'Na certificate chahiye, na reward. Bas itna chahiye ke log humse pyaar karein jaise hum unse karte hain. (I don't want certificates or rewards. I just want people to love us the way we love them).'
'Main dobara bhi karunga. Doosri baar bhi jaan dene ko tayaar hoon. Yeh meri zameen hai, yeh meri zimmedari hai (I will do it again. I am ready to put my life in danger a second time. This is my land, this is my responsibility)'.
On April 22, a peaceful day in Pahalgam's Baisaran turned into a nightmare when terrorists opened fire on tourists and killed 26.
As chaos broke out, one man stood between panic and protection: Nazakat Ahmed Shah, a 35-year-old tourist guide from Aishmuqam, near Pahalgam.
Leading a group of 11 tourists from Chhattisgarh's Chirimiri, he didn't run -- he shielded them, guided them through forests and streams, returned for stragglers, and got them all to safety.
"If I die saving them, so be it," he tell Rediff.com over the phone.
In that moment of terror, Nazakat's -- and many other local Kashmiris who saved the tourists and humanity -- humanity shone, a reminder that Kashmiriyat is alive, brave, and compassionate.
A Scenic Day Turns into Chaos
April 22 began like any other working day for Nazakat Ahmed Shah, a 35-year-old tourist guide from Aishmuqam, near Pahalgam. The sun was out, the valley was in bloom, and he was guiding 11 tourists from Chhattisgarh's Chirimir through the winding trails of Aru Vallley. "It was a perfect Kashmiri day," he remembered. "Main unko bata raha tha yeh hamara jannat hai (I was telling them, this is our heaven)."
That heaven turned into a nightmare some time after 2.30 pm on April 22. "Achaanak se goliyon ki awaaz aayi… Pehle laga patakhe hain (Suddenly, we heard gunshots. At first, we thought it was firecrackers)," Nazakat says.
The noise kept getting closer. "Ek aurat cheekh uthi. Tab samajh aaya kuch gadbad hai (A woman screamed, that's when we realised something was wrong)." People ran in every direction. "Panic tha… par uss waqt mera zameer jaag gaya. Maine socha agar mar bhi gaya inko bachaate hue, toh theek hai. (There was panic… but my conscience woke up. I thought if I die saving them, so be it)."
'Main hoon na, darna mat'
Without hesitating, Nazakat took charge. "Sabse pehle maine bola: 'Main hoon na, darna mat!' (First thing I said was: I'm here, don't be afraid!)." He saw kids, elderly people, and terrified faces.
"I held one child in my arms and told everyone, 'Zameen par let jao. Hiliyega mat. Chillao mat.' (Lie down. Don't move. Don't scream.)" He crawled with them to a patch of cover behind a thicket of trees nearby.
He moved swiftly, shielding the group, guiding them across a forest path, and taking them through a small stream. "Paani mein paar le gaya unko. Sab ke pair kaamp rahe the. Par main chilla chilla ke bol raha tha: 'Bhaago! Seedha bhaago! Main hoon tumhare saath hu (I led them through water. Their legs were trembling. But I kept shouting: Run! Run straight! I'm with you)!'"
'Main waapas gaya'
Once he dropped the first batch to a safer clearing, he turned back. "Teen log chhut gaye the. Main waapas gaya (Three people were left behind. I went back twice)." He didn't think about bullets or death.
"Uss waqt na family yaad aayi, na bachche. Sirf yeh laga ki yeh mehmaan hain hamarey. Inko kuch nahi hona chahiye (At that moment I didn't think about my family or kids. Only that these are our guests. Nothing should happen to them)."
'Woh bhi Kashmiri tha… Adil Bhai'
Nazakat's voice softens when he talks about (Syed) Adil Hussain Shah, the local pony owner killed in the attack. "Woh bhi Kashmiri tha. Adil bhai… usne bhi tourists ke liye apni jaan de di. (He was also a Kashmiri. Adil Bhai… he gave his life for the tourists)."
He becomes quiet. "Log kehte hain Kashmir mein sirf khauf hai. Par unko yeh nahi dikhayi deta ki yahan insaaniyat bhi hai (People say there's only fear in Kashmir. But they don't see that humanity exists here too)."
"Jin darindo ne, jin buzdilon ne 22 tareekh ko insaniyat ka janaza uthaya hai, unhe hamari Sarkar ko sakt se sakt saja dena zaroori hai (The beasts who carried out such cowardly attacks should get the highest punishment. That is what I would appeal to my government in Kashmir and in India)."
With tears in his eyes, he says: "Insaniyat zindabad! Yeh Kashmiriyat hai. Mar mitenge par mehmaanon pe aanch nahi aane denge." (Long live humanity! This is Kashmiriyat. We'll die before letting any harm come to our guests.)
'Kashmir crown hai Bharat ka'
Nazakat isn't just defending lives, he's defending the idea of Kashmir. "Kashmir hai Bharat ka taaj hai. Aap dar ke mat jaiye. Hum har mehmaan ko apne se zyada izzat dete hain (Kashmir is India's crown. Don't be afraid. We treat guests with more respect than ourselves)."
He says there are thousands like him. "Sirf main nahi hoon. Aap kisi bhi gali mein chale jao, kai Nazakat aur Adil mil jaayenge (It's not just me. Walk into any lane here, and you'll find many like Nazakat and Adil.)"
"Ek Adil shaheed ho gaya. yahan aise hazaaron Adil khade hai. Sab ke sab apni jaan ki baazi lagakar aapko safe rakhenge. Insaniyat zindabad thi, zindabad hai aur zindabad rahegi (One Adil was martyred. But here, thousands like Adil still stand tall. Each one of them will risk their life to keep you safe. Humanity lived, lives, and will continue to live on)."
A Kashmiri Hero
Though locals call him a hero, Nazakat shrugs it off. "Main hero nahi hoon. Main sirf ek Kashmiri hoon. (I'm not a hero. I'm just a Kashmiri.)" His only desire is for peace.
"Na certificate chahiye, na reward. Bas itna chahiye ke log humse pyaar karein jaise hum unse karte hain (I don't want certificates or rewards. I just want people to love us the way we love them)."
He stands tall as he says: "Main dobara bhi karunga. Doosri baar bhi jaan dene ko tayaar hoon. Yeh meri zameen hai, yeh meri zimmedari hai (I will do it again. I am ready to put my life in danger a second time. This is my land, this is my responsibility)."
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