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Politics of Heritage: the State of Archaeology in Kashmir (1846-1947)

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Politics of Heritage: the State of Archaeology in Kashmir (1846-1947) Indian Journal of Archaeology Politics of Heritage: The state of Archaeology in Kashmir (1846-1947) Dr. Abdul Rashid Lone Assistant Professor Department of History University of Kashmir Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Pin 190006 Email: [email protected] Interest in the pre-Muslim period archaeology of Kashmir first developed in the nineteenth century which largely focused on the ruined monuments and their archaeological significance. The archaeological works such as explorations and excavations, in and around Kashmir were not done at any large scale prior the beginning of the 20th century which, for the first time saw the light of spade and trowel in an organized and systematic way. The pioneering work in the rediscovery of the archaeological wealth of Kashmir was first publicized by some European travelers in the 19th century, whose focus was mainly the ruined architectural monuments of the Kashmir valley and its adjacent places. However, some of their perceptions were recorded inaccurately and with ambiguous conclusions1. The prominent amongst them were Baron Hugel (1833), William Moorcroft (1841), G. T. Vigne (1842), Alexander Cunningham (1848, 1871), Cole (1869), Lawrence (1895) and Hellmut De Terra and T.T. Patterson (1939) among others. Such explorers undertook antiquarian, archaeological, scientific and geological work in and around Kashmir, thereby collecting information regarding the environmental and the geological features, ancient monuments, statues of stone, metal artefacts and terracottas sculptural fragments etc. Their monumental works are still regarded as integral to the study of the archaeology of Kashmir. The first pioneering work related to the architectural survey of the temples of Kashmir was undertaken by Alexander Cunningham in 1848. He published it as ‘An Essay on the Arian Order of Architecture, as exhibited in the Temples of Kashmir’ in the Journal of the Asiatic Society2. Cunningham traced the source of the Kashmiri style of temples to Greek roots. As he puts it, ‘Kashmirian architecture with its noble fluted pillars, its vast colonnades, its lofty pediments, and its elegant trefoiled arches is fully entitled to be classed as a distinct style3, and these ‘architectural remains of Kashmir are perhaps the most remarkable of the existing monuments of India, as they exhibit 524 | P a g e www.ijarch.org Politics of Heritage: The state of Archaeology in Kashmir (1846-1947) undoubted traces of the influence of Grecian art4. Cunningham’s work was ‘the first piece of writing on architecture and the first comprehensive survey ever published of the details and stylistic features of the temples of Kashmir5. More recent writings on the subject have confirmed some of the Cunningham’s hypothesis and dismissed others. The existence of a distinctive Kashmiri style and the elements of Hellenistic influence is recognized, while, the chronology suggested (for instance, in the case of Shankaracharya temple) was held untenable by Buhler and Fergusson6. Cunningham recognized the importance of the photographic documentation and exerted himself in this direction after taking over as Director General of the Archaeological Survey. He appointed Captain W.G. Murray, assistant surveyor general, for a period of six months in 1872 to take photographs of Kashmiri architecture7. After that the survey reports were increasingly accompanied by photographs. In 1870 Maharaja Ranbir Singh constituted a bureau of translation which was entrusted with the job of translating rare Persian books into Sanskrit and vice versa, thereby laying the foundation of the Indological research in the state of Jammu and Kashmir8. This bureau in the passage of time was named as the ‘Ranvira Sarasvata’ or the Ranbir Institute of Ancient Studies and Research. Meanwhile, Colonel J .C. Berkely was deputed to Kashmir on special duty in 1884. Berkely gave to Dewan Anant Ram, who was the P.M. to Maharaja, a list of the ancient buildings and ruins of Kashmir. ‘Would the Durbar be willing to arrange for their conservation as they stand? The cost would be trifling, and the object of view is one that commends itself to all9 & Footnote 1. To these words Maharaja replied in a separate letter whose contents are reproduced by Upinder Singh10 & Footnote 2 as, ‘With reference to your letter…I shall thank you to inform the Government of India that His Highness the Maharaja himself takes great interest in the preservation of all ancient buildings within his territories, and is fully alive to the importance of conserving the specimens of ancient architectural art. I may also state here that the Governor of Kashmir has been instructed to take particular care in conserving such buildings. It was in March 1898, that Amar Singh and Captain Godfrey presented a proposal to the then Maharaja of the State of Jammu and Kashmir for establishing a museum for housing the antiquities, 1 Singh has copied the information from Letter No.225, dated 30 June 1884, from Col. J.C. Berkely to P.M. of Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Home Proceedings/Archaeology and the Conservation of Ancient Monuments, February 1885, No.8, Part A, OIOC. 2 Upinder Singh has collected the information from a Letter dated 08 th of July 1884, from Dewan Anant Ram to J.C. Berkely, Home Proceedings/Archaeology and the Conservation of Ancient Monuments, February 1885, No.8, Part A, OIOC. 525 | P a g e www.ijarch.org Indian Journal of Archaeology that were found by different agencies in and around Kashmir, which was accepted and the money was released for that purpose11. In 1902 ‘Ranavira Institute’ (earlier ‘Ranvira Sarasvata’) was formed by the Maharaja of Kashmir for the study of ancient oriental learning12. The State Archaeological Department was also created in 190213. After Vogel’s visit to Kashmir in 1904, to advise on the preservation of ancient monuments, archaeology was added to its duties and the department came to be known after that as Archaeological and Research Department: Jammu and Kashmir State14 and was given the responsibility of undertaking important repairs to all the ancient monuments in collaboration with the Public Works Department15. It was formed to pursue research on the archaeological and historical lines in the state under the direction of J. C. Chatterji16, who took excavations at Awantipora in 191017. The resolution for its formation was passed on 20th June 1904 by the then State Council of the Maharaja of Kashmir18. Thus, in the beginning the archaeology was part of the Sanskrit research department who mainly dealt with publishing Sanskrit texts concerning the Kashmir school of Sivaism19. The state officials attached to this department had concerned themselves largely with the Sanskrit texts rather than with the exploration and conservation of monuments20. The lack of expertise in archaeological conservation and also the growing necessity of maintenance of monuments led to the split of the Archaeological and Research Department: Jammu and Kashmir State into—Research Department under the mentorship of J. C. Chaterjee and the Department of Archaeology21. Finally in 1912 Kashmir agreed to setting up a separate archaeological department. At the advice of Vogel, which he had offered earlier, a trained officer from the Survey was also given the permission to take over as the superintendent of archeology in Kashmir at a monthly salary of rupees 500 which was accepted by the Durbar initially for a period of two years22. The patronage given to Sanskrit as repeatedly expounded by the state rulers like Ranjit Singh, had a special purpose. He wanted to promote Sanskrit learning among Kashmiri pandits and publicize the ancient Hindu culture. This is very aptly discussed by scholars like Mridu Rai and others in their writings. This was claimed by Maharana Pratap Singh who declared that he wanted to restore the ancient glory of Kashmir23. The Dogra-led princely state took to archaeology because carefully chosen aspects of it could fortify Dogra sovereignty24. Historical edifices of the state were deemed as national monuments and a warning was given to the Durbar that any lapse in the conservation of them would compel the Imperial Government in taking care of the monuments themselves25. Soon, Marshall deputed W. H. Nicholls from the Northern Circle to repair certain Mohammadan monuments and Mughal gardens near Srinagar and he submitted the report in 1906. In 1907, Marshall visited Kashmir to monitor the works himself26. 526 | P a g e www.ijarch.org Politics of Heritage: The state of Archaeology in Kashmir (1846-1947) Archaeological work like conservation of monuments, however, was left outside its purview. In 1908, the Director General of the Archaeology Department of India complaining that the neglect of the monuments in Kashmir was unrivalled in any other native state, warned that the inability or reluctance of the Kashmir Durbar to conserve the monuments of the state would compel the British Government to interfere and assert its own responsibility in maintaining them27. In his report in 1908- 09, Spooner, the archaeological surveyor for the Frontier Circle, condemned in blunt language the inactivity of the Kashmir Durbar in preserving the monuments of the state of Jammu and Kashmir28. Meanwhile Sten Konow in 1909, brought to light many new monuments, inscriptions and manuscripts from Kashmir, supplemented by Marshall in 1908 in his Note on Archaeological work in Kashmir29. The differences with respect to the conservation and the preservation of the monuments and antiquities between the British Government and the ruling Maharajas of the Dogras continued. These were underlined in 1910, when the survey of Laddakh led to the discovery of some antiquities which Dogra rulers were reluctant to hand over to the British Government. The Durbar insisted that the British would not be allowed to remove any antiquities from the state, which was later accepted by the British Government. However, the British Government wished that the adequate measures should be taken by the Durbar to ensure the safe custody of these antiquities30.
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