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96-700: Kashmiri Muslims are ethnic Kashmiris who practice Islam and are native to the Kashmir Valley of Indian -administered Jammu and Kashmir . The majority of Kashmiri Muslims are Sunni, while Shias form a minority. They refer to themselves as "Koshur" in the Kashmiri language . Presently, the Kashmiri Muslim population is predominantly found in Kashmir Valley. Smaller Kashmiri Muslim communities also live in other regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslims are of
192-658: A body they were cruel and oppressive .'' Scholar Ayesha Jalal states that the Maharajahs nurtured ties with Kashmiri Pandits and their Dogra kinsfolk in Jammu to trample on the rights of their subjects. Christopher Snedden also states that the Kashmiri Muslims were often exploited by the Kashmiri Pandit officials. Wingate and Lawrence spent many months in the rural hinterland of Kashmir and in an unprecedented manner brought to
288-639: A diplomatic channel with the British; in 1828, he sent gifts to George IV and in 1831, he sent a mission to Simla to confer with the British Governor General, William Bentinck , which was followed by the Ropar Meeting ; while in 1838, he cooperated with them in removing the hostile Islamic Emir in Afghanistan. As consistent with many Punjabis of that time, Ranjit Singh was a secular king and followed
384-401: A list of just sixteen wives and their pension list. Most of his marriages were performed through chādar andāz. Some scholars note that the information on Ranjit Singh's marriages is unclear, and there is evidence that he had many concubines. Dr. Priya Atwal presents an official list of Ranjit Singh's thirty wives. The women married through chādar andāzī were noted as concubines and were known as
480-553: A religious diversity. His army included Polish, Russian, Spanish, Prussian and French officers. In 1835, as his relationship with the British warmed up, he hired a British officer named Foulkes. However, the Khalsa army of Ranjit Singh reflected the regional population, and as he grew his army, he dramatically increased the Rajputs and the Sikhs who became the predominant members of his army. In
576-733: A treaty with the British viceroy Lord Auckland to restore Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne in Kabul. In pursuance of this agreement, the British army of the Indus entered Afghanistan from the south, while Ranjit Singh's troops went through the Khyber Pass and took part in the victory parade in Kabul. The Sikh Empire, also known as the Sikh Raj and Sarkar-a-Khalsa, was in the Punjab region, the name of which means "the land of
672-401: Is also known for its baking traditions. Sheermal , Bakarkhani (puff pastry), Lavas (unleavened bread), Tsochwor (hard, bagel-shaped bread) and Kulche are popular baked goods. [REDACTED] Media related to Kashmiri people at Wikimedia Commons Maharajah Ranjit Singh (Punjab) Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of
768-464: Is observable among Kashmiri-speakers in Azad Kashmir according to linguist Tariq Rahman , as they gradually adopt local dialects such as Pahari-Pothwari , Hindko or move towards the lingua franca Urdu . This has resulted in these languages gaining ground at the expense of Kashmiri. There have been calls for the promotion of Kashmiri at an official level; in 1983, a Kashmiri Language Committee
864-481: Is of Iranian origin) and Santoor . A traditional dance form usually performed by women on occasions like marriages and similar social functions is Rouf . Meat and rice are popular food items among Kashmiris, rice being considered a staple food . Noon Chai or Sheer Chai and Kahweh are beverages of Kashmir. Wazwan is a multi-course meal in Kashmir prepared by skilled chefs called Wazas . Kashmir
960-523: Is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India . It was a part of the eighth Schedule in the former Constitution of the Jammu and Kashmir. Along with other regional languages mentioned in the Sixth Schedule , as well as Hindi and Urdu, the Kashmiri language was to be developed in the state. Persian began to be used as the court language in Kashmir during the 14th century, under the influence of Islam. It
1056-426: Is said that Ishar Singh was not the biological son of Mehtab Kaur and Ranjit Singh, but only procured by Mehtab Kaur and presented to Ranjit Singh who accepted him as his son. Tara Singh and Sher Singh had similar rumours, it is said that Sher Singh was the son of a chintz weaver, Nahala and Tara Singh was the son of Manki, a servant in the household of Sada Kaur . Henry Edward Fane, the nephew and aide-de-camp to
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#17328517555261152-515: The 1998 Pakistan Census , there were 132,450 Kashmiri speakers in Azad Kashmir. Native speakers of the language were dispersed in "pockets" throughout Azad Kashmir, particularly in the districts of Muzaffarabad (15%), Neelam (20%) and Hattian (15%), with very small minorities in Haveli (5%) and Bagh (2%). The Kashmiri spoken in Muzaffarabad is distinct from, although still intelligible with,
1248-572: The Afghans throughout his teenage years. At the age of 21, he was proclaimed the "Maharaja of Punjab". His empire grew in the Punjab region under his leadership through 1839. Before his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim. Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create
1344-614: The Chattha chieftain Pir Muhammad. Ranjit Singh contracted smallpox as an infant, which resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and a pockmarked face. He was short in stature, never schooled, and did not learn to read or write anything beyond the Gurmukhi alphabet. However, he was trained at home in horse riding, musketry and other martial arts. At age 12, his father died. He then inherited his father's Sukerchakia Misl estates and
1440-748: The First Anglo-Sikh War , the Treaty of Lahore was signed and upon the purchase of the region from the British under the Treaty of Amritsar , the Raja of Jammu , Gulab Singh , became ruler of Kashmir. The rule of the Dogra dynasty under the British Crown lasted until 1947, when the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir became part of India. It is now a disputed territory, administered by three countries: India, Pakistan, and
1536-557: The Jammu region , sizeable population of Kashmiri Muslims lives in the Doda , Ramban and Kishtwar districts, sometimes collectively referred to as the Chenab valley . There are also ethnic Kashmiri Muslim populations inhabiting Neelum and Leepa Valleys of Pakistani-administrated Kashmir . Since 1947, many ethnic Kashmiri Muslims have also lived in Punjab, Pakistan . Many ethnic Kashmiri Muslims from
1632-639: The Karkota Empire , Kashmir grew as an imperial power. Lalitaditya Muktapida defeated Yashovarman of Kanyakubja and conquered the eastern kingdoms of Magadha, Kamarupa , Gauda , and Kalinga . He defeated the Arabs at Sindh . The Utpala dynasty , founded by Avantivarman , followed the Karkotas. Queen Didda , who descended from the Hindu Shahis of Udabhandapura on her mother's side, took over as ruler in
1728-437: The Kashmir Valley also migrated to the Punjab region during Dogra and Sikh rule. The Kashmiri language is the mother tongue of majority of Kashmiri Muslims. Islam started making inroads in the 12th and 13th centuries. The earliest copy of Quran in Kashmir dates back to 1237 AD and was calligraphed by Fateh Ullah Kashmiri who is believed to be a then Kashmiri Islamic scholar. The first Muslim missionary in Kashmir
1824-624: The Kashmir valley are from around 3000 BCE. The most important sites are at Burzahom . During the later Vedic period , the Uttara–Kurus settled in Kashmir. During the reign of Ashoka (304–232 BCE), Kashmir became part of the Maurya Empire and the city of Srinagari ( Srinagar ) was built. Kanishka (127–151 CE), an emperor of the Kushan dynasty , conquered Kashmir. In the eighth century, during
1920-612: The Kashmiri Muslim diaspora in Punjab was Muhammad Iqbal (who took pride in his Brahman ancestry and whose poetry displayed a keen sense of belonging to the Kashmir Valley ). Another famous proud Kashmiri writer from Punjab was Saadat Hasan Manto . According to the 1921 Census the total Kashmiri population in Punjab was 169,761. However, the Census report stated that only 3% of Kashmiris settled in Punjab retained their Kashmiri language. The number of people speaking Kashmiri in 1901
2016-602: The Khalsa community of Sikh warriors by Guru Gobind Singh accelerated the decay and fragmentation of the Mughal power in the region. Raiding Afghans attacked the Indus river valleys but met resistance from both organised armies of the Khalsa Sikhs as well as irregular Khalsa militias based in villages. The Sikhs had appointed own zamindars , replacing the previous Muslim revenue collectors, which provided resources to feed and strengthen
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#17328517555262112-469: The Nakai Misl in 1797 and she turned into Ranjit's most beloved wife. Mehtab Kaur had three sons, Ishar Singh who was born in 1804 and died in infancy. In 1807 she had Sher Singh and Tara Singh . According to historian Jean-Marie Lafont, she was the only one to bear the title of Maharani . She died in 1813, after suffering from failing health. His second marriage was to, Datar Kaur (Born Raj Kaur )
2208-709: The Nihangs , whose leader Akali Phula Singh was the Jathedar of the Akal Takht . When Ranjit Singh visited Amritsar , he was called outside the Akal Takht, where he was made to apologise for his mistakes. Akali Phula Singh took Ranjit Singh to a tamarind tree in front of the Akal Takht and prepared to punish him by flogging him. Then Akali Phula Singh asked the nearby Sikh pilgrims whether they approved of Ranjit Singh's apology. The pilgrims responded with Sat Sri Akal and Ranjit Singh
2304-510: The Sikh Empire , serving on the throne of Punjab from 1801; of Jammu from 1808; and of Kashmir from 1819, until his death in 1839. He ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye. He fought his first battle alongside his father at age 10. After his father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, Ranjit subsequently fought several wars to expel
2400-492: The gurmata and provided significant patronage to the Udasi and Nirmala sect, leading to their prominence and control of Sikh religious affairs. The army under Ranjit Singh was not limited to the Sikh community. The soldiers and troop officers included Sikhs, but also included Hindus, Muslims and Europeans. Hindu Brahmins and people of all creeds and castes served his army, while the composition in his government also reflected
2496-483: The 1921 Census was recorded as 796,804. The 1931 Census report also reiterated that the 'Kashmiri Muslim' population occupied the foremost position in the State (other communities in the princely State being Gujjars , Jats , Sudhans , Rajputs and Arains etc.). It recorded the Kashmiri Muslim population as 1,352,822. The 1931 Census report explains that the 'phenomenal' increase in the number of Kashmiri Muslims by 556,018
2592-517: The 1931 Census. In the early twentieth century, famines and the policies of the Dogra rulers drove many Kashmiri Muslims to flee their native land to Punjab . Kashmiri Muslims constituted an important segment of several Punjabi cities such as Gujranwala , Sialkot , Gujrat , Lahore , Amritsar and Ludhiana . Kashmiris who migrated from Amritsar in 1947 have had a big influence on Lahore 's contemporary cuisine and culture. The Kashmiris of Amritsar were more steeped in their Kashmiri culture than
2688-453: The Afghan army. Much of the Afghan army retreated back to Afghanistan. In 1799, Raja Ranjit Singh's army of 25,000 Khalsa , supported by another 25,000 Khalsa led by his mother-in-law Rani Sada Kaur of Kanhaiya misl , in a joint operation attacked the region controlled by Bhangi Sikhs centered around Lahore. The rulers escaped, marking Lahore as the first major conquest of Ranjit Singh. The Sufi Muslim and Hindu population of Lahore welcomed
2784-590: The Afghan forces of Nadir Shah and later Azim Khan. His court was ecumenical in composition: his prime minister, Dhian Singh , was a Hindu ( Dogra ); his foreign minister, Fakir Azizuddin , was a Muslim; and his finance minister, Dina Nath, was also a Hindu ( Brahmin ). Artillery commanders such as Mian Ghausa were also Muslims. There were no forced conversions in his time. His wives Bibi Mohran, Gilbahar Begum retained their faith and so did his Hindu wives. He also employed and surrounded himself with astrologers and soothsayers in his court. Ranjit Singh had also abolished
2880-773: The British officials of the East India Company, in which he agreed that his Sikh forces would not attempt to expand south of the Sutlej River, and the Company agreed that it would not attempt to militarily cross the Sutlej River into the Sikh territory. In 1807, Ranjit Singh's forces attacked the Muslim ruled Kasur and, after a month of fierce fighting in the Battle of Kasur defeated the Afghan chief Qutb-ud-Din, thus expanding his empire northwest towards Afghanistan. He took Multan in 1818, and
2976-805: The Commander-in-Chief, India, General Sir Henry Fane, who spent several days in Ranjit Singh's company, reported, "Though reported to be the Maharaja's son, Sher Singh's father has never thoroughly acknowledged him, though his mother always insisted on his being so. A brother of Sher, Tara Singh by the same mother, has been even worse treated than himself, not being permitted to appear at court, and no office given him, either of profit or honour." Five Years in India , Volume 1, Henry Edward Fane, London, 1842 Multana Singh , Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh were sons of
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3072-619: The Doaba region his army was composed of the Jat Sikhs, in Jammu and northern Indian hills it was Hindu Rajputs, while relatively more Muslims served his army in the Jhelum river area closer to Afghanistan than other major Panjab rivers. Ranjit Singh changed and improved the training and organisation of his army. He reorganised responsibility and set performance standards in logistical efficiency in troop deployment, manoeuvre , and marksmanship . He reformed
3168-464: The Kashmir Valley for Punjab to escape the devastation of those years found upon their return that they had been ousted from lands that they had cultivated over generations. A large number of Muslim Kashmiris migrated from the Kashmir Valley to the Punjab due to conditions in the princely state such as famine, extreme poverty and harsh treatment by the Dogra Hindu regime (according to Prem Nath Bazaz
3264-593: The Kashmiri Muslims faced this harsh treatment because of their religion). According to the 1911 Census there were 177,549 Kashmiri Muslims in the Punjab . With the inclusion of Kashmiri settlements in NWFP this figure rose to 206,180. The 1921 Census report stated that Kashmiri Muslims formed 31% of the Muslim population of the entire princely state of Jammu and Kashmir . The 1921 Census report also stated that Kashmiri Muslims are sub-divided into numerous sub-castes such as Bhatt, Dhar , Wani etc. The Kashmiri Muslim population in
3360-552: The Kashmiri of the Neelam Valley to the north. In Neelam Valley, Kashmiri is the second most widely spoken language and the majority language in at least a dozen or so villages, where in about half of these, it is the sole mother tongue. The Kashmiri dialect of Neelum is closer to the variety spoken in northern Kashmir Valley, particularly Kupwara . At the 2017 Census of Pakistan , as many as 350,000 people declared their first language to be Kashmiri. A process of language shift
3456-585: The Kashmiris of Lahore. An exclusive research conducted by the " Jang Group and Geo Television Network " showed that the Kashmiri community had been involved in spearheading the power politics of Lahore district since 1947. Notable members of the Kashmiri Muslim diaspora in Punjab include Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (paternal ancestry from Anantnag), Finance Minister Ishaq Dar , politician Khawaja Asif , and former Chief Justice Lahore High Court Khawaja Muhammad Sharif . Another notable member of
3552-560: The Maharaja or coins being struck in her name. Bibi Moran spent the rest of life in Pathankot. Duleep Singh makes a list of his father's queens which also does not mention Bibi Moran. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire fell apart and declined in its ability to tax or govern most of the Indian subcontinent. In the northwestern region, particularly the Punjab, the creation of
3648-620: The Panjab region into his control through his general Shahanchi Khan and 12,000 soldiers. The battle was fought in the territory that fell in Ranjit Singh's controlled misl, whose regional knowledge and warrior expertise helped resist the invading army. This victory at the Battle of Amritsar (1798) gained him recognition. In 1798, the Afghan ruler sent in another army, which Ranjit Singh did not resist. He let them enter Lahore, then encircled them with his army, blocked off all food and supplies, and burnt all crops and food sources that could have supported
3744-465: The People's Republic of China. There are about 6.8 million speakers of Kashmiri and related dialects in Jammu and Kashmir and amongst the Kashmiri diaspora in other states of India. Most Kashmiris are located in the Kashmir Valley and other areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In the Kashmir valley, they form a majority. Kashmiri is spoken by roughly five per cent of Azad Kashmir 's population. According to
3840-588: The Phulkias misl had switched loyalties in the late 18th century and supported the Afghan army invasion against their Khalsa brethren. The Kasur region, ruled by Muslims, always supported the Afghan invasion forces and joined them in plundering Sikh misls during the war. Ranjit Singh's fame grew in 1797, at age 17, when the Afghan Muslim ruler Shah Zaman, of the Ahmad Shah Abdali dynasty , attempted to annex
3936-573: The Punjab retained emotional and familial links to Kashmir and felt obliged to struggle for the freedom of their brethren in the Valley . Kashmiris Kashmiris ( Kashmiri pronunciation: [kəːʃirʲ] ) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group speaking the Kashmiri language and originating from the Kashmir Valley , which is today located in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir . The earliest known Neolithic sites in
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4032-511: The Sikh Empire. He repeatedly defeated invasions by outside armies , particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly relations with the British . Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment in infrastructure and general prosperity. His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs , Hindus , Muslims and Europeans . His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including
4128-492: The Sikh forces against the Afghan forces of Shah Mahmud led by Fateh Khan Barakzai. The Afghans lost their stronghold at Attock in that battle. In 1813–14, Ranjit Singh's first attempt to expand into Kashmir was foiled by Afghan forces led by Azim Khan , due to a heavy downpour, the spread of cholera, and poor food supply to his troops. In 1818, Darbar's forces led by Kharak Singh and Misr Dewan Chand occupied Multan, killing Muzaffar Khan and defeating his forces, leading to
4224-576: The Sikh path. His policies were based on respect for all communities, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. A devoted Sikh, Ranjit Singh restored and built historic Sikh Gurdwaras – most famously, the Harmandir Sahib , and used to celebrate his victories by offering thanks at the Harmandir. He also joined the Hindus in their temples out of respect for their sentiments. The veneration of cows was promoted and cow slaughter
4320-579: The Sikhs led by him and the Afghans, which displayed the extent of the western boundaries of the Sikh Empire. On 25 November 1838, the two most powerful armies on the Indian subcontinent assembled in a grand review at Ferozepore as Ranjit Singh, the Maharajah of the Punjab brought out the Dal Khalsa to march alongside the sepoy troops of the East India Company and the British troops in India. In 1838, he agreed to
4416-516: The State's civil administration and were barred from officer positions in the military. Prem Nath Bazaz , one of the few Kashmiri Pandits who joined the movement for change, described the poor conditions of the Valley's Muslim population as such: The poverty of the Muslim masses is appalling. Dressed in rags and barefoot, a Muslim peasant presents the appearance of a starved beggar...Most are landless laborers, working as serfs for absentee landlords. There
4512-578: The State. During the expedition to Multan in 1818 , she was given command alongside her son, Kharak Singh . Throughout his life she remained Ranjit Singh's favorite and for no other did he have greater respect for than Datar Kaur, who he affectionately called Mai Nakain. Even though she was his second wife she became his principal wife and chief consort. During a hunting trip with Ranjit Singh, she fell ill and died on 20 June 1838. Ratan Kaur and Daya Kaur were wives of Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujrat (a misl north of Lahore, not to be confused with
4608-461: The Valley to a number of hardships in the practice of their religion. The central mosque, Jama Masjid , was closed for 20 years and Muslims were prohibited from issuing the azan (call to prayer). If a Sikh murdered a Hindu the compensation amount allowed was four rupees. However, if a Sikh murdered a Muslim the compensation amount allowed was only two rupees. During the Sikh rule Kashmir had begun to attract European visitors, several of whom wrote of
4704-469: The abject poverty of the Muslim peasantry and the exorbitant taxes under the Sikhs. According to some contemporary accounts, high taxes had depopulated large tracts of the countryside. Kashmiri histories emphasize the wretchedness of life for common Kashmiris during the Sikh rule. According to them, the peasantry became mired in poverty and migrations of Kashmiri peasants to the plains of Punjab reached high proportions. Several European travelers' accounts from
4800-549: The end of Afghan influence in the Punjab. In July 1818, an army from the Punjab defeated Jabbar Khan, a younger brother of the governor of Kashmir Azim Khan, and acquired Kashmir, along with a yearly revenue of Rs seventy lacs. Dewan Moti Ram was appointed governor of Kashmir. In 1823, Yusufzai Pashtuns fought the army of Ranjit Sing north of the Kabul River . In 1834, Mohammed Azim Khan once again marched towards Peshawar with an army of 25,000 Khattak and Yasufzai tribesmen in
4896-419: The event of external invasion such as from the Muslim armies of Ahmed Shah Abdali from Afghanistan, they would usually unite. Towards the end of 18th century, the five most powerful misls were those of Sukkarchakkia, Kanhayas, Nakkais, Ahluwalias and Bhangi Sikhs. Ranjit Singh belonged to the first, and through marriage had a reliable alliance with Kanhayas and Nakkais. Among the smaller misls, some such as
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#17328517555264992-671: The exonym Pandit . The Muslims living in Kashmir are of the same stock as the Kashmiri Pandit community and are designated as Kashmiri Muslims . Kashmiri Muslims are descended from Kashmiri Hindus who converted to Islam , and Kashmiri Pandits are the predecessors of the Kashmiri Muslims, who now form the majority population in the Kashmir Valley Both the Kashmiri Hindus and Muslim society reckons descent patrilineally. Certain property and titles may be inherited through
5088-399: The fact that Kashmiris had suffered under the Afghan rulers, they initially welcomed the Sikh rule. However the Sikhs turned out to be hard taskmasters and their rule was generally considered oppressive. Scholar Christopher Snedden states that the Sikhs exploited Kashmiris regardless of religion. The Sikhs enacted a number of anti-Muslim policies, subjecting the Muslim majority population of
5184-451: The famine the office of Prime Minister was held by a Kashmiri Pandit, Wazir Punnu, who is said to have declared that there '' was no real distress and that he wished that no Musulman might be left alive from Srinagar to Rambhan (in Jammu). '' When lands fell fallow temporarily during the famine, Kashmiri Pandits took over substantial tracts of them claiming that they were uncultivated waste. Numerous Kashmiri Muslim cultivators who had left
5280-509: The final spouse of Ranjit Singh. Her father, Manna Singh Aulakh, extolled her virtues to Ranjit Singh, who was concerned about the frail health of his only heir Kharak Singh. The Maharaja married her in 1835 by 'sending his arrow and sword to her village'. On 6 September 1838 she gave birth to Duleep Singh , who became the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire . His other wives included, Mehtab Devi of Kangara also called Guddan or Katochan and Raj Banso, daughters of Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra. He
5376-535: The five rivers". The five rivers are the Beas , Ravi , Sutlej , Chenab and Jhelum , all of which are tributaries of the river Indus . The geographical reach of the Sikh Empire under Singh included all lands north of Sutlej River, and south of the high valleys of the northwestern Himalayas. The major towns at the time included Srinagar, Attock, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi, Jammu, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kangra, Amritsar, Lahore and Multan. Muslims formed around 70%, Hindus formed around 24%, and Sikhs formed around 6–7% of
5472-408: The fore the tensions that underlay Kashmiri society between the interests of the Hindu Kashmiri Pandit community and the numerically preponderant Kashmiri Muslim cultivators. However, while both acknowledged the oppression of Kashmiri Muslims, the solutions offered by Lawrence and Wingate differed from each other. While both acknowledged the responsibility of the Kashmiri Pandit community in exacerbating
5568-425: The greatest missionary whose personality wielded the most extraordinary influence in the spread of Islam in Kashmir was Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani of Hamadan (Persia) popularly known as Shah-i-Hamadan. He belonged to the Kubrawi order of Sufis and came to Kashmir along with seven hundred disciples and helpers. His emphasis was on the Islamization of royal family and the court as a pre-requisite for Islamizing people. This
5664-471: The lesser title of Rani (queen). While Mehtab Kaur and Datar Kaur officially bore the title of Maharani (high queen), Datar Kaur officially became the Maharani after the death of Mehtab Kaur in 1813. Throughout her life was referred to as Sarkar Rani . After her death, the title was held by Ranjit's youngest widow Jind Kaur. According to Khushwant Singh in an 1889 interview with the French journal Le Voltaire , his son Dalip (Duleep) Singh remarked, "I am
5760-451: The male line, but certain inheritances may accrue through the female line. After Kashmiri Hindus converted to Islam they largely retained their family names ( kram ) which indicated their original profession, locality or community. These include: The traditional types of music of Kashmir are Sufi Kalam , Wanvun , Chakri , Henzae , and Ladishah . Some of the musical instruments used in Kashmir are Rubab , Tumbaknaer (which
5856-601: The muklawa happened in 1796. She was the only daughter of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya and his wife Sada Kaur . She was the granddaughter of Jai Singh Kanhaiya , the founder of the Kanhaiya Misl . This marriage was pre-arranged in an attempt to reconcile warring Sikh misls , Mehtab Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in 1786. The marriage, however, failed, with Mehtab Kaur never forgiving the fact that her father had been killed in battle with Ranjit Singh's father, and she mainly resided with her mother after marriage. The separation became complete when Ranjit Singh married Datar Kaur of
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#17328517555265952-405: The name of Guru Nanak named the "NanakShahi" ("of the Emperor Nanak"). In 1802, Ranjit Singh, aged 22, took Amritsar from the Bhangi Sikh misl , paid homage at the Harmandir Sahib temple, which had previously been attacked and desecrated by the invading Afghan army, and announced that he would renovate and rebuild it with marble and gold. On 1 January 1806, Ranjit Singh signed a treaty with
6048-407: The name of jihad, to fight against infidels. The Maharaja defeated the forces. Yar Mohammad was pardoned and was reinvested as governor of Peshawar with an annual revenue of Rs one lac ten thousand to Lahore Darbar. In 1835, the Afghans and Sikhs met again at the Standoff at the Khyber Pass , however it ended without a battle. In 1837, the Battle of Jamrud , became the last confrontation between
6144-465: The number of Kashmiris in the Punjab as 179,020 while the 1891 Census recorded the Kashmiri population as 225,307 but the number of Kashmiri speakers recorded in the 1891 Census was 28,415. Scholar Ayesha Jalal states that Kashmiris faced discrimination in the Punjab as well. Kashmiris settled for generations in the Punjab were unable to own land, including the family of Muhammad Iqbal . Scholar Chitralekha Zutshi states that Kashmiri Muslims settled in
6240-450: The period testify to and provide evidence for such assertions. The Sikhs lost their independence with the Battle of Subraon. In 1846 Kashmir came under the rule of Gulab Singh , a Hindu Dogra Maharajah under the British suzerainty. The 100 year Dogra regime turned out to be a disaster for the Muslim peasantry of Kashmir Valley . Walter Lawrence described the conditions of the Kashmir Valley's peasantry as being 'desperate' and noted that
6336-468: The rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurdwaras , including Takht Sri Patna Sahib , Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded , Maharashtra under his sponsorship. Ranjit Singh was succeeded by his son Kharak Singh . Ranjit Singh also founded the Order of the Propitious Star of Punjab in 1837 . Singh is known by several titles such as Sher-e-Punjab ("Lion of Punjab") and Sarkar-e Wallah (Head of Government). Ranjit Singh
6432-552: The rule of Ranjit Singh. In 1800, the ruler of the Jammu region ceded control of his region to Ranjit Singh. In 1801, Ranjit Singh proclaimed himself as the "Maharaja of Punjab", and agreed to a formal investiture ceremony, which was carried out by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi – a descendant of Guru Nanak. On the day of his coronation, prayers were performed across mosques, temples and gurudwaras in his territories for his long life. Ranjit Singh called his rule "Sarkar Khalsa", and his court "Darbar Khalsa". He ordered new coins to be issued in
6528-413: The same stock as the Kashmiri Hindu community. Both Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims trace their descent patrilineally. Certain property and titles may be inherited through the male line, but certain inheritances may accrue through the female line. After Kashmiri Hindus had converted to Islam they largely retained their family names ( kram ) which indicated their original profession, locality or community. In
6624-445: The second half of the 10th century. After her death in 1003 CE, the Lohara dynasty ruled the region. In 1339, Shah Mir became the ruler of Kashmir, establishing the Shah Mir dynasty . During the rule of the Shah Mir dynasty, Islam spread in Kashmir. From 1586 to 1751, the Mughal Empire ruled Kashmir. The Afghan Durrani Empire ruled from 1747 until 1819. The Sikhs , under Ranjit Singh , annexed Kashmir in 1819. In 1846, after
6720-544: The situation of the Muslim cultivating classes, Wingate was far more uncompromising in demanding that the privileges of the Pandit community be eliminated. However, Lawrence proposed to provide relief to Kashmir's cultivating class without eliminating the privileges of the Kashmiri Pandits . Gawasha Nath Kaul described the poor conditions of the Kashmir Valley's Muslim population in his book Kashmir Then And Now and in it he wrote that 90 percent of Muslim households were mortgaged to Hindu moneylenders. Muslims were non-existent in
6816-399: The son of one of my father's forty-six wives." Dr. Priya Atwal notes that Ranjit Singh and his heirs entered a total of 46 marriages. But Ranjit Singh was known not to be a "rash sensualist" and commanded unusual respect in the eyes of others. Faqir Sayyid Vaḥiduddin states: "If there was one thing in which Ranjit Singh failed to excel or even equal the average monarch of oriental history, it
6912-485: The state of Gujarat). After Sahib Singh's death, Ranjit Singh took them under his protection in 1811 by marrying them via the rite of chādar andāzī , in which a cloth sheet was unfurled over each of their heads. The same with Roop Kaur, Gulab Kaur, Saman Kaur, and Lakshmi Kaur who looked after Duleep Singh when his mother Jind Kaur was exiled. Ratan Kaur had a son Multana Singh in 1819, and Daya Kaur had two sons Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh in 1821. Jind Kaur ,
7008-580: The total population living in Singh's empire Ranjit Singh allowed men from different religions and races to serve in his army and his government in various positions of authority. His army included a few Europeans, such as the Frenchman Jean-François Allard , though Singh maintained a policy of refraining from recruiting Britons into his service, aware of British designs on the Indian subcontinent. Despite his recruitment policies, he did maintain
7104-427: The two widows of Sahib Singh, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, whom Ranjit Singh took under his protection and married. These sons, are said to be, not biologically born to the queens and only procured and later presented to and accepted by Ranjit Singh as his sons. In 1802, Ranjit Singh married Moran Sarkar , a Muslim nautch girl . This action, and other non- Sikh activities of the Maharaja, upset orthodox Sikhs, including
7200-473: The valley's peasantry attributed their miseries to the Maharajah's deputies rather than the rulers themselves. The state officials apparently kept the rulers from knowing the conditions of the Muslim peasantry in the Kashmir Valley. Lawrence in particular criticized the state officials who belonged to the Kashmiri Pandit community. Lawrence provided evidence that while many of the Kashmiri Pandit officials may have been '' individually gentle and intelligent, as
7296-690: The vastly dominant religion of the Kashmiri masses by the fourteenth century. A greater part of the population converted during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Shah Miri . Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani's impact in Kashmir was not only confined to religion but had a great say on culture, industry and economy of Kashmir. Spread of shawl making, carpet manufacturing, cloth weaving, etc. gained great prominence by his efforts. In 1819 Kashmir came under Maharajah Ranjit Singh 's Sikh Empire and Sikh rule over Kashmir lasted for 27 years till 1846. These 27 years of Sikh rule saw 10 Governors in Kashmir. Of these 10 Governors five were Hindus, three were Sikhs and two were Muslims. Due to
7392-449: The warriors aligned with Sikh interests. Meanwhile, colonial traders and the East India Company had begun operations in India on its eastern and western coasts. By the second half of the 18th century, the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and parts of north India) were a collection of fourteen small warring regions. Of the fourteen, twelve were Sikh-controlled misls (confederacies), one named Kasur (near Lahore)
7488-594: The whole Bari Doab came under his rule with that conquest. In 1819 at the Battle of Shopian , he successfully defeated the Afghan Sunni Muslim rulers and annexed Srinagar and Kashmir , stretching his rule into the north and the Jhelum valley, beyond the foothills of the Himalayas. The most significant encounters between the Sikhs in the command of the Maharaja and the Afghans were in 1813, 1823, 1834 and 1837. In 1813, Ranjit Singh's general Dewan Mokham Chand led
7584-488: The youngest child and only daughter of Ran Singh Nakai , the third ruler of the Nakai Misl and his wife Karman Kaur . They were betrothed in childhood by Datar Kaur's eldest brother, Sardar Bhagwan Singh, who briefly became the chief of the Nakai Misl, and Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh. They were married in 1797; this marriage was a happy one and Ranjit Singh always treated Raj Kaur with love and respect. Since Raj Kaur
7680-478: Was 8,523 but had decreased to 7,190 in 1911. By 1921 the number of people speaking Kashmiri in Punjab had fallen to 4,690. The 1921 Census report stated that this fact showed that the Kashmiris who had settled in Punjab had adopted the Punjabi language of their neighbors. In contrast, the 1881 Census of Punjab had shown that there were 49,534 speakers of the Kashmiri language in the Punjab. The 1881 Census had recorded
7776-438: Was Muslim controlled, and one in the southeast was led by an Englishman named George Thomas. This region constituted the fertile and productive valleys of the five rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Bias and Sutlej. The Sikh misls were all under the control of the Khalsa fraternity of Sikh warriors, but they were not united and constantly warred with each other over revenue collection, disagreements, and local priorities; however, in
7872-494: Was Syed Sharaf-ud-Din Abdur Rahman Suhrawardi, popularly known as Bulbul Shah . He was an extensively traveled preacher and came to Kashmir during the reign of Raja Suhadeva (1301–20) the king of Lohara dynasty . After Suhadeva was killed by Rinchan & became the ruler, married suhadeva's daughter Kota Rani and appointed his son as chief and later he adopted Islam on advice of Shah Mir . In 1339 Kashmir throne
7968-485: Was a famine in Kashmir between 1877-9 and the death toll from this famine was overwhelming by any standards. Some authorities suggested that the population of Srinagar had been reduced by half while others estimated a diminution by three-fifths of the entire population of the Kashmir Valley. During the famine of 1877-9 not a single Pandit died of starvation during these annihilative years for the Muslim cultivators, according to reports received by Walter Roper Lawrence. During
8064-549: Was also married to Rani Har Devi of Atalgarh, Rani Aso Sircar and Rani Jag Deo According to the diaries, that Duleep Singh kept towards the end of his life, these women presented the Maharaja with four daughters. Dr. Priya Atwal notes that the daughters could be adopted. Ranjit Singh was also married to Jind Bani or Jind Kulan, daughter of Muhammad Pathan from Mankera and Gul Bano, daughter of Malik Akhtar from Amritsar. Ranjit Singh married many times, in various ceremonies, and had twenty wives. Sir Lepel Griffin , however, provides
8160-466: Was also the name of Ranjit Singh's mother, his wife was renamed Datar Kaur. In 1801, she gave birth to their son and heir apparent, Kharak Singh . Datar Kaur bore Ranjit Singh two other sons, Rattan Singh and Fateh Singh. Like his first marriage, the second marriage also brought him a strategic military alliance. Along with wisdom and all the chaste virtues of a noblewoman, Datar Kaur was exceptionally intelligent and assisted Ranjit Singh in affairs of
8256-452: Was an important modus operandi adopted by Syed Ali and his disciples. He was of the firm belief that the common masses followed the conduct and culture of their rulers. His disciples established shrines with lodging and langar at many places in Kashmir which served as centers for propagation of Islam. His preaching resulted in a large number of people, including priests of Hinduism and Buddhism and their followers converting to Islam, which became
8352-561: Was born in a Sandhawalia Jat Sikh family on 13 November 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in Gujranwala , Punjab region (present-day Punjab, Pakistan ). His mother Raj Kaur was the daughter of Sidhu Jat Sikh ruler Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind . Upon his birth, he was named Buddh Singh after his ancestor who was first in line to take Amrit Sanchaar . The child's name was changed to Ranjit (literally, "victor in battle") Singh ("lion") by his father to commemorate his army's victory over
8448-472: Was captured by Sultan Shahmir who founded Shah Mir dynasty in Kashmir. Subsequently, according to some traditions ten thousand Kashmiris converted to Islam and hence the seeds of Islam in Kashmir were sown. The spread of Islam among Kashmiris was further boosted by arrival of a host of other Sayyids , most prominent among them being Sayyid Jalal-ud-Din, Sayyid Taj-ud-Din and Sayyid Hussain Simanani. However,
8544-476: Was converted into "Moti Mandir" (Pearl Temple) by the Sikh army, and Sonehri Mosque was converted into a Sikh Gurdwara , but upon the request of Sufi Fakir (Satar Shah Bukhari), Ranjit Singh restored the latter to a mosque. Lahore's Begum Shahi Mosque was also used as a gunpowder factory, earning it the nickname Barudkhana Wali Masjid , or "Gunpowder Mosque." Singh's sovereignty was accepted by Afghan and Punjabi Muslims, who fought under his banner against
8640-445: Was due to several castes such as Hajjam, Hanji, Sayed and Sheikh being merged into the community. The 1931 Census report stated that the Bhat , Dar , Ganai, Khan , Lone , Malik, Mir , Pare, Rather, Sheikh , Varrier and Wani were the most major tribes among Kashmiri Muslims. Below are the population figures for the various sub-castes among the Kashmiri Muslim population according to
8736-596: Was punishable by death under his rule. He ordered his soldiers to neither loot nor molest civilians. He built several gurdwaras, Hindu temples and even mosques, and one in particular was Mai Moran Masjid, built at the behest of his beloved Muslim wife, Moran Sarkar . The Sikhs led by Singh never razed places of worship to the ground belonging to the enemy. However, he did convert Muslim mosques into other uses. For example, Ranjit Singh's army desecrated Lahore's Badshahi Mosque and converted it into an ammunition store, and horse stables. Lahore's Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque)
8832-423: Was raised by his mother Raj Kaur, who, along with Lakhpat Rai, also managed the estates. The first attempt on his life was made when he was 13, by Hashmat Khan, but Ranjit Singh prevailed and killed the assailant instead. At age 18, his mother died and Lakhpat Rai was assassinated, and thereon he was helped by his mother-in-law from his first marriage. In 1789, Ranjit Singh married his first wife Mehtab Kaur ,
8928-556: Was released and forgiven. An alternative holds that Ranjit went to visit Moran on his arrival in Amritsar before paying his respects at Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara , which upset orthodox Sikhs and hence was punished by Akali Phula Singh. Iqbal Qaiser and Manveen Sandhu make alternative accounts of the relationship between Moran and the Maharaja; the former states they never married, while the latter states that they married. Court chronicler, Sohan Lal Suri makes no mention of Moran's marriage to
9024-474: Was replaced by Urdu in 1889 during the Dogra rule . In 2020, Kashmiri became an official language in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. Kashmiri is closely related to Poguli and Kishtwari , which are spoken in the mountains to the south of the Kashmir Valley and have sometimes been counted as dialects of Kashmiri. Kashmiri Hindus are Saraswat Brahmins and are known by
9120-522: Was set up by the government to patronise Kashmiri and impart it in school-level education. However, the limited attempts at introducing the language have not been successful, and it is Urdu, rather than Kashmiri, that Kashmiri Muslims have seen as their identity symbol. Rahman notes that efforts to organise a Kashmiri language movement have been challenged by the scattered nature of the Kashmiri-speaking community in Azad Kashmir. The Kashmiri language
9216-463: Was the size of his harem." George Keene noted, "In hundreds and in thousands the orderly crowds stream on. Not a bough is broken off a wayside tree, not a rude remark to a woman". According to the pedigree table and Duleep Singh 's diaries that he kept towards the end of his life another son Fateh Singh was born to Mai Nakain, who died in infancy. According to Henry Edward only Datar Kaur and Jind Kaur's sons are Ranjit Singh's biological sons. It
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