On August 5, when Delhi scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and downgraded the state into two union territories, life came to an abrupt halt. Strict restrictions apart, communication blockade was crippling. Four months later, internet still continues to be blocked.
Shops used to open for a few hours in evenings to enable people to buy essential commodities. One shop, Emm Bee, located in Srinagar’s uptown Baghat belt, however, would remain open throughout the day. People used to come individually or in groups carrying their otherwise useless smart phones and the pen drives.
After waiting in queue, these visitors would handover these gadgets to the shop owner, who would write Content from his computer over them. The shopowner, wants to be identified as Ahmad, his second name. The hoarding on Ahmad’s shop reads he is dealing with cinematography, video shooting, photography, movies, gaming, mobile phones, mobile accessories and allied things. After August 5, however, he is known for the distribution of Content mostly the TV and web series, the only source of entertainment to the urban youth.
“After the clampdown on all sources of communication, people have nothing to do. Every employer and employee had suddenly nothing to do,” Ahmad said. “To ease their mental burden they needed something for entertainment, for which they would visit me,” said Ahmad. Perhaps he is the only person who knows the trends in entertainment. His permanent clientele has exceeded 200. Kashmir has remained an entertainment starved society especially after the cinema halls were closed in 1990’s when conflict engulfed the region. Since then, people used to watch movies on their TVs using movies on video cassettes or CDs.
This story is from the December 22-28, 2019 edition of Kashmir Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 22-28, 2019 edition of Kashmir Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Before The Kabul Retreat
Described as the ‘Graveyard of Empires’, Afghanistan was always termed to be at peace when it was at war. But the land-locked desert country that was always in turmoil and one of the worst targets of the Great Game suffered immensely throughout, especially in the last 40 years, Masood Hussain writes
FINGERS CROSSED
Almost everybody in academia and politics that Khalid Bashir Gura spoke to, the response over Kabul happens was simple – wait and watch
Parliamentary Committee In Srinagar
The visiting 28-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs have had detailed interactions with top civil administration and discussed developmental scenario and people’s welfare measures in Jammu and Kashmir. It is on a 4-day visit. Congress leader and MP Anand Sharma is heading the committee.
MUSIC IN MUD HOUSE
Deep into north Kashmir, Faheem Mir meet a small community that sings and lives on folk music but is facing a tense situation in the last few years
THE KABUL SPILLOVER?
Security experts are divided over the possible impact of the Kabul situation on Kashmir. But the dramatic Taliban triumph has altered the region’s geopolitics, for the time being, writes Riyaz Wani
Durga Bhawan At Katra
To enhancing facilities for the convenience of the Vaishno Devi pilgrims, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha laid the foundation for the Durga Bhawan, a high utility pilgrim-centric facility worth Rs 24.4 crore. The facility will accommodate 4000 pilgrims.
Women Empowerment
In the first, 480 talented girls from Jammu and Kashmir were included in the degree and diploma courses of the Pragati Scholarship. Jammu and Kashmir has also got nine scholarships under the Saksham Scheme for Persons with Disabilities.
‘SOME HISTORIANS BELIEVE THAT AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT IS THE OUTCOME OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN KASHMIR STAND-OFF'
Foreign policy expert and editor of HardNews magazine, Sanjay Kapoor believes that Taliban 2.0 has more legitimacy unlike in the past as it had signed a deal with the US and negotiated with other countries of the region, but the final verdict can be passed only after it manages ticklish issues involving half of its population, the women
Boredom Is Creative?
Getting bored is not as boring as it gets, writes Azra Hussain
LG In Bangus
Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Bungus Awaam Mela amidst grand arrangements for village games, exhilarating local performances, and other activities to celebrate the 75th year of Independence.
