Foreigners?

In the early 80's we visited Kashmir, the Switzerland of the east ,the mandatory stop for newly married couples.

I have visited Ooty popularly known as the queen of hills and Kodaikanal several times. I have also traversed the Himalayas, seen snow capped mountains looming high and mighty and rivers flowing fast and furious in deep ravines and gorges, on my giddying way up to Badrinath.

Yet it is Kashmir that tops the bill!It is truly charming and ably fits the description ' Paradise on earth'.The rolling green meadows and the trees bordering them are not gloomy,snow covered mountains ,at hands reach are not scary, rapids on rivers that elsewhere seem to be in a rage ,appears to be docile and dancing merrily over pebbles and rounded stones. There is a beauty in its landscape that eludes one elsewhere.

I have no idea about the scenic landscapes of North Eastern India ,since I have not visited even a single state in the flock of seven sisters .A female co traveller in our train from Ranchi to Calcutta in 90's, a student of Delhi university who was proceeding to her home in N.E invited us to visit Arunachal Pradesh which she proudly called as 'Scotland of India' and was ready to wager a bet that no other state in India would surpass its natural beauty!

Now back to my unforgettable memories of my very first as well as the last trip to Kashmir.

In one of our trips to tourist spots in the out skirts of Srinagar, I found myself in the midst of a group of young villagers , wearing poncho like Khaki coloured over coats,seated on a row on a brick wall ,dangling their legs,and who asked in a chorus
"Kya aapp Hindustan se hai?"

I have lived in various parts of this huge sub continent, India and am used to fielding questions, on striking a conversation with classmates,neighbours, co -travellers and strangers as to which state I hailed from.If the questioner happened to be from my state ,then which was the city or town I came from further if the person was from the same community and caste,then details regarding my ancestral home ,the subsect, details of my family tree, kula ,gothra etc were sought as a matter of right.Our conversations and friendship proceeded to next level only after these initial queries were duly and mutually satisfied.

But this question 'Are you from India '? was jarring and is still stuck in my memory.

It made me wonder whether I had strayed into a foreign country. Didn't my maps in social studies text books at school show J&K as part of India?The question from those rough young rustics seemed strange and anomalous.

The group of laughing men suddenly appeared to be jeering ,menacing and hostile. And I was greatly relieved when I spotted a familiar turbaned head , unmistakably Indian , the butt of 'bharah baje' [ 12 '0' clock] jokes, ambling by, on his way home from work .I have never been so happy to see a Sardarji before in my life!

We quickened our pace to match his , and heeded back to our rest house in the city in his safe and comforting company.