RULERS
Up to 1325: Ruled by 155 Rajas independent and sovereign 1325 to 1585: Muslim Sultans independent and sovereign (1420 to 1470) "Golden period of Kashmir history" Periods of Occupation and Struggle for Freedom
1586 to 1752: Mughal Rule
1752 to 1819: Tyrannical Afghan Rule
1819 to 1846: Colonized by Sikhs
16 March 1846: British sold Kashmir to Dogras
1846 to 1947: Dogra Rule
15 August 1947: Partition of British India Indo-Pak war to gain control over the territory of Kashmir
22 Oct.1947 : Tribal-backed Invasion of Kashmir
24 Oct. 1947: Pakistan controls one third of Kashmir - Provisional Govt. of Azad Kashmir proclaimed
27 Oct. 1947: Indian military invasion in Kashmir- two thirds of Kashmir occupied by India
Indo-Pak War: Cease-fire achieved 1 Jan, 1949
'Kashmir' denotes the whole state of Jammu & Kashmir as it existed before October 1947. Millions of years back enormous tidal waves arose from the Indian ocean and layer after layer of silt and rock deposited to make the Himalayan range of mountains. The rock formations seen today confirm this theory.
These waves brought water with them. The receding waters left infertile foothills and the shelving shores of inland sea, the lakes of Kashmir today . Kashmir was an expanse of water and the first people who ever lived had homes in water, and indeed some still do ! Islands of land surfaced in time and people migrated . Theories have been postulated to explain this evolution. A massive volcanic eruption made a crater in the mountains and drained the water. Earthquakes in Kashmir are common and the bye-products like ash from lava is present in mountains. Kashmir could have been a mighty glacier in ice-age and earthquake split open a gorge , ice melted and drained away
In Hindu mythology the big lake (Satisar) was inhabited by Nagas (Snake people) who fearing the demon (Jaladeo) pray to Kashyap (The sage). The sage goes into long penance to deliver the Nagas. Shiva (Hindu God) came down and with a hard blow created a crater in the mountains and drained the water away to surface land on which people started living. There is also a legendary story about King Solomon using ingenious canalization methods , drained the waters, using human labor. Whatever it was which created Kashmir it has since been awfully serpentine, ruefully demonic and the natives suffered gusty blows from the mighty waves of mordant politics
Jehlum river , the hydaspes formed the Eastern limit of advances for Alexandra the great of Macedonia. He left behind a gene- pool of a big continent of his army. The God King, ferocious fighter died in Babylon at 36 in 323 BC. The fair color of Kashmiri skin may be attributed to that invasion.
3rd century BC Ashoka (296-232 BC) the grandson of Chandra Gupta, the Mauryan King made Srinagar the capital of his huge empire. The Buddhists ruled up to 8th century and left their culture and monasteries, especially in Ladakh.
Huns gained control in sixth century. Mihira Kula, a Hun prince was known as cruel as death for his cruel behavior. The Ujjan empire took control in 530 AD. The Hindu king Lalitya Dityas' rule ( 724-761) marked an era of literature and learning. Kashmir as his base he led his armies deep into South India, Turkistan and Tibet. He built temples at Martand , Avantipor and Pandrethan which still remain. He set an example for Kashmir as an independent country.
King Unmattavati 939-944 AD was inauspicious. He ripped the abdomen of the pregnant women to see the fetus, plunged daggers in the hollows between the breasts of naked women. The saga of repression continued during the time of King Harisha 1089-1101 AD.
Pundit Kalhane the great poet of the 12th century wrote Rajatarangi (River of Kings). He wrote "Kashmir may be conquered by force of spiritual merit but never by force of soldiers" which, in present political climate may be worth remembering. The spate of literal tranquility was short lived , ferocious tartars ( 1300-1320AD) Zulfi Khan from Changis Khan family invaded and indulged in ruthless killing, loot and arson. He perished in a blizzard crossing the Devasar pass. Simha Deva and his associate Ram Chand ruled for a while but soon Prince Rinchen took over having killed Ram Chand and married his daughter, Kuta Rani. Rinchen converted to Islam and called himself Sultan sadru-ud-din and built the great Jama Masjid and Ziyarat for Bulbul shah who was his mentor. Rinchen died and Simbha Deva's brother Udayadeva married the widow Kuta Rani and ruled for 50 days. Shah Mir a Muslim from swat and adviser to Rinchen was waiting in the wings and took over the throne. This heralded the ' Sultan dynasty' which lasted 200 years
In 1372 Shah Hamadan arrived from central Asia with thousands of followers and spread his message of Islam. People were converted to his faith enmasse.. In the meantime Shah Mir died and the throne was inherited by Sultan Skinder in 1389 who ruled for 24 years and destroyed idols and sacred thread (500 lbs) of the converted Hindus . The fifty years rule of Zainul Abidin (Budsha) which followed is known as the golden era in the history of Kashmir He invited artists from Iran and handicrafts boomed. His rule has been remarkable in progress, prosperity and justice. His rule extended to Tibet and Punjab. He built a palace in the island called Zainlank also made by him and inscribed on the edifice 'May this edifice be as firm as the foundation of the heavens' He married into a Hindu Raja family from Jammu.. His two sons fought with each other after his death in 1470 and lost the throne to Chak family , waiting in the wings.
Yousuf Shah Chak and his wife Haba Khatoon were ruling when Akbar the Mughul Emperor beguiled him and entered Kashmir on June 5, 1586 to rule for the next 166 years. Jehangir inherited the throne and became obsessed with the beauty of Kashmir. He and his wife Nur Jehan built 777 gardens and panted Chinar trees. On his death in 1627 he uttered 'Kashmir only Kashmir'.
Shah Jehan stepped in after his father Jehangir and also built places like Chashma Shahi and his sons Murad married to a Kashmiri girl built the Island called Char Chinar. His eldest son dara Shikoh built Pari Mahal and Greystone mask still standing today. It was Aurangzeb who got the throne having beheaded Dara. In 1664 Dec Aurangzeb set off from Delhi for Kashmir , accompanied by his sister Roshan Ara. 100,000 horsemen, camels, elephants and cattle. He lost most of his livestock in the mountains. The Mughal era came to an end with the ferocious invasion of Persian leader Nadir Shah in 1739. He took the peacock throne and Kohinoor and left the Mughals in disarray
It was the Afghans who saw an opportunity and invaded Kashmir. Ahmad Shah Abdali ruled in a ruthless manner, he ordered public executions and people drowned in the Jehlem river. Afghans built Amira Kadal, Hari Parbat forte. One ruler 18 year old Azad Khan plundered , killed and raped like a lunatic. He slit the stomach of his doctor for not curing his eye ailment. Abdali died in Kabul in 1818 , the sons fought and lost Kashmir to Sikhs. It was like coming out of the frying pan into the fire !
The Sikhs were invited by locals to get rid of the Afghans but the 27 years rule from Sikhs was a hell . People were stoned to death for killing a cow. A despotic rule which led to pestilence, destitution followed unfortunately by earthquakes and famine of 1832. Ranjit Singh the ruler never visited Kashmir but wanted , taxes, shawls and women. Gulab Singh a dogra commander won his favor by fighting the British. He was awarded Jammu as Jagir
It was Gulab Singh who conquered Ladakh and Dardistan in 1840. Poonch remained with his brother Dyan Singh. Gulab Singh betrayed his old master and helped the British to defeat Ranjit Singh. British demanded a heavy fine to relinquish Kashmir. Gulab Singh offered to pay and Kashmir was sold to him for Rs 75,000, one horse , 12 goats and three shawls. One shawl and 100 goats also to be given every year otherwise Kashmir would revert back to the British.. This became the famous Treaty of Amritsar.
Gulab Sigh consolidated power and Dogra rule of a complete century was heralded. 1857 Rambir Singh took over and helped British retake Delhi after a mutiny. His repressive rule lasted for 28 years and was succeeded by Major General Partap Singh. Partap Singh was dominated by British and he allowed a resident and a revenue commissioner Walter Lawrence was installed. This was a great relief for Kashmiris, because inhuman laws like 'Beggar' or forced free labor and execution for cow slaughter was abolished. In 1889 the British took over direct rule for sixteen years , giving a breathing time of relief for Kashmiris from repressive Dogra rule. Soon enough Maharaja was reinstalled in 1905 and saga of autocratic despotic rule continued. Hari Singh was the nephew ( Partap Sigh had no son) born and educated in Paris. He became the westernized Maharaja of Kashmir. Polo. golf, house -boats and trout fishing became the norm in Kashmir. British missionaries like Arthur Neve, Cecil Tyndale Biscoe, Miss Mellinson became the pioneers of development and education in Kashmir.
Srinagar Silk Weaving factory strike in 1924 when Said-ud-din Shawl and Noor Shah Naqshbandi were expelled was an important landmark for the political renascence of Kashmir. They submitted a petition to Lord Reading the viceroy of India with their grievances . On 13 July 1931 nine people were gunned down in front of central jail who were protesting against a Jammu policeman desecrating Quran. This became the 'Martyrs Day' A school teacher Shiekh Abdulla formed the 'Muslim Conference' which he later converted to National Conference to include the non-muslims in the party. Several thousand people got killed by Dogra army. The British set up the Glancy commission to investigate. Maharaja caved in and passed the constituent assembly act. Now 35 out of 70 seats would be elected. Muslim conference still active in Jammu under Choudry Abbas got 14 seats. The 'Quit Kashmir' movement launched by Abdulla took off like wild fire. Repression intensified. "Srinagar has been transformed into a graveyard" stated Nehru " I must go there" He was greeted with black flags by Pandits and arrested.
1947 sorting partition of India out Lord Mountbatten called a meeting of the party leaders on June 13, 47. Mr. Nehru said that no state can claim independence, but Mr. Jinnah said 'that constitutionally and legally the Indian states will be independent sovereign states on the termination of paramountcy and they will be free to decide for themselves to adopt any course they like. They can decide to remain independent. In the later case they enter into agreements and relationships, such as economic or commercial, with Hindustan or Pakistan as they may choose'
Maharaja and his Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak wanted independent Kashmir. A stand still agreement was signed with India and Pakistan. A trade agreement with Pakistan meant oil, salt could be imported and communication link kept open. Sudhans in Poonch revolted and got slaughtered by state forces. On 22 October Tribals from Waziristan invaded plunging Kashmir in darkness. They were only a few miles from capturing the capital city when Maharaja fleeing for life allegedly accepted provisional accession to India, in return for safety of his life. Indian army was flown in on 27th October and a war ensued between india and Pakistan. This resulted in partition of the state and 50 years on it still remains split and divided. The accession document signed by Lord Mountbatten states that the accession is probationary and subject to a plebiscite confirming his action. It is this plebiscite that people were promised that has now caused over 85,000 deaths of Kashmiris.
United Nations got involved. Jan, 24, 1948 Mr. Warren Austen of USA suggested an interim government followed by a plebiscite. Jan 1951 Australian PM , Mr. R G Menzies proposed stationing commonwealth troops or Indo Pakistan joint force or raise a local army in Kashmir It was rejected by India. United Nations or two deadly wars did not alter the status defacto position of Kashmir dispute nor did the Nehru-Abdulla agreement of July 24, 1952 Abdulla , the serving prime minister was arrested and jailed. The reasons for this action are elaborated ( 15 points )
September,4 ,1965 UN resolution stopped the Indo-Pakistani war, culminated in the Tashkent Declaration of Jan, 10, 1966. POW's were exchanged , but Kashmir was left simmering in the smoldering fire. One more Indo-Pakistani war erupted, this time in East Pakistan and culminated in the Simla agreement of July ,3,1972. Again after exchange of POW's Kashmir was left to be discussed later , in order to arrive at an amicable solution
As time passed people eg Shastri, Ayub Khan , Nehru, Abdulla passed away; Even Mountbatten , who would have been an important witness was blown up by the IRA in Ireland.
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Friday, August 22, 2008
MULKE-KASHMIR
KASHMIR “HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE”
A Theme
Geography
The State of Jammu and Kashmir, as it featured on the 15th August 1947 has an area of 222,880 square kilometers. It is mostly a mountaneous region. Situated as it in the heart of Asia, the State has common frontiers with China on the north and north-east, with Afghanistan of the north-west and with Pakistan and India on the western and southern sides. The State’s border with Pakistan is about 900 kilometers long. A tongue-shaped projection of Afghan territory called Wakhan separates the Jammu and Kashmir States from the Russia. The location of the State confers immense strategic importance on this land.
EARLY HISTORY
Kashmir can claim the distinction of being the only region in the subcontinent of India which possesses an uninterrupted series of written records of its history. These chronicles testify to the continued existence, among the population of the Valley, of a genuine historical sense. Kalhana, poet-historian of Kashmir wrote his Rajtarangni 200 years before Chaucer and more than 400 years before Shakespare. It narrates in Sanskrit verse the history of the various dynasties which ruled Kashmir from the earliest period down to the time of the author who began to write this work in 1148 AD.
Kalhana’s work was continued by Jonaraja whose narrative covers the troubled times of the last Hindu dynasties of Kashmir and also the first Muslim rulers to the time of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, who ascended the throne in 1420 AD.
The legend tells us that the Valley of Kashmir was filled by lake in which lived a horrible amphibious demon which terrorised the whole area until the Hindu god Vishnu came to the rescue of people. Vishnu struck the mountains near the town of Baramulla, with his trident, the rocks cracked open and the lake waters rushed out. The demon was subsequently crushed to death under the Hariparbat hill. The inhabitants of the valley, the legands tell us, were at last able to live in peace.
EARLY INHABITTANTS
From explorations done so far, traces of neolithic settlements have been observed at a number of places. Besides, Burzhama about 6 kilometers from Srinagar, has yielded remains of a flourishing neolitic life. The earliest date ascribed to Burzhama is 2400 B.C. The identity of people of this period is still wrapped in speculations. But these neolitic people are, from the archealogical evidences so far worked out, the earliest known inhabitants of Kashmir Valley.
Kalhana’s narrative reveals that the Nagas were the aborigines of the Valley They were tribal people devoted to agriculture. They were worshippers of serpant-dieties. The snake-cult seems to have been established in Valley from a remote people and undoubtedly has been one of the earliest religions of the land. A large number of temples built near some of the famous springs (Nags) of the Valley clearly manifest the popularity of the serpant-dieties in ancient Kashmir. The snake-cult prevalent in the Valley throughout the Hindu rule. Abul Fazl a courtier of the Mughal Emperor Akbar who visited Kashmir at the end of the 16th century records that there were 700 places in the Valley bearing carved images of snakes which the inhabitants worshipped. Even now, names of places like, Nilnag, Verinag, Anantnag and Sernag show traces of ancient Naga beliefs which continue to be venerated to this day.
Entry of the Aryans into the Valley, nearly 3000 years ago. Aryans whi infiltrated into Kashmir from Gilgit and Chitral are identified as Pisacas, the ancestors of the Dard-speaking tribes. Nilmathpuran, thr 7th Century literary product of the Valley testifies that Pisacas followed the Nagas as dwellers of ancient Kashmir. The great majority of present day Kashmiris, consists of the descendants of Dard-speaking people, who have been able to preserve their racial purity to a considerable extent inspite of many foreign incursions and invasions.
According to Kalhana, there ruled in Kashmir, in the earliest times, fifty two kings. The names of only four kings are preserved in the chronicles. The first recorded king of Kashmir is Gonanda-I. He was followed by his son Damodra-I, Yasowati Damodara’s wife and the latter’s son Gonanda-II. Another thirty five kings followed Gonanda-II whose names and deeds, according to Kalhana, perished through the destruction of records. However the famous 19th century Kashmiri Historian Hassan has reconstructed the names and duration of reign of these 35 Kings. The ever-green romance of Heemal and Nagrai is a contribution of Nagas to our literary Culture. They are believed to have lived during the reign of these kings.
The nest lot of Kings recorded by Kalhana are : Lava, Kusa, Khangendra, Surendra, Godhara, Survarna, Janaka and Sacinara.
The first known historical name, to appear in the Rajtarangni is Ashoka, the great Mauriyan King whose empire extended from Hindukush in the west to Bangal in the east and down Mysore in the south. Ashoka built the first city of Srinagar at Pandrethan in 250 BC. Chander Gupta Mauriya, Ashoka’s grandfather has included Kashmir in his Empire. At this juncture, the revolutionery message of the Scythian prince, the great Buddha, was ushered into Kashmir. “All human beings are equal and salvation is equally open to all”. Ashoka sent Majjhantika, a missionary from Varanasi, alongwith 10,000 Buddhist monks to disseminate the democratic and egalitarian message of the Buddhist creed in Kashmir.
In the history of Buddhism, Kashmir has an eminent place. Buddhism continued to flourish and the creed enjoyed popularity in the Valley for nearly 900 years. Ashoka was succeeded by Jaluka. He was a Shaivite and settled many Brahamans, of the Indo-gangetic plain, in Kashmir. Damodara-II, another supporter of Shaivism took over from Jaluka and founded his capital of the Damodhar Udar, which is the site of the present Srinagar airport.
The downfall of Mauryans, after Ashoka’s death, was followed by the domination of Bactrain Greeks in Kashmir. The Bactrain Greeks enjoyed suzerain power over Southern Kashmir for about 200 years and left impress of their role on Kashmir’s architecture. Demetrius was their famous rules in Kashmir.
Next horde of invaders into Kashmir were the Scythians, the Turki nomads, who were pushed out from their homes in Central Asia by the most powerful tribe of Kushans. Kanshika was the greatest among the Kushan Kinds. The Kushan empire, which included Kashmir, extended from Khotan and Kashgar in the north, boders of Persia and Parthia in the west and to Benaras in the east and the Vindhya mountains in the south. The empire lasted for 300 years, with Peshawar as a Capital. Kashika founded the town of Kanispur in the neighbourhood of Baramulla and erected number of monasteries and monuments in Kashmir.
White Huns, originally nomads from Sinkiang, invaded India succesfully towards the end of 5th century A.D.They established their empire in Afghanistan and western India. Mihirakula, a natorious Hun King and a unmitigated savage succeeded in 510 AD and established Sialkot as his capital. He has been described as a scourge of God on earth who killed thousands of peopl without any remorse. His revolting acts of cruelity became so abhorrent that the kings of Maghada and of Central India inflicted a decisive defeat on him. Instead of killing him, the kind victors exiled him, along with his supporters to Kashmir. The local king received him kindly and offered the fugutives a small territory. Mihirkula repaid the kings kindness by treacherously seizing his throne in 528 AD. The deposed was executed. Then issuing from Kashmir, Mihirkula conquered Afghanistan and north-east India. He drowned multitudes of people into the river Indus. He committed suicide in 550 AD.
Lalitadatiya (724-760 AD) was the greatest king of the Karkota dynasty who lifted his country to the pinnacle of fame. When Lalitadatya was marching, he was building and it is for the great temple at Martand that he is remembered the most. The temple was built on the pleateau above the present day town of Mattan, nearly 65 kilometers from Srinagar.
Lalitadatya built his capital on an aluvial plateau at Parihaspora, 25 kilometers north-west of Srinagar, in the vicinity of Shadipore. Lalitadatya is also remembered for his qualities as a chmpion of justice, able administrator, promoter of literary and creative activities and for his patronage of arts.
Junaid, who had succeeded the famous Arab commander Muhammad Bin Qasim, as governor of Sindh, attempted an invasion of Kashmir in 733 AD but was effectively repulsed by Lalitadatya. Lalitadatya’s successors repulsed another Arab invasion from Sindh led by Hisham-al-Taghilibi in 770 AD. It may be mentioned here that a Muslim colony had already developed in the Malchamar area of Alikadal, Srinagar.
The 11th cenury witnessed 17 Turkish invasions, led by Mahmud Ghazni, upon Hindu kingdoms of northern India. Mahmud had included Kashmir in the scheme of his Indian campaigns with a view to punishing Samgramaraja who was related to and an ally of Shahi dynasty of Kabul. No part of India remained unconquered except Kashmir and Mahmud resolved on an expedition to that country.
Mahmud invated Kashmir twice through Poonch in order to penetrate into valley via the Tosamaidan pass. His progress was checked at the Poonch fort and he returned unsuccessful in the first attempt. He invated Kashmir for the second time in 1021 AD. Man and nature conspired against the invader and the heavy snowfall forced Mahmud to finally abandon his Kashmir adventure.
SULTANS OF KASHMIR
After Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by the Arabs, his son Jaisiya took refuge in Kashmir. He was accompained by a Syrian Muslim named Hamim who is said to be the first Muslim who set his feet on the soil of Kashmir. King Vajraditya (754-761 AD) gave Hamim and his co-religionists a colony to settle in. This was called Malchamar. To this day, this colony in the Alikadal area of Srinagar in known by the same name.
Bulbulshah from Turkistan was the first Sufi to enter Kashmir during the reign of Suhadeva (1301-1320). The most important convert made by Bulbulshah was Kind Rinchan who was Bddhist at the time of his accession to the throne in 1320. The royal patronage which Islam secured through Rinchan’s conversion, as many as 10,000 non-muslims embraced the cred of Bulbulshah without any demur. Kashmir thus witnessed a revolution, albeit peaceful and imperceptible, which was further augumented by the arrival of a host of sufis in the reign of Shahmir dynasty.
Rinchan was the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir (1320-1323) under the name of Sadr-ud-Din
.......... and the rulers kept on changing...........
A Theme
Geography
The State of Jammu and Kashmir, as it featured on the 15th August 1947 has an area of 222,880 square kilometers. It is mostly a mountaneous region. Situated as it in the heart of Asia, the State has common frontiers with China on the north and north-east, with Afghanistan of the north-west and with Pakistan and India on the western and southern sides. The State’s border with Pakistan is about 900 kilometers long. A tongue-shaped projection of Afghan territory called Wakhan separates the Jammu and Kashmir States from the Russia. The location of the State confers immense strategic importance on this land.
EARLY HISTORY
Kashmir can claim the distinction of being the only region in the subcontinent of India which possesses an uninterrupted series of written records of its history. These chronicles testify to the continued existence, among the population of the Valley, of a genuine historical sense. Kalhana, poet-historian of Kashmir wrote his Rajtarangni 200 years before Chaucer and more than 400 years before Shakespare. It narrates in Sanskrit verse the history of the various dynasties which ruled Kashmir from the earliest period down to the time of the author who began to write this work in 1148 AD.
Kalhana’s work was continued by Jonaraja whose narrative covers the troubled times of the last Hindu dynasties of Kashmir and also the first Muslim rulers to the time of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, who ascended the throne in 1420 AD.
The legend tells us that the Valley of Kashmir was filled by lake in which lived a horrible amphibious demon which terrorised the whole area until the Hindu god Vishnu came to the rescue of people. Vishnu struck the mountains near the town of Baramulla, with his trident, the rocks cracked open and the lake waters rushed out. The demon was subsequently crushed to death under the Hariparbat hill. The inhabitants of the valley, the legands tell us, were at last able to live in peace.
EARLY INHABITTANTS
From explorations done so far, traces of neolithic settlements have been observed at a number of places. Besides, Burzhama about 6 kilometers from Srinagar, has yielded remains of a flourishing neolitic life. The earliest date ascribed to Burzhama is 2400 B.C. The identity of people of this period is still wrapped in speculations. But these neolitic people are, from the archealogical evidences so far worked out, the earliest known inhabitants of Kashmir Valley.
Kalhana’s narrative reveals that the Nagas were the aborigines of the Valley They were tribal people devoted to agriculture. They were worshippers of serpant-dieties. The snake-cult seems to have been established in Valley from a remote people and undoubtedly has been one of the earliest religions of the land. A large number of temples built near some of the famous springs (Nags) of the Valley clearly manifest the popularity of the serpant-dieties in ancient Kashmir. The snake-cult prevalent in the Valley throughout the Hindu rule. Abul Fazl a courtier of the Mughal Emperor Akbar who visited Kashmir at the end of the 16th century records that there were 700 places in the Valley bearing carved images of snakes which the inhabitants worshipped. Even now, names of places like, Nilnag, Verinag, Anantnag and Sernag show traces of ancient Naga beliefs which continue to be venerated to this day.
Entry of the Aryans into the Valley, nearly 3000 years ago. Aryans whi infiltrated into Kashmir from Gilgit and Chitral are identified as Pisacas, the ancestors of the Dard-speaking tribes. Nilmathpuran, thr 7th Century literary product of the Valley testifies that Pisacas followed the Nagas as dwellers of ancient Kashmir. The great majority of present day Kashmiris, consists of the descendants of Dard-speaking people, who have been able to preserve their racial purity to a considerable extent inspite of many foreign incursions and invasions.
According to Kalhana, there ruled in Kashmir, in the earliest times, fifty two kings. The names of only four kings are preserved in the chronicles. The first recorded king of Kashmir is Gonanda-I. He was followed by his son Damodra-I, Yasowati Damodara’s wife and the latter’s son Gonanda-II. Another thirty five kings followed Gonanda-II whose names and deeds, according to Kalhana, perished through the destruction of records. However the famous 19th century Kashmiri Historian Hassan has reconstructed the names and duration of reign of these 35 Kings. The ever-green romance of Heemal and Nagrai is a contribution of Nagas to our literary Culture. They are believed to have lived during the reign of these kings.
The nest lot of Kings recorded by Kalhana are : Lava, Kusa, Khangendra, Surendra, Godhara, Survarna, Janaka and Sacinara.
The first known historical name, to appear in the Rajtarangni is Ashoka, the great Mauriyan King whose empire extended from Hindukush in the west to Bangal in the east and down Mysore in the south. Ashoka built the first city of Srinagar at Pandrethan in 250 BC. Chander Gupta Mauriya, Ashoka’s grandfather has included Kashmir in his Empire. At this juncture, the revolutionery message of the Scythian prince, the great Buddha, was ushered into Kashmir. “All human beings are equal and salvation is equally open to all”. Ashoka sent Majjhantika, a missionary from Varanasi, alongwith 10,000 Buddhist monks to disseminate the democratic and egalitarian message of the Buddhist creed in Kashmir.
In the history of Buddhism, Kashmir has an eminent place. Buddhism continued to flourish and the creed enjoyed popularity in the Valley for nearly 900 years. Ashoka was succeeded by Jaluka. He was a Shaivite and settled many Brahamans, of the Indo-gangetic plain, in Kashmir. Damodara-II, another supporter of Shaivism took over from Jaluka and founded his capital of the Damodhar Udar, which is the site of the present Srinagar airport.
The downfall of Mauryans, after Ashoka’s death, was followed by the domination of Bactrain Greeks in Kashmir. The Bactrain Greeks enjoyed suzerain power over Southern Kashmir for about 200 years and left impress of their role on Kashmir’s architecture. Demetrius was their famous rules in Kashmir.
Next horde of invaders into Kashmir were the Scythians, the Turki nomads, who were pushed out from their homes in Central Asia by the most powerful tribe of Kushans. Kanshika was the greatest among the Kushan Kinds. The Kushan empire, which included Kashmir, extended from Khotan and Kashgar in the north, boders of Persia and Parthia in the west and to Benaras in the east and the Vindhya mountains in the south. The empire lasted for 300 years, with Peshawar as a Capital. Kashika founded the town of Kanispur in the neighbourhood of Baramulla and erected number of monasteries and monuments in Kashmir.
White Huns, originally nomads from Sinkiang, invaded India succesfully towards the end of 5th century A.D.They established their empire in Afghanistan and western India. Mihirakula, a natorious Hun King and a unmitigated savage succeeded in 510 AD and established Sialkot as his capital. He has been described as a scourge of God on earth who killed thousands of peopl without any remorse. His revolting acts of cruelity became so abhorrent that the kings of Maghada and of Central India inflicted a decisive defeat on him. Instead of killing him, the kind victors exiled him, along with his supporters to Kashmir. The local king received him kindly and offered the fugutives a small territory. Mihirkula repaid the kings kindness by treacherously seizing his throne in 528 AD. The deposed was executed. Then issuing from Kashmir, Mihirkula conquered Afghanistan and north-east India. He drowned multitudes of people into the river Indus. He committed suicide in 550 AD.
Lalitadatiya (724-760 AD) was the greatest king of the Karkota dynasty who lifted his country to the pinnacle of fame. When Lalitadatya was marching, he was building and it is for the great temple at Martand that he is remembered the most. The temple was built on the pleateau above the present day town of Mattan, nearly 65 kilometers from Srinagar.
Lalitadatya built his capital on an aluvial plateau at Parihaspora, 25 kilometers north-west of Srinagar, in the vicinity of Shadipore. Lalitadatya is also remembered for his qualities as a chmpion of justice, able administrator, promoter of literary and creative activities and for his patronage of arts.
Junaid, who had succeeded the famous Arab commander Muhammad Bin Qasim, as governor of Sindh, attempted an invasion of Kashmir in 733 AD but was effectively repulsed by Lalitadatya. Lalitadatya’s successors repulsed another Arab invasion from Sindh led by Hisham-al-Taghilibi in 770 AD. It may be mentioned here that a Muslim colony had already developed in the Malchamar area of Alikadal, Srinagar.
The 11th cenury witnessed 17 Turkish invasions, led by Mahmud Ghazni, upon Hindu kingdoms of northern India. Mahmud had included Kashmir in the scheme of his Indian campaigns with a view to punishing Samgramaraja who was related to and an ally of Shahi dynasty of Kabul. No part of India remained unconquered except Kashmir and Mahmud resolved on an expedition to that country.
Mahmud invated Kashmir twice through Poonch in order to penetrate into valley via the Tosamaidan pass. His progress was checked at the Poonch fort and he returned unsuccessful in the first attempt. He invated Kashmir for the second time in 1021 AD. Man and nature conspired against the invader and the heavy snowfall forced Mahmud to finally abandon his Kashmir adventure.
SULTANS OF KASHMIR
After Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by the Arabs, his son Jaisiya took refuge in Kashmir. He was accompained by a Syrian Muslim named Hamim who is said to be the first Muslim who set his feet on the soil of Kashmir. King Vajraditya (754-761 AD) gave Hamim and his co-religionists a colony to settle in. This was called Malchamar. To this day, this colony in the Alikadal area of Srinagar in known by the same name.
Bulbulshah from Turkistan was the first Sufi to enter Kashmir during the reign of Suhadeva (1301-1320). The most important convert made by Bulbulshah was Kind Rinchan who was Bddhist at the time of his accession to the throne in 1320. The royal patronage which Islam secured through Rinchan’s conversion, as many as 10,000 non-muslims embraced the cred of Bulbulshah without any demur. Kashmir thus witnessed a revolution, albeit peaceful and imperceptible, which was further augumented by the arrival of a host of sufis in the reign of Shahmir dynasty.
Rinchan was the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir (1320-1323) under the name of Sadr-ud-Din
.......... and the rulers kept on changing...........
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