Medieval Kashmir From Chaks To Mughals First Edition Author Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Tantray © All Right Reserved Publishers: Nairjc Publications 221, Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Ph.: 01933-212815, 9906662570 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nairjc.com ISBN: 978-81-932604-2-5 First Edition: 2017 Price: 150 Printers: Nairjc Offset Address: Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir, India -192301 2 PREFACE The first chapter deals with the geographical back ground of Kashmir, its locations atmosphere drainage system and Countries and the States joining its boundaries. The first chapter also deals with historical back ground of Kashmir. The second Chapter deals with the introduction of Chak rule in Kashmir. The chapter covers the rise and fall of Chaks its social Poltical and economic life. The third chapter expresses the Poltical structure of Chak rule in Kashmir. The Chapter deals with the council of Ministers during the Chak rule in Kashmir. The fourth chapter deals with the social life of Chaks, its casts family status and social intercourse between Hindu and Muslims. The fifth chapter shows the economic life of Chaks, the various taxes, the Tribute and the medium of exchange. The sixth chapter deals with the History of Mughal Rule in Kashmir. The seventh chapter deals with conclusion of whole dissertation. It covers the social structure political life and the economic life of the Chak rule in Kashmir. It also covers the History of Mughal consolidation in Kashmir. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad tantray 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost I would like to pay a deep gratitude to my supervisor Dr David kumar Ahirwar for his cooperation, support, guidance and keen help that helped me a lot in the completion of this dissertation. I owe my gratitude to Dr. Submit a pande, Prof and head for her scholarly advices and guidance. She was all time ready to assist her students. I am also beholded to Dr Dhirendra Dolanog and Dr Vishwajeet so Singh Parmar for their kind help guidance, encouragement and their valuable suggestions which kept me always on the right track with infinite patience. I am also thankful to the other teaching and non-teaching staff of school of studies in Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Vikram University Ujjain for their cooperation in many ways. It would be injustice if I would not mention the name of my friends namely kumar Nissr, Yaqoob alie, Muneer Ahmad, irfan Ahmad thoker. I. Imtiyaz Ahmad and others for their help by one way or another way in the completion of this dissertation. Last but not least, I would like pay special gratitude to my loving, caring and beloved parents who by their affection and encouragement always kept me alive and made me able to complete my dissertation. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad tantray 4 ABOUT THE AUTHOR The author was born from hilly district of Shopian at habdipora village. He has completed his m.phil and Phd degree from Vikram University Ujjain M.P. The author has worked as assistant professor on contractual basis in various degree colleges of j&k. The author has also worked as research associate in the school of studies in Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology Vikram University Ujjain M.P. The author has participated in several national as well as international conferences in various parts of the country. The author is well versed in research publications and authored various books/chapters on history and famous book of author is Buddhism in Kashmir. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad tantray 5 CONTENTS CHAPTER FIRST 1. Geo-Poltical and Historical background of Kashmir 1. Lidder valley 2. Sind valley 08-30 3. Lolab valley 4. Ladakh 5. Population of Jammu and Kashmir 6. Drainage System of Jammu and Kashmir 7. Soils 8. Historical Background of Kashmir CHAPTER SECOND 2. Chak Dynasty 31-34 1. Introduction CHAPTER THIRD 3. Administration of Chak rule 1. Ghazi shah the first Chak ruler 35-45 2. Husain Shah as ruler 3. Ali Shah (1570-1578) 4. Yusuf Shah (1579-1586) 5. Yusuf Shah (second Reign: 1580-1586) 6. Yaqub Shah (1586-88) Administration 7. Council of Ministers during Chak rule 6 CHAPTER FOURTH 4. Social life of Chak rule 46-51 1. Social Classes 2. Social Intercourse Between Hindus And Muslims CHAPTER FIFTH 5. Economic life of Kashmir during Chak rule 1. Tax structure 52-56 2. Agricultural products 3. Other Sources of Income During Chak Rule 4. Zakat and Custom Duty 5. Other Cesses 6. Medium of Exchange During Chak Rule CHAPTER SIXTH 6. Mughals of Kashmir 1. Akbar‘s Consolidation In Kashmir 57-68 2. Three Well-Known Qasidas on Kashmir 3. Jahangir‘s Reign of Kashmir 4. Shahjahan Consolidation In Kashmir 5. Aurangzeb‘s Rule in Kashmir CHAPTER: SEVENTH 69-78 7. Conclusion 7 CHAPTER FIRST Geo-Poltical and Historical background of Kashmir The state of Jammu and Kashmir is located between 32.17‘ North and 37.6‘ North latitudes and 73.26‘ East and 80.30‘ East longitudes. It has Tibet to its east, China in the North, Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the North-west and Pakistan in the west. Punjab and Himachal Pradesh touch its southern boundaries. Total area of the state is 2, 22,236 sq.kms, which includes the area under Pakistan and China. Area under the occupation of Pakistan is 78.114 sq.kms area of the state handed over by Pakistan to China is 5,180 sq. kms and area under the occupation of China in Leh district is 37,555sq.kms. The state is 640 kms from north to south and 480 kms from east to west and altitude of the state varies from 1000 to 28500ft1. The middle Himalayas (Lesser Himalayas) of the Jammu and Kashmir state lie between the Ravi in the east and the Poonch in the west and continues upto Muzafarabad. The ranges of Pir Panjal and Dhaula-Dhar lie in the Lesser Himalayas. In Jammu region they are locally known as Pahar (mountain). In elevation they seldom rise above 3600-4600m, and have a width of about 60 km near Rajouri. In general, it has an east-west extension. At Tanger, as a branch ridge runs due south-west. This branch is known as Trikuta Mountain, which is characterized with limestone strata. The sacred cave of Vaishno Devi is situated on a peak of Trikuta Mountain. The Lesser Himalayas form an intricate system of ranges. The Pir Panjal is a singularly well-defined range from Kaghan Valley to beyond the Ravi Valley, which may be taken as type of mountain of the middle Himalayas, these rides present generally a steep cliff of the middle Himalayas, and present generally a steep escarpment towards the plain and a long gentle slope towards Kashmir. Such mountains are spoken of as having an orthoclinal structure, with a writing desk. To this course is due to the presence of dense forest vegetation, the glory of the middle Himalayas, clothing the northern and north-eastern slopes, succeeded higher up by a capping of snows, while the opposite southern slopes are except in protected valley slopes, barren and devoid of 1 Itoo G.N and Bodha Shabaz, jammu and Kashmir at Glance, Haroon publications Doru Shahabaz Anantnag, p.116. 8 snow, being too steep to maintain a soil-cap for the growth of forests or allow the winter-snows to accumulate. The middle Himalayas are composed of highly compressed and altered rocks of various geological ages, ranging from the Purana and Carboniferous to Eocene. Several important rivers like Tawi, Manasar-Tawi, Basantra,and Ujh have their sources in the middle Himalayas. The rock stratum of the Middle Himalayas is dominated by sandstone shale, and light yellow limestone of the Miocene murree system and Eocene deposits. Excepting the river traces and the river valley, cultivation of crops is not an important economic activity on the slopes of the middle Himalayas. The people are largely dependent a forestry, lumbering, herding, cattle keeping and tourist industry. The general standard of living of the people is low and the rural areas are less accessible. The Valley of Kashmir, nestled in northern-western folds of the Himalayas is a transverse valley, surrounded on all sides by high mountain ranges, characterized by snow covered lofty peaks. The surrounding mountain ranges rising to a height of 5550m on the north-east, where the Banihal pass (Jawahar- Tunnel) provides an exit from the Valley. The only outlet for the rivers is the Baramulla-gorge, where the placid Jhelum river leaves the smooth grassy banks and hurries headlong down its rock course to the great plains of the south. The oval shaped Valley of Kashmir is filled with thick deposits of alluvium which have blanketed even the lower slopes of the surrounding ranges. There are three important valley of Kashmir, three important side valleys, namely (i) The Lidder valley (ii) The Sindh valley (iii) The Lolab Valley. A brief description of these valleys has been as under:- Lidder valley: The Lidder valley extends from Anantnag to Pahalgam, including the Pargans of Dachinpora and Khaurpora. At Pahalgam, the valley divides itself into two branches which stretch obliquely, one towards the north-east leading up to the Shesnag and cave of Amarnath. At its lower end the valley is about 5 to 8 km wide but at its upper end it is only a few hundred metres in width.On both sides, it is bounded by lofty Mountains covered with dense forests. Cultivation of crops does not extend beyond about a mile north of Pahalgam.There is a 9 road along the left bank of the river upto the Amarnath Cave. This path is yearly traversed by lakhs of Hindu pilgrims,in the months of July and August. The river is fed with streams from the Kolahai and Sheshnag.Towards Kolahai is a valley covered with grases where glades are used by graziers.The steep sides of this valley snow marred ice action with several waterfalls till the Kolahai glacier at an altitude of about 5470m (17779 feet). Sind valley: It is one of the beautiful valleys of Kashmir. It owes its name to the river Sindh- Lar which is fed by glaciers and streams. It extends from Ganderbal to the Zoji- La pass covering a distance of about 100 kms. Sonamarg is a beautiful meadow near the Thajwas Glacier. The Sind valley widens after Shadipur. On either side of the valley are the lovely snow covered peaks.The valley abounds in large forests of pine,and other fruit trees.The famous lakes of Vishansar,Krishnsar and Gangabal are within the catchment of sind river which attract large number of tourists every year. Lolab valley: This fertile oval shaped valley is situated in the north-west side of Kashmir, it is about 25 km long and 5 km wide. It is traversed by the Lahwal Stream which flows down from the surrounding hills. The valley is covered by thick forest of deodar. The extensive pasture lands in the valley are the excellent grazing grounds. It is also famous for apple, Cherry, Peach and Walnut. LADAKH: The Ladakh is one of the loftiest regions of the World. Its short but warm summers enable a few grain and fruit crops to ripen.Owing to the great aridity of the atmosphere; the climate is one of fierce extremes, from burning heat of some of the desert to several degrees below freezing-point at night. The bare mountains which rise from them exhibit the exquisite coloration of the rocks due to the peculiar solar weathering. Between Ladakh and the Dhauladher- range are the districts of Zonskar,Lahoul,and Rapshu,consisting of intricately ramifying glaciated ranges of crystalline rocks, intersected by lofty valleys having but a restricted drainage into a few saline lakes and marshes.As stated 10