Srinagar’s tale of two houses

For 27 years, power in J&K had one surname—Abdullah—and one address—40, Gupkar Road. On Friday, power walked out through the front door of the Abdullah residence, leaving behind the shock of defeat and a smattering of security guards. The buzz has now moved to Nowgam, on Srinagar’s outskirts, where People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and chief ministerial hope Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba live.

Ask the young man who’s set up a garland shop on a bicycle a few metres away from the entrance to Sayeed’s bungalow. ‘‘I’ve already sold more than 2,500 garlands here since Friday,’’ he beamed. ‘‘I have a shop in Nowgam chowk just a few hundred metres away, from the entrance to Sayeed’s bungalow. ‘‘I’ve already sold more than 2,500 garlands here since Friday,’’ he beamed. ‘‘I have a shop in Nowgam chowk just a few hundred metres away, but I can hardly find a customer. I’m so glad Mufti sahib won the elections, it made my day.’’

The state’s Director General of Police Ashok Kumar Suri—whom the PDP accused of siding with the National Conference before the results—was among the first to call on the Sayeeds. ‘‘This house has patiently waited for this festivity for three decades. Finally, it’s here,’’ Mohammad Sultan, a PDP worker from Ganderbal, said.

New security bunkers are popping up everywhere, and the handful of security personnel who have been on guard duty here for the past few years can tell the difference. ‘‘We’ve never been used to so many visitors. The contrast is unbelievable,’’ one of them said. ‘‘We know life is going to be busy for us too’’. ‘‘Such massive security wasn’t even there when Sayeed was the union home minister in 1990,’’ said a neighbour. ‘‘It’s amazing how our locality, which suffered neglect for years because an opposition leader lived here, is now heading for a new look.’’

The wide, leafy Gupkar Road, in stark contrast, has fallen silent and sullen. The road that was out of bounds for many is more accessible than ever before. ‘‘Nobody would have dared even peek into this exclusive area. Even bureaucrats and senior politicians found it difficult to gain entry. But look at the turn of events, you can now see beggars walking up fearlessly and sitting outside the chief Minister’s bungalow,’’ said a security officer posted at the first barricade a few paces from Abdullah’s bungalow.

Across the road from Abdullah’s residence stood a row of black Boleros, packed with National Security Guard personnel. ‘‘Yes, there have been hardly any visitors since Friday,’’ said one commando. ‘‘It is quite different from the days when people made a beeline to this area.’’