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No civilisation is conquered from without
untill it has destroyed itself from within
Kashmir has everything precious to India's heritage. It has been a nursery of learning and religion, has a breath-taking landscape as if painted to perfection by the Master Painter. It is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and also Buddhists. Millions of pilgrims present themselves and prostrate at the feet of Mata Vaishnav Devi, Mata Ragya Khsheer Bhawani, Rajarajeshwari Mahatripursundari, Jagadamba Mata Sharika and above all Lord Shiva and Parvati in the Amarnath Cave in the lovable lap of Himalayas. After draining the lake and creating the Kashmir Valley, Rishi Kashyap blessed his creation with the celestial river Vitasta.
Upto the beginning of fourteenth century, Kashmiris were living in peace, co-existence, tolerance and were mostly devoted to spiritual and academic pursuits. Kashmir was the abode of Hindus, who were devoted to contemplation and higher learning. They are the original natives of the Valley of Kashmir. These Hindus popularly known as Pandits, are apart of the Vedic heartland of India and have lived in Kashmir from times immemorial and have a history dating back beyond the Neelmat era. The Hindu religious percepts have borne the message of universal peace, brotherhood and co-existence of all creeds and faiths. The Hindus of Kashmir are progenitors of Shaivite monism and Hinyan and Sarvastavadin Buddhism which spread to Central Asia, Tibet and Western China. They propounded the great Shaivite doctrine of Trika and the theory of recognition. A Kashmiri Hindu is a spiritualist to the core. Since ages his urge for Sat Chit Anand, together with the environs he was in, has made him a colossus. He never did believe in material comforts though he did procure all, but with all that, his subconscious was always booked to something most profound and subtle. A Kashmiri Hindu has the strength to get in plenty but, above all, he is strong enough to leave and renunciate everything with grace. This has been his forte since ages. This is not his cowardice. It is his innate human Divine strength. He perceived the world as unreal and still believes it so. But even with all this he never compromised with his basic cultural and religious moorings come what may. A Kashmiri Hindu's culture is part and parcel of his spiritual activity that he always had and still has utmost importance for it. Religion being tuned to his peculiar environs followed suit. No wonder a Kashmiri Pandit's cultural and spiritual pursuits moulded his religion in such a way that he had to create his Ganga sangam (at Shadipur confluence of Sindhu and Vitasta), Sharda Peeth, Jyotir Lingas etc. in Satisar, i.e. Kashmir only. This aspect has been reflected in almost all of India's regions where local customs have intermingled with religion. A Kashmiri Hindu's nature has always been cosmopolitan. No wonder this percolated in Indian ethos as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. (World is a big family). The snow-capped mountain peaks around the Valley evoked the image of Shiva (Shivpuri). The worship of Shiva and study of Shaivism is, therefore, a predominant theme in the religious and philosophic practice of the Kashmiri Hindus. The beginning of Shivasana or Shivagama can be traced to the beginning of Vedic revelations.
Author:Shri Dinanath Raina
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