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Historic Kashmir A commentary on the book Historic Kashmir: by Fida Mohammad Khan Hassnain. ISBN: 978-81-8339-139-9 By Peeji Parimoo Historic Kashmir, a collection of thirty six essays makes an exceptionally interesting reading for those who are connected with or concerned about the Kashmir affairs. Several essays bring to the notice of the reader facts that have so far received scant attention by other authors. Essays entitled: Revenue administration, and Abolition of Landlordism, make an extensive reading of land revenues followed from the earliest historical records of Kalhan to post independence land reforms introduced during the late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s revolutionary land to tiller and abolition of Jagirdari system. It is a must read for the new intellectual class that unhesitatingly proclaim these revolutionary reforms as of little consequence thereby exposing their utter lack of knowledge or the political hypocrisy they wish to hide. Even the top thirty jagirdars who were deprived of their holdings are listed in the book with the officially recorded size of their land holdings. An interesting quote from Robert Thorp from his book “Kashmir Misgovernment” summarizes how the tillers’ fruits of toil were snatched from them according to a well-defined though a merciless procedure. An interesting essay on Shawl weavers brings to light the little known agitation that these bonded labour of weavers were forced to launch. The stir crushed with absolute nonchalance claimed more than 28 lives. Quoting Robert Thorpe, Fida Hussain writes, “Kirpa Ram who was the Governor of Kashmir at that time, decided to crush the uprising with a strong hand. The Dogra forces at Srinagar under the command of Col. Bijay Singh were deployed to deal with the procession. The agitators were surrounded and then charged with guns and spears. After some deaths, the procession ran towards the bridge of Haji Rather and most of them fell into a marshy canal and got drowned. Hundreds of workers suffered major or minor injuries and at least 28 bodies were returned to the people by the army.” The dead bodies afloat were buried secretly and the four leaders of the movement, Shaikh Rasool, Abli Baba, Qidda Lala and Sona Shah were brought to the Shergarhi palace, strapped and beaten mercilessly. Some were put in cages and kept at the entrance of the palaces at Jammu and Srinagar. The passers by were asked to spit on them or stone them. Both Sheikh Rassol and Abli baba died of atrocities. The essays pertaining to Kashmir proper are all treasures of information, however the essays describing ancient Kashmir’s intercourse with outside World makes the book particularly interesting. Tracing the connection of Kashmir with Central Asian countries, the author painstakingly describes which modern day geographical territories would constitute the area referred to as central Asia. The places he includes are: Southern Mongolia, Sinkiang, Pamir, Yarkand, Hindu Kush,Kazakistan,Turkmenia,Iran,Altaimountains,Kashghar,Tibet,Khotan,Uzbekistan Afghanistan, Iraq the Caspian sea and several other areas. The close affinities between the cultures of the above mentioned places, all linked in ancient times by the silk route trade, resulted in the exchange of ideas, philosophy, sciences and crafts too amongst these countries. Besides the outstanding contribution of the Kushan’s in the spread of Kashmir cantered Buddhism into the vast territories of central Asia and thence to china is written about by the author in his characteristic scholarly manner. The author makes it a point to stress that advent of Islam into Kashmir was not powered by its land of origin ,Arabia but from Central Asia. “It was Brahmraja of Kashmir who invited the seven Turk princes to attack Kashmir. It were the Muslim missionaries from central Asia who popularized Islam in Kashmir”. The chapter on “Buddhism in Kashmir” written in an extremely intelligible manner enables a reader to keep track of diverse personalities at varying stages who contributed to the phenomenal success of Mahayanna Buddhism towards Noth west and North of Kashmir,right upto china. The roles played by sages of Kashmiri origin like that of Kumar Jiva (of Lollab) and Kumar Sambhav (Of Swat) occupy special positions of importance particularly in the Buddhist hierarchy. The introduction of Tantra into Buddhism, a Kashmiri contribution is written about in detail as is the destruction of Buddhist Viharas under the Shaivist King Nara and the subsequent revival by force of Brahmanism. Several references to Nilamat purana and also to Kalhan have been used judiciously to reinforce the author’s deductions. However the assumption that Nilamat Purana could have been written as late as 7th/8th A.D does not sound convincing in the light of how Kalhan has used this source for his assumptions of very ancient history, a period which is not substantiated by any sort of chronological support. The essay: Advent of Islam in Kashmir makes one of the most interesting readings on the subject chosen. Leaving the oft beaten track on this subject, this essay besides enumerating the fundamental principles of Islam that accounts for its mass popularity throws light on the differences that emerged over time into the “interpretation of the Islamic commandments and its auxiliaries” Some of the schools of thought that arose as a result of interpretation of the traditions are: Hanfia, Shafia, Hanbalia, Malkia and Jaffaria or Asharia. Regarding the arrival of Islam into the land of Hindustan the author writes, “It is a historical fact that Islam came to India almost at the same time when it was introduced in Arabia. Long before the conquest of sind by arabs in712 A. D. Zomorin King of Malabar (and his subjects) had adopted Islam. This was in the lifetime of the Prophet.” The influence of Muslims on the Kashmiri King Harsha is written with right perception and could explain the behavior of this King as mentioned by Kalhan in his RajaTarangni. According to Dr. Fida Hassnain Prophet Mohammed had deputed two emissaries to Kashmiri King, Veena Ditya. Abu Hazifa Yemani carrying a letter from the prophet to China was constrained to stay put in Kashmir for a long winter season. The event corresponds to 8A.H I,e,630 A.D. Veena Dittya who ruled over Kashmir at that time was generous to Abu Hazifa and besides providing him board and lodge also bestowed the tittle ZALKAR on the Yemeni envoy from the prophet. This contention of the Prophet having dispatched letters to various kings is substantiated by referring to another great book, ”The Life of Mohammad” written by Muhammad Husayn Haykal ( a famed cleric of Al-Azhar) “One can easily appreciate the position of two empires(The Persians and the Romans)if one remembers the tremendous fear which their very names inspired in any person who fell within their reach. It was hence amazing that Mohammad would think of sending his messengers to the two great Kings as well as to Ghassan and Yaman to Egypt and Abyssinia and to call them all to his religion without fear of the consequences of such deeds…or without fear that Persian and Roman influence in Arabia might actually be transformed into a solid yoke of subjugation…..The letter dictated by Mohammad and was sent with a seal of silver which read, ”Muhammed the prophet of God”. The letter sent to Heraclius is said to have read as: In the name of God, the Merciful, the compassionate, peace be upon the rightly guided. I call you to the religion of Islam. If you convert, you will be saved and God will double your reward. If you do not convert, responsibility for the salvation of your subjects rests with you. O people of the book, come now to a fair principle common to both of us, namely that we worship only god that we do not associate aught with Him and we do not take one another as lords besides God. But if they refuse then say “Take note that we are Muslims”. Prof.Fida Hassnain refers in his book to introduction of Shia Islamic philosophy during the reign of Sultan Hassan Shah in the year 1486 A.D, when Syed Mohammed Iraqi came to Kashmir as an ambassador of the ruler of Khurassan. During his stay in Kashmir many nobles of Chak clan had converted to Shia fold. It was during his second visit to Kashmir in 1506 A.D that he worked whole heartedly as a missionary. Many of his followers built a magnificent Khanqah at Zadibal in Srinagar.Syed Saif ud Din Bulbul Shah is credited by the author to have converted the largest population of Kashmiris to Islam. The attack on Kashmir by Mirza Haider Dughlat,the general of deposed Mughal king Humayun is attributed by the author to machinations of disgruntled Kashmiri nobles. The atrocities committed by the Mughal Dughlat on Shia Muslims makes a long reading. In fact it is pointed out by the author that prior to Dughlat there was no bad blood flowing between Shias and Sunnis in Kashmir. Disgraceful penalties were imposed by Mughals on Kashmiri Pundits too. A Pundit could not be seen riding a horse. No Pundit could be wearing a turban. Pundit could wear only a grass slipper, called Pulhor and never leather shoes. Pundits could not send their children to schools. On top of it all being a Pundit meant to pay jaziya. Besides covering the ancient and medieval history, Prof.Fida Hussain has also written about the rise of dissent amongst the Kashmiri masses starting with efforts of Robert Thorpe to formation of a well defined organization, the J&K National Conference in contemporary times. To sum up, the author of the essays has covered a large gamut of facts regarding Kashmiri, History, Culture and the outstanding personalities that played crucial roles in shaping the destiny of Greater Kashmir but alas the chapter on Kashmiri language does not give any proportionate coverage of the medieval or contemporary literature or the dazzling array of poets Kashmir can boast of.
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rajatarangni, kashmir, shias, Mughals, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, Prophet Muhammad,
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