Kashmir Islamic Territory Vs Democracy - 2

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Kashmir

Islamic Territory Vs Democracy - 2

Historical Background

 

5000 years of Recorded History. Let us understand the historical

position of Islam in U. Kashmir a little more.

 

Mahabharata epic is one of the two greatest epics of Hindus, and it

describes a great war that took place around 3000 BC. In this epic

there is a mention of Kashmir's Kings, the contemporary King was

Gonand II. Raj Tarangini is the authoritative history of Kashmir

written by the famous author Kalhan. Names of various dynasties who

ruled Kashmir then onwards is also available5; e.g. Sandiman, Sunder

Sen, Nara etc. Emperor Ashok, who ruled from Afghanistan to the

Eastern India, and south up to Deccan, established in 250 B.C. the

capital of Kashmir `Shrinagari', very near present day `Srinagar'.

King Kanishka also ruled Kashmir along with major portions of India,

during 1st century A.D. He organized a world conference on Buddhism,

which has been reported later by the Chinese traveler Hien-Tsang who

came in the seventh century A.D. During 724 – 761 A.D. Lalitaditya

established another great empire like that of Ashok. He built the

famous Martanda (Sun) Temple, ruins of which can still be seen.

Ajaatapeeda ruled during 813 – 850 A.D., and the city Pompore famous

for Saffron was founded,. Awantiwarman ruled during 855 – 883 A.D.,

and founded the city Awantipur. Shankarwarman ruled during 883 – 902

A.D., and founded `Shankarpura – Pattan' (now known as Pattan).

Chenghis Khan, the well known Mongol warrior during 13th century

attacked Central Asia up to Iran, and thus created havoc in those

areas because of his brutality. Thousands of Muslim refugees escaped

to peaceful Kashmir, and the era of Islamic invasion began. Muslim

invaders started attacking Kashmir one after another. In 1320, on the

death of King Suhadeva, a Tibetan prince Rinchana, who was given a

jaageer, (an area) to rule by the King, became the King by intrigue

and sought conversion to Hinduism. When refused, in anger he got

converted to Islam and ruled for three years. After his death in

1323, the Hindu Queen Kota Rani (wife of King Suhadeva; the fourth

woman in Kashmir to become a Queen) ruled till 1338, when Shah Mir

seized the power by defeating the Queen. Shah Mir, who had also been

given a Jaageer by the King Suhadeva, established the first Muslim

dynasty; and Islam spread quickly.

 

Muslim Rule (1389 – 1819)

 

In 1389, came even more brutal King Sikandar6 who was so ruthless

that all Hindus either got converted or left Kashmir. But during the

reign of his son Zain-ul-Abidin (1420 – 1470), who realized his

father's folly, became liberal, and many Hindu families returned. But

after him, the persecution continued, sometimes very severe and at

others somewhat liberal. According to a tradition, 24000 Brahmin

families were converted by the power of sword during one of the

proselytizing mission of one of such brutes viz. Mir Shams-ud-din

Iraqi in 1492. The Mughal emperor Akbar in 1587 won Kashmir and then

it remained with Mughals till 1752, when Afghans won it. Afghans were

very inhuman in their proselytizing mission. There 67 years rule was

the most tyrannical of all the Muslim rules.

 

Muslim Rishis : A Unique Blend

 

While these atrocities, persecution and forced conversions of Hindus

in to Islam were going on for 500 years, a unique blend of Hinduism

and Sufism was under development in the same Kashmir. In the mid 14th

century, a woman saint Lalleshwari (1335-1376) arises from the swamp

of persecution, violence and hatred, and sings –

 

"Shiva7 pervades the world

Hindu and Muslim are the same.

If you are wise know your Self8

Then you will know the Supreme One

 

She says that the Supreme One is present in every atom of this world.

There is nothing without Him. Therefore Hindus and Muslims are the

same as they all are pervaded by the same Supreme. If you want the

supreme wisdom, then know who you are, know your Self, which is

beyond this mind and body. Once you know your Self, then you will

know the Supreme, for then you will realize that the Supreme is

nothing else but the same as your Self.

 

People believed the truth in what she had said –

 

"I saw my Self in all things

I saw the Supreme shining in everything.

You have heard, stop! See Shiva

The house is His, who am I, Lalla! 9

 

She says, "I have seen mine Self and also seen that Self of mine is

in everything. That Self of mine is the Supreme One who is shining in

everything". Then she tells herself, "You have heard what was just

said! Then stop, remain still, realize the Supreme One. This house

i.e. this mind and body, is His, for He, the Supreme One, lives in

this. Who am I? I am not this mind and body; I am the Supreme One

living in this mind and body!"

 

People had tremendous faith in her; they had veneration for her

because they could see from her behavior that she had realized the

Supreme One. No wonder she had both Hindus and Muslims as her

disciples. One of her Muslim disciple Sheikh-ul-Alam became the most

revered Rishi for all. Another famous disciple Nur-ud-din (1377-1438)

says –

 

"That Lalla of Padmaapore, she drank

Her fill of divine nectar;

She was indeed an awataar10 of His

O Supreme One , grant me the same boon!11

 

He says, "Lalleshwari of Padmaapore had realized the Supreme One and

had enjoyed the divine Bliss. She was, no doubt, a realized person

who had become the Supreme One herself. O God grant me the same

Bliss, same realization."

 

People saw that Sheikh-ul-Alam and Nur-ud-din were realized persons,

and they had high reverence for them. They had both Hindus and

Muslims as disciples. They were given the title of a `Rishi' which

means a sage of as high a status as those of Vedas, the ancient Hindu

scriptures. And thus started the `Islamic Rishi' tradition in

Kashmir. The well known poets who followed in this Rishi tradition

are Mali, Habba Khatun (16th century), Rupas Bhawani (1621- 1721),

Arnimal (d.1800), Mahmud Gami (1765 – 1855), Rasul Mir (d. 1870),

Paramaanand (1791 – 1864), Ghulam Ahmad Mahjur (1885 – 1952), Abdul

Ahad Aazaad (1903 – 1948), and Zindaa Kaul (1884 – 1965) etc. The

Rishi tradition, despite persecution by Muslim rulers, was followed

by Kashmiris for 500 years. Now the intolerance of Sunni-ism is being

spread with the weapon of terrorism. Though feeble and mute, Rishi

tradition is still surviving now, but is under grave danger of

extinction. However it may revive if the terrorism is stopped soon

enough. Genocide, though of a different kind, is going on in Kashmir.

 

Birth of original J&K

 

In 1819 Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler, won Kashmir from Afghans and

appointed Gulaab Singh, the Dogra ruler of Jammu as his

representative for Kashmir. Gulaab Singh won Ladaakh, Baltistan etc

and by mid nineteenth century enlarged his Kingdom to that of the pre-

partition days (U. Kashmir). British defeated the Sikhs in 1845. In a

treaty signed in 1846, the British recognized Gulab Singh as the

independent ruler of Jammu and Kashmir. Gulaab Singh had to accept

their `paramountcy' and had to pay them 7.5 million rupees (probably

annually), for his recognition as the Ruler. That boundary is the

boundary of undivided J&K.

 

Genesis of Kashmir Problem

 

During the British rule, U. Kashmir was ruled by Gulaab Singh like

any other princely state those days. On independence of India, a

group of Muslims, under the leadership of Jinnah, with British

support, got Pakistan carved out of India. On 15th August 1947, in

the British ruled portion of India, Muslim majority areas with

contiguity with each other went to Pakistan. The rulers of erstwhile

States had to choose between India and Pakistan, subject to

contiguity, or independence. All the states chose to join India or

Pakistan but not Hari Singh, the then ruler of U. Kashmir. He had

full faith on his very small and mostly Muslim army. He obviously was

totally out of touch with reality when he dreamt about remaining

independent. When he delayed his decision, Pakistan first stopped the

route for essential supplies to U. Kashmir, for then main supply

routes were in their areas. This was the first violation of

the `Agreement' on `Partition' by Pakistan. Then on 22nd October 1947

came the second violation, a disastrous one, which shattered Hari

Singh's dream when a large number of tribals armed and supported by

Pakistan Army attacked U. Kashmir. The impractical Maharaja Hari

Singh even then delayed his choice, and signed the stipulated, and

now famous, `Instrument of Accession' only when the invaders reached

close to Srinagar, on 26th October. This signing of the Instrument

was supported by Sheikh Abdullah, the leader of the people of

Kashmir.

 

The Governor General of India, Lord Mount Batten accepted

the `Instrument of Accession', thus making it legally binding. It is

only then that the Indian Forces entered U. Kashmir and, firstly,

saved Srinagar and then started driving the invaders back. The Indian

Forces got total support of the local people, without which they

could not have defended because only a small army could be taken to

the airport of Srinagar by air in such a short time, as no proper

land route was then existing between J&K and (newly divided) India.

The earlier route had been through Lahore which with hair-line-thin

majority of Muslim population had gone to Pakistan.

 

– Continued