A long thread ..... my story.... don’t pity me .... not listen to me...... #HumWapasAayenge 1/n https://twitter.com/AskAnshul/status/1218759765930590210

1990 ..... Ganderbal... a remote village ... a sunny day with lot of snow outside.....found myself with dad handing over a small hand bag which had a small towel and an undergarment. I had to wake myself up to come to terms what was happening...... 2/n

Parents were dependant on me as my two brothers had already migrated to Jammu. Elder brother had picked up a job outside in insurance company though having secured distinction in graduation. Parents were reluctant and finally I could not resist anymore.... 3/n

I took my brother’s employment papers as I thought these would be of some value than my mother’s jewellery. That is all could fit in the hand bag. My mother handed me ten notes of hundred each for the airplane tickets and miscellaneous expenditure with tears in eyes.....

We had a ailing grandmotherwhich prevented parents from migrating and sufficient land and orchards kept my father clinging on to his roots. Travelling from Ganderbal to Srinagar airport was an achievement those days due to extreme cold and hostile conditions....

I hastily brought a ticket of Air India flight to Jammu but could not get it okayed as these used to be donethose days besides waiting half hearted, watching the last flight taking off without me. There were a lot of people still stranded and the local police warned us to leave

This was my Waterloo moment. There was no place for me to go. All my relatives had already left Srinagar. I went pale. My paleness was suddenly observed by an angel, my friend who stood behindme in the line for confirmation of flight. We both were the losers.... 7/n

but he seemed to have an opportunity left. He had hishome in Zaina kadal and he offered me to spend the night there. I agreed having no other options left.We boarded a bus secured by the army personnel which dropped us at Zaina kadal......

we found us walking through the alleys with people staring at us. He reached his home and I was surprised that front door was locked...wanted to enter in a shelter as quickly as possible. He didn’t have the keys. Soon he made some silly noise..somebody threw a key in the alley.

He opened the door and we went in to our great relief. I was to witness a horrifying fact of life. There was only one very old man in the house. My friend explained to me that ‘Tathae’ as they used to call their grandfather was reluctant to move to Jammu....9/n

so he was left behind locked with enough supplies for six months till the family returned. The family had moved to Jammu. The old man received us well. He got blankets and covered us and gave us Kangri to warm ourselves.....

He cooked rice and baderwahi lentils and we had a sumptuous meal. During thepin drop silence of night we could here bullet ricochet from far away distance. The grandfather was a brave man. He kept vigil as we slept soundly.

He woke us up early at four inthe morning. We just splashed a few drops of water on our faces and relaying the keys after locking the front door over the fence to Tathae. I thought of once to invite him to follow us to Jammu but couldn’t gather the strength.

We walked maybe 12 kms to reach airport to find it already overflowing. I was happy to be with an angel friend that day as I had felt very lonely the previous day before meeting him. I was to betray my angel is another fact of life....13/n

We stood in the line confident that we would fly that day as an extra flight had been requisitioned due to heavy rush. Wewere talking of the future events that would be reality once we touched Jammu as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Abdul Ghani Mir worked as a loader at airport..

He was taught by my father. He had recognised me. He took me away with him and I told my angel friend that I will be back in a few minutes. Somebody had to secure the line. I was never to see him again.....15/n

Ghani took my ticket and went inside. He came after a few minutes and told me to accompany him. My ticket had been okayed. I refused to go inside without my angel friend. He insisted that he will ensure my friend also boarded the flight.I agreed after his long persuasion.....

That was my first flight of life at the age of 18 years and I didn’t like it. My friend was not with me. I came out of Jammu airport and after buying an omelette nearby the main gate, I patiently waited till the other flights landed and the passengers kept emerging from the gate.

My patience diminished after I saw the passengers coming out . I enquired from many passengers as to how many were still stranded ...They said the last flight had many vacant seats could give me relief butnot happiness that I would have got by physically seeing him coming out..

Finally as it was getting late, I went to bus stand to catch the last bus to Akhnoor where my uncle had a small place to start my migrant life in Jammu. Next couple of years were a saga of struggle.....

Getting parents and an almost dead grandmother from kashmir was planned by my elder brother who sneaked in to our village at night in a small truck during heavy hostilities...

registering as migrants in camps, starting college in a tent while living in a 10 * 10 shack ..hostile temperature and insects is horrifying. I constantly visited all camps to locate my angel but in vain. I knew his pet name “gasha” which could not help me in finding him....21/n

besides writing about him in Orkut, Facebook and Twitter recently. My guilt of leaving him alone when he needed me most forces me to go to the front gate of Jammuairport frequently in case he also is trying to locate me....22/n

My angel had saved me that night and it will remain embedded in my heart for whole life. God willing he may read this tweet to come back to me. Till then I will continue trying.... pray for my friend.... pray for my angel......23/n

..... the embers of chinar haunts me daily.... I wake up almost everyday from sleep crying for the lost home .... but then I get up from bed and go to my thokur... a murti kept in one of the rooms at my home.... I ask him.... wake me up from this dreadful dream....

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