Even if highly informative, supremely intellectual, or brashly attractive, no element in the newspapers and magazines attracts all the readers. Those who are news buffs may not give a damn to an opinion piece. One who likes economy may be far removed from sports. Someone who gravitates towards a piece on literature is hardly interested in a political opinion. There are only a few elements in our newspapers that invite one and all. There are readers and readers, but almost everyone makes it sure to have a look at the cartoon of the day. The light stroke of brush that conveys the messages as forcefully as it can get. A detailed news story may not impact a reader as intensely as does these less than few lines. We call them cartoons. And once we talk about it in Kashmir, the immediate image that flashes in our minds is BAB- Bashir Ahmed Bashir. There is hardly a newspaper reader in this valley who has not relished his lines. And hardly a theme, a personality, an event or an institution, any way related to Kashmir, that has skipped this man’s brush. Arshad M Bhat talks to BAB, the man who symbolizes cartoon journalism in Kashmir.

Cartoon is an independent genre of communication. It doesn’t merely attract, it simply seizes. It depicts pain and pun, news and views, society and life in an intense way. Like poetry it has the elements of economy and exaggeration, and that is what makes it a powerful tool of communication. It makes the reader sigh and laugh, cry and silence, all at once.
The Valley based newspapers also picked up the trend from Indian National Dailies, especially The Times of India and Hindustan Times to highlight the news and other issues in the form of a cartoon.  Bashir Ahmad Bashir, popularly known as BAB, of the Urdu Daily Srinagar Times is undoubtedly the pioneer of cartoon journalism in the Valley. He is described as the most accomplished cartoonist with thousands of cartoons to his credit. “An artist is born, not created. He doesn’t know about the nature’s gift bestowed upon him, but with passing time, his talent gets exposed naturally like the water that oozes out from the earth to make a stream and the nature shows him the way further,” says Bashir Ahmad Bashir. He believes that an artist always wants to showcase his talent so that people are drawn towards it. An artist is always interested in getting his work wide publicity and passionate response from the people. It’s just an essential urge, inalienably associated with all the artists. Bashir knows it well.
“It was during my school days that I discovered there was a strong inclination towards drawing and painting the objects; objects that were around. Living in the lap of Shankaracharya hillock was an added advantage as it was bestowed with lots of greenery and a captivating ambience,” Bashir deliberates over his making as a cartoonist. He goes on to say that the nature always inspired him in his drawings.  Nature would bolster the display of his expressions and impressions among the public.
Bashir has participated in a number of painting competitions, but never would it occur to him that he would one day be a professional cartoonist. “It was never what I really intended to be”, Bashir makes a casual confession. “After hearing the Radio talks and short stories of my brother, the popular name in Kashmir’s Urdu journalism, Sofi Ghulam Muhammad, I wanted to follow his footsteps and become a literary figure.” “Listening to other creative people on Radio Kashmir, Srinagar would accentuate his urge to become a man of letters. Bashir started harboring the thoughts of joining Radio Kashmir, Srinagar or any other cultural organization.
When it came to college, Bashir worked as Editor Kashmiri and Urdu in the annual publications of S P and A S Colleges and also designed stages and other material for various functions. And how did cartoon happen to this man. “It was a mere chance.”
Here is the little story of BAB’s turn into becoming a cartoonist. “Once Sofi Sahib established the Srinagar Times, people liked its objective reporting and independent policy. However, there was no breathing space in the form of photographs as it was a Herculean task to get the pictures printed. After seeing the sketches in the short stories carried by Urdu Magazines, I got inspired and drew sketches for Ghazals and other literary columns published in the Srinagar Times. It was very well received by the readers.”
After an overwhelming response from the readers, we decided to use the sketch on the front page of the newspaper along with the news. “We carried the first sketch of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah on front page in 1975 and the experiment did wonders as we received a huge response from the public,” reminisces Bashir Ahmad Bashir. “I continued with the practice, yet not sure about my being a cartoonist.” Bashir reflects back on the time that was. Then came the inspiration. It was none other than the great man of lines, RK Laxman. “One day, Sofi Sahab told me about the infighting in Congress and asked me to make something satirical about it. I made a cartoon showing two bulls, at that time Congress election symbol, locking horns and fighting with each other.” The idea clicked. The response was real huge. Now our readers were after us to make cartoon a regular feature. And then cartoon became a regular feature from 1978. From that year to this day, the newspaper hasn’t missed even a single day on this.
One gets the feel that it became Srinagar (Cartoon) Times. Is that right. “Yes, the readers who didn’t know Urdu, purchased the newspaper just to see the cartoon, which had become trademark of the paper.”
“The turning point in my professional life as a cartoonist was when I drew a cartoon depicting ruckus in assembly session. I watched the session personally. The cartoon explained the abbreviation MLA as Monkey, Lamb and Ass. It struck well. Our readers felt gripped by it. But the same cartoon bristled painfully against politicians. The then Speaker, Ali Muhammad Naik even announced a threat.  He thundered to bring a privilege motion against me and Sofi Sahab. Notices were served to our office.” Bashir remembers the day. It didn’t end here. “Sofi Sahib had to go underground, fearing arrest, even torture, after police issued warrants against him. We consulted our lawyer. We met with him at a local hotel and on the next day of the Assembly session explained ourselves in front of the legislators. In a written statement we told them that being law makers they should have desisted from making scenes and abusive languages in the Assembly; and that they were not above law.” Bashir gives out the details of the incident. This, Bashir believed was a blessing in disguise for the newspaper, and him. “People carried me on the shoulder outside the Assembly and hailed the newspaper for publishing the cartoon.” And the newspaper became a hit.
You must not have earned applause only. Never. “I faced life threatening situations after drawing a cartoon with reference to the hike in bus fare announced by the private transporters and government. I made a cartoon showing two buses, one from Private Transporters and another from Government running into each other, with a common man standing bewildered in between, only waiting to be crushed.” It incensed the transporters, and in a state of absolute fury they rushed towards our office, carrying iron rods. For one complete week I remained confined to my house; office was a dreadful thought for that week,” Bashir Ahmad Bashir recounts.
 The greatness of BAB as a cartoonist is that people accepted him as a cartoonist. For a reader he was a cartoonist, first and last.  That probably explains why in the most turbulent of times his cartoons didn’t earn him any wrath. After the onset of militancy, he says, he was never threatened from any quarter. He kept conveying his message to the public through cartoons “None, even the chief minister, influenced my cartoon. My lines spared none, not even chief ministers; even those, with whom I shared good relations,” Bashir Ahmad Bashir’s story goes on.
As a genuine artist BAB is happy over the introduction of cartoons in other newspapers. He is happy that youngsters are coming up to represent the profession in Kashmir. “I’m happy to see that cartoons have become part of journalism and the talented youth draw cartoons on a variety of issues. But I suggest them to be original and independent in their works, that is the only way to be successful,” BAB communicates with the upcoming cartoonist.
Interesting, he doesn’t consider himself a cartoonist. This, after 40 years of his life gone into making cartoons. “I draw cartoons to earn my bread and butter. I’m a short story writer. I have scattered works, yet to be compiled. I want to write more short stories, but due to time constraints and, particularly after the demise of Sofi Sahib, I have become overburdened,” Bashir makes an interesting revelation about himself.
“My favorite cartoon is one which depicted Sheikh M. Abdullah heading towards the chair, and a grave nearby with an epitaph: Rae Shumari (Plebiscite Front). The line went like this: Meri Kahani Bhulne Waalai Tera Jahan Aabad Rahe. According to Bashir, majority of his cartoons speak about political happenings in the State. “The J&K has been politically volatile all the time, which is reflected in the majority of my cartoons.”
The renowned cartoonist of Kashmir was thrice nominated for the Padmshree awards. But this man was more concerned about his work rather than awards.
Some final words. Bashir Ahmad Bashir, wants his son to carry on his work. “Seemab has also this thing in him. I believe he is an upcoming cartoonist.”  Bashir finally feels like a father. Is Seemab listening!