Zain-ul-Abidin: The King of Kashmir.

Sham S. Misri

Zain-ul-Abidin, popularly known as Bud Shah (1420 AD), was the king of Kashmir. His court was full of poets and musicians. He introduced Persian as the new official language. He introduced the art of weaving and paper making. In fact, Zain-ul-Abidin, an inspired ruler ended the forced conversion of Hindus and declared an office order that those Hindus who had been converted in this fashion be allowed to return to their own faith. He even provided Hindus with subsidies enabling them to rebuild the temples his father had destroyed. The different ethnic and religious groups were still not allowed to intermarry, but they learned to live side by side amicably enough. Zain-ul-Abidin organized visits to Iran and Central Asia so that his subjects could learn bookbinding and woodcarving, as well as how to make carpets and Shawls, thereby laying the foundation for the shawl making for which Kashmir was famous.

Once, the king was taken ill. He was down with an unknown disease.

For further reading and the collection of more stories visit Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVN2W4I

Lachi Kuj Hunz Kath

Sham S. Misri

 

Long ago a Kashmir Pundit boy was engaged in a teaching job. He was posted to a village in Pulwama district. There he fell in love with a Muslim girl. The Pundit boy belonged to another village farther from Pulwama. After some time the girl married the Pundit boy there. The villagers were 

......
......
......
For further reading and the collection of more stories visit Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVN2W4I

Shiva's Atmalinga3

Sham S. Misri

Devotees believe that Ganesha roots out obstacles and difficulties. There are many stories, which narrate how he saved even the gods.

Ravana was the king of Lanka. He was very strong. Once there were indications that the gods would suffer at the hands of Ravana.

Ravana was a devotee of Shiva. Once he performed strict tapas. Pleased with his tapas Shiva appeared before him and said, "What boon do you desire?" Ravana begged for Shiva's Atmalinga (Shiva's Atmalinga was the reflection of Shiva in the form of the Linga. The presence of this Linga is as good as that of Shiva Himself). It was Ravana's belief that nobody could defeat him, once he acquired the power of Shiva. 

Shiva had said, "Ask for whatever boon you choose.” Therefore he was bound by his words and had to give away his Atmalinga. He, however, cautioned Ravana: "Don't put this Atmalinga on the ground even for a moment; once you put it on the ground you cannot get it back.” He then disappeared.

The gods trembled to see Shiva's Atmalinga in the hands of Ravana, who was a threat to the world. Ravana was their bitter enemy; and now, with the Shivalinga itself in his possession, they were in great danger. They were troubled not knowing who could protect them.

Then they remembered Ganesha. They went straight to him and explained to him their troubles. The kind Ganesha consoled them. He put courage into them saying, "I shall not allow Ravana to get Shiva's Atmalinga Have no fears.” The gods went away and Ganesha followed Ravana to carry out his mission

Ganesha's Victory:

Ravana was on his way to Lanka carrying Shiva's Atmalinga in his palms. By then it was evening. It was time for Ravana to perform the evening prayers. Ravana was in a fix. Shiva himself had told him that the Linga should not touch the ground. How was he to perform evening prayers, with the Atmalinga in his hands? There was no one in that deserted place that could help him. He stood there, thinking, 'I must perform evening prayers. What shall I do?'

Ganesha was following Ravana and was waiting for a chance. He understood Ravenna’s difficulty. He appeared before him in the guise of a small boy. When Ravana saw him he was as happy.

Ravana called him and said, "Little boy, will you hold this Linga till I perform evening prayers and return?" Ganesha, in the guise of a boy, said, "It appears to be very heavy. Please put it on the ground and go. "

Ravana said, "No, I cannot do that. It should not be put on the ground. Please keep it in your hands, till I return. "

The boy said, "Suppose it becomes too heavy for me?" Ravana spoke softly, "I will return quickly, my boy. You are a clever fellow, aren't you? Please hold it in your hands, my good boy. "

The boy agreed.

Ravana gave him the Atmalinga and said, "Don't forget. This should never be put on the ground. “And then he went towards the sea to perform evening prayers.

Hardly had Ravana started when Ganesha cried out, "Alas, it's too heavy! " Ravana was afraid. But, he could not return without completing evening prayers. Therefore, he cried out, "Boy, I shall be back soon. Don't put the Linga on the ground whatever may happen. " By the time Ravana was offering holy water to the gods Ganesha cried aloud, "Oh, Ravana, I can no longer bear the weight of this Linga; I shall put it down here. " So saying Ganesha put the Linga on the ground and ran away. Ravana completed evening prayers in haste and ran back in fear. But Shiva's Atmalinga was firm in the earth. Ravana tried hard to take it out, but could not.

It was not an easy task to prevent Ravana from getting Shiva's Atmalinga. With his sharp intellect, Ganesha did this difficult task easily.

Hapat Yaraz (Friendship with a Bear)

Sham S. Misri

Long time ago in one village of Kashmir, there lived a poor man. He lived on the foothills of a hill. The poor man had developed some land near the hill and was raising some maize crop there. Every year when the crop would be ready, a bear would appear and eat away some of his maize cobs plants and destroy his plants.

..........
..........
..........
For the collection of stories visit Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQCA5AM

Watal Batawareh (Cobblers Saturday)

Sham S. Misri

Cobblers are still considered a low class category.  In Kashmir we have a saying Watal Batawareh, it is hard to digest what it actually means. A cobbler never keeps his promise. Something you think is silly or false. Something that you think is silly or not true.  Cobbler is an old-fashioned
For further reading and the collection of more stories visit Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVN2W4I

Card Toss

Sham S. Misri

Have your child stand several feet away from a wall and toss cards at its base. The object of the game is to get a card to lean against the wall instead of falling flat on the floor. When a card falls flat, it stays where it is. Whenever the child gets a card to lean, he wins all the cards lying on the floor. The game is over when one runs out of cards. See how long your child can keep the game going.

For two or more players, divide the cards equally among the players. Have the players take turns tossing their cards against the wall. Play until one player has all the cards or until you want to end the game.

Bullock’ milk

(Daund Chu Toeti Di Chhir)

Sham S. Misri

One day Akbar the great king of India asked Birbal’s daughter, “Can a man give birth to a child?” She replied, ”Can a bullock give milk?”

Birbal was Akbar’s great minister. The Muslim ministers hated him and tried to get rid of him. Birbal was often punished on account of what they said.

One day a Muslim minister said to Akbar, ” Will your Majesty please get some bullock’ milk from Birbal.”

Akbar promised that he would give the order, and on the following morning there was the paper signed and sealed by the king. The document was spread out before Birbal, ordering him to procure some bullock’s milk within fifteen days, or else die.

Birbal was overwhelmed with fear and astonishment. The minister’s daughter seeing her father in this wretched state at once devised a scheme. She went straight to the butcher’s shop, and there soaked her wrap, a sheet of cloth, in some blood lying about, and then went and washed it in the part of the river opposite the king’s palace. Akbar observing this enquired the reason of the blood. She replied: “No, I have not murdered any one, but yesterday Birbal had delivered a child in the house.”

Akbar said, “Can a man bear a child?” 

The girl answered: “Can a bullock give milk?”

Birbal was exalted to still greater honour and power on account of this shrewdness of his daughter.

Cards in a Hat

Sham S. Misri

This is a simple but popular pastime, and it is one of the few card games that require physical skill!

In addition to one or two packs of cards, a hat with a brim is required. If no hat is available,

a bowl, Or wastebasket can be substituted. The standard 52-card pack is used.

The game is played to judge distances, and improves accuracy in tossing. Any number of people can play.

The cards are dealt among the players. The goal is to land the most cards inside the hat.

Put the hat on the floor in the middle of the room, with brim up.

Players stand at a distance from the hat. In the game, each player in turn flips one card toward the hat, and tries to land the card inside it.
Each player keeps track of the number of cards that land inside, with one point being scored for each, and half a point if a card lands on the brim.

However, if another player succeeds in knocking in a card resting on the brim, it counts as a full point for that player.

If only one person plays, he keeps score by keeping track of how many cards out of 52 he tossed in the hat.

Victory is awarded if the player scores 20 or more points in a round. Thirty points or more scores a double-victory.

Himal and Nagrai

Sham S.Misri

A poor Brahman lived in Kashmir. His wife was not happy with him. She would speak ill against her husband. The Brahman was sick of her and wanted to get rid of her. One day his wife asked him to get alms from a king. He left his home carrying some food in a bag. After traveling some distance he 
.
.
.
.
Himal and Nagrai came to life in their human form once again and lived without further mishap ever after.

For the collection of stories visit Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQCA5AM 

Trick your Fingers

 Sham S. Misri
 

This trick has a scientific twist.

Fill one bowl with cold water and put some ice cubes in it. Fill second bowl with hot water, (the water should be hot to touch but not very hot to be uncomfortable).  Fill a third bowl with tap water at room temperature.

Put one of your child’s hands in the bowl of ice cold water. Put his hand in the bowl of hot water. After a minute, put both of his hands in a bowl which has water at room temperature.

Although both hands are in the same bowl, the water will feel cold to the fingers that were in hot water; and hot to the fingers that was in cold water.

The child feels excited.