SOLVING KASHMIR - 10

The Advent of Islam

1.         A Buddhist prince, Rinchen arrived in the valley from Ladakh and soon ascended the throne.His desire to convert to Shaivism was turned down by orthodox Brahmins and under the influence of a Muslim saint, Bulbul Shah,  converted t o Islam. Rinchen took the name Sadr-ud-Din 

and built the Jama Masjid in Srinagar. Thus began Muslim rule in Kashmir. After his death in 1322, Hindu rule was restored for a short while. After a period of palace intrigues and machinations, Shah Mir proclaimed himself Sultan in 1339 and assumed the name Shamsuddin.

2.         King Shahab-ud-Din came to power in 1354 and conquered Baltistan, Ladakh, Kishtwar and Jammu. He was a secular king, but with the rise of his successor Qutb-ud-Din, the pace of conversion to Islam increased and Muslims from west and central Asia arrived in Kashmir. Thus the influence of Islam in Kashmir increased. However, the Brahmins were still considered as office-bearers and ran the administration.

3.      Sikunder ascended the throne in 1394 A.D and began a systematic destruction of Hindu temples (including the famous Martand temples) and scriptures, largely to appease Timur (successor of Genghis Khan) who threatened to invade Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits migrated from the valley in large numbers and only eleven families remained. Sikunder, writes an eminent historian was “a ferocious bigot, a cruel fanatic and a religious zealot, who brought the noble traditions of the Kashmiri culture and the fair name of Islam into disgrace”. However, during the reign of his son, Bud Shah, the wonderful traditions and culture of the valley were revived, administrative reforms encouraged and he also strengthened the territorial integrity of his kingdom. Bud Shah was a tolerant king and rebuilt temples and patronised scholars and intellectuals of all faiths. It was during his reign that a branch of sufism known as the Rishi order was founded by Sheikh Nur-ud-Din or Nund Rishi. The Shah Mir dynasty declined with the death of Bud Shah in 1470.

4.       It was during the following period that a degeneration of Kashmir society once again took place and a new dimension of conflict, (besides Hindu – Muslim differences) that of Shias and Sunnis was added. The Magres (Sunnis) and Chaks  (Shias), dominated and only for a short time were united to keep Mughal Emperor Babur at bay.   However, Muiza  Haider  Dughlat  (during  Humayun’s  reign) conquered Kashmir in 1540. In 1555, Ghazi Chak (of Chak dynasty) became king, which signalled the end of the 200-year-old Shah Mirs dynasty. The Chaks regained control of Poonch, Ladakh, Kishtwar and other neighbouring hill states. It was during King Yusuf Khan (of Chak Dynasty) that the summer retreat of Gulmarg was discovered. 

5.       It was in 1558 that Kashmir was incorporated into the Mughal Empire, thus forever, ending its identity as an independent kingdom. Dr RK Param in his book “Muslim Role in Kashmir, 1320-1819” has correctly surmised: -

“ Beautiful Countries have often been the homes of tragedy. Happiness is rarely the lot of a beautiful land. So Kashmir, the desired land of men and monarchs, paid for her beauty. The desperadoes despoiled her, and emperors, like Akbar, embellished her”.