The author recounts leaving his home in Kashmir to pursue higher education abroad in Malaysia. Though excited by the opportunities in Malaysia, he finds that a part of him misses Kashmir, with its natural beauty, family ties, and simple way of life. Despite the superior facilities and quality of life in Malaysia, nothing can replace the serenity and joy that Kashmir gave him. Sitting alone in a cafe, he dreams of nothing except a safe return to Kashmir, the place he belongs. Kashmir remains his paradise.

1. Kashmir – My Paradise
By
Yaqeen Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander
Our memories are the only paradise from which we can never be expelled
- Jean Paul Richter
Life is a magnificent creation. Every moment, our various instincts obligate us to make
choices and then the flow of our lives depends upon the selections we make. A year ago, or
slightly more, I also made the most substantial choice of my life i.e. to leave both my home
and hometown to pursue higher studies abroad at one of the most prestigious universities
of the Muslim World - The International Islamic University of Malaysia. I was always excited
and curious to go out of Kashmir due to my passion and burning desire to discover a new
world beyond, to learn new experiences and also just in order to escape the hardships
which I and everyone usually encounters in Kashmir viz. harsh winters (Chilaikalaan),
insecure environment, uncertainty of future, lack of exposure, and an inefficient and deficit
administrative system which governs everything.
My parents, with tears in their eyes, kissed me goodbye at the IGI airport, New Delhi and
then I knew I was all by myself. I boarded the plane and we took off. After five and a half
hours, I heard the cabin crew announcing that we were arriving at Kuala Lumpur and
weather was supposed to be sunny. I was really excited after we landed for actualizing my
dream ultimately. But as soon as I left the airport, I knew that I am in a totally new and
strange location and my choice of coming here is irreversible now. I boarded a bus to my
university. Sitting in the bus, looking outside the glass window, I had mixed feelings and my
heart started sinking recalling all my life events, happy moments and the gloomy ones. I
knew I had to leave them all behind to start a new life, a new journey ahead. By then, I had
already chosen my destiny.
Malaysia as I had imagined is wonderful. Everything here is in order. The roads are clean and
proper, people are civilised, the city is much developed and above all our university campus
is wonderful with classic Islamic architecture embedded in it. Malaysia has Petronas Twin
Towers, F1 Race tracks, Underground Aquariums, Skyscrapers, eye-striking Beaches, Open
Rainforests, awesome wildlife, Amusement Parks, 3D Movie Theatres, Super cars and bikes,
KFC’s, McDonalds, and everything one can think of. There is no comparison between
Malaysia and Kashmir in terms of quality of life. I learnt and did those things here which I
could never possibly achieve back in Kashmir.

2. Despite of it and everything, without Kashmir a part of me feels missing in life. Even though,
the quality of life and facilities that Kashmir offers might be scanty but the serenity and joy
that Kashmir bestowed me with is unmatched. I crave for the view of the snow clad
mountains, the chilly winters, proximity of the family and significant others and everything
that makes the simple life of Kashmir wonderful and remarkable. My heart longs to go back
and see the autumn sight of Chinar trees with falling leaves. Recently, a friend of me
brought Harisa and some Wazwan from Kashmir. I ate it like I had never tasted it before. I
never felt so contended as then. I realized the worth of all these blessings only now after I
left Kashmir and I felt that I was taking all these for granted for too long. It’s human nature
actually to realize the real worth of things only after they are lost.
Sitting solitary in a café now here in Kuala Lumpur with all leisure surrounding me, I
retrospect, pondering upon all the cherished moments and infinite memories that Kashmir
imprinted on my heart and mind. A waiter comes and hands over the bill to me. Then on the
spur of the moment, I miss everything I left behind and my loneliness giving me blues. My
desires crumble inside me. I dream of nothing except a safe return to the land where I came
from, the place I belong to. Kashmir, my Paradise I am coming!
(The Author is an Undergrad student majoring in Psychology at International Islamic
University, Malaysia. He can be reached at www.yaqeenulhaq.info or can be mailed at
yaqeen@ymail.com)