Jammu, September 14 (Scoop News)-Panun Kashmir observed Balidhan Diwas in Jammu and Bengaluru on Sunday, holding solemn programmes to commemorate those regarded by the organisation as martyrs of the Kashmiri Pandit community and to recall the community's experiences of violence, terrorism, displacement and loss in Kashmir.
In Jammu, the main programme was held at the Manhas Mahasabha Ground, Paloura, with the gathering paying homage to members of the Kashmiri Pandit community as well as security personnel and soldiers who lost their lives during periods of violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
The programme, hosted by Dr. Archana Pandita, Coordinator, Panun Kashmir Yuva, began with the Rashtra Gaan and the National Anthem, during which the gathering stood in respect. This was followed by a Ganesh Stuti recited by Shri Jai Krishan Khar, after which a minute's silence was observed in memory of the martyrs. The significance of Balidhan Diwas was subsequently outlined, with speakers discussing the historical background of the observance and the importance of preserving the experiences of the community for future generations.
The Veer Jyoti was consecrated and lit by Shri Sanjay Raina, marking the principal ceremonial moment of the programme. The organisers described the flame as a symbol of remembrance and continuity, representing the memory of those who had sacrificed their lives. The Jyoti was later carried in procession from Paloura to Bhadrakali Mandir at Thalwal.
Addressing the gathering, Shri B. L. Kaul, Organising Secretary, Panun Kashmir, said that Balidhan Diwas provided an opportunity to remember those who had lost their lives and to reflect on the circumstances in which the community had experienced violence and displacement.
Kaul emphasised the importance of ensuring that the history associated with the community was not confined to the recollections of the older generation. He said accounts of individual families, places and events needed to be documented so that younger members of the community could develop a better understanding of their historical background.
He also stressed the importance of involving younger people in commemorative and cultural activities. The transmission of historical knowledge, he said, was necessary to maintain awareness of the community's past and to ensure that the experiences of earlier generations were not lost with time.
Shri Sanjay Raina, Vice Chairman, Panun Kashmir, said Balidhan Diwas was not merely an annual act of remembrance but also an occasion to recognise the sacrifices of individuals whose lives were lost during periods of violence and uncertainty.
Raina said remembrance acquired greater significance when it was accompanied by a conscious effort to preserve the history associated with those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. He said the community needed to ensure that the names, lives and circumstances of those remembered on Balidhan Diwas remained part of its collective historical record.
He emphasised the role of the younger generation in carrying forward this responsibility, saying that historical memory could remain meaningful only when it was communicated across generations. The Veer Jyoti, he said, symbolised this continuity by carrying the memory of sacrifice from one generation to another.
Col. Ajay Raina, Chairman, JPSM, said that an observance dedicated to martyrs also provided an opportunity to examine the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
He said remembrance should be accompanied by efforts to preserve historical records and establish a factual account of events for future generations. Referring to members of the security forces who had lost their lives during periods of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, Raina said their sacrifices too formed an important part of the region's history and deserved to be remembered.
He said remembrance of those who had died could also help successive generations understand the human consequences of violence and displacement, including their impact on families and communities.
Tito Ganju, Chairman, Panun Kashmir, placed the observance in the wider historical context of Kashmir and the Kashmiri Pandit community's long association with the region.
Ganju said the history of Kashmir included several periods of political and social upheaval and that the experiences of Kashmiri Pandits during these periods needed to be examined as part of the wider history of the region.
He said Balidhan Diwas was an occasion to remember individuals who had lost their lives and to reflect on the circumstances in which those sacrifices occurred. He stressed the importance of preserving historical records and ensuring that accounts of the past were available to future generations.
Ganju also spoke about the impact of displacement on the transmission of community history. With many Kashmiri Pandit families having lived outside Kashmir for several decades, he said, younger generations increasingly depended on family accounts, written records and community institutions to understand their ancestral history.
Referring to the Veer Jyoti, he said the flame represented continuity of remembrance and provided a means of connecting contemporary generations with people and events that might otherwise gradually recede from collective memory.
Ganju also spoke about the community's cultural and historical relationship with Kashmir, saying that an understanding of this relationship remained relevant to discussions concerning its future.
Dr. Agnishekhar, Convenor, Panun Kashmir, emphasised the importance of documenting and preserving the history of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
He said considerable material relating to the community's experiences remained dispersed among families and community organisations. He called for systematic efforts to preserve oral histories, family records and accounts of events so that they could be studied and accessed by future generations.
Agnishekhar also referred to the role of temples and traditional religious institutions in preserving cultural practices and community memory. He said the displacement of a substantial section of the community had created physical distance from many such institutions, making efforts to maintain cultural links particularly important.
He said commemorative occasions such as Balidhan Diwas also provided an opportunity to bring historical experiences into public discussion and encourage younger generations to engage with their community's history.
The proceedings subsequently moved to the tribute ceremony, with Kanwal Peshin calling upon members of the gathering to offer floral tributes to the martyrs. Participants came forward and paid homage in a solemn atmosphere.
The Veer Jyoti was thereafter taken in procession to Bhadrakali Mandir at Thalwal, marking the second phase of the observance. The procession connected the public commemoration at Paloura with a religious site associated with the Kashmiri Pandit community.
At Bhadrakali Mandir, Kuldeep Raina addressed the gathering and spoke about the role of temples and religious institutions in maintaining cultural continuity.
Raina said temples had historically served not only as places of worship but also as centres of community and cultural life. He emphasised the importance of preserving awareness of these institutions and their place in the history of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
He also spoke about the significance of carrying the Veer Jyoti to the temple, saying that remembrance of those who had lost their lives remained connected with the preservation of the traditions and institutions that had sustained the community.
Lakshmi Kaul, CEO, GRIN Publications, announced on the occasion that the publishing house would bring out “Jatividhwans: The Indian Perspective of Genocide”, authored by Sunanda Vashisht, Dr. Dileep Kaul and Tito Ganju, for distribution by Penguin Random House India across South Asia and worldwide.
Kaul said the book sought to place the subject of genocide and the experiences of the Kashmiri Pandit community within an Indian perspective, combining historical examination with the lived experiences of generations affected by trauma, upheaval and displacement.
Describing the publication, Kaul said, “This is not just rhetorical commentary, but a sharp review and analysis of generations of trauma, upheaval and survival. This is your story explained.”
The announcement added a literary and documentary dimension to the day's proceedings, underlining the emphasis placed by the speakers on recording and communicating historical experiences beyond the immediate community and across generations.
Meanwhile, Panun Kashmir Bengaluru observed Balidhan Diwas at Suswani Mata Ji Dham, where a Hawan and Shanti Path were organised in memory of those who lost their lives to terrorism during the insurgency in Kashmir after 1990.
People from different walks of life attended the programme and joined in paying tribute to civilians, security personnel and soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice. The gathering remembered the victims and their families and highlighted the importance of preserving their memory and documenting the circumstances surrounding the violence.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ravinder Gurtoo, Vice Chairman, Panun Kashmir, said Balidhan Diwas was not merely a day of remembrance but a solemn reminder of the unfinished responsibility towards the victims and their families.
“The blood of our martyrs cannot be reduced to a footnote in history,” Gurtoo said, adding that every life lost to terrorism in Kashmir would continue to be remembered. He said the organisation would continue to seek truth, justice and dignity for the victims. He also stressed that the struggle was not against any community but against terrorism, extremism and the ideology that, according to him, forced an indigenous community out of its homeland.
Mr Rajeev Raina, Coordinator, Panun Kashmir Bengaluru, while paying tributes, said the sacrifices of the martyrs would remain part of the community's collective memory. He said Balidhan Diwas was also a reminder that the events of Kashmir could not be allowed to disappear from historical consciousness.
Raina stressed the need to preserve accounts of what happened and pass them on to younger generations so that the sacrifices of the community were not erased from history.
Smt Vinita Kaul, activist, Panun Kashmir Bengaluru, said the families of victims continued to carry personal memories of lives lost, homes shattered and futures disrupted.
“For the families of the victims, these are not stories from the past,” she said, adding that the observance was also a pledge to ensure that the voices of victims continued to be heard. She said the community would continue to stand for remembrance, justice and the right of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to return to their homeland with honour and dignity.
The Bengaluru programme concluded with prayers for the eternal peace of all martyrs and a reaffirmation of the collective resolve to keep their memory alive and pursue what the organisation described as a peaceful struggle for truth, justice, dignity and a secure future for the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community.
Back in Jammu, the observance concluded with Panun Kashmir reiterating the importance it attaches to Balidhan Diwas as an occasion of remembrance and homage. The organisation said the annual observance was intended to keep alive the memory of the martyrs, encourage documentation of the community's historical experiences and familiarise younger generations with that history.
The Veer Jyoti, lit at Paloura and subsequently carried to Bhadrakali Mandir, remained the central symbol of the Jammu proceedings, linking the commemoration of sacrifice with the community's religious and cultural traditions, while the Hawan and Shanti Path in Bengaluru provided a parallel expression of remembrance.
Across the two observances, Panun Kashmir paid homage to those who lost their lives during the violence in Kashmir and reaffirmed its emphasis on remembrance, preservation of historical memory and the transmission of the community's experiences to future generations.
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