Past the floating gardens of Nehru Park and houseboats with names like Noah`s Ark and New Manhattan, a lane meanders to the home of Kashmir`s chief priest, Omar Farook, whose Friday sermons are the core of religious life here. His walled complex is heavily guarded. Omar`s father, Mohamed, the 11th head priest, called a mir, was assassinated a year ago by two gunmen. Kashmiris claim they were Indian agents. Indian officials say they were rebels opposed to the mir`s call for a referendum rather than union with Pakistan.
Omar, the 12th mir, is 17 years old.
Omar was present when his father was shot. A few days later, he walked behind the coffin when security forces opened fire, killing 62 mourners. This month he watched security forces prevent a pilgrimage to his father`s grave.
”The first time I gave the sermon to half a million people I was nervous. I did not even speak enough Arabic for the prayers. I spoke for 15 minutes,” said the pale young man, whose family has been Kashmir`s spiritual leaders for six centuries.
Omar, who once dreamed of becoming a computer engineer, speaks this day for 90 minutes.
”The people of Kashmir have started a revolution. They must not stop. I tell them you must not turn back, even if everyone is killed,” he said.
Last March, the rebels kidnapped two Swedish engineers to publicize their cause. They also briefly kidnapped the daughters of two senior Indian politicians. The Swedes are still in captivity.
”Kidnapping is legitimate if it draws world attention and helps end the massacre of innocent people,” Omar said.