Review of Secrets of the Kashmir Valley
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elizabeth Horder
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Review of Secrets of the Kashmir Valley
[Following is a volunteer review of "Secrets of the Kashmir Valley" by Farhana Qazi.]
In this book, Secrets of the Kashmir Valley by Farhana Qazi the author exposes the hidden world of a beautiful country now torn apart by conflict. As a result of the 1947 partition of India between the predominantly Hindus of India and the predominantly Muslim Pakistan, Kashmir has been itself partitioned and is riven by conflict between these two formidable nations.
Farhana Qazi was born in northern Pakistan but brought up in Texas, so she has the perspective of both East and West. Because she is female, Farhana is able to speak to the women when she visits Kashmir and to ask about the impact the war has upon them.
Her stories remind us that for every father who disappeared, for every brother taken and tortured, and for every son imprisoned, their mothers and sisters and daughters are left grieving, confused, and often alone.
As we are invited into their homes, we can perceive the poverty and the courage of these women. This is an emotional journey, and women and girls face a particular risk of sexual violence, which is both discussed and exposed in this book.
Farhana Qazi visited the part of Kashmir which the Indian, Hindu people have annexed. Many Kashmiris are Muslims. I would be interested to have some background about the Pakistani part of Kashmir, where the incomers are mostly Muslim. This would make the book a little more balanced, but it is outside the scope of her own visits.
Can you imagine life without your phone, and without access to the Internet without Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other social media? And can you manage this situation when you are forced into a severe lockdown by the government's response to COVID-19?
Since 2021, India has imposed a Bulldozer Policy. This gives Indians the power to destroy homes and evict people who have been living there for generations. How would you feel if you were left homeless in your own country while strangers stole your land? Again, Farhana documents this in the latest volume of her work.
By sharing the dreams of the Kashmiri women, Farhana is giving a voice to the unheard women of Kashmir. We are granted a fascinating glimpse of the way women respond to the stresses of living under a harsh foreign force.
The people of Kashmir want to be free in their own country. Kashmir is a beautiful place, and it deserves better than to be torn apart by Hindu Indians or Muslim Pakistanis.
I rate this book 5 out of 5. It is beautifully written and tells us about her own research.
******
Secrets of the Kashmir Valley
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In this book, Secrets of the Kashmir Valley by Farhana Qazi the author exposes the hidden world of a beautiful country now torn apart by conflict. As a result of the 1947 partition of India between the predominantly Hindus of India and the predominantly Muslim Pakistan, Kashmir has been itself partitioned and is riven by conflict between these two formidable nations.
Farhana Qazi was born in northern Pakistan but brought up in Texas, so she has the perspective of both East and West. Because she is female, Farhana is able to speak to the women when she visits Kashmir and to ask about the impact the war has upon them.
Her stories remind us that for every father who disappeared, for every brother taken and tortured, and for every son imprisoned, their mothers and sisters and daughters are left grieving, confused, and often alone.
As we are invited into their homes, we can perceive the poverty and the courage of these women. This is an emotional journey, and women and girls face a particular risk of sexual violence, which is both discussed and exposed in this book.
Farhana Qazi visited the part of Kashmir which the Indian, Hindu people have annexed. Many Kashmiris are Muslims. I would be interested to have some background about the Pakistani part of Kashmir, where the incomers are mostly Muslim. This would make the book a little more balanced, but it is outside the scope of her own visits.
Can you imagine life without your phone, and without access to the Internet without Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other social media? And can you manage this situation when you are forced into a severe lockdown by the government's response to COVID-19?
Since 2021, India has imposed a Bulldozer Policy. This gives Indians the power to destroy homes and evict people who have been living there for generations. How would you feel if you were left homeless in your own country while strangers stole your land? Again, Farhana documents this in the latest volume of her work.
By sharing the dreams of the Kashmiri women, Farhana is giving a voice to the unheard women of Kashmir. We are granted a fascinating glimpse of the way women respond to the stresses of living under a harsh foreign force.
The people of Kashmir want to be free in their own country. Kashmir is a beautiful place, and it deserves better than to be torn apart by Hindu Indians or Muslim Pakistanis.
I rate this book 5 out of 5. It is beautifully written and tells us about her own research.
******
Secrets of the Kashmir Valley
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: All Body Bags and No Knickers by Shawe Ruckus
