Kashmir - some Interesting facts Very interesting. I wonder how many were as uninformed as me. Birth of Kashmir Ancient epics narrate that the valley of Kashmir was originally a great lake called - Satisar. Rishi Kashyap Rishi Kashyap through rigorous penance, drained all the lake water and created number of rivulets which merged with rivers like Jehlum and Indus. He made this area worthy of habitation for people. Therefore Kashmir gets its name from Kashyap . Through tapasya, Kashyap invited Lord Shiva to Bless the place. Lord Shiva came to bless. The place where Lord Shiva came is known as Amarnath. It is believed that God Shiva dwells in a cave here even today in the form of ice lingam. Amarnath is 145 km north of Srinagar . Millions of Hindu pilgrims come here every year. Rulers of Kashmir Son of Kashyap - Neel, became the first ruler of Kashmir. Later Kashmir was ruled by the Maurya (322 -185 BCE) and Kushan ( 100 AD ) Empires. Kashmir remained under Hindu rule for centuries. Islam arrived around 1200 AD through traders and missionaries. In 1327 A.D , Rinchen Shah the Hindu ruler of Kashmir was persuaded to convert to Islam by Abdur Rehman Bulbul who came from central Asia . The last Hindu king, Udiana Deva was replaced in 1346 by the first Muslim sultan - Shams-ud-Din Iltutmush who was from a noble family of the Ilbari Turks of East Turkestan. Muslim invaders, including the Afghans and Mughals ruled Kashmir for 4 centuries . Shams-ud-Din Iltutmush Brothers of Iltutmush had sold him ,when young to a slave dealer. After being sold and purchased a few times, Iltutmush was finally bought by Qutub Ud- Din Aibak - the then ruler of Delhi . Aibak was the 1st Turkish Sultan of the Slave dynasty in India. Aibak, realized the potential of Shams-ud-Din Iltutmush and treated him with kindness . Aibak married his own daughter to Iltutmush. Aibak’s son, Aram Shah,was found to be incompetent . Hence after Qutub Ud- Din Aibak , Iltutmush became the Sultan of Delhi. Iltutmush constructed the masterpieces like Qutub Minar,and a mosque at Ajmer. Both are considered architectural wonders. Iltutmush, died in April 1236, after ruling for 26 years. Change of rule took place when Moghul emperor Akbar conquered Kashmir in 1586 . Durrani Empire (1747-1823) with its capital at Kandahar, defeated the decaying Mughal Empires rule in Kashmir and Ahmed Shah Durrani ruled Kashmir from 1757 till 1819. Ahmed Shah Durrani The Sikh Confederacy of Punjab under Ranjit Singh won Kashmir in 1819 from Durrani. Ranjit Singh ruled over Kashmir and the greater part of what is now in Pakistan. His capital was Amritsar and Lahore . In 1846, the British defeated the Sikhs . Lord Hardinge sold Kashmir for Rs 7.5 million to Ghulab Singh . Ghulab Singh was the ruler of Jammu & Ladakh. He was Ranjit Singh`s grand nephew. Ghulab Singh established the Dogra dynasty ( Jamwal Rajput) which produced 4 rulers who contributed tremendously for Kashmir. Ghulab Singh died in 1857 and was succeeded by his son Rambir Singh. Thereafter Partab Singh ruled Kashmir. Partab Singh was succeeded by and Hari Singh ( father of Dr. Karan Singh ). Dr. Karan Singh The Kashmir Tangle India-Pakistan partition took place in 1947. Hari Singh He was given the choice to join either India or Pakistan or remain independent. Hari Singh chose to join India . Hari Singh appointed Sheik Abdullah as the Prime Minister. Sheik Abdullah Sheik Abdullah formed the party- Muslim Conference, which was later renamed National Conference in 1932. Sheik Abdullah kept opposing Hari Singh and in 1946 launched Quit Kashmir movement against the Hari Singh. In end 47 Nehru started discussing with Sheik Abdullah the terms of integration with India. This was a significant departure from the practice being followed, as for merging Princely States with India was being handled by Sardar Patel . Over a disagreement with Nehru ,Sardar resigned. However Gandhiji brokered a compromise and Sardar stayed on. It was Nehru and Sheik Abdullah who produced Article 370 - a temporary provision - the most debated article during the past 60 years! Article 370 states that J & K is an integral part of India. Kashmiris have the best of everything . They can settle anywhere in India,but outsiders cannot settle in Kashmir. Kashmir will never get a special status like Article 370 in Pakistan? Hot bed of religious politics Kashmir is not J&K” Kashmir is disputed , J&K is not. Kashmir is too small for Azadi. Kashmir is 6.8% in area of undivided J&K. This 6.8% area is holding India to ransom. If area of Kashmiri Hindus’ homeland (Panun Kashmir), is taken out , Kashmir will be lesser than 6.8% . Kashmiri separatists leaders want to join Pakistan obviously for selfish reasons . Kashmir is one of world’s smallest land locked area.Kashmir will not have enough resources to sustain itself . Muslims are in majority (97%) only in Kashmir and not in J&K. Hindu population has diminished with migration and conversions. J&K comprises of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. Kashmir comprises of previously undivided districts of Anantnag, Baramulla and Srinagar (now divided into 10 districts). Kashmir is shouting “Go India Go” .Others in J&K are happy in India.“India is Kashmir to Kanya kumari ” is not correctly worded as Kashmir is not the northern most tip of India ; Ladakh is. Kashmir is geographically within India . Kashmir is not in PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir). Languages of PoK are : Pahari, Mirpuri, Gojri, Hindko, Punjabi, Pashto . None of these is any where close to Kashmiri . People living in PoK are ethnically different from Kashmiris. Question is ; can a Muslim mohalla in Hyderabad or Meerut or Bhendi bazar in Mumbai ask for a separate country from India? 13. 8 crore Muslims of India are silent on Kashmir.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 10:18:11 +0000
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