Tral is a very beautiful spot with wonderful landscapes, surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges. This range has in its lap a vast area of land which has certain spots unprecedented in grace and grandeur. This soil of Tral has produced great intellectuals, scholars, educationists, doctors, engineers, technocrats, saints, poets, spiritual persons, businessmen and police officers.
The silence of Kashmir was broken by gun shots from automatic weapons. Panic had gripped whole of Tral, when few persons received bullet injuries near Idgah Tral. A resident of village Paribol Tral was lying in a pool of blood and was crying: ‘for God’s sake, stop my blood and save me, I am father of many daughters” But no one, even I, could not save these injured people who died because of blood loss, as there was no Blood bank at Tral, neither any facility for blood transfusion, and all the injured persons were shifted from Tral to SMHS hospital Srinagar, (40 km from Tral). The scene of death and the words of the injured victims were haunting me especially in the evening hours, when I used to go to bed to sleep. The phenomenon continued for several weeks and I developed insomnia and anxiety neurosis. I decided to see a religious saint/ scholar, Hafiz Muhammad Charag Naseer-ul-Qasmi of Dandipora Kokernag, who after listening to the chronology of events advised me to do some work especially in the medical field for the sick, needy and poor patients of the Valley. I thought that the need of the hour is to motivate people to come forward for voluntary blood donation and establish an NGO, but I did not know the procedure and the thought was only in my mind. I decided to meet and talk to my friends regarding this. I motivated my friends, Gh. Rasool Wani R/O Naibasti (who was fortunately working in blood bank of Soura Institute), Gh. Nabi Rafiqee (Veterinary Doctor) and Mohammad Afzal Wani (working in Municipality). We went to see the pattern and system of blood banks that were active at that time like the Iqra Blood Bank, Husseani Blood Bank and Rufaida Blood Bank.
We made an announcement on Friday prayers at Aastan-i-Aaliya premises regarding the blood bank and medical aid at TraI. We made posters in Urdu and in English and distributed them free in public and these posters were sent to all primary, middle, high schools, higher secondary schools of Tral.
So it was decided that a blood bank will be run by an autonomous voluntary organisation. That is how the Ikhlas Blood Bank was set up in 1991.
Simultaneously, came a ruling from the Supreme Court of India regarding blood banks and we changed the name of the NGO from Ikhlas Blood Bank and Medical Aid, Tral to Ikhlas Welfare Society Kashmir, headquartered in Tral.
Today, the Ikhlas Welfare Society, Kashmir has become popular in the state because of certain unique activities. The society is working for the healing and happiness of Kashmiri people, irrespective of caste, creed, colour and religion and without any state or central aid.
Apart from conducting free medical camps in the most remote areas in the Valley, the Society organised many unique epidemiological studies of diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure in 5 villages of Tral. Apart from this, the Society regularly organises relief activities for natural disaster affected areas. The list of welfare activities that the Society is involved in is very long and so is the list of booklets that the NGO has published on high blood pressure, heart trouble, heart attack
Menopause, etc.
I have dedicated my life to the cause of helping society in every way I can. After my schooling in the Govt Boys Higher Secondary School, Tral, I completed MBBS IN 1983 and M.D in 1996 from the Government Medical College, Srinagar. I did M.D in Prophetic Medicine through the Shah Faisal Institute of Hadith and Medical Sciences, Kasganj, UP. The thesis was on “ Spiritual Healings in Prophet’s Medicine.” I worked as assistant surgeon at Satoora, Tral and sub-district hospital, Tral and as Registrar in the department of Gen. Medicine, SMHS Hospital, Srinagar. I have authored over 34 medical books in Urdu and English. I would like to say here that my book “ Diabetes ka Safar “ in Urdu is an effort to reach out to all those who can read Urdu. There are many books in English, but rarely or hardly any in Urdu on medical aspects.
I am currently in the process of compiling the history of Tral along with tracing and tracking down the historical monuments. Not many people across India know about Tral. It is sad that the media exaggerates the negative side of Tral by focusing on the militancy days. But not a single soul has attempted to do any research on the history of this beautiful district and the treasure it holds. I have photographed over 300 historical monuments like shrines, mosques and temples in Tral.
There is more to Tral than just the sarsoan (mustard) fields that spreads like a yellow carpet. It is true that Tral suffered a lot due to violence, but Almighty also gave opportunities to help heal people. The Ikhlas Welfare Society is involved in activities that will help people forget the hurts and the wounds of the past.
(The writer is chairman and founder, Ikhlas Welfare Society Kashmir and can be reached at: 9419079242 (M) e-mail: drnisarbhat@yahoo.com. R/O Tral, P/O Tral. District Pulwama, Kashmir: 192123)
