Tourism Terror And Tensions Discussing Kashmir After Operation Sindoor
On 22 April, militants struck Baisaran meadow, a scenic tourist spot in Kashmir, separating Hindu and Sikh visitors from Muslim locals before opening fire. The attack killed several men while sparing women and children, a grim reminder of how civilians remain trapped in cycles of violence. For Kashmir's residents, the aftermath was twofold: grief for lives lost, and dread over the collapse of their fragile economy. The region had welcomed many tourists the previous year, offering hope for stable livelihoods. Now, deserted streets and cancelled bookings threaten shopkeepers, guides, and hotel workers already struggling after years of conflict.
In the days that followed, cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) shattered the ceasefire, displacing families in Poonch and other border districts. Homes were damaged, and schools closed. For many Kashmiris, survival now hinges on navigating checkpoints, shortages, and the constant hum of drones overhead a daily reality overshadowed by geopolitical headlines.
The question is no longer just about India or Pakistan's next move, but how Kashmiri civilians will endure yet another surge of violence?
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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Travel ban may shut door for Afghan family to bring niece to US for a better life
IRMO, S.C. — Mohammad Sharafoddin, his wife and young son walked at times for 36 hours in a row over mountain passes as they left Afghanistan as refugees to end up less than a decade later talking about their journey on a plush love seat in the family's three-bedroom suburban American home. He and his wife dreamed of bringing her niece to the U.S. to share in that bounty. Maybe she could study to become a doctor and then decide her own path. But that door slams shut on Monday as America put in place a travel ban for people from Afghanistan and a dozen other countries. 'It's kind of shock for us when we hear about Afghanistan, especially right now for ladies who are affected more than others with the new government,' Mohammad Sharafoddin said. 'We didn't think about this travel ban.' President Donald Trump signed the ban Wednesday. It is similar to one in place during his first administration but covers more countries. Along with Afghanistan, travel to the U.S. is banned from Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump said visitors who overstay visas, like the man charged in an attack that injured dozens of demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, earlier this month, are a danger to the country. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, which isn't included in the ban. The countries chosen for the ban have deficient screening of their citizens, often refuse to take them back and have a high percentage of people who stay in the U.S. after their visas expire, Trump said. The ban makes exceptions for people from Afghanistan on Special Immigrant Visas who generally worked most closely with the U.S. government during the two-decade war there. Afghanistan was also one of the largest sources of resettled refugees, with about 14,000 arrivals in a 12-month period through September 2024. Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. It is a path Sharafoddin took with his wife and son out of Afghanistan walking on those mountain roads in the dark then through Pakistan, Iran and into Turkey. He worked in a factory for years in Turkey, listening to YouTube videos on headphones to learn English before he was resettled in Irmo, South Carolina, a suburb of Columbia. His son is now 11, and he and his wife had a daughter in the U.S. who is now 3. There is a job at a jewelry maker that allows him to afford a two-story, three-bedroom house. Food was laid out on two tables Saturday for a celebration of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. Sharafoddin's wife, Nuriya, said she is learning English and driving — two things she couldn't do in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. 'I'm very happy to be here now, because my son is very good at school and my daughter also. I think after 18 years they are going to work, and my daughter is going to be able to go to college,' she said. It is a life she wanted for her niece too. The couple show videos from their cellphones of her drawing and painting. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, their niece could no longer study. So they started to plan to get her to the U.S. at least to further her education. Nuriya Sharafoddin doesn't know if her niece has heard the news from America yet. She hasn't had the heart to call and tell her. 'I'm not ready to call her. This is not good news. This is very sad news because she is worried and wants to come,' Nuriya Sharafoddin said. While the couple spoke, Jim Ray came by. He has helped a number of refugee families settle in Columbia and helped the Sharafoddins navigate questions in their second language. Ray said Afghans in Columbia know the return of the Taliban changed how the U.S. deals with their native country. But while the ban allows spouses, children or parents to travel to America, other family members aren't included. Many Afghans know their extended families are starving or suffering, and suddenly a path to help is closed, Ray said. 'We'll have to wait and see how the travel ban and the specifics of it actually play out,' Ray said. 'This kind of thing that they're experiencing where family cannot be reunited is actually where it hurts the most.' The Taliban itself criticized Trump for the ban, with leader Hibatullah Akhundzada saying the U.S. was now the oppressor of the world. 'Citizens from 12 countries are barred from entering their land — and Afghans are not allowed either,' he said on a recording shared on social media. 'Why? Because they claim the Afghan government has no control over its people and that people are leaving the country. So, oppressor! Is this what you call friendship with humanity?'
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Gaya Ji: A global pilgrimage hub
1 2 3 4 5 6 Gaya: One of the oldest cities in Bihar, the mythological and sacred land of Gaya has now been officially renamed as Gaya Ji, a move resonating with spiritual reverence and historical pride. Etched deep into India's cultural consciousness, Gaya Ji commands international attention for more than one reason. Considered the holy abode of Lord Vishnu, it is here, according to the ancient epic Ramayana, that Lord Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, performed the pinddaan ritual for his father, King Dasharatha. Legends place this city's existence as far back as the Treta Yuga, several millennia ago. Renowned globally for the Pitripaksh Mela, a fortnight-long observance held annually during the Krishna Paksha of the Ashwin month (as per the Hindu calendar), Gaya Ji draws lakhs of pilgrims seeking to honour their ancestors. It is also Bihar's only city with international flight operations and is celebrated for its iconic local sweet, tilkut. Gaya Ji is a land of stirring tales, none more inspiring than that of Dashrath Manjhi, the legendary 'Mountain Man' who, with nothing but a hammer and chisel, carved a 360-foot-long, 30-foot-wide road through a hill over 22 relentless years. The city also takes pride in producing top-tier engineering talent, especially from Patwa Toli, a locality known for its weaver families and academic ambition, often sending students to the prestigious IITs. The spiritual heart of Gaya Ji beats within the sacred walls of Vishnupad Temple and extends to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mahabodhi Mahavihara in Bodh Gaya. The former is a revered destination for Hindu devotees while the latter is a spiritual beacon for Buddhists worldwide. The city's significance is reflected in the rising tide of pilgrims and tourists. According to Gaya district administration, at least 23 lakh pilgrims performed pinddaan in Gaya Ji during the most recent Pitripaksh, a sharp increase from 15 lakh in 2023 and 13 lakh in 2022. According to the state tourism department, around 40 lakh domestic and international guests visited the Mahabodhi Mahavihara in 2024 alone. Beyond its spiritual magnetism, Gaya Ji is also set for a dynamic transformation. With a 1,670-acre integrated manufacturing cluster under development in Dobhi block, the city is gearing up to mark its presence on the industrial map with ambitions likened to Noida. Adding to its strategic importance, the Amritsar-Delhi-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) will pass through Gaya Ji, linking it with six other states – Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Looking ahead, the completion of the Vishnupad Corridor and Mahabodhi Corridor, announced in the Union Budget, will further elevate the twin cities of Gaya Ji and Bodh Gaya as hubs of pilgrimage and tourism. With this anticipated surge in footfall and business activity, the local economy is expected to flourish, bringing with it increased employment and prosperity. Pramod Kumar Sinha, a Vaastu and numerology expert and vice-president of the All India Federation of Astrologers' Societies (AIFAS), offered a metaphysical perspective. "Study of the new name Gaya Ji shows that the religious, spiritual, academic reputation of the city and the mental progress of people living here will increase. There will be an increase in the fame and popularity of the city in the country and abroad. There will be opportunities to achieve rapid progress in mental, intellectual and economic progress of the people living here," he said.
The Hindu
17 hours ago
- The Hindu
Tourism Terror And Tensions Discussing Kashmir After Operation Sindoor
On 22 April, militants struck Baisaran meadow, a scenic tourist spot in Kashmir, separating Hindu and Sikh visitors from Muslim locals before opening fire. The attack killed several men while sparing women and children, a grim reminder of how civilians remain trapped in cycles of violence. For Kashmir's residents, the aftermath was twofold: grief for lives lost, and dread over the collapse of their fragile economy. The region had welcomed many tourists the previous year, offering hope for stable livelihoods. Now, deserted streets and cancelled bookings threaten shopkeepers, guides, and hotel workers already struggling after years of conflict. In the days that followed, cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) shattered the ceasefire, displacing families in Poonch and other border districts. Homes were damaged, and schools closed. For many Kashmiris, survival now hinges on navigating checkpoints, shortages, and the constant hum of drones overhead a daily reality overshadowed by geopolitical headlines. The question is no longer just about India or Pakistan's next move, but how Kashmiri civilians will endure yet another surge of violence?
