Well it starts with the Raja of Kishtwar called, very interestingly, Raja Mohammed Teg Singh also known as Saifullah Khan. Though the Rajas of Kishtwar had converted to Islam they kept a mix of Muslim Hindu names and followed many Hindu costums and this Raja was no different. He was a vassal of the Afhna Governor of Kashmir who fell out with the Rulers in Kabul. A force was sent to Kashmir from Kabul but the Governor stood up to it and was assisted in the same by forces from Kishtwar. And by this time Raja Mohammed Tegh Singh had got into a service a new Minister called Wazir Lakhpat Rai Padari, who as the name suggests was from Padar.
The Indigenous People of Jammu and Kashmir
The erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was one of the most diverse State in the country in Ethnic, Religious and Lingual dimensions. The main "People" of Jammu and Kashmir and its different regions are briefly described in this Article.
The Dudu Timber Saga
A tale from a time gone by when Forests were seen as great Resources of Timber and vast tract of these Himalayan Forests were given out on contract for Timber extraction. My Family was also involved in this Timber trade and were known as others in this business at Forest Leasees. This particular story is from the remote and unknown Dudu Latti Valley in Udhampur District in the Jammu Division of the Union Territory of J&K.
The Lingual Diversity of the state of Jammu and Kashmir
The state of Jammu and Kashmir is made up of a number of geographically separate Regions divided by Ranges of the Himalaya. Its home to a diverse variety of Ethnicity, Cultures, Religions and of course Languages and Dialects. This article looks at the language diversity in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Enchanting Padri Gali
The enchanting Padri Pass or Padri Galli or Padri Top which connects Chamba in Himachal Pradesh with Bhaderwah in the Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir at around 10,400 feet amsl. It is located around 110 kms from Chamba Town and around 40 kms from Bhaderwah and is the highest point of the Chamba Bhaderwah Highway. This is one of the important Passes which connects J and K with Himachal. In older times Bhaderwah was a part of the powerful Chamba Kingdom which held Kishtwar as well and even Zanskar.
The Chingus Sarai
The Entrance to the Sarai
The Chingus Sarai or Fort is an old Mughal era Sarai on the Mughal Road which connected Punjab with Kashmir over the Pir Panjals. The word “Chingus’ is derived from the Persian word for “Intestines”. It got this rather unflattering name after the intestines / entrails of one of the Great Mughals, Emperor Jahangir were buried here.