ABSTRACT SUBAH OF KASHI^IIR UNDER THE nUGHALS WITH SEPCIAL REFERENCE TO SOCIETY AND ADFIINISTRATIDN \7 83 a Y ABDUL f^A3ID nATTDO UNDER THE SUPERl/ISION OF DR. n. ZAI'iEERUDDIN SIDDIQI CENTRE OF aoUANCED STUDY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY A.n.U., ALIGARH, --I DEC 19^8] T1783 CBECXEL ,ii^3j ABSTRACT The nughal Subah of Kashmir dates back to Akbar's annexation of the region consequent upon the brushing aside of the feeble resistence offered by the ChaJC" Sultanate to the aggressive forces of the nughals in 15B6. This political upheaval unnerved the Kashmiri people at it involved the loss of independence and the forcniig upon them a neu political and social order. But in the long-run the change proved to be a mixed beessing as it ushered in an era of wider political Bxd social relatiorvs, peace and tranquility, social and sectarian harmony, promotion of ihdussry and trade, opening up of neu trade routes and above all the extension of the enlightened and more purposeful" l^ughal administEgtion, Development of gardening uith requisite irrigation works, architectural activity and folloued in its uake the remarkable growth of arts and letters, education and learning and the catholicity and universal tolerance preQ,ehed and practised by a number of the sufi orders uhich found in Kashmir a very fertile soil to function and flourish. The promotion of Industry and trade through the securi on roads and opening up of better routes connecting far- fluing areas and throwing open the outside world to the merchants and traders and the people of Kashmir affarded 2 unique opportunities for economic development of the region, bring about a neu social attitudes by brisk contacts uith the people of other parts of Flughal India and the foreign countries -W** breaking the age-long isolation of Kashmir. Yet the Mughal adventure in this direction uas not actuated by any philanthropic motives to extent the blessing of peacefcthe troubled northern state or to associate the people of Kashmir in the grandiose task of building up a uelfare state in India in uhich the Kashmiri genius uould also be blended to make a distinct contribution. The aggressive endeavours of Akbar to extend his suay over Kashmir, or preferably to bring about its annexation to Mughal Empire, uas prompted both by imperialistic designs and considerations of the d efence of the Empire uhich uas increasingly menaced by the grouing Uzbek Empire. The straegic and military in.portance of Kashmir rendered it both a source of weakness to the Mughal Empire of placed in hostile hands, and a region of strength and tactical superiority if urested from the local power and absorbed into the Empire. The opportunity to fish in troubled uaters of the politics of Kashmir uas provided by weaklings who sat on the Kashmir throne in the days of the decline of the Chaks, The r'lughals had given unity to the region and with the rest of the Empire, uniformity of adminiatrative set up, extension of agriculture, and horticulture, grouth of trade and commerce, maintenance of trade routes, exports of shau/ls and textiles to different parts of India and foreign coutmtries, the laying out of numerous beautiful gardens and monuments and beautification of scenic spots and above all the tremoudous best to tourist industry by the royalty, nobility and aristocracy. But the nughals, being an imperialiastic pouer, chiefly interested in the exploilation of peasantry and the resources of Kashmir as elseuhere in India, did very litle to bring about the real happiness and welfare of the masses, extension of irrigation and agriculture, the urbanisation and enrichment of the people and the return of dividends to the workers and the tellers of the soil. Uery little uork has so far been done on the history of Kashmir not uith standing the great importance which. the study deserves. Only a feu published works exist on the subject; as regards the history of the Tlughal Sub'ah of Kashmir, which are quite sketchy and sueeping. Some work is being done in Jammu University and Srinagar Uniuersity on ancient and nodern Kashmir, byt the period under reuieu uas complBtely neglected. Since the systematic uork on all the aspec-Jis of the Mughal Kashmir would have been too extensive for the scope of the thesis, I uas advised to make a study of the history of the sQbah of Kashmir uith particular emphasis to various facts of administration and society uhile at the same time giving necessary treatment to other aspects like the history of art and literature, political developments, economic affans and the like. This thesis is divided into eleven chapters besides the introduction. In the first chapter I hava discussed at length the causes, events and consaquences of the Mughal annexation, and the expansion of their rule in various directions in the ^ubah in orderto bring the far feeling are; like little and greaT Tibet, Kashtauar, Punch etc, under the Mughal Subordinc3tion. In the second and third chapter I have revieued the land Revenue system, agrarian conditions assignments and grants the fourth chapter deals uith the Institution of 3ubahda"r and his functions, as an executive, and administrative head. Administration of justice and police has been studied in chapter five the functioning of the Institutions of Foujdar, Kotual, Qazi, Sadr. Fiufti, Thanedar^ Baydtal, etc. have also been discussed in the chapter * ^he instition of foujdir, though of considerable importance could hot be giwen a separate treatment because of the lack of adequate information. The sixth chapter deals uith the social life of the people, the condition of the masses, dress, diet, and housing the status of uoemn in society has been also given a detailed treatment. The Religious life and Sufi movement have been examined in the chapter seven. New Sufi orders were introduced but some of ,the existing and indegenous orders particularly the A*^ order disintegrated during this perio In the eight chapter the economic development uhich took shape in this periods, has been fully discussed. In ths this chapter light has been throun on the development of trade, commerce and industries also. Details of various trade routes connecting Kashmir will the rest of the Empii of Central Asia has been also discussed in this chppter. The Mughal annexation opened the avenues to variou Sufis, Ssints and Scholars. This influx resulted in th development of laarnign and liibetature, uhich has been descuss d in the chapter nine unile a fuller treatment is given to the art, architecture and the gardens uill in the tenth chapter. There occurred a considerable beautification of various scenic spots during tiiis period. Therefore, through treatment has been given to the Fluohal gardens uhich sprang up around these places . Coming to the conclusion the Mughal acquisition of Subah uas, as a matter of fact a vived blessing in disgiuse. The shatterd economy of Kashmir entered a neu phase and Kashmir novelties entered into the uorld market. There uas substantial improvement in the field of gardening and horti-oulturi. The development in the fields of learning and literature uas not less remarkable. Moreover to the Mughal rule usherd in a neu social order uith broader outlook, and tolerance. Houeve: despite all these achievements, the annexation of the teingdom by the Mughals affected the martial spirit adversly and retarded the erstauhile growth of/^ihe Kashmirs in uhich regional or some sort of national instincts had a predominant role to play and uhich, given adequate Ojfiportunil at self enfression, uould have led ultimately to the fuller development of a viable and national state. DEDICATED RESPECTFULLY TO SHER-I-KASHniR SHEIKH nOHANMAD ABDULLAH THE SHEET-ANCHOR OF THE ASPIRAT'IONS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. OF • DAnWU AND KASHMIR ACKNOULEDGEnENT It is my pleasant duty to gr atfully acknowledge the gracious help which I received from Professor Irfan Habib, Head of the Department of History for the valuable suggestions in the progress of my work particularly in regard to drawing of the map of the ^ublh of Kashmir and certain problems of agrarian history of Kashmir in spite of his too many academic and administrative engagements. I am also grateful to Professor K.A, Nizami, former Head of the Department, for his keen interest in the completion of my work and ray welfare. I must also thank Professor Plohibbul Hasan, formerly Head of Department of History in the University of Srinagar for his very useful suggestions on different aspects of my work. I must express my grateful appreciation for the devotion, and affection shown by my Supervisor, Dr M Zameeruddin Siddiqi, in the preparation, supervision, and correction of my thesis. Even when he was away to London, his interest in my work by his valuable guidance was manifested through correspondence. I am really overwhelmed with emotion in expressiqg the gratitude that I owe to him for his scholarly and laborious guidance and great interest that he took in my personal welfare and peace of mind to carry on my research without any distractions throughout my stay at Aligarh. Uords really failed me to express myself for his affectionate regard. I must affectionately thank roy father, Khuaja Abdul Gani dattoo, and mother for encouraging me through the stresses and strains of my research uork during the entire period of my absence from tbera. I am very grateful to Professor G.R. Bacha Patron, Pluslim Educational Trust, Kashmir, uho aroused my interest in this field, I am equally grateful to n. Ismail Nisar for his encouragement and helpfulness. I am also indebted to Mr Shamsuddin Mattoo, my younger brother, uho shouldered all my other responsibil ties at home despite his adolescent age.