कश्मीर में कुछ वर्ष पहले बाशिंदे शाम पांच बजे के बाद घरों में दुबक जाते थे, अब आधी रात तक गुलजार है

A few years ago, residents of Kashmir used to hide in their homes after 5 pm, now it is bustling till midnight

The sunlight has become mild and has become lukewarm in Srinagar. But, due to dew falling in the evening, people are seen wearing shawls and sweaters. The weather here is turning cold, but the political atmosphere has started heating up. After the enthusiasm of the first phase of voting, political stalwarts have turned towards this. A few years ago, residents of Kashmir, which is writing the story of change, used to hide in their homes after 5 pm. They used to remain restless in the fear of something untoward happening. Today, the city remains bustling till midnight. People are moving freely and fearlessly.

The Mahshama area adjacent to the historic Lal Chowk used to be in the news for stone pelting, while Ghantaghar used to be in the news for rallies taken out in support of independence. This area has also witnessed many encounters. 76-year-old Zafar Mir, who came to eat Italian brand ice cream with his wife and grandchildren at a big shop in front of Pratap Park, says that once the supporters of terrorism had hoisted the flag of Pakistan at Lal Chowk. Today, be it Lal Chowk or the nearby Pratap Park...the tricolour is fluttering. From Residency Road to Lal Chowk and the shops around it are full of tourists and shoppers. Pratap Park is filled with students, couples and elderly people from the evening itself. Selfies are being taken at many places and people are seen chatting among themselves. The areas which used to become silent as soon as the evening fell, today look bright and buzzing with the movement of tourists till midnight. The soldiers standing alert with bayonets have filled the local people with a sense of fearlessness. They are enjoying life again.

The Dal Lake area remains crowded with tourists till late night. 75-year-old houseboat operator Ghulam Mohammad says, I have never seen so many tourists coming this time. People are spending the night in houseboats. You can stay with your family in a houseboat for Rs 4000-5000. Rajneesh from Bihar, who is serving Pani Puri on the banks of the lake, says that due to the change in the environment, many tourists are coming and we are earning a lot. Regarding the elections, he says that the fight will remain within the old families only.

The Jamia Masjid in the down-town area was once a platform for propagating separatist ideology. Locals turn red while telling the story of how stone pelting and rioting spread in the area that seemed calm till before the namaz. There is a line of shops right in front of the mosque. Ejaz Khaliq, who met us at Azad and Sons, says...now the situation has changed. There may not be speed in work, but there is definitely peace. Regarding the elections, he says, people want change. But, the feelings regarding the Kashmir issue will remain the same. The solution can be found only through talks.

In Srinagar, officers, businessmen, shopkeepers, local journalists or common people, no one wants to say anything on camera. There is a fear that who knows when someone might get angry with something said on camera or video and we will have to suffer the consequences. When they are assured that no recording is being done, they start narrating stories like a tape recorder from separatism to terrorism, politics to government, Farooq Abdullah to Rajiv Gandhi and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to Mehbooba Mufti. People here are restless for an elected government. People have different stories of bureaucratic highhandedness during LG's rule and also complaints. The biggest thing is that they want development like the one that is happening now.