December 26
Umar Fayaz
The Pheran is the traditional Kashmiri attire worn both by people irrespective of gender. It resembles a long loose cloak. The word has it origin from the Persian word, ‘Perahan’ meaning shirt. The attire dates back to around the 15th century, when it was traditionally worn in bright colors.
“Although the Government has imposed a ban, but it is us, who have confined Pherans to households and we do not wear it outside, we love to keep it indoors when we go out to work and to offices, we are responsible the way anybody else we are blaming is, many of us feel ashamed wearing a pheran outside,” Ghulam Ahmed Rather, a professor of Kashmiri told The Kashmiriyat.
He said that people throughout the globe are promoting and propagating their culture in letter and spirit, It is being encouraged relentlessly, however in Kashmir the culture is being slaughtered and we are equally responsible for the onslaught.
After a ban by the school education department, the Kashmir university has banned the traditional the Kashmiri attire ‘Pheran’ in its library. The development came in the backdrop of a similar ban on the Pheran in the civil secretariat (Srinagar) where the commoners visiting the administrative departments have to give it up at the main gate.
This move to ban Pherans has triggered widespread criticism and an outcry on Social media with people calling it a “Cultural onslaught,” and people have widely come in support as they have been posting photos wearing the traditional attire, people have started posting pictures of themselves in traditional the Kashmiri attire to protest the ban.
The ban has also been denounced by Non Kashmir residents, A twitter user, Prerna, a Non Kashmiri denouncing the ban on her twitter wall said, “Pheran is an integral part of Kashmiri culture.Even Non kashmiris like me also make sure to get a pic clicked in Pheran when we visit Kashmir. In winters, pheran is also a necessity Ban on the Pheran in the civil secretariat,Kashmir should b withdrawn asap #pheranlove #PheranBan”
The ban has evoked sharp criticism from prominent Politicians as well, Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir tweeted, “I fail to understand why Pherans should be banned! This is a regressive order that makes no sense at all. Pherans are a very practical way of keeping warm during the cold winter aside from being part of our identity. This order should be withdrawn.”
Rather said that Pheran is the heart and soul of our culture.”It has been already over abused limitless on the pretext of security reasons.Let us not shame it anymore.”
Suneel Watal, A Kashmiri Pandit posted a photo of him wearing the traditional attire to denounce the ban iimposed by “Babus.”
“Now people have started wearing pherans. “There is a boy in my locality, he never has worn any pheran, but as soon as there was a social media buzz, he got a pheran from his friend and posted an image on facebook, for the next three days, he kept discussing about all the likes he got on the image, he never wore that attire again,” Rather said.
People also have an important point about how it is not just a piece of clothing, but a traditional and cultural item – and banning it is not ideal. They also point out how it was okay for actors in movies to wear them, but not for people in real life.