Kashmiris Had 3 Choices:Convert, Die or Flee

[Guest guest]

Gopalakrishnan Subramaniam <gsubrec@c...>

Sun May 19, 2002 12:41 pm

Kashmiriyat, Sufism and composite culture

http://www.kashmir-information.com/ConvertedKashmir/Chapter10.html

 

"brandishing the

Islamic sword on the necks of Hindus. Those Hindus who refused

conversion were

tortured. The Hindu scriptures were thrown in the Dal lake. Seven

maunds of

sacred thread worn by those Hindus, who were killed under his

instructions,

were burnt. To perpetuate this terror Sikander got formed an

organisation

called "Sheikh-ud-Islam" with the help of Saifuddin (Suha Bhat).

 

A Muslim historian, Hassan, has, in his book "History of Kashmir",

given an

account of this barbarism of Sikander. He has written that Sikander

crushed

Hindus the most."

 

Either Islam or Death or Banishment

The false face of liberalism of Syeds was unveiled and Sultan

Sikander,

taking support of cruel designs and atrocities, initiated a strong

storm of

destruction of Hindus for the purpose of forcible conversion.

 

As a result of the efforts of Syed Ali Hamdani a new generation of

converted

Muslims was born. The people of this generation supported not only

the foreign

religious preachers on the religious plank but also contributed

fully in their

activities connected with forcible conversion. These people left no

stone

unturned in demolishing monasteries and temples built by their

ancestors. Thc

eagerness with which these converted people demonstrated their faith

in foreign

religious practices hy destroying the established ancient practices

is a highly

dark chapter of the history of Kashmir.

After Syed Ali Hamdani his son, Syed Mohd. Hamdani, came to Kashmir

in 1393

A.D., with 300 religious preachers for completing the unfinished

task of his

father. This time Kashmir was under the rule of Sikander the

iconoclast who was

insane in the intoxication of cruelty and bigotry. He gave a state

reception to

Mohd. Hamdani on his arrival in Kashmir. He registered three estates

of Vanshi,

Tral and Nunavani in his name where he could, alongwith his

disciples, stay for

carrying out his Islam-related activities with independence, peace

and all

amenities. All Government facilities were kept at his disposal.

 

Close to his father's tomb "Shah Hamdaan shrine" the state

government had

built a spacious religious centre for Mohd. Hamdani. Sikander, the

iconoclast,

considered him as his teacher and as good as a father to make him

Government

guide. Joanraj has written in Rajtarangani that the king would

remain in wait

with folded hands for the Syed like an ideal servant. He would

receive

education from him like an ideal student and like an ideal slave

carry out his

deep study.

 

Suha Bhat - the traitor

 

After receiving full support from Sikander, Mohd. Hamdani started

forcible

conversion of Hindus in Kashmir. The dream that his father could not

fructify

was completed by Mohd. Hamdani with the help of Sikander. The Prime

Minister of

Sikander, Suha Bhat, played a prominent role in this bloody

campaign. Suha Bhat

was a Hindu but he had adopted Islam under the request of Mohd.

Hamdani and

under the threat of elimination from Sikander. His name as a

converted Muslim

Prime Minister became Saifuddin. He assumed the leadership of the

converted

Muslims and in shoulder to shoulder with Sikander he got engaged

fully in

making Kashmir a Hinduless state. This converted wolf, out of greed

for power,

played a special role in demolishing all the signs and symbols of

Indianness in

Kashmir.

 

This anti-national Saifuddin demonstrated his excitement by

brandishing the

Islamic sword on the necks of Hindus. Those Hindus who refused

conversion were

tortured. The Hindu scriptures were thrown in the Dal lake. Seven

maunds of

sacred thread worn by those Hindus, who were killed under his

instructions,

were burnt. To perpetuate this terror Sikander got formed an

organisation

called "Sheikh-ud-Islam" with the help of Saifuddin (Suha Bhat).

 

A Muslim historian, Hassan, has, in his book "History of Kashmir",

given an

account of this barbarism of Sikander. He has written that Sikander

crushed

Hindus the most. An announcement was made in the city that the Hindu

who would

not adopt Islam was either to be killed or to be banished. As a

result of it

many Hindus fled from Kashmir, many accepted Islam. Many Brahmins

preferred

death and died. It is said that Sikander collected six maunds of

sacred thread

from the converted Hindus and got it burnt. Hazrat Amir Kabir has

witnessed the

scene himself and he suggested to Sikander that he should impose

taxes on the

Hindus instead of torturing them to death. All the Hindu scriptures

were

collected and thrown in the Dal lake and were buried under clay and

stones.

 

Total destruction of Hindu Temples

 

The demonic gaze of cruel and in human Sultan Sikander fell on sacred

spiritual centres of Hindus. Syed Mohd. Hamdani had made Sikander to

understand

that so long the idols in the temples of idol worshipping infidels

were not

destroyed, there would be no purpose of conversion. These very

places of their

deities were source of their inspiration. These very centres may

inspire them,

in future, to give up Islam. Thus destruction of these places was

necessary for

delinking fresh converts from their national roots and mainstream.

If such

places of deities were allowed to survive, inspiration for

Indianness will

survive. The Sultan accepted as dignified the political idea of Syed

Mohd.

Hamdani, and became ready to destroy the greatest work of human

history and in

doing so there was not an iota of civilisation, humanity and wisdom.

 

Historian Hassan has written that there were many temples during the

time of

Hindu kings which were just like wonders of the world. Their design

and art

were so fine and delicate that a viewer would get spellbound. Filled

with

jealousy and hatred Sikander destroyed these temples. From the

material of the

temples mosques and shrines were built. First of all he focussed his

attention

towards Martand temple built by Ramdev.

 

It took one year to fully damage and destroy this Martand temple.

Aflter

having failed to demolish the temple totally this enemy of art,

culture and

godly beauty, stuffed the temple with wooden slippers and set it

ablaze. Seeing

the matchless beauty of the fold studded domes of the temple getting

destroyed

Sikander kept on laughing and went on giving instructions for the

complete

destruction of the temple by treating it as God's order. Stones from

the

temple's foundation were not spared. It was total plunder and

destruction of

the temple and the people living around the temple were directed to

adopt

Islam. Those who did not accept this direction were butchered

alongwith their

family members. This way people from one village to another were

converted into

Islam. Even today one gets surprised over art and skill of the

builders of this

world famous Martand temple by looking at its ruins.

 

Similarly under the instructions of Sikander one famous temple at

Bijbehara,

Vijeshwar temple, and 300 other temples around it were destroyed and

demolished. Historian Hassan has written that a mosque was built

with the idols

and stones of Vijeshwar temple and in this area a quarry was built

which is

called Vijeshwar quarry.

 

In these state level atrocities and forcible mass conversions Muslim

preachers, especially Syeds, had played a pivotal role. The plot for

this blood

curdling story was prepared by those who were converted to Islam,

failing which

it would not have been possible for a handful of foreigners and

those outsiders

who had different religion, to establish their foothold in Kashmir.

The result

of cowardice and shortsightedness of the Hindus had set ablaze

Kashmir usually

called a forest of bliss and beatitude. The iconoclast king was of

the opinion

that if there was any danger to Kashmir in future it could be from

these very

Hindus. Thus to give a full Islamic shape to Kashmir it was both

a "state duty"

and "God's order" to destroy Hindus and all their signs and symbols.

 

Hindus are to leave Kashmir

 

Bigotry had gripped the king to such an extent that he enforced his

direction, "Either adopt Islam, or accept death or banishment"

throughout

Kashmir. People were given option to choose one among the three

alternatives.

It meant for Hindus banishment if they refused to adopt Islam. But

it was not

easy to leave Kashmir and survive. People were killed while fleeing.

The

Shariat laws and principles were made the constitution of Kashmir.

The second

writer of Rajtarangani, Joanraj, has written "not a single village

or town was

spared where places of worship and temples were not damaged and

destroyed. Many

Hindus lost their courage and accepted conversion. Many migrated

from Kashmir

and many committed suicide."

 

There was no end to the horrible story. One British historian has

written in

his book "Beyond the Pir Panjal" that two Hindus were put together

in a sack

and drowned in the lake. They had only three alternatives left,

either to adopt

Islam, or struggle or accept getting killed. There was anger and

annoyance in

the Hindus against the Sultan's cruel activities. But all those

Hindus who

launched a struggle against it were trampled to death.

 

Salutation to those brave Hindus who achieved martyrdom while

fighting in the

battlefield instead of either committing suicide by taking poison,

or tolerated

injustice, or adopted Islam or fled like cowards.

 

As a result of such good deeds of a few Hindus, that Sikander had to

yield

and some selected Hindu families were allowed to live in Kashmir.

But they had

to live on the mercy of Muslim bosses and the soldiers of the

Sultan. The

Sultan imposed taxes on these Hindus which was a penalty for

remaining Hindus.

These Hindus could neither use vermillion nor wear the sacred thread

nor the

Sarees and other dress.

 

Religious tax

 

Muslim sultans allowed Hindus the right to live on the condition

that they

would keep on paying taxes. These taxes had to be paid during the

Hindu

festivals and functions. It had different forms. The Hindus were

forced to pay

the taxes during Shivratri, Diwali, Ram Navmi, Navratra and

Yagnopavit (sacred

thread wearing ceremony). In addition to this, taxes were imposed on

every

pilgrimage. Joanraj in his Rajtarangani has called it "Chandh-Dandh"

tax which

means that the Hindus were forced to pay tax or the taxes were

recovered from

them either through beatingor through dishonour. "Chandh-Dandh"

means in

Sanskrit violent, cruel, horrible.

 

In addition to this, the Muslim Sardars would attack the houses of

Hindus and

later share the loot among themselves. This loot included even the

women from

the looted houses. In Arabic language this loot is called "Maal-e-

Ganimat".

Joanraj has called it "Lotr Dandh" meaning punishment of loot.

 

This tax was so painful and horrible that common Hindu would not be

able to

pay it. And those who could not pay the tax had only the alternative

of either

facing rigorous imprisonment, or death or acceptance of Islam.

 

Bonfire of Sanskrit books Shrivar has in his Rajtarangani, written

that under

the inspiration of Syeds, Sikander set on fire all the books on

Sanskrit

literature like grass.

 

According to Shrivar, it is not a simple affair to enumerate the

importance

and greatness of this sacred land of Kashmir which has been

storehouse of

education and knowledge. All the Sanskrit books in Kashmir were

attractive and

after the fire of destruction only the story about it can be

repeated. All

these books, scriptures and the wealth of knowledge faced

destruction in the

same way lotus flowers wither under frost of the winter.

 

When Sikander, under the influence of Syeds, started setting ablaze

Sanskrit

books, big libraries, which were the storehouses of knowledge, in

order to

convert Kashmir in Darul Islam, many libraries smouldered for six

months. These

scriptures of knowledge were used as fuel in the kitchens and

bathroom boilers

of the Syeds. This dance of destruction caused great worry among the

Hindus.

They took it as the end of Indian culture. This way, they believed

the entire

cultural heritage would be totally finished. It needed to be

preserved. Thus,

some Hindus secretly carried them to the remote forests and mountain

routes in

the Hima1ayas. Many managed to carry them to safe places in

different ancient

regions in India.

 

According to Shrivar, the learned people of that period, on seeing

the dance

of destruction of knowledge, enacted by the muslims, fled with some

books over

tortuous mountain routes. This way these Kashmiri Pandits protected

the Indian

culture by hiding themselves in the jungles for many years. Still

innumerable

valuable books and scriptures were used as fuel in the hearths of

the Sultans.

 

Humanity cried under demonic deeds of Syeds

 

During the reign af Sikander thousands of Syeds from West Asia and

Central

Asia reached Kashmir who started the bloody campaign for conversion.

The

bloodshed ordered by the Syeds on the soil of Kashmir under the

pretext of

religious preaching will be treated as the most mean and tainted

chapter in the

history of humanity.

 

Shrivar has written that the saga of atrocities committed by the

Syeds is

horrible as they had crossed all the limits of humanity and cruelty.

A vedic

scholar, Bhuvneshwar, was killed and his forehead, smeared with

sandalwood, was

severed and placed on the national highway. In order to create

terror among the

people, Syeds placed severed heads on charcoal and wood on the banks

of the

river Jehlum.

 

The bodies used to be thrown in the river. These swollen bodies

would float

and emit foul smell and flow down to the Wullar lake. Nobody would

think of

performing their last rites. Women coming to the two banks of the

Jehlum used

to be struck with arrows; it was a routine affair. Two to three

people were

daily executed on the banks of the Jehlum. The bodies of the brave

people were

thrown on the road like unclaimed bodies. According to Shrivar the

naked bodies

of those, who used to lead to comfortable life on cotton mattresses

beside the

cushions, were thrown on the roads and crows, cocks, and vultures

feeding on

the belly, flesh and fat of these insect infested bodies, emanating

stench,

were seen.

 

Between Malikpur and Losht Vihar bodies were kept like logs. Shrivar

writes

that in many other areas nude dead bodies had been kept like logs.

Officers

were killed without trial and justice. More cruelty was committed

with their

bodies. They were subjected to highly inhuman treatment, they were

tortured,

their bodies were rnutilated to become food for the dogs. After

defeat they

would be beheaded and their heads would be fixed on the flags.

 

Taking support of the Government power the Syeds kept it in their

mind the

aim of continuing the campaign for conversion in order to ensure

forcible end

of the basic religion and culture of Kashmir besides building

mosques and

schools for the propagation of principles of Islam. The famous

mosques of

Vilvihar and Jama Masjid in Srinagar were built during this period.

 

Saifuddin crossed all limits of cruelty

 

After Sikander the iconoclast, his son, Alishah, came to Kashmir and

occupied

the throne. He followed his father's footsteps and within a period

of six years

he established a new record in tormenting, in killing Hindus and in

converting

them to Islam. He too was excited by the killing of Hindus and for

this work he

too appointed Saifuddin as his Prime Minister. This prime minister,

who was a

convert, displayed again his meanness.

 

Joanraj has given an account of the atrocities committed by Alishah

on the

Hindus. He has written that Suha Bhat (Saifuddin) broke all the

previous record

in imposing heavy taxes on Hindus. This wicked person imposed ban on

functions

and processions connected with "Dhooj ka chaand" festival. He was

jealous about

the Brahmins sensing that they would preserve their community in

foreign

countries, he set up checkposts on the roads and the soldiers would

not allow

anyone without a permit to go out of the state. The man from this

mean

community tortured people in the state just as a fisherman tortures

the fish.

Out of the scare of conversion Brahmins jumped into the fire. Many

Brahmins

hanged themselves to death, some consumed poison and others drowned

themselves.

Innumerable Brahmins jumped to death from the mountains. The state

was filled

with hatred. The supporters of the king did not stop even a single

person from

committing suicide. A big number of self-respecting Brahmins fled to

foreign

countries by walking on the footpaths after the main roads had been

blocked.

These Brahmins left for the foreign lands as the one who bids

farewell to this

earth; father leaving his son behind and the vice versa. Tough

journey, food

shortage and painful diseases and hellish life had made them to be

free of the

terror of hell. A large number of people died on the way because of

enemy

attacks, different difficulties, snake bites, heat wave. How could

one expect

meditation, prayer and determination from them ?

(Rajtarangani: Joanraj)

 

Courageous and brave Pandit Ratnakar

 

The Kashmiri Hindu society alone had to become a victim of the

destruction

ordered by the Muslim Sultans. It was so because they alone were a

hurdle in

the establishment of Islamic rule in Kashmir. Many plans were

formulated for

Islamisation of Kashmir. From allurements to massacre, all means

were adopted

with the help of the administration for achieving this aim.

 

Amid this deep darkness and hopelessness there is a reference full

of great

self-respect. One Kashmiri Pandit, Ratnakar, tried to cultivate the

feeling of

courage by organising Pandits. With his sound strategy he secured

support from

new Muslim Pandits for his work. One converted Muslim Moulana Din

supported

fully Ratnakar and these two, working secretly, increased their

activities. But

Kashmir had still to face bad days. Both Ratnakar and Moulana Din

were arrested

and killed because of the treachery of a new Muslim convert.

 

Sultan Ali Shah, through Government instructions, ordered a search

of Pandits

and all of them were forced to adopt Islam. It is believed that

under the

stormy religious conversion, carried out by Sikander and his son,

Ali Shah,

only 11 families of Hindus were left in Kashmir. The rest were

converted,

killed or had been forced to migrate.

[Guest guest]

vediculture, Gopalakrishnan Subramaniam wrote:

> Gopalakrishnan Subramaniam <gsubrec@c...>

> Sun May 19, 2002 12:41 pm

> Kashmiriyat, Sufism and composite culture

> http://www.kashmir-information.com/ConvertedKashmir/Chapter10.html

 

Respected Subramanianmji,

 

please keep me mailing in about the vedic culture & literature ,

Kashmiriyat, Sufism and composite culture, if possible by latest

developments.

 

I basically being Kashmir Pandit and nowadays settled in Chandigarh

and interested in knowing about the same.

 

(Tej Krishen Ganjoo)