Dr Muhammad Maroof Shah

Life in Kashmir is difficult. Every family seems at war within, a war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, between the daughter-in-law and groom’s sisters and between the husband and his wife, as an aftereffect.There are tragic stories to narrate in almost every house. Only exceptionally, will there be a   Hash (Mother in Law)   blessing the   Nosh (Daughter-in-law)   and vice versa.Divorces are increasing. Parents are often the worst victims of this conflict and there is pressure on limited resources for accommodating new houses.Individualism is the ‘cancer’ of the soul that is eating the vitals of our society. There is universal mistrust about groom’s family. Brides don’t feel that new house belongs to them. They think only their husbands or children are really theirs. Enormous popularity of Soap Opera culture and perception regarding black magic attributed to either party is seemingly becoming a norm.Explanations and counter-explanations from either side a...

Questions for State Women’s Commission We have one of the most violent societies with respect to women. All of us know cases of violence against women. All of us are responsible in some measure. Have we participated in any movement that targets this issue? Aren’t we violent in our own homes? Do we recognize her rights, her right to be herself, her right to choose modest way of dressing, her right to pursue education and travel to fulfil her dreams, and many more such rights? To put my case clearly let me state some of the lesser known points for consideration of the State, State’s women commission, NGOs, religious authorities who can make the difference. Islamic law doesn’t oblige daughters-in-law to: ·         Do domestic chores in husband’s family. ·         Accept any dictation regarding preparation of meals, washing of clothes from either husband or mother in law or any member of h...

Increasing degradation in the value base of Kashmir culture is reflected in its different institutions and customs. The present paper focuses on the institution of marriage and customs associated with it, especially in Muslim community of our Valley, and highlights the divergence between traditional form and present day artificiality, mannerism and corruption of the same. It points towards capitalism as the key culprit in the process of degradation that has converted a great institution that strengthened relationships into a meaningless system of rituals that not only drain our economy but also reflect our moral and spiritual lassitude. The paper also addresses the cause of increasing divorce rate and failure of the great institution in its traditional sense in present day Kashmir. A need to revive the traditional basis of our cultural practices by a critique of existing institutionalized form is emphasized. What is culture and why is culture so important? What are our sacrosanct ...

Marriages can be made simpler. Nothing is easier than this. Just one step to be taken and that can be taken so easily. A step which will not invite narazgi of any particular person, friend or relative. A step that eliminates all customs which are morally, religiously, socially and economically unwholesome. A step which everyone can take, even the weak willed. We take much harsher steps   when it comes to our small interests. We can take a quarrel with the whole village to safeguard the merit of a candidate for this or that post, say RT post. A small step that many have taken and many take. It is the decision to invite none of our relatives or friends to our marriages, a decision not to make a party out of simple issue of transporting a girl from one home to another. We can even go in homely clothes or ask the parents of the bride to drop her at groom’s home as was the tradition of our forefathers, our aslaf . Guest control, control on variety of dishes and many other extravaganza...