RESEARCH Social Science Learning Education Journal

ISSN: (Online) 2456 – 2408 Website: www.sslej.in Recevied Article: 1 0 -01-2020 Accepted Article: 15-01-2020

A Historical Deal: Only Seventy-Five Lakh Rupees’ Total Price of Whole Kashmir Valley (land, people and natural resources) and its Impact on Socio-Economic Conditions of People

Towseef Mohi Ud Din Scholar, School of studies in economics, Vikram University Ujjain, (M.P) India

Abstract The state of Jammu and Kashmir a paradise on earth was ruled by different dynasties, some rulers were tyrant and few were kind to the people. By turning the pages of history we come to know that Kashmiris have never lived a peaceful life. One of the historical movements of Kashmir was that when it was sold, the people who lived that time in Kashmir experience much misery and unrest. Everything in Kashmir was measured in terms of cash and there is no value of sentiments of people, it is not wrong to say that it is all about Cash ‼‼ Cash ‼‼ and nothing more than that. The socio-economic conditions of the people were very poor and the cruelty was on peak at that time, till now Kashmir valley never find a single day of peace and rest. Key words: socio-economic, Kashmir valley, rulers, people

Introduction

The founder of Jammu and Kashmir was Maharaja Gulab Singh for a sum of seventy-five lakh rupees by the treaty of Singh of Dogra dynasty. He begin his career as a trooper in Amritsar signed on March 16, 1846 A.D between Gulab Maharaja Ranjit Sings army in 1812 A.D. being an Singh and British. After that Gulab Singh was given the title knowledgeable soldier and an clever politician, he so of Maharaja and he thus becomes the maharaja of Jammu punctually achieve distinction that maharaja Ranjit rewarded and Kashmir. Another historical deal is found for more than him for this services with the principality of Jammu in 1819 200 years before 1867, Alaska had been a colony of the A.D. immediately, he embarked upon a policy enlargement Russian Empire, of which it was the easternmost segment. and association of his power and stretched his authority to On 30 March 1867, by Treaty of Cession, the Emperor of Ladakh and Baltistan between 1834 A.D. and 1841 A.D. Russia conveyed to the United States all the vast Russian After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839 A.D. holdings in America which today constitute the state of Gulab Singh become the most important and influential Alaska the total price was $7,200,000. figure in Lahore Durbar’s politics policies. In 1847 A.D. he Literature review rose to the position of a minister of the Sikh government. The Sikh army crossed the Sutlej River against his advice Socio-economic status (SES) is a combined measurement of and was defeated in first Anglo-Sikh war. Gulab Singh used economic and social position of an entity compared to others his influence in tackling the hard task of negotiating the in society. It influences the accessibility to the resources, Treaty of Lahore March 9, 1846 A.D. Which was livelihood pattern, food & nutritional security etc. It often essentially from a position of weakness? By one of the terms predicts the psychological and behavioral components of a of this treaty Kashmir with the dependencies was ceded to sample viz. knowledge, attitude, perception, adoption, the British. The later in their turn handed Kashmir to Gulab change-proneness, level of aspiration, risk bearing ability,

73 Social Science Learning Education Journal Page No :- 73 - 76 A Historical Deal: Only Seventy-Five Lakh Rupees’ Total Price of Whole Kashmir Valley (land, people and natural resources) and its Impact on Socio-Economic Conditions of People economic motivation etc. [1].Socio-economic conditions  To know the effect of sale deed of Kashmir on the and life style factors has been found to be related to self- people of valley related health, which is an established predictor of morbidity  To manipulate the ten articles of the Amritsar treaty and mortality. The term Quality of life is often discussed in broad terms as satisfaction of needs, feeling of well-being, good or bad working conditions and other indicators and Materials and Methods covers the physical and psychological dimension. Quality of life covers diverse and innumerable human needs. The The current study is based on secondary source of data, quality of life concept focuses not only on income and which has been collected from different books, journals, material resources, but also on other dimensions of social newspapers, and various search engines, are also used. welfare and the interaction between them. The concept has Mostly the old historical book has been employed for the both micro (referring to the circumstances of the individual) collection of information regarding the socio- economic and micro dimensions placing individual findings into wider condition of Kashmir during medieval period. socio-economic context [2]. The establishment of Muslim Main idea rule in valley of Kashmir in 1339 A.D. proved as a landmark in the socio economic and religious history. The new rule On March 15, 1846 the British formally invested attracted philosophers, scholars, artisans from different GulabSingh with the title of maharaja. On the next day a pockets of Persia and Central Asia. As they were from treaty was signed between the British and Maharaja advanced cultural centers, on reaching Kashmir they GulabSingh at Amritsar, in which Kashmir was sold in only effortlessly imparted their technical skill to the natives of seventy-five lakh rupees and this treaty is also known as sale valley. Not only social structure got changed, but also new deed of Kashmir. This treaty contain 10 articles in which centers of advancement and awareness were opened by them third article said that Maharaja Gulab Singh will pay to at different places. There in depth knowledge attracted and British government the amount of rupees 75 lakhs (Nank influenced the people of all faiths towards the new industrial Shahi), 50 lakhs to be paid on ratification on the Treaty and modules. Some of the arts and crafts that were then 25 lakhs on or before the first October of existing year, unknown in valley were for the first time introduced by 1846.According to the terms of treaty, Kashmir the entire of them. The main reason behind the arrival of Muslim artisans hill country to the south stuck between the Ravi and the was the liberal attitude provided by the rulers. All the tools Indus (excluding Kangra, Kulu, Lahul), Ladakh and Gilgit of progress like education, connectivity and peace engulfed with Baltistan and the Indus valley to Chalias were transfer the whole of valley. The valley was turned into industrial to GulabSingh. Chamba to the west of Ravi and Hazara garden and new economic avenues proved as a basic source were included in the territories transferred to GulabSingh. and deciding factor of overall change in society [3]. But But an arrangement was made by Henry Lawrence by which during the Dogra rule, the socio-economic conditions of in 1847 A.D. Gulab Singh got Lakhanpur and Bhadarwah in people were equally depressing. The rules and regulations of lieu of Chamba. Finding it complicated to control Hazara, caste hampered social mobility, fostered social divisions and Gulab Singh was authorized to exchange it with the Ilaqa snapped the individual identity. Muslims were discriminated Manwar and Garhi which were under Lahore Darbar. not only on economic front but also the rulers interfered By the middle of the 19th century the state of Jammu and with their religious liberties. Numbers of Muslim religious Kashmir was formed (sold to Dogra ruler, Gulab Singh, by places were turned into store houses for food grains and British East India Company under the Treaty of Amritsar, ammunition centers. Proprietary rights of land were 1846) under the protection of the British Government. confiscated. Newer unknown and unjustified taxes were Under the autocratic rule of Gulab Singh, the basic rights of imposed on subjects. Each and every appointed officer used the Kashmiri Muslims were trampled, they were denied to oppress the people as much as he can. Skilled workers in opportunities of socioeconomic development and their normal days were not in a position to take two time square religious sentiment were intentionally hurt. The British meals. Whatever was earned was snatched forcibly from Government made lacklustre attempts to ameliorate the them. The world reputed Shawl and Silk industries declined. pathetic condition of the majority community of the state. At Workers used to work from early morning to late evening the outset of Gulab Singh’s reign, he confiscated all still they earned nothing. While realizing the attitude of previously held Jagirs. He dispossessed Kashmiri peasants ruler’s number of movements came into existence to fight by establishing harsh and unjust economic policies. The against the autocratic rule to save the people from sufferings peasants were simply reduced to tenants at will. For the first [4]. Now the days are changed there is lack of opportunities, time in its history, the Kashmiri Muslims lost ownership and a limited availability of employment in the politically rights over their lands. In order to work on behalf of the unstable valley of Jammu and Kashmir, in India, has government, the Maharaja fixed a number of men in each permeated each section of the society, creating new village to do begar (indentured labour) a brazen exploitation problems for the ethnic minority of Kashmiris in all spheres and inhuman practice by any standard. The unfortunate of their lives from healthcare, to drug addiction [5]. Kashmiri Muslims who were made to work as beasts of Objectives burden in far off places, in rugged snowy mountain terrains

74 Social Science Learning Education Journal Page No :- 73 - 76 A Historical Deal: Only Seventy-Five Lakh Rupees’ Total Price of Whole Kashmir Valley (land, people and natural resources) and its Impact on Socio-Economic Conditions of People for months and a considerable number among them would adjoining his possessions. perish due to hunger and inclement weather [6]. Kashmir Article 07: Maharaja GulabSingh engages never to take or has a rich cultural heritage of handloom industry and retain in his service any British subject or the subject of any handicraft. Kashmiris are world famous for their European or American state without the consent of the magnificent workmanship and produced the most beautiful British government. and exquisite hand-spun and hand-woven textiles. The artistic skills of the traditional handloom weavers are second Article 08: Maharaja GulabSingh engagesto respect in to none [7]. But during and after the Amritsar treaty the regard to the territory transferred to him, the provisions of economic condition of the valley was no less pathetic. The Articles 05, 07 of the separate engagement between the daily wages of shawl weaver were four annas, of which half British government and the Lahore Darbar dated 11 march was taken away by the government in taxes, and for the 1846. remaining two annas, he was paid in the form of “singharas” Article 09: The British government will give its aid to (water chestnuts) or paddy from the government stores at a maharaja GulabSingh in protecting his territories from much higher rates. A shawl weaver had no option by law to external enemies. change his employer, the karkhanadar or proprietor of the factory. And also the people were living under a great threat; Article 10: maharaja GulabSingh acknowledges the there was no security of life and property during these years. supremacy of the British government and will in token such The self-seeking governors and commanders were engaged supremacy presents annually to the British government one in accumulating wealth quickly for which they exploited the horse, twelve goats (six males and six female) and three common people of the valley. pairs of Kashmiri shawls. Detailed account of all ten articles of the treaty of Amritsar Conclusion which was signed on 16 march 1846. After the treaty of Amritsar GulabSingh assumed the title of Article 01: The British government transfers and makes over maharaja and named this new state as the state of Jammu for over in independent possession of maharaja Gulab Singh and Kashmir. This was the day when the state of Jammu and and heirs male of his body all the hilly or mountainous Kashmir came into being, from that day people came under country with its independencies situated to eastward of the control of merciless monarchy rulers, who impose heavy river Indus and westward of the river Ravie including taxes on both farmers and peasants, many artisans migrate Chamba and excluding Lahul, being part of territory ceded from the valley because they have to pay huge taxes on their to the British government by the Lahore state according to craft works. From that day we people of valley are the provision of the article 4 of the treaty of Lahore dated 9 humiliating in one way or other. The treaty of Amritsar was march 1846. rightly described by famous poet of Asia Sir Muhammad Iqbal (R.A)as a highly humiliating deal. Article 02:The eastern boundary of the treaty transferred by the foregoing article to maharaja GulabSingh shall be laid References down by the commissions appointed by the British 1. M.L. Roy, Nirmal Chandra, H.L. Kharbikar, government and maharaja GulabSingh respectively, for the Pratibha Joshi and RenuJethi (2013), Socio- purpose and shall be defined in separate engagement after economic Status of Hill Farmers: An Exploration survey. from Almora District in Uttarkhand, International Article 03: In consideration of the transfer made to him and Journal of Agriculture and Food Science his heir by the provisions of the foregoing articles maharaja Technology, 4,4, pp. 353-358 GulabSingh will pay to British government the sum of 2. Rashid Ashraf Wani, Dr. Vijaya P. Khairkar rupees 75 lakhs (Nank Shahi), 50 lakhs to be paid on (2011), Socio-economic and quality of life of ratification on the treaty and 25 lakhs on or before the first Srinagar city, Journal of Arts, Science & of October of the current year 1846. Commerce, 2,2, pp. 123-139 Article 04: The limits of the territories of maharaja 3. Dr. Syed Damsaz Ali Andrabi (2017), Industrial GulabSingh shall not be at any time changed without the Development: Socio-Economic Changes in concurrence of the British government. Kashmir Society (1339-1551.A D.), American Article 05: Maharaja GulabSingh will refer to the arbitration Research Journal of History and Culture (ARJHC), of the British government any dispute or questions that may 3, 1, pp. 01-07 arise between himself and the government of Lahore or any 4. Dr Syed Damsaz Ali Andrabi1, Dr. Mohd. Yousuf other neighbouring state and will abide by the decision of Bhat (2017), Economic Exploitation of Working the British government. Class under Dogras 1846-1952., IOSR Journal Of Article 06: Maharaja GulabSingh engages for himself and Humanities And Social Science, 22,5, pp. 60-64 heirs to join the whole of his military force, the British 5. Javaid Iqbal Sofi, JunaidNabi, Fatema N. troops when employed within the hills or in the territories Authoy(2016), To be or Not to be: Social

75 Social Science Learning Education Journal Page No :- 73 - 76 A Historical Deal: Only Seventy-Five Lakh Rupees’ Total Price of Whole Kashmir Valley (land, people and natural resources) and its Impact on Socio-Economic Conditions of People Entrepreneurship in Kashmir, Advances in Research, 4,4, pp. 01-02 6. Mohmad Ashraf Khaja (2016), A European account of the Socio-Economic and Educational condition of Kashmiris under the Dogra Rule: A Critical Appraisal, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 6,2, pp. 552-557 7. Tawheed Yousuf, Ishfaq Khan, Tariq Ahmad Raja (2013), Socio-Economic Profile of Silk Weavers: A MicroLevel Study of Srinagar City, European Academic Research, 1,3, pp. 319-331

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