Kashmir Page

Watch Live Lunar eclipse from the Seikei Observatory.

2011-12-10T13:50:00.001+02:00

Watch Live Lunar eclipse from the Seikei Observatory.

Build trust, put Kashmir on back burner: Imran Khan

2011-11-14T22:19:00.001+02:00

‹

Pakistani opposition leader and Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan said that that terror groups will have no place in Pakistan if his party comes to power. Speaking exclusively to Karan Thapar on Devil's advocate, Imran added that for Indo-Pak ties to improve, the Kashmir issue should be put on the back burner for a while.

Pro-Kashmir hackers' group strikes again, supports Anna Hazare

2011-08-20T23:46:00.000+03:00

A pro-freedom hacking group calling itself ‘ZCompany Hacking Crew’, which hacked many Indian websites on August 15, on Saturday hacked one of the biggest blogging sites in India and left messages supporting anti-graft campaigner Anna Hazare.

The hacking group wrote on www.blog.co.in: "Stand for Anna Hazare for Truth and End Corruption" after they hacked it.

Reports says the number of blogs hosted by the hacked website is 78,000.

The hackers have also posted pro-Independence slogans in favour of Kashmir and Palestine. A graphic of a veiled youth carrying catapult has also been posted on the official websites. The websites also play patriotic songs seeking freedom for Kashmir.

"If you want to tell the untold stories, if you want to give voice to the voiceless, you've got to find a language and this is our language, this is how we speak to the whole world where we support people who have guts to stand for TRUTH, but alas they are oppressed and jailed by the corrupt governments," the hackers left the message on the websites.

"We at ZHC have always tried to stand for truth and justice. We always have supported people. We are voices of voiceless. More the governemts [SIC] try to supress [SIC] the sane voices more firm we will be in our resolve to fight the corrupt goevrnments [SIC] and oppressors. This is the new world and let the oppressors know that we will never accept their corrupt decisions," it read further.

"The only crime of Anna Hazare is that he is patrotic and have the guts to stand against his own government. We are voices of people who want to stand for TRUTH [SIC] and JUSTICE [SIC]," the hackers' group wrote.

Pertinently the group hacked several website on August 15 when India was celebrating 65th Independence Day.

orginal post http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/headlines/20085399-pro-kashmir-hackers-group-strikes-again-stands-for-anna.htm

US senator McCain arrives in Kashmir

2011-08-16T18:15:00.001+03:00

US senator John McCain arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday just two days after visiting Pakistan and meeting its top political leadership, including Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari. McCain, who was a presidential candidate in the previous US polls, arrived in Srinagar in a special US plan on Tuesday. The US senator's visit has come as a shot in the arm of the chief minister Omar Abdullah-led J-K government as the republican leader avoided meeting any separatist leaders, including moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The Mirwaiz, who seeks the US intervention in the Kashmir problem, has been for years now harping on "use of US good offices to push India into a dialogue to resolve the problem". The Mirwaiz was unavailable for his comments.
McCain, at present a member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and ardent opponent of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, met governor NN Vohra earlier in the day.
"During the wide ranging discussions lasting for about two hours, McCain and the state governor exchanged views on various important issues of mutual interest," said a Raj Bhawan spokesman without divulging details of the contents of the discussion.
Significantly, the meeting was attended by top army official, including Northern Army Commander Lt General K. T. Parnaik and Corps Commander, XV Corps Lt. General SA Hasnain.
The Republican leader, who went for sightseeing on the banks of Dal Lake, also met Abdullah in the afternoon at his residence. Both engaged in a discussion about the prevailing ground situation in Kashmir and the security scenario.
Hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani downplayed the US senator's decision not meet separatists. "India is trying to use its influence over the US. The senator visiting Kashmir and not meeting freedom fighters is not bothering. Our struggle is just and for the basic right to self-determination, which has been snatched and suppressed at the gun point by India," said Geelani.
Geelani said "it's moral responsibility upon the US to support genuine people's movement and the majority sentiment of the people of Kashmir if it claims to be a democracy". "Whether the US support us or not, we will continue our struggle for justice and for right to self determination," said Geelani.
McCain is scheduled to visit a temple tomorrow in Srinagar and will leave thereafter.

Orginal post http://www.hindustantimes.com/US-senator-McCain-arrives-in-Kashmir/Article1-733964.aspx

August 15: Hundreds of Indian websites hacked

2011-08-15T20:11:00.002+03:00

Hundreds of websites and web pages, many run by the state governments were hacked by a group of hackers as India was celebrating its 65th Independence on Monday. The group calling itself ‘ZCompany Hacking Crew’ hacked over a hundred websites, including the websites run by many state governments.

“We Observes Black Day with the people of Indian occupied Kashmir on 15th August. Free Kashmir. Freedom is our goal. End the Occupation,” reads the introductory message in most of the hacked websites.

“This message is not for Indian government but common Indian people who don’t know what their government hides. For those of your politicians who boast of Kashmir being an integral part of India read your own law books,” the message adds.

The hackers have also posted an act of the Indian Penal Code on the website that reads “Indian Penal Code (Act No. 45 of 1860) CHAPTER-II SEC 18: India .India means the territory of India excluding the State of Jammu and Kashmir," it reads.

The message further reads that the 15th of August is special for the people of India because of the freedom they got on this day. However, the group questions the masses if they really deserve to celebrate this freedom.

“Everyday people are not only being humiliated but killed as well. Fake encounters and rape is the order of the day in Kashmir. Kashmiris have protested time and again against Indian occupation and many people were killed mostly teenagers,” it says.

Lashing at the government, the group says that when media tried to show the excesses in Kashmir, the government banned them. The group said that even the people protesting on social networking website like Facebook were arrested

“Still India claims to be the largest democracy in the world. We ZHC will reveal what Your Govt try to conceal, if you really want to be proud of your nation rise for what is right. Support Kashmiris in their dream to achieve Freedom which is everyone's basic human right,” the message reads.

“United we stand, divided we fall,” it adds.

“Who are the real soldiers? The children holding stones or the Army men holding guns? The hackers ask the masses as two pictures from Kashmir and Palestine with stones pelting youth fighting tanks and government forces to end the message.

Mainpost http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/headlines/15085304-hackers-strike-hundreds-of-indian-websites-on-august-15-kashmir.htm

Sitting is Killing You

2011-08-05T13:09:00.000+03:00

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Germany lifts bar on tourists to Kashmir

2011-07-26T15:40:00.001+03:00

"Srinagar: Germany on Tuesday 'revised' an advisory that had cautioned against trips to Kashmir, becoming the first European country since 1995 to allow its nationals to visit the Valley. The new advisory gives an overview of security and says the situation has calmed down enough for foreigners not to be 'direct targets of clashes'.

'The travel advisory issued by the federal foreign office for German nationals travelling to the region has been revised,' Jens Urban, a spokesperson for the German embassy, said. The decision follows a visit to Srinagar last month by German ambassador Thomas Matussek, who promised to review the over 15-year-old advisory. The revised German advisory asks tourists to travel with trained guides and avoid border areas.

Kashmir, dubbed “Paradise on Earth” by Mughal emperor Jehangir, was a favourite with western tourists before the outbreak of militancy in 1990. Almost 25 per cent of such visitors were German.

Most European countries, including the UK and France, and later the US issued advisories after six foreign tourists were abducted by al Faran, believed to be a front for the Harkat-ul Mujahideen, in 1995. One of them, Norwegian Hans Christian Ostro, was beheaded. Four others -- American Donald Hutchings, Britons Paul Wells and Keith Mangan, and German Dirk Hasart -- were never traced. A second American escaped."

Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai arrested in USA.

2011-07-21T13:17:00.000+03:00

For years, the Pakistani spy agency funneled millions of dollars to a Washington nonprofit group in a secret effort to influence Congress and the White House, the Justice Department said Tuesday in court documents that are certain to complicate already strained relations between the U.S. and Pakistan.
FBI agents arrested Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, the executive director of the Kashmiri American Council, on Tuesday and charged him with being an unregistered agent of a foreign government. Under the supervision of a senior member of Pakistan's spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence, Fai donated money to political campaigns, wrote newspaper op-eds, organized congressional trips and met with White House and State Department officials.
"I believe that Fai has received approximately $500,000 to $700,000 per year from the government of Pakistan," FBI agent Sarah Webb Linden said in documents filed in federal court in Alexandria, Va.
Officially, the Kashmiri American Council had a much smaller budget and told the U.S. government that it received no foreign grants, according to Internal Revenue Service documents. Pakistan was financing similar operations in London and Brussels, the Justice Department said.
The Pakistani Embassy quickly issued a statement saying the government had no knowledge of such an arrangement.
A second man, Zaheer Ahmad, was also charged. Prosecutors said he recruited people to act as straw donors who would give money to the Kashmiri American Council that really was coming from the Pakistani government. Ahmad is not under arrest and is in Pakistan, prosecutors said. Both men are U.S. citizens.
Prosecutors said the Kashmiri American Council was being run in secret by the Pakistani government. Fai coordinated his activities with his ISI handlers and often communicated in coded emails, the FBI said. Pakistani officials reviewed Fai's budget and told him what to do and with whom to meet.
"You are aware that we have been working together for the cause for over a decade now," Fai wrote in an email to a senior ISI official in 1995. "All these years, I have closely worked with you and others who came before you. It has taken us much time, energy, dedication, strategy and planning to achieve our common cause."

Census shows surge in population of endangered hangul stag in Kashmir

2011-07-17T10:58:00.000+03:00

Srinagar: The security measures taken by the Jammu and Kashmir authorities in Srinagar proved beneficial for hangul or Kashmir stag, as the state saw a gradual surge in its population. The experts of the Wildlife department of Dachigam national park in collaboration with Wildlife Trust of India conducted a special census.
"We are taking certain measures like 'Captive Breeding Programme'. It's a good step and if it becomes successful here (Dachigam National Park), then it would be extremely helpful. And the best thing is that if the situation improves here (Kashmir), the habitat which is known as 'mamun' in local language and if it do not get disturbed because of the security forces and due to others who venture into forests during the course of operations, the habitat of hangul would become safe," said Nazir Malik, a forest guard in Dachigam National Park.
Wildlife Warden of central Kashmir, Rashid Naqash, said that the result of the census is satisfactory.
He further said that they have certain long-term plans like Conservation Action plan for stags and it is yet to be executed. After the plan is implemented, it would result in the increase of the population of stags in future.

"In our previous census of 2009, the last count was around 175. So, in comparison with the previous census, the present census report of 2011 shows the count of 218 (hangul) and the standard deviation is about (13). We do not consider this increase as very big. There is a gradual increase in their population," he added.

Google Plus an early success, 10 million user mark passed. Here is your invitation

2011-07-15T15:08:00.002+03:00

If you still don't know know how to join or how to receive invitation to join google+ or google plus. Here is simple way to join fast. Just comment under this post on kashmirpage.com, include your e-mail in your comment and you will receive invitation immediately. Please do watch the complete video so your view count can be counted that is a small favor for me. Plz don't forget to rate this post as well.

Bollywood returns to Kashmir, its original home

2011-07-11T12:52:00.002+03:00

Srinagar: Surrounded by lush green meadows, snow clad mountains and covered with dense vegetation, the beautiful Betaab valley in Kashmir is the latest destination for Bollywood.

The picturesque valley with its gurgling streams, that got its name from the Sunny Deol-Amrita Singh hit debut film Betaab, is once again seeing cameras rolling.

The threat of militancy was a deterrent for over 30 years but with director Imtiaz Ali shooting for his film Rockstar in the beautiful valley with actors Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis, the violence seems to be a thing of the past. Betaab valley is situated at a distance of 15 kilometers from the world famous tourism destination Pehalgam.

"Those who don't live in Kashmir, I want to tell them that we are here enjoying and shooting in a very peaceful manner," says director Imtiaz Ali, reassuringly.

Kashmir was home to the film industry from the sixties to the eighties. Scores of films were shot in the Valley like Aarzoo, Kashmir ki Kali, Jab Jab phool khile, Kabhi Kabhi, Silsila, Satte pe Satta and Roti, the list is endless.

"Tourists like this valley a lot, when they hear about Betaab valley, they get very curious and when they come here they really get impatient to see it," says Ghulam Rasool, a local photographer.

Film shooting almost came to a halt after militancy erupted in the Valley, disrupting the sources of income of many like Ghulam Rasool but with things improving now, one can hope that Bollywood would soon return to what many believe is its original home.

BBC Documnetary - "The Chinese are Coming" Video

2011-06-25T15:35:00.000+03:00

Justin Rowlatt investigates the spread of Chinese influence around the planet and asks what the world will be like if China overtakes America as the world's economic superpower. In the first of two films, he embarks on a journey across Southern Africa to chart the extraordinary phenomenon of Chinese migration to Africa, and the huge influence of China on the development of the continent. While many in the West view Africa as a land of poverty, to the Chinese it is seen as an almost limitless business opportunity. From Angola to Tanzania, Justin meets the fearless Chinese entrepreneurs who have travelled thousands of miles to set up businesses.

Facebook vs YouTube

2011-06-19T15:59:00.000+03:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;D

Difference is simple, On YouTube you can make money on FaceBook you can't. Facebook has 5Million users and Youtube has 1billion users. But both are extremely powerful tools for any business, NGO, political movement or any other kind of org. Use both tolls as they should be used. Don's abuse them as they really are great tolls for your any kind of work. One important think to know is that if you want to succeed then you must help others also. It is simply "Win Win Game" it is not about "Win Lose" neither is it "Lose Win" it is "Win Win"

Be active comment, like recommend others videos pages and be noticed yourself also.

Here is a group which can help you to grove.

Kashmir Freedom Struggle 2011

2011-06-07T01:45:00.000+03:00

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-14T00:37:00.000+02:00

Saint Valentine's Day (commonly shortened to Valentine's Day) is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Happy New year 2011 Chinese Rabbit Year

2011-02-03T01:39:00.000+02:00

3rd February 2011 is Year of The Rabbit (metal) for the Chinese. It begins on February 3, 2011 and ends on January 22, 2012. The Rabbit is the 4th sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animals signs.

Source from the internet: The Year of the Rabbit is a peaceful year, very much welcomed and desired after the fierce year of the Tiger.

The origin of Chinese New Year of Spring Festival is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions.

CNY is the most important of the traditional Chinese celebration.The festival traditionally begins on the 1st day of the 1st month in the Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner.

Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese new year vary widely.

Weeks ahead before the CNY, most Chinese would be busy baking traditional cookies, buying presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity".

On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies and other symbolic items. The family will end the night with firecrackers.

Early next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and in return, they are given money in red paper envelopes for good luck.

Rabbit Years:
01/29/1903 to 02/15/1904 (Water)
02/14/1915 to 02/02/1916 (Wood)
02/02/1927 to 01/22/1928 (Fire)
02/19/1939 to 02/07/1940 (Earth)
02/06/1951 to 01/26/1952 (Metal)
01/25/1963 to 02/12/1964 (Water)
02/11/1975 to 01/30/1976 (Wood)
01/29/1987 to 02/16/1988 (Fire)
02/16/1999 to 02/04/2000 (Earth)
02/03/2011 to 01/22/2012 (Metal)

Famous Rabbit People: Angelina Jolie, Anjelica Huston, Drew Barrymore, Edith Piaf, Fanny Brice, Helen Hunt, Jane Seymour, Joan Crawford, Kate Winslet, Natasha Richardson, and Tina Turner.

Kashmir government has abandoned the Rs 740 crore of Word Bank

2011-02-01T02:17:00.000+02:00

Image via WikipediaThe Jammu & Kashmir government has abandoned the Rs 740 crore integrated watershed development project after the World Bank sought a disclaimer from the Union government that the aid plan would not recognize India's territorial claim over the state.

The three-phase project meant to control soil erosion was signed between the Jammu & Kashmir government and World Bank in 1992. Two tranches of Rs 300 crore each were released by 1996, but the remaining Rs 740 crore was in abeyance.
Curiously, it was only in 2009 that the World Bank asked for a disclaimer before releasing funds for the third phase.

"We have given up on aid for the project. We had approached the Union government in 2009 for a disclaimer undertaking to be given to the World Bank. The Central leadership had promised us that it would ask the World Bank to drop the clause, but there was no progress. So we decided to give up the project,'' Jammu & Kashmir forest minister Mian Altaf Ahmad told TOI.

Altaf Ahmad, along with some MPs from J&K, had met finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in the summer of 2009 regarding World Bank's precondition for releasing remainder loan. Ahmad said Mukherjee had assured he would look into the matter. "The Centre pursued the matter but the World Bank was not convinced about giving up the disclaimer condition,'' Ahmad said.

Releasing the state forest policy 2010, Ahmad said the encroachment of forest lands is a serious issue concerning forest conservation and the problem is getting more serious with every passing day.

Asked about encroachment in Gulmarg by locals under the patronage of an MLA, the minister said the inquiry committee he had formed to probe this failed to get to the root of the problem.

J&K Police stop BJP yatra

2011-01-25T23:44:00.000+02:00

FLASHPOINT:BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar ride a ‘rath' over the Raavi bridge in Pathankot, Punjab, near the Jammu & Kashmir border on Tuesday.

LAKHANPUR (J&K): The stand-off between the BJP and the Jammu and Kashmir government ended on Tuesday evening with the arrest here of the party's top leaders along with 500 workers, who tried to move towards Jammu on their way to Srinagar to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk on Republic Day.

As soon as the BJP workers, led by Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Anurag Thakur, crossed the Punjab-J&K border, heavy contingents of police arrested them. Holding the tricolour, the workers shouted slogans.

The leaders were taken to Kathua, where they would be kept under detention till Wednesday evening, police sources told The Hindu. The workers were shifted to the police training school and police lines at Kathua. The police booked all leaders under Section 188 of the Ranbir Penal Code. They would be produced before a magistrate on Wednesday for release.

The police allowed the arrested leaders to talk to journalists. Both Ms. Swaraj and Mr. Jaitley lambasted the State and Central governments for stopping them from performing their “constitutional duty.”

Mr Jaitley said the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha was determined to go ahead with its flag hoisting plan. It was a “panic reaction” by the government and “psychological surrender before separatists.”

Ms. Swaraj expressed her dismay at the way the State government treated them. “What can be more unfortunate that those who burn the national flag are being provided security while those holding the national flag are being stopped?”

“It was peaceful”

“What is our crime? Why are we being arrested? We have been marching peacefully,” she said, adding that throughout its journey in 11 States the Ekta Yatra was peaceful. But “still we have been arrested to please the separatists.”

Earlier, hundreds of BJP workers marched from the Madhopur side of Punjab to enter this State. All the top leaders were atop a ‘rath' specially designed for the yatra, which began from Kolkata on January 12.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/26/stories/2011012658640100.htm

Omar Abdullah warns BJP against Ekta Yatra to J&K

2011-01-21T15:40:00.000+02:00

Srinagar's Lal Chowk is covered in snow right now, but is causing considerable heat over the BJP's plans to hoist the national flag here on Republic Day.

The separatists have called for a counter-march on January 26. And a tense Chief Minister has warned, "It is clear we will not allow anybody to vitiate the atmosphere and the separatists travelling to Lal Chowk also fall under this purview?"

The BJP's youth workers are on their way from West Bengal to Jammu and Kashmir. They plan to end their march at Lal Chowk, where, in 1948, Jawaharlal Nehru promised Kashmir a plebiscite. That speech forms the basis of separatist discourse. The BJP says hoisting the tricolor here will prove Kashmir is an integral part of India.

The BJP yatris plan to enter the state on January 25 from the border town of Lakhanpur in Jammu. They will then head towards Srinagar.

For those trying to maintain the fragile calm, the new complication comes amid a terror threat to Srinagar on Republic Day. "It's a sensitive area, and I feel any small incident can trigger other actions. So we should be careful about it," cautions K T Parnaik, the Northern Army Commander.

The state government has invited the BJP to attend the official state function at the Bakshi stadium.

But the BJP says the march does not challenge the government, only the separatists. At the party's Jammu office the preparations are in full swing. "If the yatra is stopped anywhere, those who stop us will be stopped. We will march ahead towards Lal Chowk," says local leader Nitish Naveen.

But in Delhi, the BJP's leadership has urged caution and sensitivity. Yatris have been ordered not to resort to violence or make inflammatory comments even if their march is blocked.

In all probability, the BJP yatra will be stopped on Monday from entering Jammu and Kashmir. The responsibility for ensuring peace - and it is a hefty one - rests equally with the BJP, the separatists, and the state government.

7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwestern Pakistan

2011-01-19T02:05:00.000+02:00

A major 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked a remote area of southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, shaking many parts of the country and causing tremors as far away as India and the United Arab Emirates.

The quake was centered in Baluchistan province, the country's most sparsely populated area, said the United States Geological Service, occurring at 1:30 a.m. local time at a depth of some 50 miles (84 kilometers.

Its epicenter was in a remote area some 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, said chief Pakistani meteorologist Arif Mahmood, not far from the Afghan border.

The closest town to the epicenter was Dalbandin, with a population around 15,000 people, and is so remote that the nearby Chagai hills were the site of Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests.

There was no word on damage in Dalbandin. But another town close to the epicenter, Karan, suffered no major damage, said Fateh Bangar, Karan's deputy commissioner. The town was some 45 miles (70 kilometers) from the epicenter, he said.

Nasir Baluch, a police officer in Karan, said several mud houses collapsed or were damaged in an area outside the town called Mashkil. There was no immediate word on casualties, but the area is sparsely populated, he said.

There was no major damage in Quetta either, but the quake caused widespread panic in the city, said residents.

Local TV reports said the quake was felt throughout several other provinces as well. Many residents in the country's largest city, Karachi, ran out into the streets once the quake started, said the reports.

Karachi resident Mohammad Zubair said he was watching a cricket match on TV when his bed began to shake.

"I jumped out of bed realizing it was an earthquake," said the 28-year-old. "My mom started reciting verses from the Quran, and we rushed outside."

Tremors lasting at least 20 seconds were also felt as far away as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and in India's capital, New Delhi.

Earthquakes often rattle the region. A magnitude 7.6 quake on Oct. 8, 2005, killed about 80,000 people in northwestern Pakistan and Kashmir and left more than 3 million homeless.

Jesus in Kashmir BBC Documentary

2011-01-17T07:47:00.000+02:00

The lost years of Jesus concerns the undocumented timespan between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry as recorded in the New Testament.
The gospels have accounts of events surrounding Jesus' birth, and the subsequent flight into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod (Matthew 2:13-23). There is a general reference to the settlement of Joseph and Mary, along with the young Jesus, at Nazareth (Matthew 2:23; Lk. 2:39-40). There also is that isolated account of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus' visit to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, when Jesus was twelve years old (Luke 2:41-50).
Following that episode, there is a blank space in the record that covers eighteen years in the life of Christ (from age 12 to 30). Other than the generic allusion that Jesus advanced in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52), the Bible gives nothing more about Jesus' life during this time span. A common assumption amongst Christians is that Jesus simply lived in Nazareth during that period, but there are various accounts, that present other scenarios, including travels to India.
Several authors have claimed to have found proof of the existence of manuscripts in India and Tibet that support the belief that Christ was in India during this time in his life. Others cite legends in a number of places in the region that Jesus passed that way in ancient times. The Jesus in India manuscript was first reported in modern times by Nicolas Notovitch (1894). Subsequently several other authors have written on the subject, including the religious leader Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1899), Levi H. Dowling (1908), Swami Abhedananda (1922), Nicholas Roerich (1923--1928), Mathilde Ludendorff (1930), Elizabeth Clare Prophet (1956) and more recently Holger Kersten[4] in his book Jesus Lived in India (1994)

The Rozabal Shrine of Srinagar

2011-01-15T06:08:00.001+02:00

The Rozabal Shrine of Srinagar Complete Movie
The lost years of Jesus concerns the undocumented timespan between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry as recorded in the New Testament.
The gospels have accounts of events surrounding Jesus' birth, and the subsequent flight into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod (Matthew 2:13-23). There is a general reference to the settlement of Joseph and Mary, along with the young Jesus, at Nazareth (Matthew 2:23; Lk. 2:39-40). There also is that isolated account of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus' visit to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, when Jesus was twelve years old (Luke 2:41-50).
Following that episode, there is a blank space in the record that covers eighteen years in the life of Christ (from age 12 to 30). Other than the generic allusion that Jesus advanced in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52), the Bible gives nothing more about Jesus' life during this time span. A common assumption amongst Christians is that Jesus simply lived in Nazareth during that period, but there are various accounts, that present other scenarios, including travels to India.
Several authors have claimed to have found proof of the existence of manuscripts in India and Tibet that support the belief that Christ was in India during this time in his life. Others cite legends in a number of places in the region that Jesus passed that way in ancient times. The Jesus in India manuscript was first reported in modern times by Nicolas Notovitch (1894). Subsequently several other authors have written on the subject, including the religious leader Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1899), Levi H. Dowling (1908), Swami Abhedananda (1922), Nicholas Roerich (1923--1928), Mathilde Ludendorff (1930), Elizabeth Clare Prophet (1956) and more recently Holger Kersten in his book Jesus Lived in India (1994).

In 2003, The BBC first televised a documentary that included a section on the story of Yuz Asaf titled "Did Jesus Die?"

In 2010, the Govt. of India's Film Division has produced a comprehensive documentary film on the subject, titiled 'The Rozabal Shrine of Srinagar'. It has been written & directed by Yashendra.

The Kashmir Valley welcomed a record 7.25 lakh tourists this year

2010-12-31T17:02:00.000+02:00

Gulmarg, Dec 31 The Kashmir Valley welcomed a record 7.25 lakh tourists this year despite the four-month unrest that paralysed the region in summer. And the popular winter sports destination of Gulmarg, now covered with a pristine white blanket of snow, saw around 500 visitors arriving on New Year's eve Friday.

'We had around 700,000 domestic tourists this year in addition to 25,000 foreigners. This is a record that beats even the number of tourists we had before the beginning of the violence,' an official of the tourism department said here.

In 2008, the Valley hosted 5.72 lakh tourists, including 5.50 lakh domestic tourists and 22,000 foreigners.

'In 2009, we had 5.77 lakh domestic tourists and 23,000 foreigners. The number of tourist arrivals this year has crossed all previous records with 7.25 lakh tourists,' the official said.

He pointed out that the figure does not include the thousands of pilgrims who arrive here each year for the annual Amarnath Yatra.

'We had been expecting over one million tourists this year and had the unrest not occurred, we would have hosted such a number,' the tourism official said.

And the year ends on a more than positive note for the tourism industry with around 500 sports enthusiasts and snow lovers arriving in this picture-postcard destination, home to the highest ski point and now covered with a fresh blanket of snow.

'Gulmarg has recently been categorized as the seventh most sought after winter sports destination in Asia by CNN-International,' said Farooq Shah, director of tourism.

'We have the world's highest ski point at Afarwat heights, which is 13,500 feet above sea level. Besides, Gulmarg also has the world's highest Gondola facility that carries skiers to Afarwat, covering a distance of five kilometres,' he said here.

Besides skiing, other popular winter sports like ice hockey, skating and snow boarding are also held at Gulmarg, which attracts sports lovers from different parts of the country and the world.

'Our main worry so far had been the lack of adequate snowfall to cover the slopes. By the grace of god, Gulmarg had nice snowfall yesterday (Thursday),' the director said.

Snowfall in Kashmir shuts Jammu-Srinagar NH and Schools

2010-12-30T09:58:00.000+02:00

Snowfall across the Kashmir Valley today forced closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and schools, which were kept open to compensate for the loss in studies suffered by students during the summer unrest.

"The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been closed for traffic due to snowfall in the Valley," Coordinator in the Natural Disaster Management Cell Aamir Ali said.

He said more than 1.25 feet snow had accumulated at Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley, in Anantnag district.

"The road clearance work is in progress and a decision on allowing traffic would depend on the weather conditions," he said.

The snowfall across the Valley also led authorities to order closure of schools.

"All the schools, which were functional so far, will now remain closed for winter vacation," said an official of the Divisional Administration Kashmir. He said the schools have been closed due to moderate snowfall in Kashmir Valley, which has resulted in many roads getting blocked, and to avoid inconvenience to the students.

Kashmir; Snow Snow & Snow everywhere

2010-12-28T18:23:00.000+02:00