SPRING TIME VISIT TO BARAMULLA KASHMIR
. According to NEELMAT PURANA , sage Kashyapa drained the water of
SATISAR LAKE( reported to be extending from present day Banihal Tunnel
to Baramulla ) through Baramulla , whereafter Kashmir surfaced up as a
beautiful valley. This town finds mention in Kalhana's Rajtaringini at
canto 451 and 452 of Taranga Eight as under
“LAKKAKA the warden of Frontiers managed to reach Varahmula on his march “
“GARGA plundered the troops and the town of Varahmula “
The incidents described by Kalhana under these shlokas took place during
the rule of SAHI King SUSSALA . The incidents in particular describe
the attack of king SanjaPala on Kashmir . GARGA was commanding the
troops of Sanjapala while Lakkaka was the Warden of frontiers during the
reign of king Sussala . Kalhana took 2 years to compose RAJTARINGINI .
He started in 1148 AD and completed his monumental work in 1150 AD.
Sussala ascended the throne on 1113 AD thereby implying that Kalhana is
first hand witness to the loot and plunder of Baramullah by troops of
Sanjapala . ZULCHU ravaged this town again when he attacked kashmir with
his 70000 strong Mongol and Turk troops . His troops looted and
plundered entire kashmir for about 8 months after entering the valley
through Baramulla in 1320AD .Large scale Death and destruction visited
this town again in recent past when advancing Tribal raiders ravaged
Baramullah in 1947.
Baramulla is a district Headquarter and is about 55 Kms from srinagar
city approached by a beautiful road lined with tall poplars on both
sides though a large number of them have been uprooted in the present
road widening process. One can have picturesque views of fruit orchards
or green paddy fields all along the road from Srinagar to Baramulla..
The old town lies across the river vitasta while a new town and army
cantonment has come up on the other side of the river . Tongas continue
to be the main local transport even after the establishment of a Rail
link with Srinagar city . The mosque cum Dargah of JanBaz Sahib with a Gurdwara near by are impressive monuments on Jhelum Banks in the old town . The Shailputri temple on the opposite bank is presently maintained by a CRPF unit camping inside it . The temple has suffered cracks due to massive earth quake which
rocked the area some years back. The town has a good sikh population
living in peace and harmony with other communities . .Besides Kashmiri ,
people also speak Pahari and Gojri in this area. SHEENA , a
language of DARDI origin is also spoken in GUREZ and Tilail area of this
District. Administratively, Baramulla was divided into 8 Tehsils VIZ;
sopore , Gurez, Pattan , Bandipore, Sonawari, Uri , Tangmarg and
Baramulla . lately Bandipore has also come up as a new district.Gurez is
a beautiful valley located 86 Kms from Bandipore town on the banks of
river KishenGanga . Again Pattan is an old town and remained the capital
of Kashmir during the reign of king Shankervarman . Sugandesh Temple
ruins lie on the main highway in this town. In fact Bandopore town lies
on the banks of Lake Wular and thus called as the “port of Wullar”
The flow of river Jhelum turns rapid as it passes through hills and
gorges in its journey from this town onwards . Enjoy the views and
permit me to end this write up with some lines of Poet Dina Nath
Naadim:-
Frakvin Phulayaa , Luk Arsaatha
Taaran Peth Peth Katiji Jamaata .
Zangtrei Hunz Grukh
Taafa pholvun
Val Saa Maaleyah
Gobra Tathyah
Dabluss Ponsuss Soruy Duniya
Meiti Guchh Peen Pan( Whistle )
Tot Kya baa Chhukh
Tresha Chamhuvv.( Dina Nath Naadim )
Abundance of spring Flowers ,
Noise of sparrows on overhead electric wires ,.
A crowd celebrating Zangtrei festival,
Sun shine on all sides,
“Come dear child
Come son come dear
Entire world for a penny “
“ I too want to buy a whistle mother“
“Oh you are running temperature
Let us quench our thirst first .”
PS
These are some lines from A poem Titled From Kathi Darwaza to Residence written by Naadim sahib describing the visit of a poor mother and her son to Badam Vari Festival of Zangtrei.The
child is tempted by the shops , birds ,kite sellers while the mother
distracts his attention . In this journey covered on foot ,the mother
repeatedly puts her hand on the forehead of the child telling him that
he is perhaps running fever . She assures the child that soon she shall
quench his thirst by a glass of water . The poor mother has no money
except for buying KANUL HAK at Navid Kadal enroute. To my
readers I would recommend reading of this poem which apparently looks
simple but creates emotional turbulence in a sensitive mind when Naadim
sahib touches the core issues of Poverty and mother son relation. Our own Shelleys , Keats , Byrons , and Tagores
deserve some appreciation at least from the people for whom they wrote.
Naadim Sahib’s poems are available from the sale outlets of J&K
Academy of Art Culture and Languages in Srinagar ( Maulana Azad Road )
and Jammu ( Canal Road ). I would also like to make a special mention of
Sh Rattan lal Shant noted Hindi and kashmiri writer for having done
excellent job by translating almost all the major poems of Naadim Sahib
in Devanagri in his book Awazon Ke Arth Published in 2002 by
J&k Academy of Art Culture and languages . The book is priced Rs65/=
and is readily available at these sale outlets of the academy. This is a
treat for those who can not read Kashmiri in its Nastliq script.
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