KASHMIR-13

DOGRA RULE AND BRITISH INVOLVEMENT

Dogra Rule

1.         The Dogra rule spread from Jammu and Kashmir (valley) to Baltistan and Ladakh. Their rule over Kashmir was perceived as ‘ a sort of Dogra imperialism’ under the overall influence of the British. Gulab Singh was considered to be a violent and cruel ruler who spared no opportunity to exploit the Kashmiris in a number of ways. The people were heavily taxed and economic reforms were unheard of. The British did make efforts to influence Gulab Singh to eradicate social evils like female infanticide, introduce economic and social reforms and improve the lot of the people in general. However, the sensitivity of the existing demographic profile and fear among the people prevented any major headway in this direction.

2.         On 21 February 1849, the British defeated the Sikhs at the battle of Gujrat and the Punjab was annexed to the British Empire.  Gulab Singh  abdicated in favour of his son, Ranbir Singh,  on  08  February1856 due to failing health. However, he remained Governor of Kashmir till his death on 07 August 1857. The Dogra rulers sided with the British and gave them full support during the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. As a reward, the British permitted the Dogra ruler to adopt an heir from any other branch of the family in case of non-existence of a natural heir. The reign of Ranbir Singh lasted till his death in 1885 and is marked by a more tolerant rule and improved administration. During this period, great devastation was caused by a severe famine in 1877 and a massive earthquake in 1884, which virtually destroyed Sopore and Baramulla. During these calamities, mal-administration and corruption amongst officials compounded the suffering of the people.

3.         The Dogra ruler conducted some diplomatic initiatives and territorial expansionism. In 1870 a delegation was sent to Tashkent in order to establish trade and diplomatic relations which was rebuffed by the Russians. In 1860, Gilgit was recaptured and Hunza and Nagar paid tribute to the Dogras. A small garrison was established, in 1864, at Shahidulla on the road from Leh to Kashgar across the Karakoram pass. The British were permitted to carry out a survey of the kingdom’s North-Eastern boundary extending north of the Karakoram pass. It is of great interest to note  that  this  map was the basis of India’s claim to the Aksai Chin. In the meanwhile the Chinese had asserted control over a part of Turkestan and renamed it as Sinkiang. The British efforts to mark the border in Aksai Chin was not reciprocated by the  Chinese and this  fact  sowed the seeds of a latter day conflict between India and China. 

British Involvement

4.         The deteriorating condition of the people of Kashmir and abject misrule prompted the British to seriously consider enhancing their involvement in Kashmir. The other reason for an increasing British interest in Jammu and Kashmir was strategic in that the state ‘was effectively the northern frontier of Imperial India’ and therefore was a great security concern and was perceived to act as a bulwark against foreign designs specially by Russian expansionism. In addition to this fear was the British concern of a Chinese advance from Turkestan and also by the Amir of Afghanistan. In light of the above, the British attempted to ‘assert sufficient control’ over the Dogra rulers for their own strategic objectives.

5.         The British appointed an ‘Officer on Special Duty (OSD)’ to the court in Kashmir who was mandated with overseeing the Dogra ruler’s external affairs and specially in maintaining good relationships with neighbouring tribes. Colonel John Biddulph was sent as the first British OSD to Gilgit in 1877 with an intelligence gathering mission and ‘cultivate friendly relations with the tribes beyond the border’. The Mehtar of Chitral was forced to accept Kashmiri suzerainty in 1878 albeit unwillingly. In 1880, the British accepted the fact that their Kashmiri policy had failed and in 1881 the Gilgit Agency was withdrawn.

6.         After the death of Ranbir Singh in September 1885, Pratap Singh was appointed king on insistence of the British. Simultaneously, Colonel Oiver St John was appointed as resident in order to initiate reforms and re-organisation of financial administration, improve tax regime, construction of roads etc. In 1887 a land settlement was put into place (administered by a British office) and this initiated long due land reforms in Kashmir.

7.         In Apr 1889, due to gross maladministration and suspected treason, Pratap Singh was divested of  all  powers  which  now  devolved  on  a council  comprising  his  two brothers,  two 

Ministers and a representative of the British. 

Inclusion of the Northern Territories

 

8.         Initial British reconnaissance in 1888 of Gilgit, under Colonel Algornor Durand, revealed Russian interests in 

the reign. This alarmed the British and in

July 1889, Durand was sent back to Gilgit to establish the Gilgit agency. The road between Srinagar and Gilgit  (over the Burzil pass) was substantially improved. It was at this stage that Russian expansionism in the reign was more evident and the rulers of Hunza and Nagar were in a rebellious frame of mind. Thus the British forces took up defences at Chalt which was strategically located north of Gilgit on the Hunza river. On 01 December 1890, the British forces, (comprising Gurkhas, Kashmir state forces, Pathans and Punjab infantry), crossed the Hunza river at Chalt and attacked the fortress at Nilt and captured it. After bitter fighting for two weeks marked by individual valour, (three Victoria Crosses were awarded in his action) the surrounding cliffs were cleared of the tribals. Thus the Gilgit garrison, under control of the British, came into being. 

European Influence in Kashmir

9.         The period from 1888 was marked by considerable European influence on the economic and social fabric of Kashmiris. For example, it was a Britisher who taught local Kashmiris how to build and furnish houseboats on the Dal Lake. The British used Kashmir as a summer retreat and local industry such as carpet weaving, shawl making, embroidery and papier mache flourished. Under the influence of the European visitors, mission schools and hospitals were founded and missionaries commenced their activities. The years, 1889 and 1892 were marked by disastrous out break of cholera. Due to petition by deposed Maharaja Pratap Singh and pressures from the Indian press, the British gradually rehabilitated Pratap Singh leading to his restoration as Maharaja in 1905 by the Viceroy, Lord Curzon. However the British retained control over finances, armed forces, tax and foreign relations. 

Kashmir in Early Twentieth Century

10.       The  British  advised  the  appointment of officials of stature to run the administration and bring about reform. The court language was changed from Persian to Urdu and ‘outsiders’ (Bengalis and Punjabis) were inducted into the administration.  Sir Francis Younghusband was the British resident at Srinagar during that period. The Kashmiri Pandits benefited from a better education system but the peasantry was excluded from this facility. The local Kashmiris (poor and the middle class) resented these developments and there were hints of sedition. The All India Muslim Conference was formed in 1896 and supported the Kashmiris in the state, both morally and financially. In 1905 the Mirwaiz of Kashmir founded the Anjuman-I-Nusrat-ul Islam which aimed at improving the condition of the Muslims.