This post is more of a note rather than a blog post. I fact, I wasn’t even looking (or heard) for Kalash tribe. I stumbled upon this while I was researching on ‘India connection’ of Romanis and Yezidis
Get this. Apparently, Kalash is the ‘smallest minority’ of Pakistan. We all know what that phrase means.
Evidently, a criminally low number of documentaries on the Kalash community are posted online. I can’t explain the neglect and absence of attention it is getting while it deserves more. Among the few documentaries posted, most of them just manage to touch the surface. Anyways, I have managed to find one of the good ones for you and is linked below – please watch.
To summarise, few cultural aspects of this tribe which should immediately catch your attention are :
They worship of Vedic Gods (Indra and Mahadev) and not Classical Gods. This must indicate time-period of isolation from Indian civilization.
Menstruating women are separated from the community (Watch the documentary), and it’s a mandatory social vacation.
Dead are buried above the ground. Crows represent ancestors
Image captioned “Don’t mess with Finland” is making rounds on the Internet. It’s called “Be afraid, Be very afraid!”
Very impressive, indeed. However, do you know what is even more unique and outstanding? One which involved us Indians. The Battle of Longewala!
Tank tracks at Longewala. Photographic reconnaissance image taken at the time showing the desperate last minute manoeuvres by Pakistani tanks in the Longewala sector. Circles show destroyed Pakistani tanks.
Indians won the battle despite being outnumbered and overpowered. Can it still be called “the last stand”?
Too bad it is not in top 10. Anyway, be afraid, Be very afraid!
If you tame a snake to kill your neighbour, after doing that, its gonna come back to bite you !
Frankenstein monster is now in Pakistan. And you can watch it (if you haven’t already!) on PBS/Frontline documentary by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy “Pakistan’s” Children of the Taliban (2010) where she explores alarming consequences.
(That was 2010 movie, if anyone has follow up documentary, please share)
The Taliban often use radio broadcasts to drive home their message.
In one typical address, a preacher proclaims:
“Sharia Law is our right, and we will exercise this right whatever happens. We will make ourselves suicide bombers! I swear to God if our leader orders me, I will sacrifice myself… and blow myself up in the middle of our enemies.“
The Taliban have destroyed more than 200 government schools in Swat since they took control of the region. Walking through the rubble of a school that once taught 400 girls, the reporter comes across two nine-year-old girls who used to study there.
I did not know the definition of “liberal” was so simple till our superstar journalist Rajdeep Sardesai explained it to me. Apparently it simply means “one who drinks scotch and loves his women(plural)”.
Or is it just honouring assassinated politician by calling him a liberal ? Why these lies ?
Now lets define “moderate“.
Five hundred Pakistani religious scholars said that anyone who expressed grief over the assassination of Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province, could suffer the same fate.
The Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan group of scholars making the veiled threat is from what is seen as a relatively moderate school of Islam in Pakistan. – reuters.
We all have read the bloody stories during birth of Pakistan. This is from “The birth of Bangladesh”. A story Colonel Nadir Ali of Pakistan (west Pakistani officer posted in east Pakistan) recalls it during 1971 war. A perfect example of “modern” war ethics. There is more in Wikipedia. if you would like to read further on this. Pakistan still holds this attitude towards her(his is it?) minority, and unfortunately they take “not in genocidal level” as a compliment!.
During the fateful months preceding the dismemberment of Pakistan, I served as a young Captain,
Rayerbazar killing field photographed immediately after the war, showing dead bodies of intellectuals (Image courtesy: Rashid Talukdar, 1971) - image via wikipedia
meantime promoted to the rank of the Major, in Dhaka as well as Chittagong. In my position as second-in-command and later as commander, I served with 3 Commando Battalion.
My first action was in mid April 1971. “It is Mujib-ur-Rahman’s home district. It is a hard area. Kill as many bastards as you can and make sure there is no Hindu left alive,” I was ordered.
“Sir, I do not kill unarmed civilians who do not fire at me,” I replied.
“Kill the Hindus. It is an order for everyone. Don’t show me your commando finesse!”.
I flew in for my first action. I was dropped behind Farid Pur. I made a fire base and we fired all around. Luckily there was nobody to shoot at. Then suddenly I saw some civilians running towards us. They appeared unarmed. I ordered “Stop firing!” and shouted at villagers, questioning them what did they want. “Sir we have brought you some water to drink!”, was the brisk reply.
I ordered my subordinates to put the weapons away and ordered a tea-break. We remained there for hours. Somebody brought and hoisted a Pakistani flag. “Yesterday I saw all Awami League flags over your village” I told the villagers. That was indeed the fact. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Later the main army column caught up to make contact. They arrived firing with machine guns all around and I saw smoke columns rising in villages behind them. “What’s the score?” the Colonel asked.
“There was no resistance so we didn’t kill anyone,” he was informed.
He fired from his machine gun and some of the villagers who had brought us water, fell dead. “That is the way my boy,” the Colonel told this poor Major.
The Bach 