Brig Rajendra Singh
History, they say, is a significant teacher. They also say that history tends to repeat itself; lessons from history, if imbibed meaningfully, can help chart the future. And yet the fact remains that history is not everyone’s cup of tea. In the context of the Indian Subcontinent, military history and history are pretty intermingled. Military history, however, has still fewer takers. The reason is simple-military terminology, jargon and operational details sometimes become difficult to handle unless one is part of the uniformed fraternity. No wonder, then, that most Indians don’t understand the nuts and bolts of their history and, thus, accept distortions without raising an eyebrow. The dangerous implication of such an awareness level is the ease with which narratives get floated now and then. All kinds of narratives, despite their falsity, find their takers, further deepening our society’s existing fissures. The only possible remedy lies in exposure to the corrective reading of history. But then, as mentioned, history doesn’t appeal to everyone unless it is presented in a more appealing package.
A recently released book, ‘Battle for Kashmir: Conspiracy & War-August-November 1947’, is a step in that direction. Written in a narrative form, the text reads like a thriller. Despite a few creative liberties taken here and there, the work doesn’t belong to the historical fiction genre. Events and quotes are primarily drawn from numerous authentic sources that make an impressive bibliography. As the author states, a deliberate attempt has been made to present history in a story form duly backed by irrefutable evidence. The author has also refrained from inserting too many footnotes while offering the readers an option to contact him for specific references, if required, for a research job. Overall, it is a deeply researched work that doesn’t read like a thesis or a textbook. To that extent, it will appeal to anyone who likes to read. It is history presented in an easily readable avatar.
The title of the book is self-explanatory. This book covers the development between July and November 1947. During that period, the ruler of the princely State, Maharaja Hari Singh, was in Srinagar, and all important political developments-be it offering a Standstill Agreement to Delhi and Karachi or visits of Jinnah’s emissaries or appointment of the new PM of the State or release of Sheikh Abdullah or attempts to reach out to Delhi for accession and so on-happened in Kashmir. The invasion of 22 October 1947 and the eviction of invaders beyond Uri, too, occurred during this period. As the author mentions, this doesn’t mean nothing was happening in other parts of the State during this period. Jammu Province, specifically the Kathua-Jammu belt, Mirpur-Poonch area, etc., witnessed violence and turbulence originating from across the border almost simultaneously. However, with an intent to present history holistically and in a narrative form, a series of books is being brought out. Even though this book on Kashmir is the first to come out, its prequel, which covers the happening period between the arrival of Lord Mountbatten in March 1947 and independence in August 1947, is expected to hit the stands soon. Books on Jammu and Ladakh will follow in due course. Such an approach appears to be fair for a conflict fought across a vast geographical expanse and for over 14 months.
It is a thick book with 400 pages between its covers. Written in an easy-to-understand language, the book makes the reader feel a part of the drama unfolding in its pages. The pace of the story is moderately fast, and there is no unnecessary flab, thanks to a surgical approach towards the presentation. There are only a couple of maps to help the uninitiated assimilate the geography of the Valley; portraits of all important players have been inserted in one place. The paper quality is good, and the print is eye-friendly. The book is available online, both in print and Kindle formats.
The book’s author is a well-known name in the field of military history. With 22 published books, Colonel Ajay K Raina, SM, is considered an authority on the military history of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State. His earlier books on the 1947-48 conflict are well-regarded, and one of his books is part of the syllabus for a promotion exam in the Indian Army. No wonder the present book carries a stamp of authenticity and precise authority. While the author claims that each of his books in the ongoing series can be read independently, readers will find themselves wanting more as they hit the last page of this book.
(The reviewer is an author and Founder-Trustee of the Military History Research Foundation ®, India)
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