Dr Rajiv Bhat
On July 1st Amar Nath Vaishnavi shall be remembered throughout the homes of Kashmiri Hindu community.
My first impressions about him goes back to 1990 when I saw him squatting among the community people who were completely shattered and distraught, arriving from the valley not knowing where to go. He was trying to soothe the ruffled feathers and apply balm on the mental bruises. Geeta Bhavan was the place which had become the destination for all the people running away from the tentacles of death and destruction. This is where Vaishnavi Ji would remain available and negotiate with the Government and launch protests to arrange temporary tents, food and financial assistance for the displaced community. This saint would personally seek help from whatever sources possible for the community and he succeeded in doing so, although he did not seek anything for himself or his family and relatives.

Nirvan Diwas

History will place this great mahatma amongst the company of Shriya Bhat and Birbal Dhar. These are the people who sacrificed their self-interests for the sake of community. Shriya Bhat- the vaid ( doctor)- when given a choice to ask for a reward for his services to king Badshah,asked for the safe return of his community brothers who had fled the valley to save their lives from the torture, and forced conversion. Birbal Dhar went to Maharaja Ranjit Singh seeking help to save his people from the tyranny of Afghan rulers. His son was kept as hostage there. His wife was captured by Afghans in Srinagar and she committed suicide. His daughter in law was captured and taken to Kabul. But he did succeed in saving his people from the torturing Afghans. Vaishnavi stands at the same pedestal . He was a man who sacrificed his personal comforts and dedicated his life to help his community come out of those turbulent times.
The community having been temporarily settled on individual levels, he tried to reestablish community institutions. He revived the oldest mother institution- “All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference” and headed it as long as he lived. He did try to revive its official organ,”The Daily Martand” as well so that the community problems could find a voice and the solutions could be sought.
During 2008 the happenings in Srinagar were very scary. Law and order machinery was on its wits end. There were almost daily curfews and shut downs. And there I found him walking all alone on the streets of Srinagar trying to seek help for the restoration of walls of Somyar temple and Chattabal Bhairav temple. It was after lot of persuasions that he agreed to leave Srinagar only after getting assurance that the said restoration and repair of temples would be done. Such was the level of his dedication to the community affairs.
One young pandit Vinod Pandit decided to sit on hunger strike in front of press club and for days together nobody took notice of his recommendations for better facilities for the people staying in different camps and encroachments and vandalization of the community interests in the valley. It was Pandit Amar Nath Vaishnavi who came and assured the young man, appreciated his efforts and offered him moral support.
Vaishnavi was a saint, an extraordinary man, completely out of this world. With no personal interests, he lived for the community and left his mortal self as a commoner living in a camp room like thousands of other Kashmiri Hindus did. He cooked his own food till the very last. When he left for heavenly abode, he was satisfied that he had done whatever he could for the betterment of his community people.
Amar Nath Vaishnavi Ji, I am sure you must be watching us from Vaikunth and feeling satisfied that the seeds you had sown are growing and flowering. Kashmiri Hindus who were completely on the road in 1990 are back on their feet. We will be indebted to your hardships and efforts that led to the rehabilitation of the devastated and displaced Hindus of Kashmir.
We do feel your affectionate hand on our back encouraging us to move on.
(The author is Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar)

Follow our WhatsApp channel