Kashmir Silhouettes From the Past  

 

Weakening of Political Authority in Kashmir: As per the Persian Chronicle Behristanej Shah the year 1320 saw Kashmir devastated by the attack by a Mongol warlord from Turkistan, named Dulucha (Zulu. With an army of 60,000 horsemen Dulucha and his soldiers killed everyone they could find. Men were killed. women and children were reduced to slavery and sold to the merchants of Chitta (Turkistan), whom the invader had brought with him. Howes were bunt, crops confiscated, property looted. The invaders ate as much of corn and rice as they could and burnt the rest. Jonsaraja writes In this way the whole of the Kashmir Valley was trampled underfoot. Dulucha stayed in Kashmir for 8 months while leaving, he took with him 50,000 men as slaves, while crossing the Devsar pass, DeLuca’s entourage was hit by a blizzard and most of the people are said to have perished!

 Islam Gains Political Power in Kashmir (1339):

 Following the devastation caused by the Mongol attack, an atmosphere of political uncertainty prevailed in Kashmir for almost two decades power changed hands many times. A Muslim warlord, Shah Mir gained power in 1339 and proclaimed himself as the Sultan of Kashmir under the name Shammas-uld-Din. He founded the Shamir Dynasty that ruled Kashmir from 1339 to 1561. With the advent of Islamic rule in Kashmir (1339 CE), started the systematic campaign to Islamise Kashmir. The new rulers thought that the best way to terrorize the Hindu populace was to attack their temples and annihilate the priestly class. Sultan Shamas-u-Din, (1339-1342), the founder of Shamir dynasty was greatly influenced by Islamic missionaries, preachers, sayyids and Sufis from Persia, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, some of whom had entered Kashmir to escape the wrath of Timur. Mir Sayyad Ali 22 Hamedan Shah Hamadan) entered Kashmir with 700 sayyids, and his son. Mir Muhammad Hamadani, with 300 more. These two llama preachers played a vital role in Islamization of Kashmir through organized tyranny destruction of hundreds of temples, including Martand, A sketch of the original Martand Temple as it have existed in the century Martand temple was built atop a platnas near Mat tan town, in Anantnag Deist of Kashmir, about 60 km from Srinagar. Sir Walter R Lawrence (185. 1940), a British Civil Servant and historian, in his The Valley of Kashmir (1895), has mentioned thus the 'Martand Temple(ruins) occupy the finest potion in Kashmir. This noble ruin is the most striking in size and situation of all the existing remains of Kashmir grandeur". Sir Alexander Cunningham (1814-1893), an engineer turned historian cum archaeologist who visited Kashmir (1836-40) has mentioned that the erection of this Sun temple was suggested by the magnificent sunny prospect which its position commands. "It overlooks the fret view in Kashmir and perhaps in the world. Bene lays the paradise of the east, with its sacred stream orchards, and green fields, surrounded by vast snowy mountains, storm to smile upon the beautiful cullet beloved". Whole Solar Shihab-ud Des (AD 134-1373) was the one who started destruction and desecration of temples as a state pobey biterrortze Labroid Prodi’s, it is to Sikandar Shahmir, who ruled between 1389-1413 that the credit for destruction of mont Hindu and Buddhist temples, ancho ding Martand, mint go. For all his seal, he is renumbered as Sikandar Butshikan, the breaker of sdels! Apart from Jon raja’s Dwitiye Rajatarangini, the evil deeds of Sikander are. chronicled in Pensian books like Baharat’s Shahi A and Hassan, cool during Mogul King Jahangir's era (1605. 1627 ADY After destroying temples and idols, Iskandar’s focus fell on abolishing the teaching of Hinduism. All Brahmins unwilling to convert to Islam were taxed with the Islamic tax of Jazia Hasan b Ali in his book has mentioned forced conversion of Hindus during Iskandar’s tenure, Sikandar is stated to have massacred all those who had refused to convert. All the Hindu books of leaming were collected and thrown into Dal Lake and were buried beneath stones and earth, as per Hasan b Ali KOTA RANE The forgotten Last Hindu Queen of Kashunir offers het intestines as bridal gift to Shahmir An embankment being but in Dal Lake with sacred books of Hindus during the rule of medieval fultana Ruins of Martand today! A creative Bollywood director even named it as Shaitan Ki Gufta in a movie

Changes in Demography and the seven Exoduses of Kashmiri Pandits

 Almost 5 centuries of Islamic rule in Kashmir saw the demographics change dramatically-from an almost 100%. Hindu population. Hindus in the valley were reduced to a minuscule minority of about 17%, by 1947 These 450 years saw SIX cuscuses by the Hindus from the valley, starting with Sikandar Butshikan's tenure (1389-1413) second exodus was during the tenure of Sultan Ali Shah(CE 1413-1420), the tyrant son offikandar the Butshikan Think evolu took place during the reign of Sultan Fateh Shah(CE 1510-1517), fourth exodus happened during the rule of Aurangzeb (CE 1658-1707), Muzaffer Khan, Nasard Khan and Ibrahim Khan were three governors of Aurangzeb who ferociously terrorized the Kashmiri Pandits, forcing them to seek help of Guru Teg Bahadur ji (1675 CE), the nineth Sikh Guru. The fifth exodus took place during the rule of Mughal King Muhammad Shah Rangila (1720-1745). The sixth exsodus took place during the tyrannical Afghan rule (1753-1819) WR Lawrence (1857-1947, in his book The Valley of KasumirW.R. calls it the reign of brutaltyranny The Severith Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus took place in the Sovereign, Democratic and Secular India between 1986 and 1998. We shall come to that a bit later!

Development under the Islamic Rule

 Kashmir got its most benevolent king in the form of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, ironically a son of Sikandar Butshikan. Zain-ul-Abidin, also known as "Budshah" (meaning "big king in Kashmiri) ruled for 50 years (1420-1470), reversed all the oppressive policies of his father towards the Hindu population, abolishing the discriminatory jazzy tax and allowing Hindus to build temples and practice their religion freely. He is known for his just rule, tolerance and promotion of arts and culture. Zain-ul-Abidin was a great patron of leaming, literature, and the arts. He promoted Sanskrit Language and literature, and had the Mahabharata and Kalhana's Rajatarangini translated into Persian. He transformed Kashmir inthe an industrial garden, promoting various crafts and industries, leading to significant economic develop merit in the valley A small anecdote that needs to be recounts here Zainul Abidin said ashave-arveloped a beal which was proving almost sun curable and caused him iminense discomfort. Alindo Vaidya, PR Shree Bhat is said to have cured him of the boil. A thankful Sultan warded to shower the Vaidya with offs which he politely refused. The only 'gift he asked for was that Hindus be treated with respect and the Jazia be removed. That was a major change which transformed Kashmir!

Development under the Mughals:

As a province of the Mughal empire, Kashmir was able to get a more organized administrative set up once it became part of the Mughal empire, though like every province, Kashmir was ruled by a centrally appointed Governor Akhar was the first Mughal king to subjugate Kashmir (1586); he visited Kashmir thrice and is credited with not only building the Hari Parvat Fort but also laid the foundation of Nadeem Bagh, the first garden laid by the Mughal dynasty in Kashmir Name Bagh, Srinagar Jahangir, who followed Akbar, was in love with Kashmir, visiting Kashmir 13 times. He is said to have laid the famous Shalimar Bagh in Srinagar as a gift to his 'consort' Nur Jahan: beautiful gardens at Achabal and Verinag, in dist. Anantnag too are said to have been laid by Jahangir. Nur Jahan's older brother, Asif Khan is credited with the building of Nisha Bagh Jahangir was a patient of asthma and, in October 1627, on his way from Kashmir to Lahore, he died at a fort near Bhimber (Rigour) on the Old Mughal Road. To prevent petrification of the body and to keep the news from spreading, Jahangir's entrails were removed and buried Inside Fort Baghdad, near Bhimber. Shahjahan, the next king, also visited Kashmir several times. He made Kashmir a full 'subah, separating it from the Kabul province Shahjahan is credited with development of the famous Chashma Shahi for his favourite son, Dara Shiloh, In tum, Data Shiloh is said to have developed the famous Pair Mahal Garden at a short distain from Chama-e-Shaath Aurangzeb Alan voided Kashmir in cat He was very eager to convert India "the land the infidels into the land of the faithful tyrannical zeal, he put pressure on his poetr Iftekhar Khan (1671-75), to convert all Kh Pandits to llama. Cornered from all sides, in May 26, 1675, a delegation of Kashmiri Panda met the 9th Sikh Guna Guru Teg Bahadur la Anandpur Sahib (Punjab) under the leadership of Pt Kirpa Ram Dutta of Mat tan, for pusdanor Guru heard the delegation with care and became contemplative. His 9-yr old son, Gobin Rai asked him why he was so contemplative-Gur replied that a great sacrifice is needed. From the mouth of the young child came the solution Who can be greater than you for the scarified Word was sent to Aurangzeb that Kashmiri Pandits would convert if only their Guru converted. Guru Teg Bahadur was arrested inm Agra and brought to Delhi where Aurangnis tried to put pressure on him his three companions, Bhai Mati Dasi, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayal Das were tortured to death. Yet the Guru did not waver and was publicly beheaded on Nov 24, 1675 in Chandni Chowk, Delhi The Mughal Rule in Kashmir ended in 1755 when two Kashmiri noblemen, Mir Muqim Kam and Khawaja Zahir Didamari approached Ahmed Shah Abdala, the notorious Afghan warlord and invited him to invade Kashmir. The next 67 years (1753-1819) proved to be hell for people of Kashmir! Pathan (Afghan) rulers are only remembered for their brutality and cruelty, and it is said of them that they thought no more of cutting off heads than of plucking flowers. Se buridanpesti in sangindilangulchidanasti. Another saying goes as "Pursidomazkharabiye gulshan Baghban, Afghan kahdgujt ki Afghan ad enquired of the gardener the cause of the destruction of the garden. Drawing a deep sigh he replied. "It is the Afghans who did it") Twenty eight Afghan governors ruled Kashmir during the 67 years of their despotic occupation-each we crueller than the previous one. End of the Afghan Rule in Kashmir. As tyranny of the Pathan rulers reached its peak,ww Kashmiri noblemen decided to approach Maharaja Ranjit Singh for help in getting rid of the Durmani Empire. Raja Birbal Dhar and his son, Raj Kak Dhar travelled to Lahore in 1818 to convince the Maharaja. Pu Birbal Dhar even gave an undertaking to Ranjit Singh that in case the mission bailed, he would pay for the loss incurred,Birbal also offered his son, Raj Kak Dharas a hostage to the Lahore Darbar. In April 1819, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent an army of 30.000 troops under the leadership of his top generals-Mise Dewan Chand, Hari Singh Nalwa to free Kashmir! Kashmir remained a part of the Sikh Empire only from 1819 to 1546. Following the defeat of the Sikh forces in the Finst Anglo-Sikh War, the British sold Kashmir to Raja Gulab Singh, already ruling Jammu and Ladaki under the Treaty of Amritsar (1846). Thus, for the first time, an independent Kingdom of J&K came into existence!

 The Dogra Dynasty

(1846-1947): The one century long rule saw 4 kings, starting Maharaja Gulab Singh (1846-1856), followed by his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1856-1885) and grandson, Maharaja Pratap Singh (1885-1925) May 20 Kiya Ran Dutt The last king of the Dogra dynasty, Maharaja Hari Singh ruled from 1925 ill Oct 1947 when he signed the Instrument of Accession with Govt of India. to 1949, on the insist nor of Shiekh Abdullah, Maharaja was advised to leave K Maharaja Hari Singh passed away in his private riddance at Mumbai in 1961 and even his body was not allowed to be cremated in J&K

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Courtesy: Sanjeev Munshi and  Koshur Samachar-2025 , June