From Pune to Aragam: terror survivor returns to lead Kashmir's first ‘book and poetry village'

Indian Express

04-05-2025

Aragam, a tribal village located 70 km from Srinagar in Bandipora district, has become Kashmir's first 'book and poetry village', where over 70 households have dedicated spaces for books. This project, which started in March last year, will now be managed by Manzoor Rather, who had come to Pune after witnessing his father's killing by militants.
Manzoor Rather's return to his homeland comes at a time when many are leaving Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack in search of safety.
On October 5, 1998, while three-year-old Rather sat in his father's lap at the dinner table, a group of militants stormed their home in Ajas Bazipora village and killed his father.
Aragam, a tribal village located 70 km from Srinagar in Bandipora district. (Express Photo)
'I could've been killed if my father hadn't thrown me away. Following this incident, my grandmother took me to Aragam, where I studied till Class 1. Then, with the help of the Sarhad NGO, I completed my schooling and graduation from the Sarhad Institute in Pune. And recently did my master's in English literature from the Azam campus,' he said.
While in Pune, Rather discovered his passion for freestyle dance. He is now a professional choreographer who has worked in Marathi films and was the lead in the title track of Marathi movies like Redu and others.
Despite achieving financial stability and settling in Pune with his wife, Rather felt a pull toward his native place. 'I was not content with life overall, as my people in Kashmir are still in search of education and economic opportunities, and I was thinking of doing something for them for many years. After seeing Mushtaq Khoja, a Kashmiri local who started Sarhad Public School in Dardpora village in Kupwara district, which now helps over 250 students study there, my resolve for Aragam strengthened. There I will teach my dance skills to help the budding artists, and connecting with residents there will enhance the cultural exchange which I have gained over the years,' he added.
This project, which started in March last year, will now be managed by Manzoor Rather, who had come to Pune after witnessing his father's killing by militants. (Express Photo)
Speaking to The Indian Express, Sanjay Nahar, founder of Sarhad, said, 'The Aragam project was implemented in March last year through the collaborative efforts of the Bandipora district administration, our NGO, and Siraj Khan, who initiated the groundwork and was inspired by Bhilar village in Mahabaleshwar. Currently, it has an open library, with over 3,000 books of different genres, which have been distributed to over seventy households and include contributions from the Maharashtra government's Marathi language department.'
Sarhad is also planning to start a UPSC guidance centre at Aragam. 'With specialised study materials and civil services exam guidance sessions, our effort will be to help increase the representation of candidates from Jammu and Kashmir in central services,' explained Rather.
Rather also aims to develop community-based tourism through homestays. 'This will be beneficial for tourists and locals as well, as economic opportunities will be created for residents while tourists can get a firsthand experience of local Kashmiri culture, which often gets missed in hotel stays. Scaling this initiative with an educational component will keep the youth engaged and divert their attention away from militant activities,' he added.