Kashmir- The Land of Kashyapa (The Saga of the Kashmiri Pundits)

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About the Book This book fills in a gap in the literature on the cultural history of Kashmir. It provides a glimpse into the oldest living culture of the world, and its origin from the outstanding Rishis. It talks about the contribution of Kashmiri scholars to Buddhism, Shaivism, Sanskrit literature, grammar, aesthetics, astrology, Ayurveda, history, music, dance and temple architecture.

The city of Srinagar, the abode of Pundits, initially built by Emperor Ashoka, and later by King Pravarasena II, is described beautifully. The way of life observed by the Pundits of Srinagar, including daily visits to Hari Parvat, is very nostalgic. The book takes us through their elaborate marriage rituals, Mehndirat, singing of Vanvun, dancing of Rouf and performance of Gindavor. Celebration of Navreh to usher in the new-year as well as the festival of Shivratri is vividly described. The social stratification of society has been finely documented and the origin and description of Gotras and surnames well described.

The book takes us to Kheer Bhavani, Amarnath and Sharda Peeth and tells us about great saints such as Lal Ded, Rupa Bhavani, Bhagvan Gopinath and Rich Ded, who were our mainstay during the times of duress.

One gets an authentic introduction to Kashmir Shaivism, its 20th century revival by Swami Laksman Joo in India and abroad. We learn about Kashmir Shaivism being taught in Oxford by Professor Sanderson, a disciple of Swami Ji.

Today, when the Kashmiri Pundit community is on the crossroads, where the culture and heritage is disappearing, the language and script is vanishing, this book is a commendable attempt to document and preserve their cultural heritage and to celebrate their achievements so that the youth can take pride in knowing who they are?

The book speaks of cruelties unleashed upon Kashmiri Pundits from 14th century by Sikandar Butshikan, Aurangzeb and Afghans rulers, who left them with no alternatives but death, conversion or exile. It tells us about resurgence of atrocities from the 'Loot of 1931' and `Kabaili Hamla' of 1947, inequitable land reforms, discrimination in education and livelihood and onset of militancy.

This work can shake the government to recognize the injustice done to thousands of innocent families who were brutally murdered, raped and their properties destroyed, leading to their exodus of 1990, and to bring the perpetrators who are roaming scot free to trial and Punish them.

For violating its sanctity, 'the Land of Kashyapa' is under curse, not only for Pundits but for all the native sons and daughters living there. The book ends with an optimistic note that the people could come together and regeneration the beautiful valley. This will happen when Pundits are heartily welcomed to return, their homes and shrines rebuilt, their livelihood restored and the harmony between the communities genuinely reestablished.

The curse will be lifted when the valley vibrates once more with the prayers to Kashmira Devi, the presiding deity of the land and when the River Vitasta is worshipped again.

About the Author Dr. Chander Kanta Gariyali is a 1972 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. She was born at Narparistan Ghat in Srinagar, Kashmir in 1948. Her family shifted to Delhi soon after her birth. Her father Kashi Nath Garyali was a freedom fighter and her mother was a social worker and Founder of Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable trust. A postgraduate in Social Work from Delhi University, she studied Poverty Alleviation' at IDS in University of Sussex and Political Empowerment of Women at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford. She did her PhD from Mother Teresa's University on Women's Empowerment through Federations of Self-help Groups.

In Tamil Nadu she had a distinguished career and has served both as Principal Secretary to Governor as well as Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Her Tsunami rehabilitation work in Cuddalore district was globally recognized.

She has won many awards for her outstanding contribution in the areas of population limitation and poverty reduction through women's participation in Tamil Nadu. Known as mother of women's Self-help Movement, she has authored five books on the subject. Since her retirement in January 2008, she is involved with the Equitas Development Initiative trust as a Founder Trustee. The Trust is handholding thirty lakh women engaged in micro-enterprises in eleven states of India.

Although she never lived in Kashmir, she continuously visited the valley every summer and kept her love for the land alive. She has deeply imbibed rich Kashmiri Pundit culture from her family, which continued to follow all the Kashmiri traditions, rites and rituals outside Kashmir. She did extensive fieldwork in Kashmir while writing her thesis on 'Child 'Labor in Carpet Industry of Kashmir'. She feels deep passion and longing for her native land and is extremely proud of her heritage.

She wishes to tell the hitherto uncaring world, the saga of the unlimited atrocities borne by Kashmiri Pundits for centuries and their latest exodus in 1990's. She felt mentally devastated by the exodus of half a million Kashmiri Pundits from their home of 5000 years. She feels remorseful for not having been able to serve in Kashmir and help the people there in anyway. To make up for the lost time, she has been working with displaced Kashmiri families in refugee camp in Jagti and other parts of Jammu since 2017. She has also set up a Witasta Welfare Fund' for helping them, which is administered with help of Help-Line Humanity, a Jammu Based NGO. Together they have been organizing books, computers, study material, financial aid, medicines. Emergency relief, job fairs and career counseling, on-line competitions for the displaced families and their children.

Foreword "Woman is like a reed which bends to every breeze, but breaks not in the tempest "-Whately. Women have always been portrayed as the most powerful form of energies in the Indian subcontinent for ages. The story of Sati, emulating Shakti the power, also has a strong cultural linkage with Kashmir. According to the PeethaNirnaya Tanta, amongst the many fragments of the smitten body of Sati, the portion of her neck fell in Kashmir, thus making it one of the Shakti peethas. The land is also known as Sati Desh and Satisar.

Rajtarangini has beautifully captured the story of Rani Yashomati, perhaps the first woman empress of the world. As per Nilmatpuran, when King Damodhar went to avenge his father's death, he was killed by Lord Krishna. Krishna taking into consideration the high sanctity given to women in Kashmir crowned his rival's pregnant widow Yashomati as sovereign of Kashmir. Such was the power of women in this land that even Krishna had to bow to it and consequently coroneted the first woman empress.

In today's time, I feel proud to have known Dr. Chander Kanta Gariyali, a 1972 batch IAS Officer, probably the first woman from Kashmir to have served in the Indian Administrative Services, the first woman officer to be appointed as Secretary to the Governor, in 1977, the first woman officer in the country to be appointed as Secretary to a Chief Minister in 2001, thus breaking many glass ceilings during her illustrious career.

Dr. Gariyali has made an immense contribution in the spheres of population limitation and poverty reduction, mainly through empowering and involving women in the endeavour. She is popularly known as the mother of women's 'Self-Help Groups' in Tamil Nadu. Since her retirement in 2008, she has been serving as Founder Trustee of the Equitas Development Initiative Trust, set up by the Equitas Bank, hand-holding thirty lakh women in micro-enterprises across India. She passionately believes that poverty in India can be addressed only through the active participation of women.

Introduction Kashmir is a dream land. The ancient poet and dramatist, Kalidas, exclaimed about Kashmir, "the place is more beautiful than heaven and is the benefactor of supreme bliss and happiness. It seems to me that I am taking a bath in the lake of nectar here".

Ancient historian, Kalhan has said, "it is a country where the sun shines mildly, being the place created by Rishi Kashyap, for his glory-big and lofty houses, learning, saffron, icy cool waters and grapes, rare in Heaven are plentiful here-Kailash is the best place in the three worlds (Tri-lok), the Himalayas the best place in Kailash, and Kashmir the best place in the Himalayas".

Sir Walter Lawrence the British Civil Servant eulogized, " Kashmir valley is an emerald set in pearls; a land of lakes, clear streams, green turf, magnificent trees and mighty mountains where the air is cool, and the water sweet, where men are strong, and women vie with the soil in fruitfulness.. ...

The valley contains everything which should make life enjoyable. There is sport varied and excellent, there is the scenery for the artist and the layman, mountains for the mountaineer, vivid flora for the botanist, a vast field for the geologist and magnificent ruins for the archaeologist".

Emperor Jehangir spent thirteen summers in Kashmir, making it his summer capital. He built Shalimar Garden for his beloved wife Nur Jehan. He used to travel from Delhi to Kashmir, with his harem and court, crossing the Peer Panjal mountain range on elephant back, to rule his Indian empire from the Shalimar Garden, his home in Kashmir.

He had the following verses inscribed in Shalimar Garden:

Agar Firdos bar rue zameenasth aminasth aminasth aminasth.

Meaning if there is a paradise on the earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.

On his death bed when he was asked his last wish, he seemed to have uttered the word "Kashmir, everything else is worthless". Like Jehangir, it is the last

Book's Contents and Sample Pages