Culture and Heritage of Kashmir

Kashmir is a distinct geographical entity spread over a well-defined land mass covered by high mountains of the great Himalayan range. Excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India have established that the valley was first settled in the Neolithic period. The Neolithic culture, dating from 2400 BC onwards, is represented mainly by two archaeological sites: Burzhom, near Srinagar and Gufkral, near Tral.

The ancient cultures of the valley were dynamic and in a continual process of growth. The period dating from 500 BC to 200 BC has left its imprints in the artifacts and objects belonging to the famous Northern Black Polished (NBP) 2 period. This period is associated with the cultural heritage revolving around Gautama Buddha and the Mauryas. The discovery of NBP links Kashmir to the great sub-continental epoch of Ashoka. At Ushkar, near Barramula, excavations have found the first pre-Christian-era fragments of terracotta and buildings. The Ushkar finds display all features of later Gandhara art. These are followed by the Brahminical images showing the transition between classical Gandhara and Kashmiri sculpture. Harwan, a village near the city of Srinagar, is a prominent site where buildings and terracotta tiles have been excavated. These tiles reveal certain Sasanian and Central Asian characteristics with a background of Gandhara art of the 4th or 5th century.

Amongst the local kings, Lalitaditya (725-753 AD) had a lasting influence on the culture of Kashmir as demonstrated by the archaeological remains from his time. These are some of the largest and most magnificent monuments ever built in the country. The sun temple at Martand is the best representation of this glorious period. Lalitaditya built his capital city at Parihaspora, which even in its present ruined condition bears witness to the grandeur of this king.

Avantivarman (855-883 AD) was another great builder. His pursuits were more peaceful than Lalitaditya. The temples at Avantipura are a fine example of the architectural achievements of this period. The finds at Avantipura indicate that both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths were followed there.

Buddhism survived in Kashmir for a thousand years, with periods of low and high influence. After the 5th century, it was overshadowed by the upsurge of theVaishnava and Shaiva faiths. However, in spite of the predominance of the Brahmincal faith and the loss of royal patronage, Buddhism continued to mark its presence as late as the 13th century.

The SPS museum, through its invaluable collections, reveals and bears witness to the cultural attainments of Kashmir.

The advent of Islam in the 14th century brought a new dimension to the culture and heritage of Kashmir. The Salatin of Kashmir, the first Muslim king, had a penchant for decorative arts and crafts.  Scholars and traders from the cultural centres of Asia such as Herat, Merv, Samarqand and Bukhara came in substantial numbers to Srinagar, which was then known as Shehr-i-Kashmir. Their arrival influenced the rich craft traditions of Kashmir. Sultan Zainul Abidin, popularly called Budshah (1420-1470 AD) patronized arts, crafts, literature and architecture and left behind a legacy unsurpassed by any other king. This period gave birth to the use of colours, motifs and techniques that were henceforth to dominate Kashmiri crafts. The craft heritage of Kashmir, especially its textiles, has been declared along with miniature paintings as the most significant art form of India.

Budshah’s reign also saw the enrichment of Kashmiri painting traditions. The Islamic tradition of calligraphy was blended with painted hashia (borders) and ornamentation, thereby creating the finest examples of Islamic arts. The scholars of the Muslim period, both Muslim and non-Muslim, continued the tradition of leaving written accounts on diverse subjects. These records are preserved in Persian and Arabic manuscripts.

The scholars of Mughal history attribute the great attachment of the Mughals to Kashmir, besides its natural beauty, to the fact that they could there pursue their intellectual urges of art and literature, miniature paintings, and the translation of Sanskrit and Persian classics.

Architecture has been defined as the authentic expression of heritage and culture. It defines and expresses the cultural, social and economic assets of a community. Kashmir has contributed a distinct stream of architecture to the world in the form of wooden vernacular architecture.  The use of wood and its conversion and stylization into elements of building technology as well as craft forms is typical of this style.  Srinagar, even in its present state of neglect and decay, is one of the few surviving representations of a medieval cityscape.