One of the most exquisite creation of man on Fabric, arguably the finest. The Legendary Map Shawl of Kashmir commissioned by Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir for Queen Victoria of the British Empire and it took 30 years to create this masterpiece. We present for the first time, the Map deciphered as shown on the Shawl which is now on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Elusive Kashmir Sapphires
The Story of the Kashmir Sapphire, the finest Sapphire that exists. Very few true Kashmir Sapphires exist today and are mostly held in Museums and Private Collections. We delve into the fascinating history of when and where did these Kashmir Sapphires came from and why they are so rare.
The Last Queen of Kashmir
The story of Queen Kota or Kota Rani as she was also known. The trials and tribulations that she witnessed during a very volatile period in History. And of course the tragic end of the Last Queen of Kashmir.
The Remanent of an Army
The only surviving member of the Army of the Indus, was the assistant Surgeon William Brydon who was immortalized in this classical Painting by Elizabeth Butler called the “Remnant of an Army” as he trudged on his tired horse with the Fort of Jalalabad in sight. One of the worst defeats suffered by the British Empire.
The Temples of the Indus : Kafirkot
Along the lower foothills of the Salt Range along the Indus there lie a number of Temple Complexes built by what we now know as the Hindu Shahi Kings. Mysteriously nothing much of these seemingly magnificent Temple Complexes is mentioned in History and the fact that they survived itself is even more mysterious. The Temples of the Indus - Kafirkot.
Chitral Expedition
The Story of the the Chitral Expedition, a conflict in the shadows of the Hindu Kush and the Karakorams between the local Rulers and his tribesmen against the British and the soldiers of the Jammu and Kashmir state. A story of a seige and how it was finally broken.
Dalhousie's Colonel
The story of Col.Jagatram, a Doctor in the Indian Army, who had a dream. A Dream of growing Apples at his acquired Estate in Dalhousie.
The Forgotten Kashmiri
The Story of a forgotten adventurer, Mohan Lal Kashmiri, who started of as an Asissant to Alexander Burnes but went onto to become a Diplomat of sorts. He wrote the Biography of Dost Mohamed and was regaled by various Eastern potentates. But one day he just disappeared into obscurity off the scene of history
Antiquities from Ladakh at the British Museum
The Collection of Antiquities and everyday use Items from Ladakh at the British Museum Collection.
Kashmir Musings I
Random musings from Journeys in my Homeland of Kashmir. In this one we talk about the exquisite Wooden Ceiling Patterns created by the Kashmiri art of Khatamband. We also talk about the regal Residency Building in Kashmir which was once housed the British resident in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and which now serves as a Government Arts Emporium.
Around the Hari Parbat Hill
The Fort of Hari Parbat or the Koh-E-Miraan dominates the skyline of old Srinagar. The Fort was built by the Afghan Durranis who ruled the region at one point of time and has stood witness to the vagaries of time in Kashmir. Many places of historical / religious lay dotted around the Hill.
Saddles of the Horse Empires
The Horse and its Saddle were the main means of transport and one of the most important weapons in Warfare especially on the Central Asian steppes. No wonder the Empires built by the Nomads of Asian Steppes including the one built by Mongols under Changez Khan were also known as Horse Empires.
Tibetan Arts and Antiquities at the Shanghai Museum
The Shanghai Museum holds a collection of Tibetan Antiquities and Arts from down the ages in its Minority Ethnic Groups section. Here is a glimpse at some of the Tibetan pieces on display at the Museum.
British Museum Kashmir Collection Part I
The British Museum has a great Collection of Sculptures from Kashmir from the first Millenium AD. We try and highlight some of the selected pieces from the Museums Collection. All Pics and Descriptions are from the British Museum Website (http://www.britishmuseum.org/)
The Chingus 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.
A Place Called Chushul
On the desolate Changthang region of the Tibetan Plateau lies the Village of Chushul. It lies close to the Border with China. And it was here that a Treaty was signed and Ladakh became a part of the Sikh Empire.
When Two Great Gamers Met in High Asia
When two of the great Great Gamers from each side, Younghusband from the British Empire and Grombchevsky from Tsarist Russia met on the high Mountain wilderness on the other side of the Himalayas.
Vittorio Sella's Himalayan and Karakoram Classics
Vittorio Sella was an Italian photographer and mountaineer, who took photographs of mountains which are regarded as some of the finest ever made. He did extensive Photography in the Himalayas and the Karakorams.
Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian Antiquities
The Munshi Aziz Bhatt Museum of Central Antiquities which holds a priceless treasure of Items and Objects which were once traded on the legendary Kashmir to Yarkand Silk Route via Ladakh.
The Gilgit Manuscripts
The Gilgit Manuscripts discovered in the early 1900s in Gilgit are one of the oldest Buddhist Manuscripts discovered in India. Believed to be one of the most revered Buddhist scriptures, it represents the discourse delivered by Buddha towards the end of his life.