Flames of the Chinar

by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, Khushwant Singh (Translator)

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s life evolved into a stream of consciousness, one-half lava, one-half love. His politics was anchored in poetry, for it was born in the heart before it reached voice through a meditative brain. As he often said, a lover and a soldier led the same life; the crusader in his soul was sustained by a romantic sensibility. This could sometimes confuse the high and mighty who had to deal with him; being gentle of manner did not mean he was weak

Hardcover

Reviews

[Avleen Kohli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through Khushwant's translation, we are invited into the world of Sheikh Abdullah, lovingly known as the Lion of Kashmir. As Adbullah was at the forefront of establishing the Muslim Conference in early twentieth century which later became the National Conference and played a significant role in politics of Kashmir for the remainder of the century, his memoir presents the reader with many notable historical instances and anecdotes including Abdullah's dealings with, and opinions about, his contemporaries including Jawaharlal Nehru, MA Jinnah, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, among others. The text is liberally sprinkled with apropos couplets from Ghalib, Iqbal and others as the author recounts his life as a Kashmiri under the rule of then Maharaja Hari Singh which led to his political initiation, and the many peculiar complications that plagued the socio-political circumstances of Kashmir in undivided and thereafter, independent India through his lens. With memoirs, one must always be mindful of obscurantism of the unreliable narrator, and while objectivity may demand a sterner analysis of his political decisions which undoubtedly played a role in forging Kashmir's destiny, Abdullah's life was devoted to Kashmir, for better or worse. The book provides important historical context and perspective into the problems that have long plagued Kashmir, which leaves one amazed to discover that this memoir out of print and it is quite hard to find a copy of this book in India. Since the memoir was translated and abridged from the original text in Urdu, it is a tad bit unorganized and hard to follow initially. However, I read the whole book in one sitting and would definitely recommend the book as the Lion of Kashmir definitely led a life worth reading about.

[Ali Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an auto-biography of Sheikh Abdullah. This book is a brief work for understanding Kashmir issue from its origin to this date. How Dogra rulers ruled over the Kashmir and how it became an issue between India and Pakistan at the time of departure of British imperialism from Indian-subcontinent, all is discussed in this piece. It is, in short, a first hand study of the events happened in Kashmir which has become world's most militarized region. Now Kashmir issue is again in headlines because of revocation of article 370 and 35a that stripped the valley of its special autonomous rights. So this book can provide some necessary material for understanding the basic of the issue and role of all the three major stakeholders - India, Pakistan and Kashmir.

[Raj Charan]

This autobiographical work is an essential reading for those who are interested to know Kashmir. Sheikh was the most popular representative of the Valley and therefore it is imperative to know what he felt and believed. Go ahead!

[V. Subhash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the biography of Sheik Abdullah translated in English. One of the interesting tidbits in the book are that Kashmiri Brahmins (Pandits) eat meat and that Nehru used to sleep with Chanakya’s Arthrashastra under his pillow. The second bit is probably not true. Nehru was an idiot (Freemason)

[Rayna Batool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its informative about my motherland.