The Lion is not the part of wild life in Kashmir. We have Snow Leopards, Leopards, and Panthers. However, there was only one “Lion of Kashmir”, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, a historical enigma- very difficult to fully understand! The tallest leader, who, according to Dr.Josef Korbel, rose like a morning star but fell like a meteor. There are many views about his personality. Some claim him to be the greatest leader of Kashmiris while as some pronounce him as a traitor who betrayed Kashmiris and sold them into Indian slavery. The story of his life is the greatest tragedy of Kashmir. He was a typical Kashmiri with all the failings which most of us have acquired over centuries of foreign occupation. He was bold and outspoken. A simple and straightforward person but had a much exaggerated ego. Like any other Kashmiri, he too had some human weaknesses. He gave a lead to the oppressed Kashmiris and took the autocratic Maharaja head-on. It was because of his lead in early thirties that the Kashmiris woke up from the slumber and started their freedom struggle. His towering personality gave the stature and momentum to the freedom movement. He suffered many incarcerations but did not give up. He had dreamt of restoring the ancient glory of Kashmir and in the heart of his hearts wanted it to be an independent country. However, he wanted to realise the fruits of his struggle in his own lifetime. It was probably because of this that he changed the Muslim Conference into National Conference to avoid a communal clash between the oppressed Muslim Kashmiris and the autocratic Hindu Maharaja. It was primarily the Muslims of Kashmir who had faced exactions at the hands of the Dogra rulers and changing the overall face of the movement was a tactical move. Jinnah may have understood Sheikh Abdullah’s moves better and both might have clicked but for the Sayeds, Maulanas, Sardars, and Chowdhrys who felt threatened by the Kashmiri domination. It is these vested interests who sabotaged the possible understanding between the two Muslim leaders. Moreover, Sheikh was wary of the Punjabis who called Kashmiris “Hathu”. In his simplicity he had, unfortunately for him, placed total faith in Nehru taking him to be a true nationalist. Ultimately it was Nehru who betrayed him and shattered all his dreams in 1953. More tragic for him was the stab in the back by Bakshi, his grass roots organiser. If Bakshi had not deserted him, he would have given a tough fight to India. His greatest act has been the momentous decision of giving the land to the tiller without any compensation to the land lords and freezing of all the debts of poor farmers, an action still without a parallel in the whole sub-continent. Sheikh had also introduced Kashmiri language in schools from the primary level. Without knowing and respecting one’s mother tongue, one can never be a true nationalist. Having been himself a teacher, he had the greatest regard for the educators. He had even initiated efforts for making Kashmir self-sufficient in food by instituting a number of stringent measures which had made him somewhat unpopular with the masses. However, Bakshi immediately on taking over reversed all these measures. It is alleged by some that Nehru from the very beginning had the idea of using Sheikh Abdullah to annexe Kashmir. He made and executed his plans accordingly and the Lion of Kashmir was taken for a ride due to his simplicity and a very bloated ego. As per Korbel and Alistair Lamb, the plans for annexing Kashmir were made and executed with a finesse by the powerful leaders of India with the connivance of the departing British and Sheikh Abdullah had no inkling of these but was simply used to legitimatise the same. Even the very basis of the accession has been questioned by some authors. A few go to the extent of claiming that the Maharaja, who was under tremendous pressure, never signed the instrument of accession! During his entire political career involving 22 years in prison, Sheikh made many goof ups and turn rounds. Most of these were overlooked and forgiven by the people who had an unshakeable faith in his leadership. However, in 1975 he made the worst blunder of his life by accepting the power. Nehru had only betrayed and incarcerated him but Indra Gandhi humiliated and totally destroyed him. She cut him down from being the tallest leader of Kashmir to a small time politician hankering after the loaves of office. Many say that he never wanted to compromise but the debacle of Bangladesh and the pressure of his family forced him to surrender. Others say that he was fatigued by a long struggle. This decision proved to be his nemesis. Indra Gandhi’s move ensured that instead of a colossal shrine thronged by people, his grave has to be protected by the security forces from the very people who loved and virtually worshiped him. Towards the last days of his life he was very sad and pathetic. He was regretting his decision and wanted to undo the wrong he had done to his people. According to some persons who were close to him, he would say that India has swallowed Kashmiris but they are stuck in its throat. They should try and ensure that it vomits them out. He would be sometimes very sad and would often break down and cry. In 1982 he got a booklet published under the signatures of one of his ministers which stated that India was trying to convert the Muslim majority into a minority and Kashmiris should beware of that. His attempt at introducing the Resettlement Act was a belated desperate measure to ensure the safe guarding of the interests of Kashmiris. His conscience was pricking him and he wanted to do something to redeem his mistakes but the advancing age with all his ailments did not give him a chance to do that. One would have expected his progeny to complete his unfinished agenda of redeeming his historical mistakes but they compounded these further instead. They did not even bother to celebrate his centenary. The most ungrateful act was from the Indian Government who did not even care to confer a posthumous award on him. They rather tried to gradually obliterate his memory and deliberately omitted mentioning his name. Kashmiris have always regretted why could not their Sheikh Abdullah have the strength and courage to be like Omar Mukhtar, the “Lion of the Desert” of Libya? What forced him to be instead a confused and a fatigued “Messiah”? History alone will judge it someday. Till that time he will continue to remain an enigma!