Development of Health System During Dogra Rule in Kashmir Davood Ahmad Khanday & Dr
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International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 Development of Health System During Dogra Rule in Kashmir Davood Ahmad Khanday & Dr. Shanti Dev Sisodia Research scholar Jiwaji University Gwalior [email protected] Assistant Professor Jiwaji University Gwalior [email protected] Abstract The health system of Kashmir is very old and witnesses the victimization of mankind from possess a rich history but with the passage of various kinds of diseases from time to time and time many ups and downs were encountered by to overcome the ill effects of these diseases, this health system. After Mughals the health man has discovered several types of medicines system of valley suffered a setback which and methods of treatments, which he thereafter resulted into large number of deaths in the utilised to survive and live a healthy life. With valley until the health system was bring back to the passage of time many changes had occurred line by the Dogra rulers especially by in the developmental aspects of cure, medicine Maharaja Pratap Singh.The epidemics used to and health systems. Here an attempt has been sweep away a large portion of population made to throw light on the steps taken by the whenever it spread because of the poor state during the period of study1.India has been sanitation and the role of the state to curb these credited as one of the oldest civilizations of the epidemics is outstanding though there are world so far and so is the health care system. certain mistakes done during the Dogra regime Therefore, deciphering the understandings which hindered the process, but the over about one of the most important old civilisation condition was best. The credit of developing adds to its beauty. Kashmir being a part of this the modern allopathic system is the most country from ancient times had adopted this astonishing feature of this period. During this system of medicine and the rulers who from period health system of the valley developed time to time ruled the country take important and the state provided new opportunities to the steps to improve the health system. Sometimes people because hospitals like Sadar Hospital kashmir was ruled by other dynasties native as Srinagar, Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital well as foreign and remained isolated from the Srinagar (SMHS) where erected in this era. rest of India. Here an attempt is made to know Therefore, this research paper will focus on the the role of the state during Dogra period2. The developments that took place during Dogra state progress in this field was slow until the period in Kashmir valley. reign of Zain-ul-Abidin. No remarkable steps Keywords: Medical System; Epidemics; were taken by the kings of valley to provide Sanitation; Allopathy. health facilities to the subjects and it was the 1. Introduction great Zain-ul-Abidin was set separate state Being vulnerable to various infections and departments to uplift the downtrodden diseases, medicine has always remained a key population of Kashmir. He had equal love for requirement to man‟s survival from the early his subject‟s weather Hindu or Muslim, poor or developments in social life. Man, in this world rich and was equally famous among all. needs medicine or any other kind of cure for Hakims and vaidyas flourished during his avoiding several types of ailments. History tenure and both the health systems Ayurveda Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1570 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 and Unani touched the heights. New hospitals made beautiful by turning it into a health resort. and dispensers were opened in the state for the The famine struck, and diseased people welfare of people. Almost all the departments suffered but the number was not too much flourished and the king himself examined because the efforts of Mughals to keep the progress of every department with the help of environment clean directly had good impact on his efficient state officials. He took great the health of people8.Despite these efforts the interest in medical care of his subjects and health system during the Mughal period was brought trained midwives and bright physicians not satisfactory and people had to remember from Samarkand (U.S.S.R) 3. This was a the days of Zain-ul-Abidin‟s era. The condition measure step by any king of kashmir to provide became nastiest during Afghan and Sikh rule health facilities to his subjects especially and every aspect of society became stagnant female patients. He patronised scholars and and development of social welfare department learned men from all fields which include also hindered until the state was sell-out to the Unani and Ayurvedic physicians of that time. Dogra‟s. During the Dogra reign the state of Shri Bhatta and Karpura Bhat were well known Jammu and Kashmir underwent a change Ayurvedic physicians of his court and Mansur- almost in every aspect of society and the valley bin-Mohd a Unani physician who came from was no exception. This chapter will focus on Persia compiled an important anatomical the altitude of state towards the development of medical work Tashrih-e-Mansuri 4. This work health systems in the period of study. There hampered during the reign of successors of were many changes and developments that Zain-ul-Abidin and the others. The health took place in the field of medicine by the direct system like other social welfare departments and indirect efforts of state under different experienced a decline again. During the rulers. In the early years of Dogra rule Srinagar Sultanate period in Kashmir the men who were was the same as it was under Sikh and Afghan learned in Quran and Hadis occupied the posts rule, the environment was telling the sad story of doctors, clergy men and court officials of dust, filth and sewage like bad things 5.Overall the state always tried to help people, everywhere. This all had bad impact on the but the nature was cruel in the whole sultanate environment and health of the people. The period because due to continuous famines and Dogra state government from time to time took floods people suffered much and diseases necessary steps to improve the health condition became common6. of people9. Many big hospitals and dispensers The measures taken by Mughals were were erected by the state during this period for also to a large extent respectable because the better health of populace. One thing or the atmosphere was healthy enough for Hakims other developed with the state efforts and the and Vaidyas to use their medical knowledge for development process in all spheres went on and the treatment of people. It was in this period changed the outlook of valley in many aspects. that the Arabic medicine was introduced in the It in the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh many Kashmir Valley and many learned physicians new projects were started, and health system served the diseased people and were famous all also developed.There were many forces behind over valley7.The Mughals tried to keep the the developmental process of health systems environment clean and stressed on the beauty and the other social welfare institutions of that of environment and the city of Srinagar was period. Despite many failures in the Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1571 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 developmental process the Dogra proved to be the medical systems in their provinces and the most significant and the downtrodden and poor Chief Medical Officer for Kashmir Valley was people had in many aspects a sigh of relief. a British qualified surgeon. Therefore, it was a 1.1 Ranbir Singh (1856-1885) fortunate time for the people now, not only the As we know the development of health systems state started medical work, but the missionaries in medieval period was very slow except had introduced the modern western medicine during the reign of Zain-ul-Abidin. The rulers with dispensary as an institution were the sick instead of providing facilities to the people got treated and medicines where push them to the suffering and only stressed on dispensed12.State was strengthening the native the revenue to fill the state treasure. The whole health care system and it was working well but scenario changed slowly during the Dogra on the other hand the western system or we can regime as the state took necessary steps to say the allopathic system was taking over with overcome all this. The work started during pace. The competition between the two helped Maharaja Rambir Singh‟s reign when a number the people to have new facilities in their own of medical texts of Ayurveda and Unani were areas as state started to establish its own state translated into local language and the local run Shafakhanas (dispensaries) to cure the sick. physicians had opportunity to have knowledge With time the number of such institutions of many new medicines and other forms cure to remain increasing in number. One of the treat the sick. The translation bureau was measure step taken by the state was the site supervised by Hakim Muhammad Baqir who granted for the establishment of hospital on was a learned physician and is said to have modern lines to the missionaries and the cured a paralysed patient10.The real beginning expenses for the construction were given by was with the establishment of state funded him and yearly donation to the hospital by dispensary in Srinagar at Amira Kadal in 1870.