Whilst i rush up for entering in the new identity, i pack my gadgets and few sweet boxes to the university for my academic scholarly defence. As i sat in the car to ring up all my scholar friends and my mentor, I was very apprehensive to call Asma. I knew for the matter of fact that Kashmir is going through severe topographical tiff and it has never happened that Asma had not timely wished me. I was persistent to ring her up but network could not be connected. And i wanted to take it that way that it is just a poor network. Although i was preoccupied with many things but i wanted to be busy and confused and clumsy but, my mind was partially stuck thinking about "where is Asma?" Although, i have many Kashmiri Brethren as my close friends and associates but Asma being from a Shahnawaz Scholar Family, and her virtual absence was a matter of concern to me or that is probably the tacit training by our mentor to celebrate success together. I clinched my thoughts and not to share what devil my mind was thinking. I returned home with the “O.K. Done” feeling and took a while to reassemble my thoughts on Asma's  disappearing act. And then she replied to a message after two days, to an old where about message that i posted when the flood didn’t fled anything, it was a casual calamity. The nature’s war took it all...

Her trembled voice and the sigh feeling of “I am alive, we are alive” made me shiver here and our 2 hours of verbal conversation post that was horrific on what all has been gone with the water, wind and worse of both.

It could have been just another flood, few another deaths to me, but it is because of people i know from this valley have been so kind to me always, all their faces would come in patches whenever any news would pop-up. To what Asma said, to what she always says, to what she did not say that day-....i could feel the misery. My friend wanted to be free, she wanted to be independent, she wanted to be a part of free and independent Kashmir (she still wants it) but that day she just spoke on how will she reassemble and recreate , but she being an absolute optimist will rise and shine along with all her bretheren. I end on a status message by her, signifying belief, strength and intensity which will help her heal,  it read “ To everyone, i ever knew and i never knew. I may or may not be tomorrow morning. Remember “LA ILLAHA ILLAHA MUHAMADUR RASUL ALLAH” and display picture of beautiful pre-flood valley.

If i could share, the pain and reluctance, the perseverance and power....i will say:

On graves, and earth all is same,

Death or life all are his name,

We come to go back,

Go back to come again,

We might resist to this power play

Let us fall to rise again,

And let us rise to fall again.

How many crosses, beads, and books i pray..

The deads and breads have fled away..

Let us fall to knees to only say,

That “i will accept, to what he may”...

-          Peace in

Prayers,

Kiran Sakkar Sudha