Srinagar, May 27
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, Prof Abdul Wahid, here yesterday released a book entitled “Jhelum — The River Through My Backyard” written by Khalid Bashir, a noted writer and poet.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Wahid lauded the efforts of Bashir for touching topic of the Jhelum, which “is symbol of our motherland and has direct bearing on our history, culture and socio-economic activities.” He said the historical developments which took place in the valley for centuries were associated with the river. The river serves as a lifeline to the people as it has remained the main source of transportation, agricultural production, hydro-power generation, besides serving as an important source for commercial activities.

The book is a portrait of the main stream of the valley of Kashmir, in which Bashir has etched the history, culture and social ethos of the land with a poetic sensitivity in simple prose. The source material for the book has been derived from ancient texts, chronicles, travelogues, scientific and literary studies and interviews.

An account of the happenings since centuries along the banks of the river presents a beautiful backdrop to the flow of the subject matter. The book gives a detailed account of the birth of the river both in mythological and scientific terms and looks for a new angle at its local name, “Vyeth”. The book describes the present status of the Jhelum and laments the insensitivity of the people towards the lifeline of Kashmir.