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"When speaking is duty, silence is guilt"
Maharaja Gulab Singh, one of the most remarkable, soldier-statesman that India had produced in the nineteenth century, was the founder of the State of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed in 1947 before the Pakistani invasion in October that year. One of his distinguished Generals, Zorawar Singh conquered Ladakh, Baltistan and Western Tibet. General Zorawar Singh's expedition began in 1834 and culminated in 1841. Since Kashmir Valley was not under Gulab Singh at that time, the route to Ladakh and beyond followed by Zorawar Singh was through Kishtwar, Padar and Zanskar. It was more difficult but much shorter than the route passing through Kashmir Valley. The Valley of Kashmir had been under the Sikh kingdom of Lahore. Consequent to signing of two treaties: Treaty of Lahore (9-3-1846) between Sikh kingdom at Lahore and Gulab Singh and Treaty of Amritsar (16-3-1846) between Gulab Singh and the British, Maharaja Gulab Singh was recognised as an independent ruler of all territories already in his possession together with the Valley of Kashmir, which till then formed a separate province of Sikh kingdom of Lahore. Kashmir Valley was then controlled by Sheikh Imam-ud-Din as Governor appointed by the Lahore Darbar (administration). He was secretly instructed by Lal Singh, the Prime Minister of Lahore Darbar, who had personal enmity with Gulab Singh, not to hand over the possession of the Valley to Gulab Singh. Therefore, Gulab Singh's army faced stiff resistance when it reached Kashmir to occupy it in terms of the Treaty of Amritsar. Lakhpat, one of the top Generals of Gulab Singh, lost his life during the unexpected encounter. Thus, Gulab Singh had to resort to superior and effective force to get the Kashmir Valley in spite of his claim to it under the Treaty. On behalf of the Lahore Darbar one Nathu Singh was controlling Gilgit. He transferred his allegiance to Gulab Singh, who now became the master of Gilgit as well. By 1850, Gulab Singh had become both de facto and de jure master of entire Jammu region including Poonch, Rajauri and Bhimber, Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, Baltistan and Dardistan including Gilgit. The States of Hunza, Nagar and Ishkuman adjoining Sinkiang were added to the State by his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh.
Maharaja Gulab Singh welded together such diverse and far-flung areas as Jammu bordering on the Punjab, Ladakh bordering on Tibet and Gilgit bordering on Sinkiang, Afghanistan and Central Asia across the Pamirs. The events and circumstances leading to the birth of Jammu and Kashmir State made a heterogenous conglomeration of diverse and distinct areas devoid of any type of unity, geographical, social, cultural or linguistic except obedience to a common over-lord - the Rajput Maharaja. From linguistic and cultural point of view, this vast and varied area, whose only unity lay in a uniform and unified administrative system under the Dogra rulers, could be divided into six distinct peoples with a distinct past. A proper understanding of this basic distinction, among the peoples and regions, is essential for a proper understanding of the Kashmir problem, as it developed after partition of India in 1947.
Author:Shri Dinanath Raina
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