Heavily popular Turkish TV show Dirilis Ertugrul in Kashmir sparks hope in people
Grover C. Magnus
3 min read
Dirilis Ertugrul – a popular Turkish TV series watched by the people of Jammu and Kashmir amid the coronavirus pandemic is “linked” to their daily suffering, a political analyst has said.
“It gives me hope that one day, by the will of God, our suffering will also end,” Anadolu Abu Bakar, a 27-year-old business student obsessed with the show, told the news agency.
Bakar completed five seasons of Dirilis Ertugrul last month, but is watching again because of his religious appeal and strong message: victory is not ours, it belongs to Allah.
“I have a strong connection to this series as an ‘oppressed’ Muslim. The series is so impactful in so many ways that I identify with. It has cultural, social, political and religious appeal, ”said Bakar.
Dirilis Ertugrul, which takes place in the 13th century in Anatolia, now today’s Turkey, is based on stories of Oghuz Muslim Turks, fighting the Christian Byzantines, invading the Mongols and the Crusaders.
The series starring Ertugrul Ghazi, warrior and father of the founder of the Ottoman Empire Osman I, portrays the struggles, tyranny, oppression, suffering, identity and justice of Kayi, a minor group of a Turkish tribe of 2,000 people.
“This series fits well with Kashmir. The circumstances here are the same as described in the series. You get the impression that a man of God like Ertugrul Gazi came to Kashmir to end oppression, injustice and tyranny, ”sociology researcher Manoon Akhtar told Anadolu agency.
Experts in the region believe the series has become a sensation as it somewhat soothes battered and oppressed residents while giving them “hope” with a voice.
Political analyst Noor Mohammad Baba said death and destruction have been a common sight for Kashmiris for decades and in between a series like Dirilis Ertugrul has more impact as people relate to its content. .
“Three important factors are there for his huge popularity in Kashmir: one, its content is related to Kashmir, the cultural affinity is there and most importantly the Islamic values he professes,” Baba told Anadolu agency.
It was last December when the popular Turkish series visited Kashmir, four months after the Indian government removed the region’s special status while forcing a strict military and communications lockdown.
It was around this time that Kashmiris outside brought the series to Kashmir in USB sticks and phones. However, in the current pandemic crisis, the series’ popularity reached new heights when Pakistan dubbed it into Urdu in April.
Ertugrul, the name of newborns
The fever of the Turkish series is such that many parents name their newborn babies Ertugrul. A couple from Pulwama district in southern Kashmir recently named their son Ertugrul after the couple’s eight-year-old daughter suggested the name because she is a die-hard fan of the show.
“My daughter is more addicted to this series. When I was expecting childbirth, she told me that if we have a baby boy, we will call him Ertugrul and we named him the same, ”said Nazish Akhtar, the newborn’s mother to the Anadolu agency.
Pediatricians say Ertugrul is a frequently used name for newborns in Kashmir. Consultant pediatrician Suhail Naik said that over the past four months he has seen many parents name their children Ertugrul. “It suggests the show’s impact on the people here,” Naik said.
