Fotedar - The chinar leaves: a political memoir

Kashmir has always been vivid in Indias consciousness, as a region of great natural beauty and spiritualism. The exquisitely picturesque image of snowy mountains, rich green forests and meadows, the noble Chinar being caressed by the soft, cool breeze from the mountains, sparkling rivers and serene lakes captivates the minds of all who know Kashmir.

Kashmir has other, and perhaps more significant, blessings. It has a rich history of social and religious harmony and a heritage of ethnic diversity and plurality of social ethos. These are woven into Kashmirs rich culture of arts and craft, costume and cuisine, language, literature, architecture, music and dance. Kashmir is home to sacred shrines and holy places of great antiquity which are revered by all religions. Diverse philosophies and religious traditions have flourished and co-existed harmoniously for centuries, nay, millennia.

According to mythology and legend, the region of the Kashmir valley was a huge lakecalled Satisarand the Rishi Kashyap drained the water of the lake and reclaimed the land, which was then called Kashyap-Mar, and later, Kashmir. The ancient Greeks referred to it tooas Kaspeiria, Kaspatyror, Kaspapyros, and so on. The great Chinese scholar-traveller Hiuen Tsang, who visited Kashmir in 631 AD and stayed for two years engrossed in his scholarly and religious studies, refers to Kashmir as Kia-she-mi-io. It remained part of the Mughal Empire as the summer residence. The famous gardens of Shalimar and Nishat owe their existence to the Mughals. After the Mughals, Kashmir passed on to the Pathans led by Ahmed Shah Abdali. He held it for sixty-seven years through his governors. Kashmir became part of the empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1819. His death in 1839 proved to be very significant for us. After the close of the first Anglo-Sikh war, Raja Gulab Singh was asked by the British to pay Rs 1 crore as war indemnity. Initially he expressed his inability to do so but later agreed to pay the sum on the condition that he was given a title to the territories. However, he did not take the Chamba area. An abatement of Rs 25 lakh was granted to him for the exclusion, and he ended up paying Rs 75 lakh to the British. The history of the present state of Jammu and Kashmir can be traced back to 1846, when Maharaja Gulab Singh got it leased to him. Gulab Singh was later succeeded by Maharaja Ranbir Singh and Maharaja Pratap Singh. Maharaja Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925, a few years before I was born.

My family hails from the Valley of Kashmir. It is said that our ancestors shifted to the Kashmir Valley in Rainawari after leaving their settlements on the bank of the legendary Saraswati river. The surname Fotedar came to be acquired because one of our forefathers was the custodian of the states treasury fot is Persian for treasury, and dar for charge.

There is a charming story as to how my forefathers settled in Mattan in Anantnag district. It is said that displaced by some political or other developments, our forefathers were migrating from Rainawari in Srinagar to a safer place. When they reached the village of Wanpuh, now on the SrinagarJammu National Highway, 3 km from Anantnag, further movement was blocked because heavy snowfall had closed down the Banihal Pass. This meant an enforced halt for several months before the pass reopened. While they waited, members of the party were enthralled by the surrounding environment. They found clear warm-water springs, and in the nearby village of Mattan, the beautiful Lidder river flowing by.