STATE HISTORY

13 February 2020 23:56

HISTORY

1. BACKGROUND
• In the first half of the 1st millennium, the Kashmir region
became an important centre of Hinduism and later of
Buddhism
• in the ninth century, Shaivism arose.
• Islamization in Kashmir took place during 13th to 15th century
and led to the eventual decline of the Kashmir Shaivism in
Kashmir. However, the achievements of the previous
civilizations were not lost.
• In 1339, Shah Mir became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir,
inaugurating the Shah Mir dynasty.
• For the next five centuries, Muslim monarchs ruled Kashmir,
○ including the Mughal Empire, who ruled from 1586 until
1751
○ and the Afghan Durrani Empire, which ruled until 1819.
• That year, the Sikhs, under Ranjit Singh, annexed Kashmir.
• In 1846, after the Sikh defeat in the First Anglo-Sikh War
1. upon the purchase of the region from the British under
the Treaty of Amritsar
2. the Raja of Jammu, Gulab Singh, became the new ruler of
Kashmir.
3. The rule of his descendants, under the paramountcy (or
tutelage) of the British Crown, lasted until 1947.

2. MYTHOLOGY
• folk etymology
○ name "Kashmir" means "desiccated land"
○ (from the Sanskrit: Ka = water and shimeera = desiccate)
• In the Rajatarangini, in the mid-12th century
1. stated that the valley of Kashmir was formerly a lake.
○ According to Hindu mythology,
a. the lake was drained by the great rishi or
sage, Kashyapa, son of Marichi, son of Brahma
b. by cutting the gap in the hills at Baramulla (Varaha-
mula).
2. When Kashmir had been drained, Kashyapa
asked Brahmins to settle there.
• still the local tradition
1. in the existing physical condition of the country, we may
see some ground for the story which has taken this form.
2. name of Kashyapa is by history and tradition connected
with the draining of the lake
3. chief town or collection of dwellings in the valley was
called Kashyapa-pura.

3. HISTORIOGRAPHY
• Nilmata Purana (complied c. 500–600 CE) contains accounts
of Kashmir's early history.
• Kalhana's Rajatarangini (River of Kings)
1. all the 8000 Sanskrit verses of which were completed by
1150 CE
2. chronicles the history of Kashmir's dynasties from mythical
times to the 12th century.
3. relies upon:
a. traditional sources like Nilmata Purana,
b. inscriptions, coins, monuments
c. Kalhana's personal observations borne out of political
experiences of his family.
• During the reign of Muslim kings in Kashmir, three
supplements to Rajatarangini were written by:
a. Jonaraja (1411–1463 CE),
b. Srivara, and
c. Prajyabhatta and Suka,
which end with Akbar's conquest of Kashmir in 1586 CE.
• The text was translated into Persian by Muslim scholars such
as:
1. Nizam Uddin,
2. Farishta, and
3. Abul Fazl.

• Baharistan-i-Shahi and Haidar Mailk's Tarikh-i-

Kashmir (completed in 1621 CE) are the most important texts
on the history of Kashmir during the Sultanate period.
1. Both the texts were written in Persian
2. used Rajatarangini and Persian histories as their sources.

4. EARLY HISTORY
• PRE HISTORY:
1. c. 3000 BCE-
○ Earliest Neolithic sites in the flood plains of Kashmir
valley , esp. the settlements at Burzahom, which had two
Neolithic and one Megalithic phases.
a. 1st PHASE:(c. 2920 BCE) at Burzahom is marked by
mud plastered pit dwellings, coarse pottery and stone
tools.
b. 2nd PHASE which lasted till c. 1700 BCE, houses were
constructed on ground level and the dead were
buried, sometimes with domesticated and wild
animals.
○ In the megalithic phase, massive circles were constructed
and grey or black burnish replaced coarse red ware in
pottery.
• During the later Vedic period
1. kingdoms of the Vedic tribes expanded
2. Uttara–Kurus settled in Kashmir.
• Buddhist stupas excavated at BARAMULLA, date back to 500
CE.

5. ALEXANDERIAN CONNECTION:
1. In 326 BCE, Porus asked Abisares
a. the king of Kashmir, to aid him against Alexander the
Great
b. in the Battle of Hydaspes.
2. After Porus lost the battle
a. Abhisares submitted to Alexander
b. by sending him treasure and elephants.

6. ASHOKAN CONNECTION:
1. During the reign of Ashoka (304–232 BCE)
a. Kashmir became a part of the Maurya Empire
b. Buddhism was introduced in Kashmir.
2. During this period:
a. many stupas,
b. some shrines dedicated to Shiva
c. city of Srinagari (Srinagar) were built.

7. KANISHKA'S EMPIRE
1. Kanishka (127–151 CE)
a. conquered Kashmir
b. established the new city of Kanishkapur.
2. Buddhist tradition holds that:
a. Kanishka held the Fourth Buddhist council in Kashmir
b. in which celebrated scholars such as:
§ Ashvagosha,
§ Nagarjuna and
§ Vasumitra took part.

8. Around 4th C AD:

1. Kashmir became a seat of learning for both Buddhism
and Hinduism.
○ Kashmiri Buddhist missionaries helped spread Buddhism
to Tibet and China
○ from the fifth century CE, pilgrims from these countries
started visiting Kashmir.

9. KARKOTYAS (625 -885 AD)

1. founded by Durlabhvardhana during the lifetime
of Harshavardhan.
§ Kashmir grew as an imperial power under the
Karkotas.
2. Chandrapida was recognized by an imperial order of the
Chinese emperor as the king of Kashmir.

3. Lalitaditya Muktapida (724 -760 AD)

§ CAPITAL:PARIHASPORA or Paraspur
a. a small town 22 kilometers northwest of Srinagar
b. Near the shrine of KHEER BAWANI
§ Built the MARTAND SUN TEMPLE
§ EXPEDITIONS:
a. lead a successful military campaign against the
Tibetans.
b. defeated Yashovarman of Kanyakubja and subsequently
conquered eastern kingdoms of Magadha, Kamarupa, Gauda,
and Kalinga.
c. Lalitaditya extended his influence of Malwa and Gujarat and
defeated Arabs at Sindh.

§ After his demise, Kashmir's influence over other kingdoms

declined , confined to the VITASTA basin.
4. GLORIOUS AND MOST REMARKABLE PERIOD IN THE
HISTORY OF ANCIENT KASHMIR.

10. UTPALAS (855- 1003 AD)

1. Avantivarman
a. Founded the City of AVANTIPURA & SUYAPURA
(SOPORE)
b. Temples dedicated to both SHIVA & VISHNU
c. SUYA: one of the greatest engineers of ancient time
§ He built a dam on vitasta river to save kingdom
from devasting flood.
§ Use of silver and gold coins to clear JHELUM
(Vitasta ) of silt happened under his direction.

2. Anandhavardana,:
a. notable scholar of his time
b. author of the Dhvanyaloka.
c. The reign witnessed a remarkable rivival of Sanskrit
learning in Kashmir.
3. Shankaravarman (885–902 CE) :
a. led a successful military campaign
against Gurjaras in Punjab.

4. QUEEN DIDA ( 968-980:de facto, 980- 1003 CE: de jure) &

LOHARAS
a. Married the king of Kashmir, Ksemagupta, (UTPALA
KING)
§ uniting the kingdom of Lohara with that of her
husband.
§ When Ksemagupta died in 958, he was succeeded
by his son, Abhimanyu II.
§ As Abhimanyu was still a child, Didda acted as
Regent.
b. Didda
§ daughter of Simharāja, the king of Lohara,
§ descended from Hindu Shahis of Kabul on her
mother's side.
c. Lohara
§ lay in the Pir Panjal range of mountains
§ on a trade route between western Punjab and
Kashmir.
§ Vigraharaja, her cousin brother was the heir to
the throne until Udayaraja was born to Simharaja

d. Tunga as her prime minister.

e. one of the very few female monarchs in Indian
history.
§ Two other Queens had ruled Kashmir before this,
YASHOVATI & SUGHANDA.
f. Vigraharaja had assumed control after he had
murdered her parents.
§ Udayaraja(her brother) had to flee.
§ She adopted a nephew, Samgrāmarāja,
Udayaraja's eldest son to be her heir in Kashmir.
g. From this decision arose the Lohara dynasty of
Kashmir.After her death in 1003 CE, the throne passed
to Lohara dynasty

11. LOHARA DYNASTY(1003-1320 CE)

A. FIRST LOHARA DYNASTY:
1. Samgrāmarāja (1003-1028)
a. considered as the founder of the Lohara dynasty.
b. Repulsed attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni
§ made two attempts to conquer Kashmir.
§ both his campaigns failed because he could not
siege the fortress at Lohara.
c. Court intrigues involving , TUNGA ( PM)
2. HARSHA (1089-1101 AD)
a. Cultured man, knowledge of many languages
b. Lover of art, music; court was full of luxury and
splendor
c. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS:
§ After an initial period during which the economic
fortunes of the kingdom appear to have
improved, as evidenced by the issue of gold and
silver coinage, the situation deteriorated
§ temples were looted to further raise money to
fund his failed military ventures and his indulgent
lifestyle.
§ in 1099, when his kingdom was ravaged by
plague, flood and famine
d. High taxation , still continued and led people to rise
under the banner of feudatory landlords, who were
known as dāmaras,
e. Twin princes, UCCALA AND SUCALLA rule after
wresting control from him.

B. SECOND LOHARA DYNASTY

1. Twin princes, UCCALA AND SUCALLA rule after wresting
control from HARSHA.
a. The two kingdoms of Kashmir and Lohara were again
split at the time of Uccala's accession
b. with Uccala ceding rule over Lohara to Sussala in an
attempt to head off any potential challenge from his
ambitious brother
2. JAISIMHA (1128-1155 AD)
a. Repaired and restored many temples.
b. RAJATARANGINI was completed in his reign (1149-50
AD) by KALHANA
3. VANTIDEVA - last Lohara ruler

C. VUPPADEVAS
1. VUPPADEVA
a. apparently elected by the people, and who started the
eponymous dynasty of the Vuppadevas.
2. CHOAS , INTRIGUES followed until 1339

D. SUHADEVAS
1. SUHADEVA
a. a strong ruler but also an unpopular one.
b. taxed heavily and exempted not even the Brahmins
from his exactions.
c. Socially and morally the people of Kashmir had sunk to
the lowest depths
d. Suhadeva fled Kashmir after Zulju (Dulacha),
a Turkic–Mongol chief, led a savage raid on Kashmir.
2. KOTA RANI (d 1339 AD)
a. Widow of SUHADEVA , and queen Regent of her
young son.
b. Kota Rani was the daughter of Ramachandra, the
commander-in-chief of Suhadeva
c. COURT INTRIGUES:
§ first appointed as a regent for Rinchan's young
son.
i. Later she was persuaded to marry
Udayanadeva by the elders.
ii. Udayanadeva died in 1338.
§ Kota Rani had two sons.
i. Rinchan's son was under the charge of Shah
Mir.
ii. Udayanadeva's son was taught by Bhatta
Bhikshana.
d. Kota Rani became the ruler in her own right
§ appointed Bhatta Bhikshana as her prime
minister.
§ Bhatta Bhikshana was killed by SHAH MIR.
e. According to the historian Jonaraja, she committed
suicide
f. LEGACY
§ saved the city of Srinagar from frequent floods by
getting a canal constructed
§ named after her and called "Kute Kol".
i. canal gets water from Jhelum River at the
entry point of city
ii. again merges with Jhelum river beyond the
city limits.
§ Described as THE LAST QUEEN OF KASHMIR.
3. RINCHAN (ruled only for 3 years)
a. converted to Islam and adopted the name of Sultan
Sadruddin.
b. Appointed by RAMACHANDRA as an administrator
§ Killed RAMACHANDRA ,and took his family as
prisoners
c. To earn local support,
§ Rinchan appointed Rawanchandra, the son of
Ramachandra, as administrator of Lar and Ladakh
§ married his sister Kota Rani.
d. employed Shah Mir as a trusted courtier
§ had entered Kashmir earlier
§ been given an appointment in the government.

12. MUSLIM RULERS

• RINCHAN (ruled only for 3 years)
a. established himself as the ruler after Suhadeva fled
Kashmir after Zulju (Dulacha) led a savage raid on Kashmir.
b. converted to Islam and adopted the name of Sultan
Sadruddin.
c. persuaded to accept Islam by his minister Shah Mir,
probably for political reasons.

• SHAH MIR DYNASTY (1339 -1561)

1. SHAH MIR (SHAMS UD DIN SHAH MIR) [1339-1342)

a. a descendant of the rulers of Swat
b. also been suggested that he belonged to a family which
accompanied the sage Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani.
2. SIKANDER (1389-1413)
a. Famous as SIKANDER BUTSHIKAN
b. criticised for his strenuous efforts to convert the Hindus of
Kashmir to Islam
c. ordered desecration and destruction of numerous
temples, chaityas, viharas, shrines, hermitages, and other
holy places of the Hindus and Buddhists.
d. imposed the Jizya
§ each non-Muslim was required to pay an annual tax of
four tolas of silver.
§ created the office of Sheikh-ul-Islam
§ more important, decided that the Islamic law should
be valid instead of the traditional law.
e. during Sikander's reign
§ a wave of Sufi saints headed by Mir Muhammad
Hamadani (1372–1450) arrived in Kashmir in 1393.
3. Zain-ul-Abidin (1420–1470)
a. PERSONAL INFO:
i. Other names:
§ SHAHI KHAN
§ Ghiyas-ud-Din Zain-ul-Abidin
§ Bud Shah (the Great King)
ii. son of Sultan Sikander
iii. Spent 7 years at SAMRKAND, in Timur's Court
§ a member of the royal troupe send by his father to
pay allegiance to Timur ( had invaded India in 1398)
§ acquainted himself with many arts and crafts of
Samarqand which was at the peak of its glory during
that period.
b. charged with the rule of the kingdom of Kashmir
i. when his elder brother, Ali Shah, left the kingdom on a
pilgrimage to Mecca , but to soon return back and
wanting to regain his throne.
ii. Ali Shah gave Shahi Khan the title of Zain-ul-Abidin.
iii. Conflict with ALI SHAH ( married to daughter of Raja of
Jammu ) and was supported by KHOKARS of SIALKOT.
iv. Established Zain ul Abideen as ruler of Kashmir

c. REIGN
i. fundamentally a peaceful man, Zain-ul-Abidin was
protective of his territory.
ii. raised and led an army to stabilise the fractious area
of Ladakh and Baltistan , which had slipped away
under ALI SHAH.
iii. regained control of Ohind (Attock Khurd is a small
town located on the River Indus in the Attock District)
iv. Was on friendly terms with regard to the rulers of
territories over which he inherited no historic control.
▪ gave and received presents to, and also
exchanged embassies with
▪ those who governed over
▪ Egypt, Gwalior, Mecca, Bengal, Sindh, Gujarat and
elsewhere .
v. Towards the end of his reign a very severe famine
occurred in Kashmir.
▪ caused by an early snowfall
▪ destroyed the fully ripe paddy crop.
▪ distributed paddy from his government stores
free to the needy people.
▪ the following year’s crop was a bumper one and
the sufferings of the people were quickly relieved.
vi. However, after the restoration of normal conditions
▪ the king punished all the black marketers and
hoarders
▪ By a royal decree he cancelled all the debts
incurred by needy people in their hour of distress
from unscrupulous money-lenders.
vii. Another calamity afflicted the people two years after
the famine in the shape of a devastating flood.
▪ city of Srinagar which was situated in a low lying
area was the worst sufferer.
▪ Houses were destroyed and people ran for safety
to the hill-tops of Hari Parbat and Shankaracharya.
viii. To prevent such an occurrence in future
▪ King decided to extend the city towards the high
ground around Hari Parbat.
▪ founded his new city which is to this day known
as Naushahar.
d. ADMINISTRATION
i. enforced the system of responsibility of the village
communities for local crimes.
ii. regulated the price of the commodities.
iii. stabilized the currency which had been debased
during the reign of his predecessors.
iv. responsible for a large number of public works.
1) Palaces
▪ 12 storied palace
2) He founded several new cities:
▪ NOWSHEHRA
▪ ZAINAPORA
▪ ZAINAKOOT
▪ ZAINANAGAR

3) built many bridges

▪ ZAINA KADAL ( 1st wooden bridge)
4) and dug many irrigation canals.
▪ In earlier times Dal Lake joined the river
jhelum through the middle of the old city
▪ but the King got a new canal, the Mar, dug to
connect the Dal Lake directly with Anchar
Lake.
i) Mar canal was crossed by artistically built
stone bridges and was lined with dressed
stones.
ii) Venice of the East
▪ OTHER CANALS at Bijbhira, Manasbal,
Zainagir, and Shahkul

v. prevented the local governors from exacting illegal

taxes and gave the peasants much needed tax relief
e. ART & CULTURE
i. Introduced crafts,
▪ Carpets
▪ Paper machie
▪ Paper making
▪ Silk rearing
▪ shawls
ii. Laid many beautiful gardens, prominent being Baghi
Zainagiri, Baghi Zaina Dab, Baghi Zainpur, and Baghi
Zainakut.
▪ The layout of these gardens depicted influences
from Samarqand and Bukhara.
iii. Zain-ul-Abidin had great love for learning, music, and
dance.
▪ He established many schools, colleges and a
residential university.
iv. He was keen that the land of Sharda should once
again shine forth as the fountain of knowledge and
learning.
▪ patronised Sanskrit scholars like
▪ Jonaraja,
▪ Srivara,
▪ Soma Pandit, and
▪ Bodhi Bhatt.
▪ Among the Persian and Arabic scholars names of:
i. Maulana Kabir,
ii. Mulla Hafiz Baghdadi,
iii. Mulla Jamal-ud-din, and
iv. Qazi Ali Mir are very prominent.
§ Soma Pandit who held a high post in the Translation
Bureau wrote an account of Zain-ul-Abidin’s life in his
book, Zaina Charit.

f. RELIGIOUS POLICIES
i. earned a name for himself for his policy of religious
toleration and public welfare activities.
▪ abolished Jaziya
▪ extended liberal patronage to Sanskrit language
and literature.
ii. He knew Persian, Sanskrit, and Tibetan.
▪ Mahabharata and Kalhana's Rajatarangini were
translated into Persian by his order.
iii. known for his religious tolerance.
▪ called back the Hindus who left Kashmir during his
father's reign.
▪ allowed the Hindus to build their temples and
follow the personal law according to
the Dharmashastras.
▪ re-introduced the grant of stipends to the learned
Brahmans.

LEGACY OF ZAINULABIDEEN
1. Significance established by his popular name :Bud
Shah (the Great King)
2. AS AN ADMINISTRATOR
a. Stabilised his empire along the frontiers in:
▪ LADAKH
▪ BALTISTAN
b. Conquered OHIND
c. Ambassadors
3. AS A JUST RULER
a. system of responsibility of the village communities

4. RULER OF MASSES
a. earned a name for himself for his policy of public
welfare activities.
▪ Famine support and early examples of a PDS
▪ Debts were written off
b. known for his religious tolerance.
▪ abolished Jaziya
▪ called back the Hindus who left Kashmir during his
father's reign.
▪ allowed the Hindus to build their temples and
follow the personal law according to
the Dharmashastras.
▪ re-introduced the grant of stipends to the learned
Brahman

5. CONSTRUCTOR
a. After a flood , built NAUSHEHRA , along foot hills
b. Constructed other cities:
▪ ZAINAPORA
▪ ZAINAKOOT
▪ ZAINANAGAR
c. built many bridges
▪ ZAINA KADAL ( 1st wooden bridge)
d. dug many irrigation canals.
▪ a new canal, the Mar, dug to connect the Dal
Lake directly with Anchar Lake.
▪ crossed by artistically built stone bridges and was
lined with dressed stones.
▪ Venice of the East
e. OTHER CANALS at Bijbhira, Manasbal, Zainagir, and
Shahkul
6. PATRON OF ART & CULTURE
a. Introduced crafts,
▪ Carpets
▪ Paper machie
▪ Paper making
▪ Silk rearing
▪ shawls
b. Laid many beautiful gardens
c. great love for learning, music, and dance.
▪ established many schools, colleges and a
residential university.
d. keen that the land of Sharda should once again shine
forth as the fountain of knowledge and learning.
▪ patronised Sanskrit scholars like Jonaraja, Srivara,
Soma Pandit, and Bodhi Bhatt.
▪ As well as Persian and Arabic scholars name
e. knew Persian, Sanskrit, and Tibetan.
▪ Mahabharata
▪ Kalhana's Rajatarangini
were translated into Persian by his order.

• CHAKS (1570-1589)
1. YOUSUF SHAH CHAK (1579- 86 )
a. Chaks originally were DARDS
b. successfully resisted the attempts
of Babur and Humayun to annex Kashmir
c. Succeeded his father , ALI SHAH CHAK (1570-78)
d. Imprisoned by AKBAR
2. HABBA KHATOON
a. Wife of YOUSUF SHAH CHAK
b. well known poetess of Kashmir, had opposed Yousuf's
travel to Delhi,
c. she sensed Akbar's offer as a bait
d. later made mentions of this in her writings.
3. YAKUB SHAH CHAK (1586-89)
a. ruled Kashmir for three years until 1589 AD, when it was
annexed by Mughals
b. Yousuf was exiled to Bengal and later shifted
to Bihar where he died.
c. His grave remains in Bihar along with that of Habba
Khatoon

MUGHALS
A. EARLY ATTEMPTS
• By Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat
a. a member of ruling family in Kashgar, invaded Kashmir in
c. 1533 CE on behalf of Sultan Said Khan ( Daulat Beigh) ,
ruler of Kashgar
b. Returned in 1540 on behalf of Hemayoun
c. died in 1550 after being killed in battle with the Kashmiris
d. Buried in Srinagar
B. MUGHALS (1586- 1752)
1. Kashmir did not witness direct Mughal rule till the reign of
AKBAR who visited the valley himself in 1589 CE.
a. Added to the empire under KABUL SUBAH
b. Land Revenue Settlement under TODAR MAL done
c. New town near HARI PARBAT ( called NAGAR MAGAR)
d. Visited valley -3 times
2. JEHANGIR
a. Visited 13 times, was enchanted here
b. SHALIMAR, NISHAT, ACCAHBAL, VERINAG
3. SHAH JAHAN
a. CARVED OUT A SEPARTE SUBAH ,with a seat at Srinagar
b. Built CHASHMA SHAHI & a part of SHALIMAR
c. Verinag garden

4. AURANGZEB
a. Visited once in 1665
b. Reign of disorder started in his time
c. In 1700 CE, a servant of a wealthy Kashmir merchant
§ brought Mo-i Muqqadas (the hair of the Prophet)
§ a relic of Muhammad, to the valley.
§ housed in the Hazratbal Shrine
5. Choas after his death
a. escalated into misrule and misery under Mughal
Governors and after NADIR SHAH'S invasion in 1738
b. Abdali raided India at least eight times between 1748 and
1767.
§ After invasion of AHMED SHAH BADALI in 1752, a few
Kashmiris disgracefully requested him to conquer
Kashmir
c. Sent an army under, ABDULLAH KHAN ISHIK AQASI to set
up the dreadful Afghan Rule in KASHMIR.
d. The misrule by the Mughal satraps made it possible for
Ahmad Shah Abdali, the founder of the Durrani empire in
Afghanistan, to consolidate power.

Afghan rule: 1752-1819

1. Abdullah Khan lshik Aqasi

○ a commander sent by Ahmad Shah Abdali
○ defeated the remnants of the Mughal army in 1752,
bringing an end to Mughal rule in Kashmir.
2. Due to political instability in Kabul, the Durrani Subedars in
charge of Kashmir kept changing
○ 28 of them ruled Kashmir
○ in the course of 67 years of Afghan rule.
3. If Kashmiris had any hopes that Kabul’s rule would better their
lives, those were quickly dashed.
a. there were no external invasions
b. the period was marked by oppression, high taxation and
governors who were variously cruel, brutal or indifferent.

Sikh rule: 1819-1846

1. The Sikhs and the Afghans fought a number of battles during

the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
2. Meanwhile, by the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the
British East India company had steadily consolidated its power
in the subcontinent.
a. Jammu and Kashmir became one of the theatres of
conflict as these three empires played out their power
games in northern India and beyond.
b. The Afghans were the first to be elbowed out.
3. In 1819, Kashmir was annexed by Ranjit Singh’s forces,
a. ended Afghan rule
b. Also more than four centuries years of Muslim rule in the
Valley.
4. The Sikh rulers were generally tolerant towards different
faiths, but some decisions rankled the majority Muslim
population in the Valley.
a. For instance, Diwan Moti Ram, the first governor under
Sikh rule (incidentally a Hindu), called for halting of public
azan and Friday prayers in the Jama Masjid.
b. That said, the Sikhs ensured there was adequate
representation of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in the
administration.

Dogra rule: 1846-1947

1. After Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839:

a. the British began their long-cherished dream of annexing
Punjab, established a cantonment in Sindh, and annexed
Sindh a few years later.
b. The infighting within the Sikh empire made things easier
for the East India Company and after two decisive battles
with the Sikhs, Punjab was annexed in 1849.
2. But even before the end of the Sikh empire Kashmir was
acquired by the British
• Treaty of Amritsar in 1846.
○ formalised the sale of Kashmir by the British to Gulab
Singh
○ for 7,500,000 Nanakshahee Rupees of all the lands in
Kashmir
○ that were ceded to them by the Sikhs by the Treaty of
Lahore.
3. Gulab Singh
• in 1822 and Gulab Singh was confirmed as Raja of Jammu by
his suzerain, Ranjit Singh
• first Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir
• modern state of Jammu and Kashmir took shape under Dogra
rule.

4. Ranbir Singh (1856-1885)

• ascended the throne in 1856
○ after Gulab Singh's abdication due to his poor health
• allied with the British during the Sepoy Mutiny.
• went on to annex Gilgit
○ had previously witnessed a rebellion against the state.
○ subjugation of Hunza and Nagar
• established a modern judicial system.
○ Civil and criminal laws were compiled into the Ranbir
Penal Code during his reign.
○ judicial system was handed over to the executive officers
○ Ranbir Singh organized two durbars in a day
• founded separate departments for foreign affairs, home
affairs, civil affairs and army.
○ founded a silk factory in the state.
○ shawl industry flourished during his reign
• Opposed the appointment of a British resident
• wrote to the British government to nominate his younger son
Amar Singh
○ Lord Ripon announced that Pratap Singh would succeed
him
○ Pratap Singh accepted appointment of a British Resident
• LITERARY
○ followed the footsteps of Zain-ul-Abidin and
Avantivarman
○ employed pandits and maulvis to translate and
transliterate religious texts.
○ established a Sanskrit pathshaala in the complex of the
Raghunath Temple
• great ghastly famine which struck the valley in 1877
○ washed away all the potential and populist measures
taken by the Maharaja to improve the socio-economic
conditions
○ plunged the entire valley into the jaws of starvation and
the scarcity of all food grains.

5. Pratap Singh (1885- 1925)

• in 1889 Jhelum Valley Cart Road was completed.
○ Kohala to Baramulla
○ extended to Srinagar in 1897.
• In 1922 the Banihal Cart Road, was completed
• RAILWAYS: Jammu was linked to Sialkot in the Punjab in 1890
• 1887: FIRST LAND SETTELEMENT
○ by Walter Lawrence
○ rights of the agriculturists were clearly' defined
○ state's demand was fixed for ten years.
○ "Begar" in its more objectionable form was abolished.
• 1912: SECOND LAND SETTELEMENT
○ share of the state was fixed at 30 per cent of the gross
produce
○ revenue was to be collected in cash.
• opened Departments of FORESTS and SERI-CULTURE

• COLLEGES ESTABLISHED
○ Jammu (Prince of Wales College in 1907
○ Srinagar
a. Sri Pratap College in 1905)
b. Amar Singh Technical Institute at the latter (1914)
• Modern hospitals also established at Srinagar and Jammu
○ Smallpox used to take a very heavy toll of life in the valley.
○ Vaccination on an extensive scale was introduced in 1894
to prevent it."'
• IRRIGATION & POWER SUPPLY
○ Ram Munshi Bagh Flood channel
§ in 1904
§ to divert the flood waters of the a number Jhelum.
○ Ranbir Canal
a. Jammu with a total length of 251 miles
b. completed in 1911
c. also helped in propelling the turbines of the Jammu
hydro-electric installation.
○ 250 tanks were constructed in the Kandi areas of Jammu
○ Martand Canal , Lal Khul , Partap Canal , Upper Jhelum
Canal , Ujh Canal and Zaingir canal
○ Mohara in 1907
a. was used not only for lighting and industrial purposes
b. but also for dredging operations which were carried
out in the Jhelum below Baramulla
• local self-government by establishing municipalities
○ Jammu, Srinagar, Sopore and Baramulla
• Maharaja Partap Singh was very fond of cricket.
○ maintained a cricket team
○ was himself one of the eleven

6. Hari Singh (1925 - 1947)

• “Justice is my Religion” ; his first statement after assuming the
high office in 1925
• SOCIO REFORMS
a. made primary education compulsory in the state
§ a special department for female education under a
deputy director was set up
b. opened places of worship to the low castes.
§ opened all public schools, colleges and wells to
‘ untouchables’ in 1931.
c. A social reformer both ahead of his times and courageous
he was a champion of women’ s emancipation.
§ stopped the rampant practice of child marriage
§ actively promoted widow remarriage.
d. made trafficking and organised prostitution illegal.
§ abolition of red light areas
e. also successful in rooting out the practice of Sati
• ECONOMIC REFORMS
a. set up a Flood Control Department
b. Price Control Department
c. Jammu and Kashmir Bank in 1938

• Malka Pukhraj
○ legendary songstress and one of the gems of Maharaja’ s
Durbar
○ appointed as a court singer
○ but it is an example of the Maharaja’s progressive views
on religion that he had her, a Muslim girl singing bhajans
in the Mandi Palace early mornings alongside shloka
chanting Pandits

7. During Dogra rule, the State administration was dominated by

the Kashmiri Pandits (Brahmins).
a. Except for some elite families, Muslims generally
remained socially and economically backward.
b. However, Muslim troops were often recruited from
Poonch to quell any disorder in the valley.
8. The Dogra rule came to an end shortly after India gained
freedom.