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Living on the edge in Kashmir

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Hope takes wings

Borders and barbed-wire boundaries are made for those who cannot fly.

A pigeon has chosen to ignore protocol and fences while building a nest on the hostile Octroi Border Observatory Post along the Indo-Pak border in RS Pura sector, Jammu and Kashmir. The bird has collected straw and branches for a nest for her four eggs from either side of the thick fence that divides India and Pakistan. After all, you find the same trees and plants on both sides.

Also in this series: Down on the border -- The second partition of Bengal

The BSF jawans on guard at the Octroi Post have gone the extra mile to protect the bird and her eggs. They wish that within the next few weeks, four young pigeons will fly away to spread the message of peace in all directions.

For the villagers along the RS Pura sector, even this little symbol of hope is welcome. They have lived in the backdrop of border firing, stray bullets, search operations and temporary migrations for too long. These villagers have witnessed many border skirmishes since 1947 and had to desert their houses and face heavy casualties during the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.

Their stories have always been about the glory of the pre-partition days, the horrors of Indo-Pak wars and the relative periods of calm and peace. You find them cherishing the past, unmindful of what the present or the future has in store for them.

Almost as if happiness ended in 1947.

Also see: Unsung Heroes series -- The Ice Warriors | No Question of Surrender | His Last Cigarette | Know Your Men

Since then, there has only been the frustration of living on the edge and of an identity crisis.

Text/Images: Rajesh Bhat/ Indiablooms News. Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited

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