Adarsh Ajit
Name of the book : Kashmir Hindu
Heritage- A Study
Name of the Author : S N Pandit
Price : Rs 450/-
Pages : 463
At a time when Kashmiri Pandits, displaced from the valley more than two decades ago, are virtually delinked with their shrines, temples, symbols of faith, language, and the Kashmir legacy as a whole, S N Pandit, through his book, Kashmir Hindu Heritage-A Study, tries to regenerate their warmth and tie them again with these lost signs. Even analyzing the book by its face value the degree of toil exercised by the author in supplementing his personal readings with the historical authenticities is plainly disclosed. The big positivity of S N Pandit is that he has not locked up his works within the four walls but has extended it to the broader levels and agreeably bonded Kashmir with vast Bharat Varsha. Quoting Kalhan Mr. Pandit says that the mountain walls, acting as natural hurdles, have stopped foreign influences on Kashmir and thus there are little differences in socio-religious, ritualistic patterns and customs of people of Kashmir and that of the Bharat Varsha. However Pandit puts the present scholars the dock for their continued indifference towards the massive fortune of literature that is buried deep in libraries of the country and abroad.
The book has been divided into five chapters. In its first chapter ‘Puranas-our heritage’ S N Pandit remarks that Vishnudharmottara Purana is the most voluminous of all the three Puranas found till date in Kashmir and various Vaishnavite dictions found in the ancient Madra Desha (the area between the North Punjab to the south of Jammu province) have elaborately been discussed in it. Describing Nilmata Purana as a conversation between the king Janmejaye, son of Parikshita, and the grandson of Arjuna and Rishi Vaishampayana, pupil of Maharishi Vyasa, S N Pandit unfolds that the spirit of co-existence and brotherhood that existed among various castes and creeds like, the Shaivites, the Vaishnavaits, the followers of Brahma, Budha, the Nagas, the Pishachas, the Yakshas, etc., of the valley later on spread throughout the whole of the subcontinent. In other words, it can be said, that the author has defined Central Asia as the extension Kashmir.
Explaining Vasuki Purana, the author informs that in order to establish the ancient legacy of the Nagas, the Mahabharata clearly states that the great grandfather of Vasudeva was a Naga Chief, Vasuki. Quoting Smritis he states that fifteen Naga Rajas existed in the subcontinent to whom we offer our oblations while performing various rites. Most importantly the author has not missed to mention that Vasuki Purana is a short sketch of the religious places of the small valley of Bhaderwah also known as chota Kashmir.
In the second Chapter captioned The Tirathas Of Kashmir, S N Pandit, makes a political observation that the political upheavals and intense social turmoil and civilizational onslaughts virtually demolished the very roots of the millennia old social and cultural structure that had served as an anchor for the survival of the indigenous people and it could not be reassembled till date even by bits and slices so as to rebuild it to its ancient grandeur once again. Giving historical, religious and geographical backgrounds of Shankaracharya hillock, Shakti Peetha at Zabarvan, Shakti Peetha of Rajnya, Chakreshvra, Jwala Devi, etc the author says that the rock known as Shankarpal, is still lying on the mountain above Harvan without a trace of any inscription engraved on it. It is very important to mention here that the author has termed Ishwarsaroopa, Swami Lakshman Joo Maharaj as the last doyen of Kashmir Shaivism. About Mata Maha Rajnya S N Pandit reaffirms the legend that entering the valley of Satisar she is said to have touched some of the ancient tirthas of the valley like Manzgam, Luk Bhawan, Larkipora, Tikkar, Shailkputri, Haramukata Ganga and finally reaching Tulamula. Jagat Guru Shankaracharya is believed to have attained final realization at the feet of the Mother Goddess at Tulamula, and as per the author, Shankaracharya composed the famous Stutis in her praise called, Saundariya Lahari.
S N Pandit is not only focused towards pointing out the riches of Kashmir legacy but after discussing and narrating the things he, like a teacher, makes us to understand the magnitude of these possessions. While commenting on Janam Ashtami(Zarama Satam) he tries to elucidate the impact of the Yadava dynasty on the political map of the sub-continent and its past relations with Kashmir. The month of magha has been described as the holiest of all the twelve months of the year. Characterizing the significance of Gauri Tritiya, Kalhana, has been vociferously quoted. Kashmir, the abode of Shiva, is the home of Goddess Sarasvati. ‘The Sharada Tirtha appears to have lost its old grandeur and importance especially during the unfavourable medieval period of Kashmir history. We have a reference in the Rajatarngini vs., 2552 and 2706 confirming the siege of the fortress of Sharadi’. Even while narrating the story of Navreh Mavas, the concluding day of the year, Pandit feels it necessary to divulge that during the medieval period, a great son of the valley, Shri Shriya Bhat lived here, succeeded in changing the mind of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidine. It was due to his strenuous efforts of Shriya Bhat that the migrated and suffering Hindus were resettled in their ancestral homes.
The book may partially be called ‘one in all’ for Kashmiri Pandits because it carries a handful from all sections of community’s belongings, be it from history, geography, politics, society, religion, etc. Like an almanac it gives also essence of socio-religious practices. The photographs and the layout have been incorporated to make the things more understandable. The front cover carrying a photo of a dilapidated temple, and back-cover, a parental home of the author, show historical fumes which Pandits have gone through from time to time. The author has dedicated the book to his late father Shri Keshav Nath Pandit who was the victim in the dreaded jaws of militants and Islamic zealots. The cuttings of leading Urdu dailies included in the book aggravate the pain of the turmoil.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
