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Language is the only trait that differentiates a human from a non-human. Poetry and music are the ultimate artistic form of expression; a society that denounces it, denounces life and human existence. Religious scriptures are a testimony to the fact that there is no objection to this art even in religion. Many years ago…
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As a child I grew up in a fairly peaceful period of Kashmir, listening to the stories of Heemaal-Nagray, Zehra Let, Lal Ded and Haba Khatoon. Weekends were spent waiting for Doordarshan to broadcast the one and only Hindi movie a week on a well-to-do neighbor’s black-n-white television set. Life was quite laid back and…
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Remembering the Times of Darkness Back in 1991 when militancy and the sentiment for freedom were at their highest peak in Kashmir, I took my Higher Secondary Part I (Class 11th) exams like many others of my generation amidst extreme tension and turbulence. My school, the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Soura (situated a…
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Memories of a handful of sky A moonlit night A heavenly garden Moments frozen in a macrocosm Mired in haziness A collage of images Of the dead and the doomed. A treasure Of a thousand smiles A ten thousand cries A million hearts Breathing hope And drinking grief. Mothers’ frantic calls Sounds of the marching…
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A government that defies public opinion and distances away from the masses is no less than an alien, an oppressor. The government of Jammu & Kashmir, with the backing from the Center, has sown fresh seeds of hatred in the Kashmir valley; it does not take more than a little bit of common sense to…
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We will not settle for anything less than EQUAL status at par with men. Yes, it is the 21st century world where women are being considered, not as goods and commodities which could be bought and sold, but as real human-beings entitled to what we call “fundamental rights”, just like those of men. It is…
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Whenever we see incidents of irrational behavior, there is an urge to find out the incentive or motivation behind it. One wonders whether it is the sheer irony of fate or the deliberate efforts of mischief-makers – in Kashmir or in New Delhi – that whenever there is a slight indication of any positive…
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If you want to make a change in the world, look into the mirror! Now that the Kashmir pot is boiling again, let’s keep the flames alive before we lose yet another opportunity. After reading some responses to my recently published (and perhaps hastily written) article “To our leaders and politicians: A Lesson to Learn”…
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As an academician and a mother of a four-year old, I discovered that children learn things better if you provide them with illustrations. The same principle applies to adults as well. But in being able to learn things, adults have an advantage, and that is their experience. However, there are some “adults” who simply refuse…
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Since I do not consider myself a connoisseur of art, this is my struggling attempt to provide a very brief account of my experience with a book of poetry written by Subhash Kak which a professor friend of mine at the University of Texas at Austin, knowing my interest in Kashmir and Kashmiris, lent me…
SADAF MUNSHI
Linguist, Writer, Multi-disciplinary Artist
Working across various disciplines and art forms, Sadaf Munshi’s creative expressions find a niche in the magical world of word, color and music. Her inspiration comes from everyday encounters with people, objects and environment, and her motivation is a continued urge to connect with them. A documentary linguist, creative writer, poet, musican and visual artist, her expressions have different forms and varied colors.
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