M D Publications Pvt Ltd VUay K. Gupta M D House Publisher 11 Darya Ganj New Delhi-110 002 First Published 1994 ISBN 81-85880-31-X (for the set) ISBN 81-85880-34-4 (Vol. 3) 63 P N K Bamzai All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmit- ted in any form by print, photoprint, microform or any other means without written permission from the publisher. Published by M D Publications Pvt Ltd, New Del hi-1 10 002 Typeset at Jagdamba Typesetters, Delhi-110 031 and printed at M. S. Ansari Printers, 1706, Gali Madarsa, Mir Jumla, La1 Quan, Delhi-110 006. CULTURE AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF KASHMIR Volume Three MODERN KASHMIR a UNDER THE SIKHS [I819 - 18461 THE DOGRA REGIME [I846 - 1947 IN FREE INDIA [I947 and After] a CONTENTS 17. Kashmir under the Sikh I 18. Gulab Singh and his Successors 19. Dawn of Modernism 20. Struggle for Freedom 21. Independence and After 22. The New Kashmir 23. The Two Wars with Pakistan 24. Simla Agreement and After 25. Cultural Renaissance Bibliography Index 17 KASHMIR UNDER THE SIKHS Thedawn of the 19th century witnessed the emergence of Kashmir as a vital frontier region of India. The fame of its scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage had already spread to distant corners of the world, but with the rapid advance of the British Indian empire to the north; the amazing growth of power and expansion of Tzarist Russia in Asia; and the extension of the Chinese borders to Sinkiang, Kashmir acquired a unique importance as the place where the three great empires met. Soon it became a centre of activity of various foreign agents engaged in collecting information on its geography, administrative set-up and defence. With the advance of the century, the course of Kashmir history was increasingly affected by the political situation prevailing on both sides of the Karakoram, as well as by the relations existing between the British Indian Government and Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his succes- sors. To the misfortune of the people of the State these and similar international developments -the concomitants of its geographical situ- ation -persisted to influence the course of political history of Kashmir even after it was incorporated in the Sikh kingdom or later when it became a princely State of British India. They have certainly not ceased to do so even to the present day. KasW's Strategic Importance The first realisation of Kashmir's strategic importance dawned on the British Indian Government after the conclusion of a treaty of friendship with Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Amritsar in 1809, by which they agreed to abstain from any interference with the territories of the Maharaja north of the Sutlej, while he agreed to respect the terri- tories and subjects of the chiefs south of the river. The Maharaja honourably observed his engagements and abandoning his dream of Cis-Sutlej supremacy, turned his attention to the expulsion of the 614 CULTURE AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF KASHMIR Afghans from the northern districts of the Punjab, and the reduction of Multan, Kashmir and the Derajat. After suffering two reverses in 1812 and 1814, he finally wrested the Valley out of the hands of the Afghans in 1819. During his continuous hostilities with Afghanistan and other smaller principalities, till his death in 1839, he valued Kashmir not only for its rich yield of revenues, but also for its strategic position which facilitated the numerous expansionist campaigns that he undertook. Meanwhile the British who, out of fear of the Russian advance into Central Asia and Persia, were getting interested in the northern region of Ranjit Singh's dominions, began casting their covetous eyes on the beautiful Valley. Hence we find a number of British nationals penetra- ting into Kashmir and adjoining areas to extend the British sphere of influence there. Some of them like Moorcraft, fomented trouble for Ranjit Sing11 in Ladakh and other frontier regions. In order to follow the confusing course of events of the time, it will be convenient to give here a brief account of the rise of the Sikh power in the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and his relations with the British in the south, and Afghanistan in the north of the Indian sub- continent. The Sikh Gurus The Sikhs, originally a religious sect, were hammered into a military power by their conflict with the Mughals and later with the Afghans. Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion, was born in the year 1649 at a village called Talwandi on the bank of the Ravi near Lahore. His life except for his being religious-minded from his childhood, had been uneventful and the influence he left behind was enshrined in his writings which were subsequently collected. The word Sikh, literally learners, disciples, was given to his followers by Guru Nanak himself and as the creed spread, it became the title of the whole sect. Guru Nanak, passing over his two sons, named his disciple, Guru Angad, as his successor. The fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, collected the writings of the founder and this, together with extracts from the works of popular saints and poets recorded in the Punjabi dialect came to be known as the Adi Granili. It was, however, in consequence of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, that the purely religious sect of the Sikhs was transformed into a militant force by his son. the great Guru Govind KASHMJR UNDER THE SIKHS 6 15 Singh. The circumstances leading to Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom, have been given in detail by Bhai Gyan Singh Gyani in his Guru Khulsa Twurikh. Iftikar Khan, a Governor of Aurangzeb, was using force to convert the Pandits in Kashmir to Islam. Some pious men among the Pandits then met and decided to go to Amarnath and invoke the mercy of Siva there for deliverance from the tyrannies of this bigot. At the Amarnath Cave one of the Pandits saw Lord Siva in a dream Who told him to go to Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Sikh Guru, in the Punjab and ask for his help to save the Hindu religion. He spoke to his companions about this revelation. About 500 Pandits proceeded to Anandpur Sahib where Guru Teg Bahadur was living. They told him about the atrocities committed on them by Aurangzeb's governor, Iftikar Khan, in Kashmir. The Guru was deeply touched on hearing the details, and was in a sorry and pensive mood. At that time his son, Govind Singh, who was then a child of 14 years of age and was playing outside, came to him. He saw a crowd of Pandits sitting there in distress and his father mute as a fish. He asked his father why he looked pensive. Guru Tegh Bahadur, pointing towards the Pandits, told his son mournfully that the Hindus were being forced to renounce their religion and that, he thought, they could be protected if some holy man offered himself to be sacri- ficed for them. Guru Govind Singh, with folded hands, said to him - "Father, who else is a holier man, fit for being sacrificed than yourself for saving the Hindu religion no?" Guru Tegh Bahadur replied - "I have absolutely no hesitation in giving my head but I am grieving that as you are still a child, who would take care of you after me." Guru Govind Singh replied earnestly, "Almighty God would take care of me." Guru Tegh Bahadur was pleased to hear this courageous answer from his worthy son and then advised the crowd of Pandits to go to Aurangzeb and tell him straightaway that they, together with all the Brahmins in Kashmir, were quite ready to embrace Islam if Tegh Bahadur, who was the Chief Guru of the Hindus would first be converted. The Pandits went to Nawab Zalim Khan, the then gover- nor of Lahore, and presented to him their petition which had been dictated by Guru Tegh Bahadur. The governor gladly endorsed it and gave it back to the Pandits to be presented to the emperor at Delhi. He gave them all necessary help for reaching that place safely. They went and presented the petition to Aurangzeb. The emperor was highly gratified to read it and called the qazis and moulvis in Durbar and joyfully announced the contents of the petition to them. 616 CULTURE AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF KASHMIR Of course, they all received the tidings with acclamation. He told the Pandits that he cheerfully accepted the condition laid. He sent them back to Kashmir, making suitable arrangements for their return journey. He wrote to Iftikar Khan, governor of Kashmir, to desist from forcible proselytising, for, he was now satistied that no more force was needed for attaining the object in view. Aurangzeb sent a letter by an official to Guru Tegh Bahadur at Anandpur, inviting him to come to Delhi. Before the imperial officer reached him, the Guru, accompanied by five attendants, started for Agra on 11th Har, 1732 (25 June 1675 AD). At Agra he was arrested by the Kotwal there and sent to the emperor at Delhi. His five attendants went with him, reaching Delhi on 1st Maghar, 1732 (15 November 1675 AD). He had an interview with the emperor. The latter pressingly solicited him to embrace Islam. The Guru had words with him, roaring emphatically that he spurned the idea. The emperor, wrinkled his brows and ferociously ordered the executioner to take the Guru to a place to be beheaded there. While being taken to the place of execution the guru quietly told one of his five attendants, Bhai Jita, that, after he was beheaded, he should take away his head to Guru Govind Singh.