Srinagar, Aug. 16 -- Before explicating, I would lay out my perspective and class position. An 'upper class' Kashmiri with a distinguished lineage dating back centuries, I lived a very sheltered, cosseted life till serendipity intervened in the late 90's. Conditions in Kashmir then, precarious, militated against my continued stay here. My family 'conspired' to manoeuvre me from Kashmir. To repeat, from sheer serendipity, I landed at the Fatal Shore, Australia. But my abiding love for Kashmir remained. In class one day, a Professor, after saying hello, hello to me a couple of times said: 'Just your body is here in Australia. But you are in Kashmir'.

This was as astute an observation as it was accurate.

Another day, the school manager, wh...