Killing Time

With communications blocked, the entire population is having a lot of time but not knowing what to do with it. Umar Mukhtar meets the young and elderly to understand how they kill their time

- Umar Mukhtar

Ishfaq works for Jammu and Kashmir’s taxman. His routine is typical of a government official – early breakfast, quick movement to office and return home by evening. He spears weekends for relaxation, plays cricket, chills out with his peers. Since August 5, his routine is seriously obstructed.

Fearing a violent response to the rollback of autonomy and stripping of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, authorities imposed a communication blackout. Phones, internet, public transport is as good as dead, more than three fortnights later.

The change in routine is a crisis for everybody. With businesses suffering enormous losses and closure of educational institutions creating a new benchmark in knowledge deficit, the real big question for the young generation is: how to kill time? The communication clampdown has actually made the situation worse for the new generation because it was hugely dependent on the internet, even for education. So, what they do to the time?

In uptown Srinagar, a shop-keeper who has been downloading entertainment, mostly movies, as part of his personal collection is reportedly selling a movie for Rs 50. An eye witness said that the mobile accessory seller is routinely having a long line, every day.

Another provision store owner said he has 350 GBs of films. “When my clients make purchase, I offer them my bank, if they require,” the retailer said on the condition of anonymity. “I do not charge anything but a few show interest and come with their pen drives.”

“I had around 70 movies in my laptop; I watched them all in these days. Now I have nothing to watch,” said Tawheed, a college student. “As far as my studies are concerned, I mostly rely on the internet. So there is nothing to study.”