Kashmir, “The Paradise on Earth”, is a history in making. Kashmir has a glorious past, a painful present and an uncertain future. The modern state of Jammu & Kashmir (pre 1947) included Jammu, Ladakh, Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, Purial and Yasin. It covered an area of 86024 sq miles, situated between 32 deg 78' to 36 deg 58' and from 73 deg 27' to 80 deg 72'.
The history of Kashmir is well documented and there are ample reminders of the ancient inhabitants of this valley, still lying around in Kashmir. Mythological tradition has it that, the valley originally was a huge lake called “Satisar” [land of Goddess Sati, consort of Lord Shiva], and its waters were blocked near Varamulla [present town of Baramulla]. Modern geologists also confirm this myth as true.
According to the oldest manuscript on Kashmir “Nilvat Puran”, in Satisar there lived a demon named Jalod Bowa who killed and devoured the people of this region. A great saint named Kashyap, heard about the havoc that this demon was wrecking and performed penance for a long time. He was blessed by god and was able to cut the mountain, near Varamulla. This made it possible for the Satisar Lake to be drained into the plains below, and the land of Kashmir appeared. The demon was killed and the grateful people named the valley as "Kashyap-mar" and "Kashyap Pura". Kashmir also implies "land desicated from water", as it is derived from two words viz., “ka” (water) and Shimeer (to desicate). The earliest trace of habitation in the Kashmir valley has been discovered at Burzahom about 10 miles east of Srinagar. This site belongs to the Neolithic culture and it is characterized by numerous ground and polished stone axes, hoes, pestle and the bone implements. This site of Burzahom is only the 2nd such site known in the north west of the Indian sub continent. Close to Burzahom, archeologists have unearthed sites of ancient pit dwellers dating back to 3000 B.C. Though extensive research has not been concluded, yet it is quite evident that this site is the only such known settlement in the whole of India.
According to Kalhan, the renowned historian and author of “Rajtarangini”, Ashoka the Great ruled Kashmir and founded the old city of Srinagar. He built many temples and helped spread Buddhism in the Kashmir region. It was from here that Buddhism travelled to Central Asia, Tibet, China etc over the ages. The next well-known rulers were the Kushanas (Indo Greeks in origin). Among the better-known kings was Kanishka. He built many temples and Vihars in and around Srinagar. He also organized the 3rd great council of Buddhists at Kundalvana (present day Harwan near the Shalimar Gardens). There was a huge congregation of learned Buddhist monks from around the world. It is said that the entire proceedings of the conference were inscribed on copper plates in Sanskrit, and were deposited in a Vihar. These plates have not been discovered as yet but their discovery could certainly shed new light on one of the glorious eras of Kashmiri history.
During the Kushana period, Kashmir became one of the most influential centres of Buddhist learning and home to the most powerful Buddhist sect of northern India called SARVASTIVADA. After Kanishka, weak rulers who were inefficient and corrupt ruled the roast. Kashmir came under attack from the Huns, who brought untold miseries to the people of Kashmir. The next notable dynasty was the KARKOTA dynasty (beginning of the 8th century). Huen Tsang, the famous Chinese pilgrim, visited Kashmir during the rule of the 1st Karkota ruler Durlabhvardhan. He has left a detailed account of the people and has vouched for Kashmir being the centre of Sanskrit learning. Karkota dynasty gave Kashmir on of its greatest rulers, LALITADITYA MUKTA PID (724 - 761 A.D). He is known as the “Samudragupta of Kashmir”. He is credited with having invaded & conquered many countries in Asia and India. These included Punjab, Kannauj, Tibet, Ladakh, Badakshan, Bihar, Iran, Bengal, Orissa, South India, Gujarat, Malwa, Mewar & Sindh. Lalitaditya's capital was located close to the holy shrine of Khir Bhavani. Some of the temples built by him still remain, like the Martand temple built on Mattan Karewa.
After the Karkota rule, Kashmir again fell upon bad days and it was in 855 - 56 A.D that Maharaja Avantivarman of the Utpal dynasty brought some semblance to the chaos that was reigning. During his time, there was a burst of literary activity and numerous eminent men visited his court. Avantivarman founded his capital at Avantipur. He built 2 magnificent temples of Shiva and Vishnu, the ruins of which still attest to the grandeur of Avantivarman’s capital.
During Avantivarman’s reign “Suya” a great engineer corrected the course of the Vitasta River and provided more land to the people for cultivation. Suya’s memory is preserved till this day by the town of Sayapur (Sopore) founded by him at the point where river Vitasta leaves the basin of Mahapadomsar (Wular lake). From 1089 to 1101 A.D., King Harsha ruled Kashmir. His reign was however a story of lawlessness and misdeeds. During this period, Mongols invaded Kashmir and plundered the state extensively. The last of the Hindu rulers was Udyan Dev who was weak and inefficient. There were uprisings in various parts of the state, which paved the way for Muslim rule in Kashmir. After the death of Queen Kota, who was the wife of Udyan Dev, Shah Mir ascended the throne under the name of Sultan Shamas-ud-din and his dynasty ruled the state for 222 years. Two of the notable sultans of this dynasty were Sultan Shihabud-din and the great Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin. During the reign of some earlier sultans of this dynasty, there was large-scale persecution of Hindus, who were forced to leave the dynasty. However in 1420 A.D., Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin ascended the throne and ruled for nearly half a century. He ruled with an iron hand and was tolerant towards the Hindus. The Hindus who had fled, came back to the valley. He ushered in peace, prosperity & benevolent rule for the people Kashmir. He is credited with having introduced many of the arts and crafts, which are still renowned the world over. The Sultan invited competent teachers from the other countries to Kashmir and introduced carpet making, paper machie, silk rearing, shawls, embroidery, gun powder making etc in the valley. In reverence to Zain-ul-Abdin he is called BUDSHAH or “the great king”, and even today his mention brings a smile to the face of every Kashmiri. The Sultan founded a new city called NOWSHEDAR (now called Naushera). He also built the 1st wooden bridge on Jhelum River, which is till this day called the ZAINA KADAL (Zaina's bridge).
In 1579 the greatest of all the Mughal rulers Akbar, “the enlightened one”, visited Kashmir and fell in love with it. Thus began a love affair which was to result in some of the most beautiful gardens and monuments that cannot be found anywhere in India. Shalimar and Nishat gardens built on the banks of Dal lake, were Jehangir's gift to the valley. Jehangir also laid down gardens at Achable and Verinag.
Another Mughal, Shah Jahan. laid down Chashmashai gardens. However during the reign of the mughal rulers like Aurengzeb, there was anarchy and disorder in Kashmir. This was due to their intolerant policies and persecution of Hindus.
From 1752-1819, Afghan rulers controlled Kashmir for nearly 67 years. The Pathan rule can easily be called the darkest period of Kashmiri history. The valley was plundered and looted and the people were in a bad shape.
The Afghan rulers truly tested the spirit of the Kashmiri people. At last when they could suffer no more, a deputation led by Pandit Birbal Dhar and his son Pandit Rajakak Dhar, went to Lahore and requested the Sikh king Maharaja Ranjit Singh to conquer Kashmir and alleviate the suffering of the people. In 1819, 50,000 troops of the Maharaja invaded Kashmir and drove out the Pathans. Sikh rule lasted for 27 years and though it was not a very favorable reign, it was definitely an improvement over the Pathan rule. During this period there were numerous droughts, landslides, floods and severe snowfall.
The fighting between the Sikhs and the Britishers lead to Kashmir being transferred to Maharaja Gulab Singh who belonged to the DOGRA CLAN. Maharaja Gulab Singh paid a sum of 75 lakhs to the British as royalty. Maharaja Gulab Singh laid the foundation of the modern state of Jammu & Kashmir. Gulab Singh conquered the various regions of Jammu, Poonch, Ram Nagar, Basoli, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Bhimbar, Rajouri, Skardu, Khanmarg, Kiris, Kaplu, Sheghar, Astor Gilgit, Chitral, Yasin, Hunza, Magor and Pinial.
In fact Maharaja Gulab Singh was the only Indian ruler to have carved out a state from the ruins of the Sikh empire. The other fragments were brought under British rule. On 1885 Maharaja Pratap Singh ascended the throne and ruled for over 40 years. During his time, the real modernization of the state took place and various reforms were carried out. He constructed a water reservoir at Harwar and established an electricity generating unit at Mohra. A new administrative machinery was set in place and, roads and communications were improved. The nephew of Maharaja Pratap Singh, Maharaja Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925 and governed the state till 1950.
India became independent on the 15th of August 1947 but Kashmir became the bone of contention between the newly formed countries of India and Pakistan. Kashmir at the time of India’s independence was a Muslim majority state ruled by a Hindu Maharaja. As the king was vascillating about which country to join, a Pakistani invasion prompted the king to seek help from India. Since then Kashmir has become the flash point between the two neighbors. As of now, India occupies 2/3rds of Kashmir. Further, in 1962, the Chinese invaded and occupied a part of Ladakh, increasing tensions in this area. The situation is still not normal as yet, but the people of Kashmir wait eagerly for peace to return.
