BOOK 3: Notes

It opens with the narrator's mundane routine, starting with Razaaq delivering stale bagels due to the freezing cold. The narrator is deeply concerned about Haleema, whose health is failing due to age and the loss of her son, who is one of the thousands missing in Kashmir. Despite her frailty, Haleema continues to fight for justice not only for her son but for all the disappeared people in Kashmir. The narrative then shifts to a protest by the Association of Relatives of Disappeared Persons (ARDP) disrupted by rain. Haleema participates in the protest, expressing her sorrow and determination to find answers about the missing. The protest is described with poignant imagery of placards held by children asking about their fathers, highlighting the gravity of the disappearances. The story moves forward as the narrator covers an encounter in Chadoora, where the military has razed an entire village to capture a single militant. The devastation is depicted vividly: burnt houses, debris, and anguished villagers trying to salvage what little remains. The narrator feels conflicted about the role of journalists, questioning the impact of their presence in such tragic situations. The narrative then recounts the narrator's attendance at an army press conference, where surrendered militants are paraded in front of the media. The colonel presiding over the event turns it into a PR exercise, offering reporters tea and kebabs, which contrasts sharply with the grave issues being discussed. The narrator cynically observes the reporters' willingness to participate in this charade. Finally, the story returns to Haleema, who invites the narrator to a memorial site for the disappeared. As the relatives prepare to lay the foundation stone for a cenotaph, the police arrive and violently disrupt the gathering. The police's brutality and indifference to the grieving families are starkly portrayed, culminating in the vandalization of the memorial by a police officer. The narrative ends with the narrator standing alone in the aftermath of the destruction, resolved to continue bearing witness to the injustice, even if it feels futile.

 

The narrator visits to a police officer at the Safa Kadal police station to demand the release of innocent women and children detained by the authorities. Despite initial resistance, the officer agrees to release the women and children, though the encounter is tense and laden with the power imbalance between the state and the people. The protagonist then visits Haleema's home, a decrepit, decaying structure that mirrors her deteriorating health. She is sick and feverish, living alone in a house filled with memories and despair. The protagonist helps her, but Haleema's emotional and physical decline is evident as she talks about speaking to the walls, a reflection of her deep isolation and grief. In another scene, Haleema, along with other relatives of missing persons, participates in a peaceful protest in a park, holding placards and pictures of their loved ones who have disappeared in the conflict. The protest is met with police force, but Haleema's determination to seek justice remains undeterred.

The narrative then shifts to Haleema’s worsening health. She is hospitalized with severe chest pain and diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Her condition worsens, and she eventually passes away. Her death is a poignant moment for the protagonist, who reflects on the unchanging nature of the valley's suffering, despite years of political changes. Haleema’s funeral is depicted in great detail, from the preparations for her burial to the final prayers at her grave. Her life is remembered by those around her as one of courage, resilience, and unending tragedy. The protagonist, deeply affected by her death, is the first to touch her coffin and helps carry her to her grave.

 

Throughout the story, the protagonist is overwhelmed with anger at the injustices faced by the people of Kashmir. He contemplates symbolic acts of protest, such as displaying the suffering of the Kashmiri people in the corridors of power in New Delhi. However, despite his rage, he remains bound by the reality of the ongoing conflict and the limited power he holds as a witness to the tragedies around him. The story explores the themes of loss, particularly the pain of mothers like Haleema who have lost their sons in the conflict, the corruption and indifference of the authorities, and the perseverance of those left behind. It is a reflection on the deep scars left by decades of violence and the unending hope for justice and closure in the face of overwhelming odds.