SUMMERY

INSIDE OUT
After succeeding with his copper shop, Bilal gifted Munnu soft colored pencils
as he has promised. Next two years were uneventful in Munnus life, and that
provided him with the chance to focus on drawing practice. Those years (19992000) transformed him from an amateur to an artist. At Public school, his teachers
and principle also encouraged him to draw more. Seeing that Munnu has grown up
as an artist, Bilal suggested him to get his work published in newspapers.
They say that a man grows his surroundings in him. And growing up in
Kashmir of late 90s, made Munnu more mature than his age. Which reflected in his
work(cartoons). The maturity of the cartoons impressed the editors. First the editor
of Alsafa and later on the editor in chief of Greater Kashmir, which helped him
establish as an editorial cartoonist merely at the age of 14. At this young age,
Munnu became a Media Person securing a place in the office of Greater Kashmirbiggest daily newspaper in Kashmir.

SCRAPBOOK
Munnu started to maintain a scrapbook of his drawings from news and
current affairs. Which helped him for his submissions. But eventually he was short
with the topics as he was nave to the history of Kashmir. He draw what is
happening around or Indian Army activities in Kashmir. One day he saw a picture of
Saima-his first love and because of whom he was punished in ____________
darshgah. He went to ____________ darshgah to recall the memories of Saima and to
sooth his mind. With Munnus new gained status of an editorial cartoonist in G.K.,
Molvi was warm welcoming him. Munnu opens his heart to Molvi sahib that he has
created so many cartoons about tortures, killings and other day to day issues in
Kashmir. Now he wants to do something on political issues and corrupt leaders,
whose sole purpose is personal benefit rather than bettering situations in Kashmir.
But he confess that he has very less knowledge of history and politics. He dont
understand that when the member of All Party Hurriyat Conference have same
motive of liberating Kashmir from Indian occupation, why they disgrace each other
in public rallies. He thinks that devide and rule police of India and Pakistan is
responsible for the same. Molvi explains thath political parties pretend to work for
people of Kashmirbut actually they work for their respective parties only.
Munnu bids adieu to Molvi sahib receiving the advice to try to see things
clearly and in-depth fact of it, and not rely on public sources only. Find the fact
behind events. Munnu tried to follow advise and tried to think through but it was
had for him to ignore army acts like curfews and crackdowns or killings and its
effects on day to day life of Kashmiris. He continued with cartoons portraying army.
With this, Munnu raised an attention of Indian Army officials. They visited the G.K.
office to see who was the man behind all those cartoons. But finding its a minor
child the let him go. It was hard for them to believe that this little child can have
such deep understanding of things. Thus, Munnus age, his maturity, his drawing

skills, and support of family and elders, he successfully established himself as an

editorial cartoonist and a career as a Press person.

PRELUDE

Due to Bilals lack of interest in study and more in poetry, Gulam, his father
removes him from school and opens up a copper shop nearby.
It was a success. And Bilal knew Munnus art instincts. So he gifts
Munnu a box of soft colored pencils.
With that Munnu started drawing more and more.

INSIDE OUT

For years 1999-2000, Munnu had routine life. SLEEP-SCHOOL-DRAWING

Most boys bunk school
Girls give chocolates and cookies to teachers to keep them in good humor.
In 8th grade when their classroom was above teachers office. Riyaz dug small
holes in the floor to pour dust over teachers. And he call it Kargil war.
Real Kargil war took place between India & Pakistan. Both countries were
threatening each other with atom bombs.
Mubasir and Munnu become close friends and carved chalks together.
(Munnu: we should dip The World Trade Center towers in glue so they
dont break)
Munnu passed 8th Std. in 2000 and joined public school.
Munnus fellow classmate were older than him.
They forced him draw nude drawings of their teacher.
Teacher catches him and dragged him to the principles office.
However principle was impressed with Munnus drawing skills.
Instead of punishments, he asked him to paint the portraits of famous
poets, writers and educationists on the walls of the school.
He also gave his old decaying paintings to paint new one on fresh canvas sheets.
Seeing Munnus progress and skills, Bilal suggests Munnu to get it
published in local newspaper.
Bilal also suggests one Urdu daily (ALSAFA) for Munnu to approach.
He suggests to study editorial cartoons for reference.
Doing so Munnu finds that all the editorial cartoons are exaggerated, all they
have drawn is Kashmiri skulls and cages and army.
Bilal advise Munnu not to draw something directly indicative, but something
subtle. As newspaper company does not want to offend Army and get raided as
often happens.
He suggested to draw about issues like power cut, Indo-Pak relations.
When Munnu insist Bilal to suggest something, Bilal casually tells to draw
something related to electricity crisis, like drawing black bulb.
But Munnu thought Indian occupation of Kashmir is more trivial issue.
The lines of political cartoons on the newspapers seemed effortless.

Munnu thought drawing a political cartoon was matter of few minutes.

But the minutes turned into hours-hours turned into days but he did
not succeed.
Ultimately when he asks his mom how to depict the electricity crisis visually,
when she speaks a proverb below the candle lies darkness, was a eureka
moment for Munnu.
Finally he is done with the illustration.
Bilal took Munnu to newspaper office on his bicycle. Also convinces the
agency to print it suggesting that Kashmir produces electricity for
north India, yet they are deprived of it.
So on Sunday, November 3rd 2001, Munnus 1st cartoon was published when he
was only 13.
Munnu was super excited to see his cartoon published in newspaper.
Even more excited to draw for his next publication.
For that he underlines the news in the paper and wanted Bilal to explain them.
Munnu understands India-Pakistan should make peace, but it also says America
should intervene. And that is what Munnu did not understood because America is
so far, how can he intervene.
Bilal explains, Kashmir is occupied by both India and Pakistan. America is very
rich and powerful and both countries rely on America for aid and political
support.
Bilal says they are dead on Munnus query about Kashmirs own freedom
fighters.
Munnu draws a Bear eating Kashmiri but ALSAFA didnt publish it.
He tries the same for few more week with no result.
Finally Munnu was convinced to give up his stubbornness and please the
newspaper owner with a cartoon about less controversial issue.
Bilal was tired of taking Munnu to the newspaper office, so Munnu decided to go
by himself
He asks a tea vendor the direction for ALSAFA.
A man standing near inquires why Munnu wants to go to ALSAFA, tells
Munnu he is working there.
Munnu asks for help to put him in touch with the editor and shows his cartoons.
Observing Munnus cartoons, the man asks if those cartoons were Munnus
original ideas. As Munnu was looking to young and his cartoons were mature.
The man was the owner of ALSAFA.
He confesses that not publishing Munnus cartoons breaks his heart as they
deserve to be seen.
He suggests to draw something about Christmas eve and the same situation of
Kashmir whether its new year or old.
Munnu says they are on the same page. The family celebrated Eid modestly as
many of the neighboring boys were killed by Army and sound of firecrackers
remind there families of the gun battles.
Editor says there is nothing new in New Year except more deaths and new death
anniversaries.
An idea comes to Munnnus mind of drawing two bears wearing Army uniforms,
one(2001) handing a half eaten Kashmiri to the other(2002).

Editor finds the idea good but suggests to draw Giants with horns instead of bear
and without uniforms.
Editor-in-chief made a collage of the main headlines of 2001 on third
page and places Munnus cartoon in the center.
The new year greeted Munnu with his new success.
But Munnu decided not to celebrate until few more of his cartoons are published.
Again he goes to eat Bilals head asking questions.
This time he wants to know difference between bilateral and tripartite talks.
Bilal says tripartite is if Kashmiris to include Indo-Pak talk but since Kashmiris
always excluded, its Bilateral talk.
Munnu drew for ALSAFA every week for several months but editor only published
his cartoons only once or twice a month as he always draw about Indo-Pak issue
and sometimes to much offensive to the Army.
One day Munnu read some Kashmiris have been booked under P.O.T.A in Delhi in
the newspaper and get to know that its new law to arrest terrorists.
The headlines says that Kashmiries arent safe in India and delhi police treats
them as terrorists.
Gulam at that time shouts at Munnu for studies and Munnu got an idea to draw
about burden of education.
But the editor-in-chief did not open the door of his office that day, neither on
next Sunday, nor on next to next but no response.
One day when Munnu was knocking on his door again, the sweeper stops him
and inquires about who he is.
Munnu tells him that he is a cartoonist here. But sweeper denies and says they
already have the cartoonist in the office and he is 30 year old guy.
And the reason ALSAFA dont print Munnus cartoon to often is because their
employed cartoonist would not like some child to take his place.
He advises Munnu to go and approach Kashmirs biggest English daily
named Greater Kashmir.
Their cartoonist is dead and they are in need of new one.
For several months his advice echoed in Munnus head but he did not
go to the office of GK because he was afraid of rejection as it was
biggest English paper in Kashmir.
Finally in January 2003, after nine months since Munnus last cartoon
was published, he goes to the office of GK.
He approached to the reception that he wants to draw for GK. But receptionists
made fun of him.
Munnu began to cry, but the security guy was nice and he asked Munnu
for tea.
He took Munnu to the office of the editor. And requests on behalf of
Munnu.
Munnu shows his cartoons to the editor. He recognize him as Sajad.
On Munnus request, editor asks to draw three cartoons about current
issues for next day and also advise him to stay away from girls.
Indian republic day was near so army had barricaded many streets which provide
Munnu with his first idea of cartoon. (dogs with Id cards)
That year winter was sunny and no trace of clouds or rain, so Munnu draw a
snowman drinking a cold drink indicating heat. That was the second.

And the electric crisis was third.

The editor was busy for 3 days consistently. On forth day Munnu managed to get
in his office.
Editor liked his cartoons and tells him to submit his cartoons always before 6pm.
Editor also tells Munnu to draw in the office itself so that Munnu can
interact with reporters and sub-editors.
In the morning Munnu got news that he passed his 10th exams and in
the evening he got his dream job.
When he reached to a close road, an officer stopped him and asked for an ID
card when Munnu said he is working for press.
That night Munnu had a dream he was given white navy uniform by
editor and said to come to the office wearing that uniform.
Wearing that uniform Munnu splashed paint on long wide canvas like
Jackson Pollock.
He woke up at 5am and rode to city center where the newspaper truck
delivers the paper to hawkers.
His cartoon was published on first page.
The name sajad seemed unfamiliar and surreal for he scratched the
lines of his cartoon to check if it is a dream. He also showed it to the
hawkers to confirm if its wasnt dream.
Back home his family celebrates it with saffron tea.
That day he submitted his cartoon several hours before. And asked for an ID card
to the editor.

SCRAPBOOK

That day a guy came to the office crying that his cat is lost. Listening to this the
reporters started laughing.
They said the woman who was here earlier lost her son, and the guy with
crutches was arrested, starved and laid on ice slabs by the army, doctor have to
amputate one of his leg and his toes. And they dint shade a tear and here the
guy was weeping over a lost cat.
Finally they asked for the photo of the cat and promised to run the story is
anybody listening page.
The reporter also suggests Sajad(Munnu) to do a cartoon on that.
But Sajad is already done with one, government calims healing touch for victims
of conflict.
Sajad avoided reading news, its was daunting.
Instead he relied on his personal scrapbook in which he had collected
pictures of the newsmakers in Kashmir.

Pro-India: includes Kashmiri government, opposition and all those who sallite
built or fat mostly gurded by the army and rarely come out and act like
celebraty.
Pro-resistance leaders: they look rough and tough, some with deformities
depending on the degree of tourture and time they have spent in Indian jail.
Some or Pro-res groups such as Jammu and Kashmir liberation front want total
independence for Kashmir, while some adore Pakistan, including Jamait-E-Islam,
Hizbul Mujahideen etc.. prison in Kashmir is their second home.
Hurriyat: all the pro-resistance parties have their distinct flags. And the names of
their parties sound like titles of chapters in the books about morals. Together
both pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan, they form an umbrella party called The All
Party Hurriyat Conference.
The scrapbook made Sajads job possible for several weeks.
But being unfamiliar with the history of Kashmir and death of politics he lacked
the vocabulary to rescue to recycle the same ideas through different
perspectives.
The editor also advise Sajad to avoid redundancy to be taken seriously.
Battling with the inevitable daily deadlines, Sajad felt like he was on a
submarine running out of air.
He thoguth about army killings, healing touch, electricity, traffic mess, shrinking
green belt all seems vail.
Thought about Hurriyat and his thoughts about that is everyone has flaws. They
fight for freedom.
Sajad felt work pressure and felt he is not enjoying his life with other
school fellows or go to picnic with them.
Frustration left Sajad talking to self.
But soon international headlines become relevant and he felt commenting on the
Iraq war was easy as sketching AK-47 at schools.
Eventually commenting on the Iraq war become stale. And word like peace and
war became clich.
Cartoons about Indo-Pak conflict had lost their news value and seemed life
headline on a vintage poster.
Sajad had to read each page of every newspaper to avoid becoming redundant.
One day in 2004 when Sajad recognized the picture of someone on front of local
tabloid.
That made Sajad nostalgic for life and he started drawing.
Saima was mourning over the dead body of her relative shot dead by
unidentified gunman.
Sajad used his brush as a weapon against her relatives murderer
But editor again questioned about repeating army subject.
Age had only added more grace to her beautiful face,. She still wore
jeans. He felt cluster phobic when he looked away.
Sajad added her picture to his scrapbook of newspapers.
He sped to Darshgah hoping to see her.
Molvi sahib recognized him and invited in.
He pretend that he regret not being able to read Quran and miss this
place.

But Molvi sahib recognized who actually he was missing. With Sajads
new status, Molvi sahib was friendlier to him.
Knowing Sajad is a media man now, Molvi sahib was curious to know what is
going to happen in Kashmir.
Sajad reveal his dilemma to Molvi that he is finding hard to draw these days.
He has drawn hundreds of cartoons about Indian occupation, torture, killing and
so on.
Now Sajad was thinking to expose lazy and corrupt resistance leaders, but he felt
it might betray the cause.
According to Sajad, politicians look like revolutionaries but they dont even write
their own speeches.
The spokespersons of the leader feeds reporters chicken patties in return takes
them to the restaurants. Even Sajad had got the bite as well.
Molvi says those arent chicken patties-they are the flesh of the martyrs. And
said if the brave students who sacrificed their lives were to rise from their
graves, theyd regret giving so much.
And theyd be happy that they dont belong to his hypocritical society anymore.
Worst is all the resistance leaders claim to have the same goal of liberating
Kashmir from Indian occupation. Yet disgrace each other at public rallies blame
each other for selling out.
Molvi says India works hard to divide and rule.
Sajad Exactly, both India and Pakistan.
Cracks on the resistance leadership will divide their followers: there will be
violent chaos in the community and freedom will only allow people to despise
and kill each other.
Sajad says the leaders arent kids, they know India, they have been to torture
cells and funerals of martyr yet they miss point.
Molvi thought Sajad should do cartoons about that. But Sajad thought people
might think he is demeaning their heroes and call him a traitor, besides Sajad
dint knew history well.
Molvi said history is nothing but documented everyday events. And if patient
needs a pill, one should not think it is bitter,
Molvi said Sajad understand the pulse of current politics and his
intentions are good.
Molvi advise painting real picture should be Sajads goal.
Molvi asked Sajad who invented the bulb, and will he go to Heaven or Hell?
Sajad said Edison and of course he will go to hell, cos he was Christian or Jew.
But Molvi said that edisons invention illuminates Kabba and Madeni so?
Sajad got confused. By this molvi said it is good to doubt, they steps
towards enlightenment.
Dons let the foam of surface or the ocean keep him from exploring the
world underneath.
Molvi gave example of Sajad himself.
He said if he would have not punished Sajad for eying Saima, he would
have grown into a romeo and not a cartoonist,
Similarly leaders need spanking to keep them on track.
Molvi also gave example of Profet Mohammed. A believer asked Profet
what would be the most appropriate thing to wish for in this fleeting

world.? The Profet replies to pray Oh Allah, show me things the way
they are and not the way they appear to our eyes.
Even though Molvi Sahebs advice echoed in Sajads head for several days. He
could not ignore the obvious-curfew like restrictions were put by aarmy for
hoisting the Indian flag to celebrate Indian Independence day.
Reporters and sub-editors camped in the G.K. office for days before 15 th Aug. to
avoid breaking the law by stepping out into the streets.
The reporter was amazed how Sajad managed to get past army. The
cartoon isnt that important and its just a space filler.
But Sajad was feeling restless at home so he came to submit his
cartoon.
Outside the office Indian flags camouflaged the sky.
Sajad was amazed seeing this much army that how would someone with a
grenade would pass unnoticed in this sea of uniforms.
And still if something happens, why would the innocent civilians deserved the
wrath of jackboots when its their security laps.
Sajad thought such display of anger concealed the incompetency of the Army.
Sajad draw the Man in Uniform with crutches saluting the Indian flag.
By this Army visited the G.K. office in search of Sajad but he was at school, Sajad
got scared.
Third day he reached the office to find army jeeps waiting for him.
The army officer who was bearing two stars and an Ashoka Lion on his
shoulders was surprised to find the cartoonist was merely a 16 year old
school boy.
He even asked the same to Sajad if he looked like a man on crutches.
He called his senior to inform that the cartoonist is a minor boy and
they can not take him into custody.
The photo editor signaled Sajad with his eyes to exit immediately.
Sajad followed the instruction and slip out.
The officer thought someone is using Sajad as a mouthpiece. But the photo
editor assured him its Sajads own work.
Thus Sajad made near escape with the help of his minority.