Thirteen years ago when Bhola Nath Sidha, a high school teacher, left his village in Kashmir, he had four children with him. Today, the kids have grown up and Bhola Nath has made up his mind to return. Reason: The state government has drawn up a plan for the return of Kashmiri Pandits and Sidha is among those who have agreed to come back. ‘‘A few days ago, my old Muslim friends had come here (Jammu) from Mattan. They also urged us to come back,’’ said Sidha at his present residence at Jammu. He had left home, along with other families, in 1990 when a village youth was killed by the militants. The Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Government has chalked out a plan under which, in the first phase, about 150 Kashmiri Pandit families will be rehabilitated in Mattan and then in Kheer Bhawani village. Interestingly, Mattan falls under Bij Behara area, which is Sayeed’s old Assembly constituency. Mattan had around 500 families when mass migration began in 1990. The village has special religious value for Kashmiri Pandits since it has the only sun temple, after Konarka, dedicated to Martanda (the 13th name of the Sun God). ‘‘Vahan par har adhai saal baad Dumasa ka mela lagta hai. Agar hum laute to yeh mela ek baar fir dhekh sakenge (A festival, Dumasa, is celebrated in Mattan after every 30 months. If we return, we will see this fair again),’’ said 65-year-old Sidha. Most Kashmiri Pandit families, who migrated from Mattan, will be the first ones to be rehabilitated there. ‘‘After we left, our houses were burnt by militants,’’ said Chandan Devi. The migrants told The Indian Express that their leaders have met government officials and the Chief Minister has promised jobs to a youth in every family and a two-room house. ‘‘If they promise us our safety, we have no hesitation in returning to the Valley,’’ said Tej Krishan Kitchloo, who is running a Sanskrit school here. Sidha has fond memories of his village. He said a few of his Muslim students kept writing to him even after he migrated from Mattan. ‘‘How can we forget them? They were good friends and we used to celebrate festivals together,’’ said Sidha. He said Muslims in Mattan always donate for Ramlila and also help in cash and kind during marriages. The younger generation of Pandits have not seen their villages and are eager to return. But many of them feel that they are enjoying better educational facilities in Jammu, which will not be available in the Valley. ‘‘Our government is keen on respectful return of Pandits to the Valley. If they agree to come back, the government will make adequate security arrangements for them,’’ said Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma.
