What Kashmir’s Old Vocabulary Says About Modern Power |
By Syed Nissar H Gilani
There is a word in Kashmiri that can describe a whole character without needing a lengthy explanation: Mushtanda.
It brings to mind a tall, heavily built man, someone whose physical presence commands attention but whose understanding of the world appears rather limited.
His body seems to have received more attention than his mind. He speaks with certainty, acts without much thought and approaches difficult situations with the confidence of someone who believes that size and force can settle almost anything.
The expression belongs to a wider South Asian vocabulary, appearing in Urdu and Punjabi as well. Its continued use says something about a known human contradiction.
Societies praise intelligence, wisdom and foresight, but their public life often rewards people who possess the opposite qualities.
The Mushtanda, for all his limitations, frequently finds a way through life that leaves more thoughtful people wondering how he managed it.
His usefulness has historically been quite practical.
The comparison with a powerful bull pulling a heavy plough across difficult farmland captures the idea well. Such an animal has the strength for demanding physical work. Nobody expects it to understand the farmer’s plans or decide which field should be cultivated. Its job is to pull.
Human societies have similarly found uses for men whose physical strength exceeds their intellectual abilities.
Traditional accounts from Punjab describe families hiring local wrestlers to settle disputes. These men spent their........