For the 20-odd Kashmiri Pandits who attended the launch of Delhi-based journalist Rahul Pandita’s book on Monday, the gathering was an emotional affair.
Launched at Bandra’s Title Waves bookstore, the book, Our Moon has Blood Clots, is a memoir of atrocities suffered by the Hindu
Pandits in Kashmir in 1990, and of their exodus from their native Valley.
“It was a very difficult book to write, but I believe it is very important for us to tell our story, because if we don’t do it, no one will,” said Pandita, 37.
Pandita, who grew up in Srinagar, was 14 when the violence broke out. His brother was killed by members of the Hizbul Mujahideen during the attacks, following which the Panditas moved to Jammu.
“Although I went back to Kashmir eight years later as a journalist, I never went back to my old house until I felt the need to write this book,” said Pandita, who also read out passages from his book about his experience of seeing his home again.
“I am very firm in my belief that I will return to Kashmir one day,” he added.