravely. During dharnas, processions and demonstrations his pet slogan was “JAYKARA”.
Pandit Vaishnavi was a multi-dimensional and a multi-faceted personality. As already mentioned he had a great love for his country- Mother India. He wanted to be a soldier and wanted to guard its borders but could not pursue this ambition because of the domestic circumstances. Secondly, he was a very good artist and did paint portraits of our great freedom fighters and leaders he liked most. From the year 1960-70, we would always find him with a brush and pencil in his hand in his leisure hours as he had a great aptitude for becoming an Artist-Painter. He did paint many signboards which were displayed at prominent places in Srinagar. A signboard of a leading literary organization viz: HINDI SAHITYA SAMMELAN could be seen displayed at Kralkhud, Habba Kadal, Srinagar even in January 1990 when the mass Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits-the original residents of Kashmir Valley – from the valley took place. But unfortunately, he could not pursue this talent as well and his ambition of becoming a great Artist-Painter remained unfulfilled. Thirdly, in his boyhood, he was fond of our great singers, namely Shri K.C. Dey and Shri K.L Sehgal and would entertain his friends and classmates with the songs sung by them. He had a very sweet and melodious voice. Had he pursued the art of singing, he would have become a very good singer. In later stages of his life, he would often sing patriotic songs. One could not believe that even when he had attained the age of 60 years his voice had not lost the melody and sweetness which he had in his boyhood.
Pandit Vaishnavi was a very powerful orator and could hold his audience spellbound for hours together. He was a mass leader and worked in different capacities in State and National organizations. He was a full-time worker of R.S.S. (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sang) up to 1987. His role as the Vice – President of All Kashmiri Pandit Conference – Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha and as the Vice-President of the J&K Sahitya Samiti cannot be forgotten more so after the post-1989 era when the Mass Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and others took place from the valley and the Doda district. It was because of his strenuous efforts that Kashmiri Pandits were able to leave their homes and hearths from their motherland Kashmir safely in the year 1990 as it was under his leadership that a delegation along with the Bharatiya Janata Party Veteran leader, Shri L.K.Advani, met the then Prime Minister of India, Shri V.P.Singh, his cabinet colleagues, and many other leaders of different political parties and persuaded them to bring the state of Jammu & Kashmir under Governor’s rule as militancy had erupted there. It was at its peak in the year 1990 and the lives and honour of the minority community especially the Kashmiri Pandits were not safe there. The said delegation also wanted Shri Jag Mohan to be appointed as the Governor of the state. It did happen on 19TH January 1990 and the J&K state was brought under the Governor’s rule and Shri Jag Mohan was appointed as the Governor of the State. In fact, many innocent Kashmiri Pandits were killed by the terrorists and living in Kashmir with dignity and honour was made impossible for Kashmiri Pandits by them. After displacement from the valley, Pandit Vaishnavi spared no time to mitigate and redress the pain and sufferings of the displaced Pandit community. In Jammu and elsewhere Pandit Vaishnavi left no stone unturned to see that the Government machinery and the authorities concerned with Relief and Rehabilitation did concede to the request of offering whatever help was possible to resettle and rehabilitate the displaced community. Geeta Bhavan, Parade, Jammu (makeshift office of the Sahayata Samiti) was humming with activity during the post-migration period i.e from 1990 onwards and he along with some dedicated associates rendered all possible help to the displaced persons. This was a great contribution by this selfless leader. Secondly, he launched a meaningful and a peaceful agitation through dharnas, processions and road blockades for making the Government concede to the demand of Kashmiri Pandit Community to declare them as Displaced Community in their own country rather than refugees. At first the then Government was reluctant to register them as displaced Kashmiri Pandits but ultimately because of his tough resistance the Government was compelled to accept this demand. His third contribution was to arrange the admission of Kashmiri Pandit displaced youth – Boys & Girls – in Technical/ Engineering/ Medical Institutions/Colleges of different States of India. It was in summer, 1994 when a historic conference of All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha) was convened in Jammu under the Presidentship of Pandit Vaishnavi. This conference was attended by veteran and famous leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party Like Shri L.K.Advani and Shri Kidar Nath Sawhney. A resolution was passed in this conference where under the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the central level was prevailed upon to ensure the admission of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit Boys/ Girls in the Technical/Engineering/ Medical Institutions/Colleges of the B.J.P. ruled states. The top leadership of the said party helped Pandit Vaishnavi to achieve this important landmark. In this connection, he along with some of his close and dedicated workers left for Maharashtra and also for other state capitals. In Maharashtra, they met Shri Bala Saheb Thackrey of Shiv Sena and Shri Gopi Nath Munde of Bharatiya Janata Party. Those days Maharashtra was ruled by Shiv Sena and B.J.P . coalition Government. Initially, this delegation met with some hurdles but ultimately they succeeded in their mission and the Boys/Girls of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits got admission in the Technical/ Engineering colleges of the said state. It is said that to achieve the said goal Pandit Vaishnavi had to take off his turban and place it at the feet of Shri Bala Sahib Thackrey and other authorities at Mumbai. Later on, he and his team which included another stalwart of Sahayata Samiti, Shri Hira Lal Ji Chatta, continued their efforts as they wanted to widen the canvass of such type of admissions for Kashmiri Pandit Boys/girls in other states as well. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpai was the Prime Minister at that time and one of his cabinet colleagues, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi, was Human Resource Development Minister. Pandit Vaishnavi and his team met the Human Resource Development Minister and Shri M.K.Kaw who was Secretary in his ministry and pleaded the case of widening the canvass of admission of displaced boys and girls of Kashmiri Pandits in the Technical/Engineering colleges of other states. Luckily their efforts met with success and now the boys and girls of displaced Kashmiri Pandits are reaping the harvest of a decade long struggle of Pandit Vaishnavi and his team members of the All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference, Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha.
While giving one’s impression about such a towering Personality one can straightaway say that he was a great HUMANIST. He would say that God is manifested in all the creatures of the world and the service of man is the true worship of God. Being a staunch follower of Swami Vivekananda Ji, he would always lay stress on the process of self-development and would ask his friends and associates to know their own selves. He would say that if one knows himself, he knows everything. Know Thyself was his password. About love for mankind and humanism, I am reminded of an incident which he had related to one of his closest relatives. The incident occurred in the year 1960 when he was posted in Higher Secondary School, Handwara, Kashmir. In this school, he had endeared three boys namely S/Shri Chaman Lal Moti, Abdul Ahad and Nazir Ahmed Sofi of 7TH class. These three students were very much devoted to him and he also had great affection for them. These boys would visit his rented house after school hours and he would give them coaching and tap their hidden potential. He wanted to make them role models for other students and also worthy citizens of our country. Once it so happened that Pandit Vaishnavi was assigned census duty, it was the month of January-coldest month of the year- and the school had closed for winter vacation. To accomplish the task of the census he had to visit some adjacent villages and had to traverse a long distance when all the fields and roads were covered with snow and no road transport was available. He had started early in the morning and it took him one full day to accomplish the assigned job. He returned to his house late at 10 PM. To his surprise he found the aforesaid three boys waiting for their beloved MASTER JI. He embraced them and they offered him warm water to wash his hands and feet. One of the boys, Shri Nazir Ahmed, was preparing chapattis and sabzi (Veg. dish) for him. After he took some rest, Nazir Ahmed asked him, “Will you take the meals prepared by me?”Pandit Vaishnavi in his quick reply said,” My dear Nazir Ahmed, how can I deny eating the food prepared by you with love and affection for me! God bless you.” Nazir Ahmed was very happy to hear this. Then all of them took their meals and Pandit Vaishnavi escorted all the three boys to their respective homes. Such was his greatness! May his soul rest in eternal peace!
Post-1967 Kashmiri Pandit Agitation, he was transferred to Leh as a punishment. There he helped Pandit Moti Lal Pushkar, a Sanskrit teacher on deputation in a Buddhist school, in weaning away many Buddhists from the influence of Shia Muslims. Although he firmly believed in “SARVA DHARMA SAMBHAV” yet he did not tolerate the exploitation of one religious group by the other.
Many times, during his lifetime he took initiative to keep the community leaders together and wanted to revamp the ASKPC. Actually, he earnestly wanted the leadership of different factions of our community to come under one banner but unfortunately, his dream was not fulfilled. To repay the debt we owe to him, it is hoped that good sense will prevail upon our new leadership and the leaders of the different factions of our community will shun their individualistic approach and march ahead with one voice and under one banner.
M.L.Kak (Journalist)
Vaishnavi, an honest and truthful rebel, is no more
If there can be a term like honest and clean rebel A.N.Vaishnavi is an epitome of it. A rebel in the sense that he would not watch injustice, repression, oppression like a mute spectator.
I was fortunate when I met him in Srinagar central Jail in June 1975. It was a meeting between one detainee and the other. He had been detained by the Jammu and Kashmir Government, headed by Sheikh Abdullah, who had allowed the extension of the emergency promulgation to Jammu and Kashmir. Vaishnavi’s fault was that he was a volatile individual ready to fight injustice or any kind of raw deal. As a senior teacher, posted in Ladakh, he had raised a banner of revolt against those elements that were engaged in the conversion of the Buddhists into other religion.
I was a detainee from Haryana who managed to get transferred from Hisar Jail to Srinagar because of the intervention of Sheikh Abdullah. Sheikh Abdullah had phoned the then Haryana Chief Minister, Bansi Lal, who had settled a personal score with me by putting me in jail, to set me free because of my being innocent. But Bansi Lal had refused to revoke the detention order and instead agreed to transfer me to Srinagar central jail.
When I dub Vaishnavi as an honest rebel I do so based on my maiden experience with him. In the Srinagar central Jail we had been provided with a servant, an Army deserter from UP, who would cook food for five people huddled in a big room. One day the servant refused to obey the instructions of a constable and kept on watching a television programme.The constable lodged a false charge against the servant with the Jail superintendent who ordered flogging of the servant. The Army deserter, a tall and burly Jat from UP, was tied with ropes and lashed. When Vaishanvi heard about it he lost his cool and protested loudly that sent shivers down the spine of the Jail authorities. The Jail superintendent requested me to persuade Vaishnavi to observe restraint. Before he could tone down his anger the servant was sent back to “our room.”.
A.N.Vasihnavi was a simpleton. When he decided to contest the Assembly election in 1996 he was the only leader who refused a van from the Government. He turned down an offer for security cover. While political nincompoops enjoyed Government security and the car Vaishnavi was seen footing long distance.
Vaishnavi was a symbol of simple living and high thinking. Even as chief of All-State Kashmir Pandit Conference for over two decades Vaishnavi neither misused his status nor tried to seek any personal aggrandisement.
Had he desired he would have received big favours from the successive state Governments. He had limited desires. He has been rightly described by his close associates as a political saint. Kashmiri Pandits have more organisations than any community all over the world has and a majority of leaders of these organisations prefer to work on a higher plank. It is not their job to help a displaced family if its cash incentive and free ration have been stopped. They aim to fight for the homeland and not for ration for the displaced people.
But Amarnath Vaishnavi was of a different mould. He would not waste even a minute if some displaced people wanted his help in issuance of ration cards or certificates that could help the wards of the displaced families to get admission in professional colleges in Mumbai and other states in the country.
Vaishnavi’s motto was to eat to live and not live to eat. He was a man, rather a leader, of simple habits. He was down to earth a leader who was available to the unfortunate displaced people from Kashmir for 24 houRs He wore a smile but his heart bled with the misfortune of his community he loved and cared for.
Kashmiri displaced people have been rendered orphans with the demise of A.N.Vaishnavi. I believe that a community is lucky if it has a leader like Vaishnavi, who never bothered about his comforts but was always haunted by the problems of the community to which he belonged. He has been quite unfortunate because neither the successive state Governments nor the community of the displaced people recognised his selfless services by awarding him with some honour. May God rest his restless soul in peace.
Predhuman K. Joseph Dhar ( Journalist )
Amarnath Vaishnavi: Man of the Masses
To write about personalities is easy but to do the same for memorials is a scholar’s job and, I do not claim to be so. The turbaned roaring lion of the Kashmiri Pandit community, Amarnath Vaishnavi, with a pronounced Tilak on his forehead, moderate in bodily stature, ever supporting a smile on his face possessed all the qualities of head and heart that made him a true leader of the community. He was a rebel in his own right, a philanthropist, and over and above human par excellence, ever ready in coming to the succour of the needy and the downtrodden. His life taught us to be ordinary humans in every sphere of activity living extraordinary lives. In a great appreciation to his leadership of my community in exile, I write this piece as a tribute to him.
Simple and approachable, Pandit Vaishnavi was ever ready to listen and learn. A progressive, he had maintained all through an image of a people leader. More at ease with the ordinary than the powers-that-be, he had been a friend of all those working for a cause and had been very supportive. He was a person of a discerning mind and a sensitive heart ever to engage in dialogue and enter into the world of otheRs Sensitive to the issues of marginalization and discrimination he stood up like the Rock of Gibraltar for their causes. I consider him a man of the masses, who had made his contribution as a people’s intellectual to the well being of the Kashmiri Pandit community and the nation.
Born at Mastgarh (Jammu) on August 24, 1925, to Pandit Sarvanand Vaishnavi, he spent his boyhood at Shesyar Habbakadal (Srinagar). The family later shifted to Bage-e-Sunder, Chattabal-Srinagar. He passed Matriculation examination from Government High School, Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan, Srinagar through the Punjab University as the Jammu and Kashmir State had no University of its own those days. He was appointed teacher in D.A.V. School, Rainawari. After this, he joined Hamdania High School, Nawakadal. In 1949 he joined Arya High School, Pathankot and became an active RSS Pracharak during the era of martyr Shama Prasad Mukerjee and Attal Behari Vajpayee. He became a part of the Praja Parishad Movement launched by Pandit Premnath Dogra for achieving the total integration of the Jammu and Kashmir State with the Indian Union. He as such became a part and parcel of the slogan “Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan, Ek Vidhan”. He was arrested and sent to jail.
On his father’s instance, he came to Kashmir and took up government service. He started with Government School, Bandipora in the late 50s to retire on superannuation pension from Government High School, Zadibal, Srinagar in 1980. Being in Government service in no way could dampen his spirit and enthusiasm in serving his community in different spheres, social, political and religious. But he had been a leader with a difference. My first interface with him was at Leh in 1969-70 when, if my memory does not fail me, he had been transferred there on punishment by the government on some cooked, fabricated and baseless charges. I had earlier seen him delivering fiery speeches from Sheetalnath during the “Parmeshuri agitation” shouting full pitched self-coined slogan which had become war cries of our community during the agitation… “Jai Kara, Har Har Mahadev, Panj Nara Pandava da, Chata Nara Jai Hind.” At Leh, I was told by well meaning people that while at Leh as Physical Education teacher in the sixties, Vashnavi Ji was the man behind opposing conversion of Buddhists to Islam under a well managed plan and also educating the Ladakis that they were discriminated against in every sphere of life by the government.
The mass exodus of our community from the valley in 1990 saw Amarnath helping the community members get accommodated in tented camps in every possible way at Jammu. He burnt midnight oil in doing his best in coming to the assistance of the needy. He established his office in Geeta Bhawan, Jammu where people rushed to him for assistance which was easily available to them. He knew no rest during those days.
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was genuinely proud that the Kashmiri Pandit is an inseparable part of the Indian civilization that has always been secular and pluralistic in its outlook. He was of the view that the secularism of India was rooted in millennia of the civilization experience of the Indian people, a civilization in which every major faith in the world found a home, was those nurtured, and evolved, alongside a rich and challenging diversity of sceptical, rationalistic, atheistic and agnostic beliefs. Indian secularism entails therefore not a denial of faith, but equal respect for all faiths… including always the absence of faith… with all the symbols, philosophical trappings and ethical imperatives of these different systems of belief. It derives from an unbroken multi-hued tapestry of practice and teachings of tolerance and love, including those of the Buddha, Kabir, Nanak and Sufi Saints and Bhakti reformers It is overlaid in its modern incarnation of democratic secularism with not just equal respect for all faiths, but also the guarantee for the practitioners of these diverse faiths of equal rights and protection under the secular law of the country. He was, therefore, critical of all those who practised fanaticism and fundamentalism.
Pandit Vaishnavi in his speeches always referred to the Constitution of Independent India that pledges freedom and equal rights to all citizens, regardless of the god they worship or choose not to worship, regardless of whether they are women or men, regardless of their caste, wealth, ethnicity, the colour of their skin, and the language they speak. Although the State has no religion, the Constitution guarantees all the people, the freedom to not just follow but also to propagate their religion. Yes, India is the land of Sidharth Gautam the Buddha. His message shapes the ideology and the life of not only the vast majority of the Indian populace but a vast multitude of the Far East. Five hundred years before the birth of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lord Buddha’s message of peace, renunciation and yes, of learning-extended from the extreme East of what is today Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, and through India and today’s Pakistan, to Afghanistan where it interacted with the Hellenic cultures to give the subcontinent distinct art forms and roots of philosophical superstructures that could cope with other messages when they came in their time including the complex simplicity of the message of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, brought in the very few first yeaRs Sub-continental tolerance is historically evident in the early settlements of the Jews in Kerala and Konkan coast, maybe a century to five centuries before Jesus Christ. It is also evident in the hospitality shown to the Parsees, the fire-worshipping Zoroastrians, fleeing the Persian persecution. Both these communities are unique, so very different from the traditions of the land they came to. Both religions are closed to outsiders, both combine introverted combinations of race and religion, self-isolating. Normally, as happened in Europe through centuries of medieval history, they would have invited local curiosity, incited regional hostility, even violence if they assumed positions of economic superiority. In this case, both communities did assume positions of the economic power of some magnitude. And yet they managed to thrive, receive a modicum of social sanction and total acceptance. The Parsees even today are in positions of prominence, though the Jews largely migrated to Israel or further west. This is evidence of intellectual tolerance of a very superior order.
Even the advent of Islam, despite the aggressions of West Asia and Central Asian ruling clans, the Turks from Bosporus, the Mongols following Taimur the lame from the deserts of the steppes of Uzbekistan and the Gobi, found acceptance despite its proselytizing mien, and the violence that accompanied it.
In this back from Pandit Vaishnavi always was critical of the policies of the Central Government that failed to protect the constitutional rights of the Kashmiri Pandits. He rightly earned the epithet of the: “Father of the Kashmiri Pandit Community”. I call him as Ho Chi Minh of Indo-China who cooked his food and washed his clothes, had one set of Kurta Pajama to wear and was often seen footing out long distances.
“Hazaroon Saal Nargis Apney Bay Noori Pay rooti hai,
Badi Mushkil Say hota Hai Chaman Mein Didawar Paida.
Pandit Vaishnavi is no more on this mortal soil let us be consoled and sing with John Milton:
“In the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love
There entertain him all the saints above,
In solemn troops and sweet societies,
That sing and singing is their glory move
And wipe the tears forever from his eyes.”
May his soul rest in peace in the loving lap of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thatha Astu.
Farooq Abdullah ( Politician)
Condolence letter for the bereaved family
I have known Shri Amarnath Vaishnavi as a mass leader and a freedom fighter with a long and rich experience in public life. A secular-minded person who worked for mutual brotherhood and communal harmony, Shri Vaishnavi will be remembered for his untiring efforts in supporting the cause of Kashmiri Pandits for a peaceful life in Kashmir. In his death, the community has lost a great leader whose contribution will be remembered for a long time to come.
All-Party meet (Jammu, July 2018)
Tributes to Mr Amarnath Vaishnavi
Members of the all-party meet recalled Mr Vaishnavi as an icon of Indian nationalism in Kashmir, who played a pioneering role in the Praja Parishad movement in 1952-53 and also propagated nationalism among the people during forties in Punjab and Kashmir. They also recalled his role in 1947 Pak invasion when Mr Vaishnavi along with a youth brigade volunteered to take on the invaders till Indian army landed in Kashmir and his role in the 1967 Parmeshwari agitation. M
Mr Vaishnavi’s role in leading the nationalist movement in Leh and his selfless services to the community especially his role after the mass exodus of Pandits in the valley was also highly lauded by the speakeRs They said that Mr Vaishnavi struggled for the strengthening of nationalist forces and democracy in the state and that he was jailed for 19 months during the emergency. Mr Raman Bhalla, then Revenue, relief and rehabilitation minister addressed him as a guiding force in the society who never compromised on his principles. He said that Mr Vaishnavi played a stellar role in fighting for the cause of Kashmiri Pandits throughout his life. Dr Jitendra Singh of BJP called him a nationalist leader. Dr Agnishekhar, who is the convenor of Panun Kashmir, termed him as an icon of nationalism who had a great role in strengthening the nationalist movement in Kashmir along with Mr Balraj Madhok. Mr K.K Khosa, the president KP Sabha said that Mr Vaishnavi gave his life to serve the Pandit community.
National conference MLC Mr Vijay Bakaya termed Mr Vaishnavi a man who was down to earth and he served the society selflessly.
Arun Jaitley (Politician & Lawyer)
Mr Vaishnavi: A Selfless leader
Mr Jaitley Described Mr Vaishnavi as a patriot by core who played a pioneering role in Praja Parishad movement and subsequent pro-national movements in the state for J&K’s total integration with Indian union. He said that Mr Vaishnavi served the people of the state selflessly and left an example for others to follow. He said that Mr Vaishnavi was in the real sense a dedicated swayamsevak who never thought of his interests. He found it strange that a person serving the nation for over six decades did not have a house to live in. He said that though the mass exodus perturbed him a lot he continued to work for the betterment of the community and that it was due to his tireless efforts that some BJP led state governments agreed to reserve seats in professional colleges for displaced students.
Kundan Kashmiri (President – Kashmiri Pandit Conference)
Father of the Kashmiri Pandit Community
Legendary and veteran leader crowned with the title Father of the community, late Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was a symbol of the national school of thoughts who presented an example of an alternative way of life. He worked in adverse circumstances to strengthen the nationalist forces in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Throughout his life, he showed a path for leading a life with dignity and honesty without striking compromises for short term interests at the time when nationalist society in the state had been subjugated to develop slavish mentality. It was God’s will that late Amarnath led the Kashmiri Pandit community in turmoil. Vaishnav Ji was born in 1925 when the R.S.S. founder Dr Hedgewar started R.S.S Shakhas in Nagpur. Amarnath is remembered as one of the great leaders of Kashmir who devoted his entire life for the welfare of society. His inner qualities of faithfulness, honesty, submissive nature, patriotic feelings and courage gave him the strength to lead the society. Father of the community Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi always stood like a rock to defend the interests of Kashmir and the nation as a whole. He was always seen pleading the cause of the Kashmiri Pandits at every platform. His activities and the deep environment in the affairs of his community and country had added to his dignity and his towering personality impressed all whether they were his followers or his critics. The mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in 1989-1990 set a challenge for the Hindu community and the father of the community Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi boldly took this challenge and left no stone unturned in mitigating the pain and sufferings of the Pandit community. His tireless efforts in motivating BJP and Shiv Sena leadership in Maharashtra for reserving seats in professional colleges and universities for the displaced students of the community was remarkable and praised worthy task. Apart from being a government employ he was a staunch social activist and was also a staunch R.S.S pracharak who spread the ideology of R.S.S in the valley. He participated in the Praja Parishad movement launched by Pandit Prem Nath Dogra. As a young boy, he took an active part in Durga Nath Protest march in Kashmir and played a key role in safeguarding the Hindu sick interests during the tribal invasion in 1947. During the communal riots in parts of south Kashmir in 1986, he stood like a rock and met the President of India, the Prime Minister of India and many other social and political leaders of the country apprising them about the situation in Kashmir. He was a great advocate for total integration of J&K with the union of India. As a front line leader, late Amarnath known also by the name of Lala Ji pleaded the cause of the Kashmiri Pandit community in exile at various platforms to draw the attention of the globe towards the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. He reached at the doorstep of Sh. V.P Singh the then Prime Minister of India to save Kashmir from devastation. He developed close connection with the top leaders of BJP Namely Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, Shri L.K Advani, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi and Shri Kedarnath Sahni simply to work for the rehabilitation of the displaced community and to have a keen eye on the Kashmir events. His revolutionary ideology and nationalist outlook made him not only the voice of his community but also a voice of Kashmir. The memories and the sacrifices of late Amarnath can never be forgotten and his close association with the top leaders of the country is worth to be remembered. In 2009 he met Shri Vajpayee Ji along with me at his residence at 6-A at Krishna Menon Marg New Delhi for about an hour and immediately thereafter we met Shri Kedarnath Sahni. We discussed with them the problems which the displaced Hindu community of Kashmir was facing. In 2010 he along with me had a couple of meetings with election commissioner of India werein late Amarnath pleaded for four constituencies in exile to be allotted to the displaced Kashmiri community. It was in 2010 that he sat on Dharna outside the police station near Jantar Mantar New Delhi for the release of about 3 dozen Kashmiri Pandits who were detained for protesting in VVIP zone near the residence of Shri Saifuddin Soz at New Delhi and simultaneously approached top BJP leadership including Shri L.K Advani for their release. In 2010 during his visit to Delhi Shri Amarnath and I attended twenty years exile mahashradh function at I.T.O New Delhi, organized by PanunKashmir and later attended a big programme at Jantar Mantar New Delhi organised by K.S.D and Kashmiri Pandit conference and also other organizations. Amarnath in a strongly worded warning to the government said that the government should be prepared for serious consequences if the Kashmiri Pandit community is ignored by the leaders at the helm of affairs Amarnath was interested to spread the branches of All state Kashmiri pandit conference in other parts of the country and on march 30 2010 a unit of ASKPC started functioning in New Delhi. Since the organization could not get registered in the name of ASKPC in New Delhi because of legal reasons, the organization is now working in Delhi in the name of Kashmiri Pandit conference. Late Amarnath during the years of exile toured almost the all parts of the country meeting the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and various social organizations to see that the sufferings of the displaced community are removed and they live honourably.
Rajinder Premi (Social Activist)
Some are born with God-given extraordinary abilities, creative acumen & talent, who by virtue of such sublime qualities give the world new direction. These people look & behave as ordinary citizens, but their intellect & sensibilities make them towering, to carve out a niche for themselves and make an everlasting impact, thus leaving behind a great legacy. Lala Ji, as we called him out of our love & respect, was one such legendary soul.
Shri Amar Nath Vaishnavi was born in Aug 1925, as a child his school days, he had developed Social, Political commitment which grew with the passing years. He had the inborn qualities of a prune Hindu heart and remained for his full life a devout Hindu.
Late Lalla Ji was interested in community-affairs from his infancy days, as a conscious Kashmiri Pandit and became to be unchallenged leader of Kashmiri Pandits and became the President of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC). He was not only popular within his community, but was also respected by the majority community of Muslims in Kashmir as well as Dogras of Jammu & Ladakhis.
Vaishnavi Ji was appointed as a teacher in the State Education Deptt. and was posted outside the Valley for most of the service carrier.
Post-migration Pt. Vaishnavi Ji had been an inspiration for the younger generation. He took control of the displaced affairs of the exiled community into his hands at Jammu and worked closely with KP Sabha Jammu, which resulted into the setting up of tented accommodation, Relief-organization, adjusting displaced people in Schools or other Govt. buildings. He cherished dream of continuing Publication of daily ‘Martand’ a voice of KPs of Kashmir.
Late Vaishnavi Ji’s un-filching integrity and his love for his community can’t be forgotten by the exiled community. His untiring services to the whole humanity will always be remembered by all, as he had devoted his entire life for the human cause, for which he remained a lifelong activist.
Since I joined the arena of Social Service, after we landed in Delhi in May 1990, after we were forced to flee from our homeland, Kashmir, in the backdrop of the martyrdom of my illustrious father & beloved younger brother. I became the first Kashmir migrant to be associated with Kashmiri Samiti Delhi, where I was appointed as chief-co-ordinator in 1991 & subsequently became the secretary of KSD in 1992, when it was headed by Shri Chaman Lal Gadoo as President. During these 2 years of my stay in KSD we were coordinating with our Jammu biradari through Shri Vaishnavi Ji only.
My contact & rapport with Shri Lala Ji developed more frequently thick, when BJP constituted a Kashmiri cell in Delhi State Unit at 14, Pandit Pant Marg, under the chairmanship of Sh. C L Gadoo & I were made founder General Secretary of “J&K Sangam”, when Late. Kidar Nath Sahni was President Delhi Pradesh BJP.
Late A N Vaishnavi would come to attend our meetings, Seminars and symposia directly from Jammu and would discuss all matters of migrant relief, rehabilitation & welfare measures.
After our 3 years of stay in JK Sangam, I was advised by Sh. J N Kaul (Papa Ji) who came calling at my Lodhi-Road residence, on one hot humid morning of Aug month, desired me to assist him in All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), of which he was recently then elected its President. He said we have watched you during your stay in KSD and recently in JK Sangam and I have been personally much impressed with your untiring services for the exiled community.
I vividly remember AIKS, under J N Kaul, visiting 1st-time various migrant camps of Jammu, Nagrota, Udhampur and Batal Bali, so there would be close interaction with Mr Vaishnavi. I started understanding more about this leader.
Late. Vaishnavi Ji was a part of the delegation of the Kashmiri Pandits which was invited by the standing committee of Parliament Ministry of Home Affairs, to hear us in Parliament-annexe about our hardships, difficulties and problems being faced by the exiled community outside their homeland. The delegation was lead by Sh. M K Kaw President, AIKS. A joint community representation was made by Late Kaw himself which was unanimously prepared by all of us earlier. Shri Vaishnavi was very happy on our conduct and approach during the whole exercise.
When the standing committee prepared its report and submitted to Government of India, its recommendation, I took a copy of these recommendations to Jammu for Late Vaishnavi Ji, on seeing this copy he was much, impressed by my concern and respect for him.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was hearing us during the petition of genocide during the year 1993-1999 and during some hearings; Mr Vaishnavi was also present on my request. He was much impressed by my documentation work and arguments, after which he came to my Lodhi Road residence to give me a pat for all this.
It was only during one of the hearings at NHRC, when we were asked, as petitioner, to nominate one Kashmiri Pandit for the apex-committee for displaced People, to be constituted for the welfare of the exiled community, by the commission. Shri Vaishnavi Ji was a unanimous choice, although the NHRC wanted a KP petitioner for this job. As I, as a petitioner had been requesting the NHRC, to include a KP in the redressal mechanism, which the NHRC had earlier agreed on my continuous persuasion for formation of an apex committee at the J&K State Govt. level.
Besides this Late Vaishnavi Ji participated in most of the regional conclaves/meetings of All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) held at Jammu in the year 1992-93, at Chandigarh in the year 1996, at Delhi in Year 2000, 2001, 2003 & Faridabad in the year 1997 & 1999, in Bengaluru in the year 2004 Dec & in the year 2006 at Calcutta.
Shri Vaishnavi has inspired the younger generation with the qualities of his head and heart. I pay my humble tributes to this great man, who has left an indelible impression on all of us with his honesty and dedication for the community welfare.
Raman Bhalla (Ex-Minister of J&K state)
Pandit A N Vaishnavi was a great nationalist known as the guiding force in the society.
Abdul Rehman Veeri (PDP leader)
Pt Amarnath Vaishnavi was a towering Pandit leader of the state who worked selflessly for the betterment of the people of the state for over six decades. He was a great teacher and an honest politician.
D S Salathia, President Jammu Bar association
Mr Vaishnavi was an outstanding leader. He has no parallel in the modern history of the state. I am highly impressed at the clarity and honesty of Vaishnavi Ji.
Brig. Suched Singh (RSS Pracharak)
Vaishnavi Ji was a nationalist to the core and reflected upon his pioneering work during 1947 tribal invasion in Kashmir with a dedicated band of patriots. He took part in the preparation of a makeshift runway at Damodhar airport in Srinagar to help the Indian army.
Dr Agnishekhar
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi was a towering personality who played the best role in strengthening national movement in Kashmir.
Ashwini Chrangoo
Words fall short to describe qualities and mobility, love and affection of Karmayogi Shri A N Vaishnavi. Which are sweet memories never to be forgotten.
Ashok Braroo.
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi burnt the candle of life in service of Hindutva for six decades and led us from the front during the exile period.
Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation 
A saintly very simple gentle man always ready to help everyone.
Probably we can never get such a towering personality as our leader.
May Lord Shankar Bagwan bless his soul
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Thank you Harikrishan ji.
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Our beloved leader Respected Lala Ji, a karam Yogi lives with all of us ,We can never forget his blessings in the form of shaping the future of our Children and safe gaurding our self identity and respect,
Tributes to this Great leader were written by my late father Shri M L Misri (Educationist) despite of his ill health some months prior to his departure,
Wishing Respected B K Sanyasi Sahib all the best
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Surinder ji, Many thanks for your kind words. Wishing you all the very best.
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