Books adds to one’s knowledge and understanding and makes one aware about different issues and things. Writing a book is not everyone’s cup of tea. If one tries, we must appreciate him but we must be critical also if found any misrepresentation or any other flaw so that the author may take notice of it and tries to correct it in his next editions or writings. Good and authentic books prove fruitful in drawing conclusions and also helps other writers to give references from authentic books in his own writing’s. A well written book based on facts and findings prove beneficial to all espically to that society it addresses.
This book Kashmir dimensions written by Shabir Ahmad Shah and published by Atiqaad Publishing House Delhi, comprises of many chapters each throwing light on different issues and topics. This book talks about the society especially Kashmiri society, its beliefs, practices, and tolerance. Kashmir being morally rich, but with the passage of time evil practices have crept in this society which is fast damaging its foundations.
The chapter also talks about a religious programme attended by lakhs of people in Delhi. The main motive of this religious congestion was to apply theory in practice. The organizers of this programme have made it compulsory for the guests and participants to exhaust or eat all what they take. The author then compares this with Kashmir where huge amount of money was spent on marriages to serve wazwan dishes to guests but the sad part is that a lot goes wasted and found its way in drains and rivers which pollutes our water bodies.
The author tries to make its readers understand and think upon it that we as responsible citizens of this land should always be disciplined which the author called it Adab. A man never qualifies himself to the status of human until and unless he is conscious, responsible, caring and disciplined towards his surroundings, happenings, environment, fellow humans and other creatures living in the world.
One of the serious concerns and evil which have engulfed our society especially younger generations is the drug abuse. This trade is fast thriving in Kashmir as its transactions cross cores of rupees on daily basis but it hallows our young minds and made them useless and unproductive to the society. The author discusses this important contemporary issue very briefly and fails to provide statics and reports of drug abuse in Kashmir.
Another important issue the author discusses is the excessive use of mobile phones especially by the children. Its excessive use can cause brain tumors and the most prone to this risk is kids and pregnant women. The author again fails to provide reliable sources and data to claim his worry and the number of people who got affected with mobile addiction in Kashmir as well as the deaths caused by mobile borne diseases like brain tumor. The message the author wants to convey is that in this digitalized world one cannot escape using technology and mobile phones but we should avoid become its addicts.
Kashmir is famous all over the world for many of its unique things and one such which the author throws light on the Kashmiri wazwan. It is one of the important recepies which is served to guests especially in marriages and other important functions. Author has only given a glimpse of wazwan in this book which I believe everyone knows that much what he presents. He should have written about the origin of this wazwan. Where from it came and how the society in Kashmir adopted it and how it became an important recepie is all missing in this book which is biggest flaw in this book. (Kashmir Dimensions). The author argues that excessive eating of wazwan causes health issues and serious diseases. But again fails to provide data and death rate in Kashmir due to wazwaan borne disease.
Sufism is a concept which believes in the power of love to awaken and transform individual as well as societies. Many historians in Kashmir argue that Islam spread in Kashmir with Sufism. Sufism put emphasis on love it also put great emphasis and importance on discipline (Adab). The author only tells us what Sufism is and doesn’t mention who was the first who brought this concept to Kashmir and how people of that early times got inclined and impressed with this concept and how they enter into the fold of Islam (the divine religion).
Tourism is one of the biggest service industries in Kashmir as many countries in the world are totally dependent on tourism industry for earning revenue. Tourism industry in Kashmir continuously bears the brunt of longing and unresolved Kashmir dispute. Despite all this, this industry still and continuously attracts a large number of tourists every year from across the globe.
The author shows great concern and pain in writing about the dying water bodies and mentions one such known as Gilli sar in Srinagar. He wrote that people living on the banks of this water body have put the pipes of waste direct into this lake which causes foul smell and have killed fauna and flora of this precious water body.
The author also talks about the role of small-scale enterprises and entrepreneurship in transforming society and contributing towards employment and sustainability. He provides some examples how youth of j&k started their business and how they achieve success and how they enter international market and setup their ventures in foreign lands. The book also gives brief insight about the J&K bank. The bank was started in the year 1938, when the Maharaja of earst while princely state of J&K signed and approved this bank to function.
The objective was to provide the best banking facilities to the residents of the state. That time J&K bank had its branches in Muzzarfarbad and Mirpur also which were later closed down in the year 1947 due to the emergence of political conflict in the state with the partition of British India. The book also talks about the contribution of many personalities who headed this premier institute from time to time, especially MY Khan. The book also throws light on the dedication, perseverance, and commitment of its employees serve the bank despite political insatiability and natural calamities which hit this region from time to time.
The book would had much to offer to its readers but the author has miserably failed on many fronts in providing reliable and full information on the topics discussed in the book. This book would have much use for researchers and students if it would have been written on well documented evidences and discussed the topics in length which would have surely add to the knowledge of its readers.