The Kashmiri tipping process

The night before we left Gulmarg Altaf and Bilal helped explain to us the tipping process.  The amount we thought we would tip was correct but the boys explained it is better to put the money in an envelope and write a note of thanks on the front for each department. 

It is not polite for them to look at what you have given them in front of you, in fact they appear dismissive of the gesture, which to us can be offensive but it is their way.  Don’t expect a thank you for the tip.

Bilal, Altaf and Jim - the boys were use to seeing us in bed, it was the warmest spot with the electric blanket on

Me, writing the thank you envelopes

Altaf would visit us everyday at least twice.  The occasional night he didn’t turn up we’d miss him and wondered where he was.  The next morning he would always turn up and say sorry he didn’t visit but he was busy with work and couldn’t get away.  Altaf will be twenty in March and has worked at the hotel for two years.  He is working his way through each department to eventually be on the front desk, like a traineeship.  He will be fine.  He is a nice young man and seems to know where his future is which, is surprising in a place where at times the future is bleak. 

Now Bilal on the other hand will have a rocky future for at least the next twelve months.  He has to appear in court on March 1.

I have not told you his story yet.  Bilal was head waiter in the hotels restaurant.  We became friendly with both Altaf and Bilal.  Jim and I were teaching Bilal how to ski over the winter. We were hoping all would work out well before we left but as far as bureaucracy in India goes this was wishful thinking.  A few weeks ago an Indian family from Malaysia was staying at the hotel.  On the night of the incident I woke up to yelling.  We were use to the drunken partying Russians in the hallway but this commotion sounded menacing.  As it turned out it was the drunken father ranting for the police to be called.  He alleged Bilal entered the room of his young (16yr) daughter.

In my sleepy state I imagined it had something to do with the curfew.  That week was the start of the unrest after a Kashmiri was executed in Delhi.   There is an unspoken dislike between the Indians and Kashmiri’s, more so in the young Kashmiri’s.  Talking to the older generation some agree Kashmir benefits from being part of India.  Anyway getting back to Bilal, the Gulmarg police took him away and he was in the local jail for a few days before being transferred to Tangmarg jail for another few days.  He could not appear in front of the magistrate due to the curfew and strikes.  Lucky for him he was released a week later and has been reprimanded till March 1.  Through the translation process it is hard to work out what he has been charged with. 

The day after the incident I bought a box of biscuits from the bakery and put a note with them for Bilal to say we were thinking of him.  Walking back from the village on my way to the jail I chickened out.  I wasn’t feeling brave enough  - a lone foreign woman.  I gave the biscuits to Manzoor the restaurant captain to pass on.  Bilal is well liked and has the support of his family and all the hotel staff and management but unfortunately the hotel owner put him off.  Altaf says he will get another job in Srinagar maybe coming back to Gulmarg for work next year.

One minute he was enjoying learning to ski, the next he is in jail.  Disaster can happen anywhere anytime to anyone.