Kashmir

CONTENTS


CHAPTER I

SCENERY AND SEASONS

Bernier's impression of Kashmir in 1665--Comparison of
Kashmir and Switzerland--The road in--First signs of
spring--Srinagar in March--A start for
Shikar--Shikaris--Forest-clad hill-sides--Signs of
stag--View over the valley--Rosy mountains--Unrealised
beauties--A duck-shoot--The view from Hokrar--Harwan in
spring--Varying beauties of Kashmir--Harwan in May--Clouds
on the mountains--A Kashmir village--Irises and
roses--Trout-culture--A trout stream--Srinagar in April--The
view from Gupkar--A spring scene--Unusual rain--The Nishat
Bagh--Pandrathan--Srinagar in summer--The valley in
September--The end of the monsoon--The gorgeous autumn--A
Hokrar duck-shoot--The valley in winter--Shikaris--Shooting
in winter 1


CHAPTER II

TRAVEL IN KASHMIR

Travel in old times--My first entrance--My old
retainer--Present modes of travel--Stages from the
railway--Srinagar house-boats--Srinagar shops--Expeditions
from Srinagar--The descent from the Tragbal 47


CHAPTER III

SRINAGAR AND NEIGHBOURHOOD

An old capital--The Maharaja's arrival--Procession through
the city--The European quarter--The Jama Masjid--Shah
Hamadan--Dr. Neve's Hospital--The
Takht-i-Suliman--Pandrathan--The Dal Lake--The Nasim
Bagh--The Shalimar Bagh--The Nishat Bagh--Parihasapura 63


CHAPTER IV

THE RESIDENCY GARDEN

The first week in March--Fruit trees in bloom--Kashmir
tulips--Golden orioles--Roses in
May--Strawberries--Burbank's Delphiniums--The height of
summer--The garden in autumn--Autumnal colours 87


CHAPTER V

GULMARG

The "Meadow of Flowers"--Its numerous attractions--Views
over the valley--Flowers--Nanga Parbat 98


CHAPTER VI

THE VALLEYS AND PLACES OF INTEREST

The Sind Valley--Gangabal Lake--The Lolab--The Lidar
Valley--Martand--Achibal 108


CHAPTER VII

SPORT

Game Preservation--The year's bag--Duck-shooting--Fishing
118


CHAPTER VIII

THE PEOPLE

Kashmir beauties--The Pundits--Mohamedans--The Quadiani
sect--Kashmiri villagers--Boatmen 125


CHAPTER IX

THE HISTORY OF KASHMIR

Possible effect of natural beauty--Ancient
ruins--Martand--Greek influence--Buddhist
influence--Kanishka--Lalitaditya--Avantivarman--Short
reigns--Internal struggles--Perpetual intrigue--Advent of
Mohamedans--Zain-ul-ab-ul-din--Akbar--The Moghals--Afghan
oppressors--Sikhs--Rise of Gulab Singh--Break-up of
Sikhs--Gulab Singh and the British--Treaty of 1846--Gulab
Singh acquires Kashmir--Its deplorable state--Ranbir
Singh--Country still depressed--Famine of 1877--Improvements
during present reign 133


CHAPTER X

ADMINISTRATION

System of rule--Personal--Sources of revenue--Land revenue
assessment 183


CHAPTER XI

PRODUCTS AND MANUFACTURES

Wool--Silk--Fruit--Rice--Other grains--Experimental
farm--Soil--Implements--Forests--Mineral
products--Shawls--Carpets--Silk--Papier-mâché--Puttoo--
Boat-building--Trade 194


CHAPTER XII

THE ELECTRICAL SCHEME

Water-power turned to electric power--The Jhelum River
harnessed--The flume--The power-house--Difficulties
encountered--The dredging scheme 222


CHAPTER XIII

THE PEAKS AND MOUNTAIN RANGES

The Peak K2--Errors in observation--Nanga Parbat--Rocks of
great peaks--The Himalayan range 234


CHAPTER XIV

THE STORY OF THE MOUNTAINS

Interest of study--Kashmir under the sea--100,000,000 years
ago--Kashmir an archipelago--Finally upheaved--Cause of
upheaval--History of life--At first no land life--Ferns--The
Coal Measures--Great reptiles--Mammals--Kashmir valley a
lake--Appearance of man--Reflections on the story-