A Brief History of Jihad in Kashmir
Rajatarangini first begun by Kalhana and then continued by Jonraj records that Zul Qadir Khan (Dulchu?) was an early Turkish Tatar (or Tartar) who raided Kashmir with a savage horde of about 70000 barbarians. His plunder lasted eight months and when he was done, it left behind rivers of blood of thousands of massacred Hindus, expansive swathes of burnt crops, razed towns, and death and destruction. That one plunder turned the Paradise into a wasteland. Dulchu would’ve stayed on if not for the severe winter that foiled his plans. He took with him about 50000 kaffir men, women, and children to sell them in the lucrative slave markets in Turkistan (the Central Asian regions lying between Siberia on the north; Tibet, modern day Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran on the south; the Gobi Desert on the east; and the Caspian Sea on the west). However, a terrible blizzard ensued when he was crossing Devsar Pass and he perished with his entire army and captives. The place was subsequently known as Bata Sagan meaning “the death oven of Brahmins.”
This pretty much marks the beginning of the first genocide-cum-exodus of Kashmiri Brahmins or Pandits in their own homeland. This incredible site records seven such exoduses. Aside, it doesn’t make for easy reading. Line after line of cold prose records the horrid massacres of a peace-loving and innocent people who had attained collossal heights in culture, arts, and learning.

Thursday, 26. August 2010 - 12:37 PM | 24 comments »
This was published today in the Pioneer. Comments/criticism are welcome as always.
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Categories: Commentary, Indian Politics