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Essay on Kashmir: History and Beauty in 600+ Words

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

  • Updated on  
  • Jan 20, 2024

Essay on Kashmir

Essay on Kashmir for Students: Kashmir is a region situated between India and Pakistan in South Asia. It is believed that the name Kashmir originated from the word ‘Ka’ which means water, and ‘shimera’ to desiccate. 

The story of Kashmir is complex and has historical, cultural, and political dimensions. Over the years, many rulers and empires, like the Mauryas , Kushans , and Mughals have influenced the paradise of the Earth. The region especially had the special influence of Mauryan ruler Ashoka who contributed to the cultural as well as the architectural heritage of the region.

Cultural Diversity of Kashmir

Kashmir is a region that has a rich history and ancient roots. The place has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties, such as the Mauryas , Kushnas , and Guptas . On top of that, these dynasties contributed to the cultural and geographic location of Kashmir, which includes the influence of the Silk Road and the blend of Hindu, Buddhist, and later Islamic influences.

Kashmir Issue

The dispute related to the sharing of borders didn’t stop after Independence. Whether it was India, Pakistan, or China, tensions related to the disputes of the region always created a heat of fire between the countries that led to wars. The list of some important wars are as follows:

1. First Indo-Pak War (1947-1948) : Fought for Jammu Kashmir shortly after India’s independence.

2. Sino-Indian War (1962): A conflict between India and China for the territorial region Aksai Chin. 

3. The War of (1965): Fought mainly over Kashmir.

4. Kargil War (1999): A conflict between India and Pakistan in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Article 370 Scrapped

Geographically, Kashmir lies in the northwestern region of the Indian continent. Its total area is around 225,000 square kilometers, which is comparatively larger than the member countries of the United States. 

Out of the total area, 85,800 square kilometers have been subject to dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. It is important to note that the areas with conflict consist of major portions called the Northern, Southern, and Southeastern portions. The 30 percent of the northern part comprises Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and is administered by Pakistan.

India controls the portion which is more than 55 percent of the area of the land. The area consists of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Kashmir Valley, and Siachen Glacier which is located in the southern and southeastern portions of India. The area is divided by a line of control and has been under conflict since 1972. 

Also Read: Speech on Article 370

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Sadly, the people living near the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir pose not only a life threat but also do not have a stable life. Replacement and relocation affect the people living in the line of control not affect the people physically but also psychologically and socially aspects. In a survey conducted by the National Library of Medicine 94 percent of the participants recognize stress. Furthermore, the youth population was facing stress and anxiety regularly.  

However, a historic decision from the Supreme Court of India that nullified Articles 370 and 35A and permitted the state to have its constitution, flag, and government except in defense, foreign affairs, and communications decisions. After the decision, many initiatives were taken by the government of India to strengthen the democratic rule of the state. Schools, colleges, and universities were opened regularly in the union territories to develop the youth academically, socially, and as well as physically. 

Furthermore, strict measures to control criminal assaults such as stone pelting have started showing positive impacts on the continuance use of technologies such as mobile networks, and internet activities. Further, the discontinuity of Technology has started showing positive impacts on the lifestyle of people. Regular opening of schools, colleges, and universities, on the one hand, is helping the students to have good career prospects. 

Additionally, the fear-free environment that further increases tourist activities will further improve the local economy and contribute to the local as well as the national economy of the country. 

Also Read: Essay on Indian Independence Day

Kashmir is also called the Paradise on Earth. The region is blessed with natural beauty, including snow-capped mountains and green and beautiful valleys. The region is surrounded by two countries, which are Pakistan and China.

Kashmir is famous for Dal Lake, Pashmina Shawls, beautiful Mughal gardens and pilgrimage sites of Amarnath and Vaishno Devi. 

According to a traditional story, Ka means water and shimira means Desiccate. 

Kashmir is known as the ‘Paradise on Earth.’

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Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with educational and informative content expertise. She has hands-on experience in Education, Study Abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and analysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particularly in the education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs related to her field to expand her expertise further. In her personal life, she loves creative writing and aspires to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Essay on Beauty of Kashmir – 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Short Essay on Beauty of Kashmir

Essay on Beauty of Kashmir: Kashmir, often referred to as “Paradise on Earth,” is a region known for its breathtaking beauty and serene landscapes. From the snow-capped mountains to the lush green valleys, Kashmir is a place that captures the hearts of all who visit. In this essay, we will explore the enchanting beauty of Kashmir, its rich culture, and the unique experiences it offers to travelers. Join me on a journey through the picturesque landscapes and vibrant culture of this mesmerizing region.

Table of Contents

Beauty of Kashmir Essay Writing Tips

1. Introduction: Start your essay by introducing the topic of the beauty of Kashmir. Mention that Kashmir is often referred to as “Paradise on Earth” due to its stunning natural beauty.

2. Describe the landscape: Talk about the breathtaking landscape of Kashmir, including the snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, and crystal-clear lakes. Mention iconic landmarks such as Dal Lake, Pahalgam, and Gulmarg.

3. Discuss the flora and fauna: Highlight the diverse flora and fauna found in Kashmir, such as saffron fields, apple orchards, and rare species of birds and animals. Mention the importance of conservation efforts to protect these natural treasures.

4. Talk about the seasons: Describe how each season in Kashmir brings its own unique beauty. Mention the vibrant colors of spring, the cool breezes of summer, the golden hues of autumn, and the snowy landscapes of winter.

5. Mention the cultural heritage: Discuss the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir, including its traditional crafts, music, and cuisine. Talk about the famous Kashmiri handicrafts such as Pashmina shawls, carpets, and papier-mâché items.

6. Highlight the hospitality of the people: Mention the warm hospitality of the Kashmiri people, who are known for their kindness and generosity towards visitors. Talk about the traditional Kashmiri tea, known as Kahwa, which is often served to guests.

7. Discuss the impact of tourism: Mention the importance of tourism in Kashmir’s economy and the need for sustainable tourism practices to preserve the natural beauty of the region. Talk about the challenges faced by the local community due to political unrest in the region.

8. Conclusion: Summarize the key points of your essay and reiterate the beauty of Kashmir as a destination that truly lives up to its reputation as “Paradise on Earth.” Encourage readers to visit Kashmir and experience its beauty firsthand.

Essay on Beauty of Kashmir in 10 Lines – Examples

1. The breathtaking landscapes of Kashmir are renowned for their natural beauty. 2. The snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, and crystal-clear lakes create a picturesque setting. 3. The region is home to some of the most stunning gardens in the world, such as the Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh. 4. The Dal Lake, with its floating gardens and houseboats, is a symbol of the beauty of Kashmir. 5. The vibrant colors of the blooming tulip fields in spring are a sight to behold. 6. The majestic Chinar trees, with their fiery red leaves in autumn, add to the charm of the region. 7. The snowfall in winter transforms Kashmir into a winter wonderland, perfect for skiing and snowboarding. 8. The traditional Kashmiri architecture, with its intricately carved wooden houses and ornate mosques, adds to the beauty of the region. 9. The warm hospitality of the Kashmiri people and their rich cultural heritage make the region even more enchanting. 10. Overall, the beauty of Kashmir is unmatched, making it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers.

Sample Essay on Beauty of Kashmir in 100-180 Words

Kashmir is often referred to as “Paradise on Earth” and for good reason. The beauty of Kashmir is unparalleled, with its snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, crystal-clear lakes, and vibrant flower gardens. The stunning landscapes of Kashmir have inspired poets, artists, and travelers for centuries.

The Dal Lake, with its houseboats and shikaras, is a sight to behold. The Mughal Gardens in Srinagar are a testament to the region’s rich history and culture. The meadows of Gulmarg and Pahalgam are perfect for trekking and skiing, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

The beauty of Kashmir is not just limited to its natural landscapes, but also extends to its warm and hospitable people, delicious cuisine, and vibrant culture. Whether you are seeking adventure or simply looking to relax and unwind, Kashmir has something for everyone. A visit to Kashmir is truly an unforgettable experience that will leave you in awe of its unparalleled beauty.

Short Essay on Beauty of Kashmir in 200-500 Words

Kashmir, often referred to as “Paradise on Earth,” is a region known for its breathtaking beauty and serene landscapes. Nestled in the Himalayan mountains, Kashmir is a place of unparalleled natural beauty that captivates the hearts of all who visit. From its snow-capped peaks to its lush valleys and crystal-clear lakes, Kashmir is a place that truly embodies the beauty of nature.

One of the most iconic features of Kashmir is its stunning Dal Lake. This picturesque lake is surrounded by majestic mountains and dotted with colorful houseboats, creating a scene straight out of a postcard. Visitors can take a shikara ride on the lake, gliding through the tranquil waters and taking in the beauty of their surroundings. The reflection of the mountains and houseboats on the shimmering surface of the lake creates a mesmerizing sight that is truly unforgettable.

In addition to its stunning lakes, Kashmir is also home to some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. The Mughal Gardens, such as Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh, are renowned for their meticulously manicured lawns, vibrant flowers, and intricate water features. These gardens are a testament to the rich history and cultural heritage of Kashmir, and provide a peaceful retreat for visitors to relax and unwind.

The beauty of Kashmir is not limited to its natural landscapes – the region is also known for its vibrant culture and warm hospitality. The people of Kashmir are known for their kindness and generosity, and visitors are often welcomed with open arms. The traditional Kashmiri cuisine, with its rich flavors and aromatic spices, is a culinary delight that should not be missed. From the famous Kashmiri pulao to the delectable rogan josh, the food of Kashmir is a true reflection of the region’s diverse cultural influences.

One of the best ways to experience the beauty of Kashmir is by taking a trek through its stunning mountains and valleys. The region is home to some of the most famous trekking routes in the world, such as the Kashmir Great Lakes trek and the Tarsar Marsar trek. These treks offer breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks, lush meadows, and glistening rivers, providing a truly immersive experience in nature.

In conclusion, the beauty of Kashmir is truly unparalleled. From its stunning lakes and gardens to its vibrant culture and warm hospitality, Kashmir is a place that captures the hearts of all who visit. Whether you are seeking adventure in the mountains or relaxation by the lakeside, Kashmir has something to offer for everyone. A visit to this enchanting region is sure to leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.

Essay on Beauty of Kashmir in 1000-1500 Words

Kashmir, often referred to as “Paradise on Earth,” is a region located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. It is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, with snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, and crystal-clear lakes that have captivated the hearts of visitors for centuries. In this essay, we will explore the beauty of Kashmir and why it is considered one of the most picturesque places in the world.

One of the most striking features of Kashmir is its majestic mountains. The region is home to some of the highest peaks in the world, including the famous Himalayas. These towering mountains are covered in snow year-round, creating a stunning backdrop for the lush green valleys below. The sight of the sun rising over the snow-capped peaks is a truly unforgettable experience, one that leaves visitors in awe of the natural beauty that surrounds them.

In addition to its mountains, Kashmir is also known for its picturesque valleys. The lush green meadows and forests that cover the region are a sight to behold, with wildflowers blooming in abundance during the spring and summer months. The valleys are crisscrossed by rivers and streams, which flow down from the mountains and create a tranquil and serene atmosphere that is perfect for relaxation and reflection.

One of the most famous valleys in Kashmir is the Kashmir Valley, which is home to the capital city of Srinagar. This valley is known for its stunning Mughal gardens, which are filled with colorful flowers and fountains that create a peaceful and serene environment for visitors to enjoy. The Dal Lake, which is located in Srinagar, is another iconic feature of the Kashmir Valley. This beautiful lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is dotted with houseboats that offer a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors.

Another highlight of Kashmir’s natural beauty is its crystal-clear lakes. The region is home to several stunning lakes, including the famous Dal Lake, Wular Lake, and Pangong Lake. These lakes are surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green valleys, creating a picture-perfect setting that is ideal for photography and relaxation. The reflection of the mountains and the sky on the surface of the lakes creates a mirror-like effect that is truly mesmerizing.

In addition to its natural beauty, Kashmir is also known for its rich cultural heritage. The region is home to a diverse population of people, including Kashmiri Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs, who have lived together in harmony for centuries. This cultural diversity is reflected in the region’s architecture, cuisine, and traditions, which have been influenced by various civilizations that have ruled over Kashmir throughout its history.

One of the most famous examples of Kashmiri architecture is the Mughal gardens, which were built by the Mughal emperors during their rule over the region. These gardens are known for their intricate design and beautiful landscaping, with terraced lawns, fountains, and colorful flowers that create a stunning visual display. The Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, and Chashme Shahi are some of the most famous Mughal gardens in Kashmir, each of which offers a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors.

Kashmir is also known for its delicious cuisine, which is a blend of Indian, Persian, and Central Asian flavors. The region’s traditional dishes, such as Rogan Josh, Yakhni, and Wazwan, are famous for their rich and aromatic flavors, which are created using a unique blend of spices and herbs. Visitors to Kashmir can enjoy these traditional dishes at local restaurants and cafes, where they can savor the authentic flavors of Kashmiri cuisine.

In addition to its natural beauty and cultural heritage, Kashmir is also known for its warm and hospitable people. The locals are known for their kindness and generosity, and visitors to the region are often welcomed with open arms and treated like family. The hospitality of the Kashmiri people is one of the reasons why the region is considered one of the most welcoming and friendly places in the world.

In conclusion, Kashmir is a region of unparalleled beauty that has captivated the hearts of visitors for centuries. From its majestic mountains and lush green valleys to its crystal-clear lakes and rich cultural heritage, Kashmir is a place that truly lives up to its reputation as “Paradise on Earth.” Whether you are a nature lover, a history buff, or a food enthusiast, Kashmir has something to offer for everyone. So, if you ever have the opportunity to visit this stunning region, be sure to take it – you won’t be disappointed.

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Kashmirica

The Unimaginable Beauty of Kashmir

by Mir Saeid | Sep 24, 2020 | Kashmir Diaries , Places & Travel | 2 comments

Beauty of Kashmir

“If there is a heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here!”- beautifully quoted by Emperor Jahangir on Kashmir back in the 17th century, this quote still holds true almost 4 centuries later. 

Right from its picturesque mountains, dense forests, green meadows, gushing rivers, and lakes to its warm and hospitable people- everything about Kashmir is supremely beautiful. 

From being the royal retreat of the Mughals to being high-up on every traveller’s list, the beauty of Kashmir has stood in its magnificent glory even in the most uncertain times. 

But, what makes Kashmir so unarguably beautiful that innumerable poets, authors, filmmakers, and artists around the world have dedicated their pieces of work to this land of paradise? Let’s find out!

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The Unimaginable Beauty of Kashmir: 8 Reasons to prove it

1. picture perfect landscapes:.

Streams of Kashmir

Ever been someplace so beautiful that it was hard for you to decide which of its sights was the prettiest? Well, that’s Kashmir for you. With each of its landscapes so breathtaking, it’s hard to not fall in love with the beauty of Kashmir valley. The mighty mountains, tall chinars, pristine lakes and rivers, and nicely manicured gardens are a few of the many things that adorn the Kashmir valley. 

2. A nature lover’s paradise:

Flowers of Kashmir

Who doesn’t love reveling in nature’s many wonders? The natural beauty of Kashmir is sure to leave you awestruck. Kashmir is abound with rich flora. You will find the magnificently large Chinar tree throughout the valley, a tree not very commonly found everywhere. This stunning color-changing tree is at the peak of its utmost beauty at the onset of autumn, making the already gorgeous Kashmir look like something straight out of a storybook.

Go a little further into the mountains and you’ll find dense forests lined with deodar, fir, pine, and cedar trees. Come spring and the tulips here are in full bloom. The many fields here in Kashmir lined with colorful tulips are sure to make your stop and stare. The lush green and flowery meadows are sure to take your heart away too!

We could go on and on about the resplendent nature of Kashmir, but to experience it for yourself, you must come here at least once.

3. A land of many pristine lakes and rivers:

Dal Lake

The land of Kashmir is home to numerous water bodies. There is nothing quite as calming as sitting by a lake or river and just getting lost in nature’s bounty. No matter where you go in Kashmir, you are sure to come across many pristine lakes, glaciers and rivers.

A shikara ride on the Dal lake in Srinagar is a complete experience in itself. Watching the floating gardens and markets will mesmerize you. The Wular lake is yet another famous lake near Srinagar. The Mansar and Surinsar lakes are the perfect places to spend some time relaxing and rejuvenating. Gadsar lake in Sonmarg is a hidden gem that can only be reached through a trek. Similarly, the Mansalbal lake in the Ganderbal district is a bird lover’s paradise. 

Rivers like the Sindh or Indus, Lidder river, Zanskar river, and many others beautify the landscape of Kashmir multi-folds. 

Every lake and river offers an altogether different view and each one is sure to take your breath away.

4. The Lush Valleys:

Gulmarg

The untamed and unspoiled valleys of Kashmir have their own charm. Aru Valley and Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, Nubra Valley in Ladakh, Zanskar in Leh, Baltal in Sonmarg, and the Yusmarg valley near Srinagar are some of the top ones here. These verdant valleys are surrounded by mountains and abound with lakes, waterfalls, and numerous trees and meadows. The natural beauty of Kashmir is at its peak here and will astound you in every way.

5. A land with rich culture and history:

Bridge in Srinagar

The beauty of Kashmir isn’t just limited to its surroundings but is also deeply rooted in its rich culture and history. Over the years, Kashmir has been ruled and loved by various rulers. So, its culture is a diverse blend influenced by various other cultures.

And it is prevalent in the day-to-day life of the Kashmiris. Kashmir’s rich history is prevalent in its various historic monuments like the Pari Mahal, Shalimar Bagh, Avantipur temples, and Leh Palace. These monuments tell a story of an era gone long by and are pretty interesting places, especially for history enthusiasts.

Another thing that is deeply rooted in Kashmiri culture is the art of handicraft making. Kashmir is quite popular for its handicrafts right from the Pashmina shawl, carpets to paper mache and wood carving. When talking about Kashmir’s beauty, we just simply cannot ignore its rich culture and heritage.

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6. Soothing Weather:

Shot from a Village in Kashmir

Even on the harshest of summer days, Kashmir has pretty soothing weather. So, where temperature rises over 40 degrees celsius in the rest of the country, Kashmir is the perfect place to visit. The early winter is also a great time to visit Kashmir for an incredible snowy experience.

Kashmir basically turns into a wonderland as the winter season sets in. The snow-capped mountains and white surroundings are quite a sight to behold. The autumn season here is quite charming too. As the trees change their colors and the weather turns pleasant, Kashmir in autumn looks as pretty as a picture.

7. There is something for everyone here:

The Unimaginable Beauty of Kashmir 1

Right from the adventurous soul, the trekking enthusiast, the nature lover, leisure seeker, and every kind of person in-between, the beauty of Kashmir has something to offer to everyone. The adventurous soul can feel the adrenaline rush by taking part in various adventurous activities.

Kashmir is basically a hub for those who love adventure. Whereas, the leisure seeker can just bask in the beauty of the Kashmir valley. Nobody ever leaves the Kashmir valley disappointed. 

8. The warm and friendly people:

Oudh Hindi al-Qadeem

The beauty of a place cannot be complete without its warm and friendly locals. And the same goes for Kashmir too. As soon as you set foot on this paradisiacal land, the warm people here will welcome you with open arms. 

We tried to summarize the beauty of Kashmir in 8 points. But you can only experience it for yourself when you visit this magical place. 

The whole of Kashmir is undoubtedly, very beautiful. Here are a few places whose beauty you absolutely must not miss.

Beauty of Kashmir valley in 6 places:

1. srinagar:.

The summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar is a city that you absolutely must visit. This is also the largest city in Kashmir. Dal lake is one of the major reasons why tourists are attracted to this city. Staying on the stationary houseboats, a ride on the Shikara are some of the things that you must do here. This is also a paradise for all photography enthusiasts. 

The Unimaginable Beauty of Kashmir 2

2. Gulmarg:

Also known as the ‘Meadow of flowers’, Gulmarg is a beautiful place to visit. This place is also known to be one of the best skiing destinations in the world. A ride in the Gondola or the cable car is one of the top things to do here, offering a complete view of this gorgeous hill station.

Gulmarg is a true paradise for all snow lovers and adventure seekers. Nature is also quite splendid here. Gulmarg is generously blessed with a huge variety of flowers, lakes, and lush green surroundings.

Rassasi Blue Sea

3. Sonmarg:

Sonmarg is yet another splendid place to visit in Kashmir. Like the rest of the Kashmir valley, Sonmarg too, is abound with natural beauty. Participate in some adventure sports or just take some time off and marvel at nature’s bounty when in Sonmarg.

4. Pahalgam :

This is THE place to be for all enthusiastic trekkers. From some easy to the most challenging treks, Pahalgam has everything. Pahalgam is also a place that you go to when you are looking for some serenity away from the grind of daily life. With its enchanting beauty that truly looks out of this world, Pahalgam is sure to give you an experience of a lifetime.

Wish to Travel to Kashmir?

5. Yusmarg:

This is one of the offbeat places in Kashmir that you must visit. Head to Yusmarg for some peace and quiet and unwind yourself amidst nature. Come here once and we are sure that you wouldn’t want to leave this extremely serene place.

6. Patnitop:

Picturesque scenery is what defines Patnitop the best. With a plethora of activities to do and numerous sights to behold, Patnitop is one of the best places in Kashmir.

Over to You

Of course, these 6 places are just some of the many amazing places in Kashmir. The mountains, the rivers, the lakes, the trees, the saffron and tulip fields, the valleys- everything about Kashmir is unfathomably beautiful. It is said that the beauty of Kashmir can turn anyone into a poet. And rightly so. With a trip to Kashmir, you are in for a wonderful surprise. It is an experience of a lifetime, a memory to cherish forever.

If you wish to pashmina , salwar kameez , kaftan , kurtis , buy dry fruits , premium quality attar perfumes , himalayan shilajit , organic honey , and kesar , you must visit our shopping page .

You may also like reading:

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  • Get to Know the 11 Oldest Languages in the World

Ajwa Dates

Mir Saeid is the Growth Hacker of Kashmirica , a brand that is poised to ‘Bring Exclusives from Kashmir to You’. An enthusiastic cultural entrepreneur, he is driven by a passion to bring about a social impact. He has a Masters in International Business from the University of Bedfordshire and has worked in leading Marketing positions at various SMEs and Startups for 8+ years.

Intrigued by the crafts of his birthplace,  he decided to bring the art on the Global Connoisseur through the internet. A polyglot who speaks English, Arabic, Urdu & Koshur, Mir loves traveling, reading, writing, and spending time on the cricket field – a passion rekindled just recently.

I am impressed by the quality of your blogs. Keep it up.

Thanks a lot, Sir 🙂

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essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Azad Kashmir , area of the Pakistani-administered sector of the Kashmir region, in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent . Azad (“Free”) Kashmir, established in 1947 after the partition of India , is neither a province nor an agency of Pakistan but has a government of its own that is regarded by Pakistan as “independent,” even though it is protected by and economically and administratively linked to Pakistan. It has an area of approximately 650 square miles (1,680 square km) and consists of an arc of territory bordering the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the east, the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the south and southwest and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, and the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistani-administered Kashmir to the north.

Northern Azad Kashmir comprises foothills of the Himalayas rising to Jamgarh Peak (15,531 feet [4,734 metres]); south of this are the northwestern reaches of the Pir Panjal Range , which has an average crest line of 12,500 feet (3,800 metres). The region is in the subduction zone at the most northerly extension of the Indian-Australian tectonic plate and is prone to powerful seismic activity. In 2005 a strong earthquake devastated the administrative centre of Muzaffarabad and surrounding regions.

The Jhelum River and its upper tributaries, including the Punch River, have cut deeply incised and terraced valleys through these mountain ranges; the Jhelum also constitutes most of the western boundary of Azad Kashmir. The southern part of the territory consists of a narrow zone of plains country in the Punch region that is characterized by interlocking sandy alluvial fans. Thorn scrub and coarse grass are the dominant forms of vegetation in the south; this scrubland gives way to pine forests at higher elevations in the north.

Wheat, barley , corn (maize), millet , and livestock are raised in the lower valleys and support relatively high population densities. In the more sparsely settled upper valleys, corn, cattle, and forestry are the economic mainstays. There are deposits of marble near Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, graphite at Mohriwali, and other reserves of bauxite , silica, chalk , zircon , and low-grade coal. Household industries produce carved wooden objects, textiles, and dhurrie carpets.

The administration of Azad Kashmir is overseen by Pakistan’s Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and headquartered at Muzaffarabad, which is linked by road with Abbottabad to the southwest. Mirpur is the major town in the southern part of the territory.

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India, pakistan and the kashmir issue: 1947 and beyond.

Photo of Kashmir University Campus

When I teach Kashmir in classrooms and lecture halls across the country, the questions I am most often asked are: What makes Kashmir special? Does it have natural resources that India and Pakistan covet? Both these and other related questions, of course, are designed to identify the underlying causes of the conflict between India and Pakistan over this region since the birth of the two countries in 1947. The answers to these questions, however, are complicated, not least because Kashmir does not, in fact, have any natural resources that India and Pakistan covet, although it is located strategically at the crossroads between South, Central, and East Asia. But even that does not satisfactorily answer the question of why the issue continues to simmer and bedevil relations between the two neighbors. Understanding the Kashmir issue requires a leap of the imagination, since the region holds a special place in the Indian and Pakistani nationalist imaginations, which is why a simple political solution to the problem has not been possible. Moreover, for the past two decades the Kashmir issue has been defined not merely by the conflict between India and Pakistan over the region, but quite as significantly, by an initially homegrown insurgency against the Indian government in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Locating Kashmir

When we discuss the Kashmir issue, we are talking principally about three entities:

1. Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (India’s northernmost state), which has a population of about 10.1 million and an area of 56,665 square miles. Jammu and Kashmir is divided into three main districts: the Kashmir Valley (ninety percent Muslim and Kashmiri speaking; summer capital of the state at Srinagar is located in the Valley); Jammu (fifty-six percent Hindu, forty-four percent Muslim, majority Dogri-speaking; Jammu city, winter capital of the state, is located in this district); and Ladakh: (Tibetan Buddhist fifty percent, Muslim forty-nine percent, mostly Tibetan-speaking).
2. Azad or Free Kashmir (or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as it is known in India), located in Pakistan’s northeast, with an area of 5,134 square miles and a majority Muslim, mostly Pahari, and Punjabi speaking population of about 3.2 million; its capital is Muzaffarabad. 3. Northern Areas of Pakistan, with an area of 27, 990 square miles with a very low-density majority Muslim, mostly Pashto and Urdu speaking population of about 1.8 million. This entire region (which includes these three major subdivisions), then, is disputed territory between India and Pakistan, as each side claims it in its entirety. To these three entities should be added Aksai Chin —a mostly mountainous, uninhabited high terrain in the Himalayas (northeastern portion of Kashmir)—that is occupied by China and claimed by both China and India.

History to 1947

The Kashmir Valley was a great center of Sanskrit and Buddhist learning and literary production in the ancient and medieval periods. By the thirteenth century, Muslims from Central Asia had begun to migrate to Kashmir, and the region came to be ruled by a Muslim dynasty. Most inhabitants of Kashmir had peacefully converted to Islam by the fourteenth century, usually because of the propagation of the mystical branch of Islam by Sufi preachers who came to Kashmir from Central Asia and Persia. Kashmir became part of a larger Islamic space, even as it continued to have strong ties with the Indian subcontinent, as it was conquered by the Mughal Empire, with its capital in Delhi and Agra, in 1586. It remained part of the Mughal Empire until 1758, when the empire was weakening; Ahmed Shah Abdali conquered the region and made it a part of the Afghan empire. The Sikh kingdom, which was the main rival of the English East India Company in the Indian subcontinent, took control of the region from the Afghans in 1819, and the Valley remained under Sikh control until 1846.

Map of Kashmir's Disputed regions

. . . the emergence of the conflict had less to do with religious affiliations than with the internal politics of the state of Jammu and Kashmir   and the mechanics of decolonization.

Kashmir was clearly coveted by these imperial entities because of its location as a crossroads for trade and commerce between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, but also because it produced a globally coveted commodity in this period—Kashmiri shawls—which were significant items of world trade from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries. Kashmiris lived in relative harmony with their imperial overlords, whom they challenged and negotiated with to produce a unique political culture. While Persian was the language of administration and high culture, Kashmiri had developed as the lingua franca, with roots in Sanskrit and heavily influenced by Persian. The region was also coveted because it was beautiful and had a temperate climate very different from the northern Indian plains; it was likened to a paradise on earth time and time again by its inhabitants and its rulers, a land where the valleys and meadows were surrounded by the Himalayas on all sides and lakes and rivers crisscrossed the region.

The British coveted this region for its strategic location, products, climate, and natural beauty quite as much as any previous rulers of the subcontinent. When they defeated the Sikhs in the 1840s, they created what became the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir by cobbling together several regions that had been under the control of various rulers at different times. It was the East India Company, then, that put together the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, Ladakh, Gilgit (northern areas)—all the areas that are now contested—into one entity known as the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1846. The company placed a petty chieftain from Jammu, who had assisted them in their wars in Afghanistan, on its throne. So the region was not ruled directly by the colonial state, but rather was indirectly controlled by the Company and later the British Crown, while the successive rulers enjoyed unlimited powers within the state. These rulers, who were Dogra (from the Jammu region), Hindu, and non-Kashmiri, had little legitimacy to rule in the Kashmir Valley or the Ladakh region, a fact that was exacerbated by policies that favored non-Kashmiris and Hindus over Kashmiris and Muslims. This led to a vociferous movement in the Kashmir Valley against their rule, which was demanding responsible government by the 1920s and 30s and representative government by the 1940s.

The main political organization in Kashmir demanding these rights was the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference that changed its name to the All Jammu and Kashmir National Conference in the late 1930s. By the 1940s, its leader, Sheikh Abdullah, had developed strong ties with the Indian nationalist movement raging in British India under the leadership of the Indian National Congress. As the independence of India looked increasingly imminent and it became clear that British India would be partitioned, the question of what would happen to the 500-odd princely states, whose rulers recognized the paramountcy of the British crown while being autonomous within their states, became a matter of increasing concern. In short, the colonial state informed the princely rulers that they would have no protection from the British once the withdrawal had taken place and that they would have to make a choice between joining India or Pakistan. For most states, this was not an issue, since they simply chose India or Pakistan depending on their geographical location. But for a few states, this raised a variety of problems.

One such state was Jammu and Kashmir, which, because of its location, could theoretically choose either India or Pakistan; it also had a majority Muslim population. Several other factors complicated this choice for Kashmir—the ruler was Hindu, and had the legal authority to decide on the terms of accession; however, he harbored a dream of independence (which was not in the cards). The main political organization, the National Conference, had ties to the Indian National Congress and hence was inclined towards India, although its leader also suggested at various times the possibility of autonomy or some kind of arrangement between India and Pakistan to administer the region jointly. While most people in the Kashmir Valley followed his organization, Muslims of Jammu were more inclined toward Pakistan, while the Ladakhis and Hindus of Jammu wanted to cast their lot with India. As the next section illustrates, the emergence of the conflict had less to do with religious affiliations than with the internal politics of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the mechanics of decolonization.

The Birth of the Kashmir Conflict: 1947-1949

Pakistan and India were born on August 14 and 15, 1947, respectively, amidst violence, confusion, and chaos. The ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, continued to remain undecided on accession, entertained ideas of independence, and even, for a short time, courted Pakistan, which, unlike India, was promising a continuation of his royal privileges. In the meantime, a revolt against the ruler’s authority had broken out in Poonch, a district in the western part of the state, and by October 1947, with the help of Pakistan, the rebels had declared the formation of “Azad Kashmir.” To make matters worse for the ruler, on October 21, 1947, several thousand Pashtun tribesmen from the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan infiltrated the north and northwest region of the princely state, ostensibly to assist their ethnic brethren in Gilgit, who were also engaged in a popular rebellion against Maharaja Hari Singh. Although the Pakistani government claimed that this incursion was not supported by the Pakistani army, there is evidence to suggest that Pakistani regular forces accompanied and equipped the rebels. The ruler cabled Delhi to ask for India’s military help, since it was becoming clear that the rebels were headed straight for Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. Before India sent its forces to Srinagar, the beleaguered ruler was asked to make up his mind regarding accession; he signed the document of accession to India, which was accepted by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of British India and the Governor-General of the Dominion of India, on October 27, 1947.

The Indian army landed in Srinagar soon after, and with the help of the National Conference, headed by Sheikh Abdullah (who had been sworn in as Prime Minister of Kashmir by India), regained the military initiative against the raiders. Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, declared that his government pledged to hold a referendum in Kashmir once the combat was over to allow the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide whether they wanted to join India or Pakistan. As the fighting between the two sides raged into 1948, the United Nations, at the request of India, which was hoping for an international condemnation of Pakistan’s incursion into Kashmir, entered the picture to play a mediating role between the two countries. In August 1948, it adopted a resolution calling on both India and Pakistan to withdraw their troops from the region and to reach a ceasefire agreement in Kashmir, with the ultimate aim of holding a plebiscite in the region. The ceasefire finally came into effect on January 1, 1949, but a plebiscite was not held. While Pakistan accuses India of betraying the people of Kashmir by not holding the plebiscite, India counters by accusing Pakistan of not withdrawing its troops from the region, which it argues was a prerequisite of the UN resolution for the plebiscite to be held.

The ceasefire line (renamed the line of control in 1972) gave India sixty-three percent of the territory of the original princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, including the Kashmir Valley, Ladakh, and most of Jammu (now the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). Pakistan gained a part of Jammu (now Azad Kashmir in Pakistan) and the remote areas of Gilgit and Baltistan (now the Northern Areas of Pakistan). The contours of the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan had been laid out.

Indo-Pak Dispute over Kashmir since 1949

India and Pakistan have fought several wars over Kashmir since 1949—in 1965, 1971 (Kashmir was only an ancillary battlefield in this particular war), and most recently in 1999. These wars have brought about remarkably little change in the placement of the line of control (LOC). While India officially claims the entire territory of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, it has made several attempts to make the LOC into a permanent border. Pakistan, on the other hand, not only rejects this idea, claiming the entire erstwhile princely state on the basis of its Muslim-majority population, but also accuses India of reneging on its promise of plebiscite. The positions of the two countries and the rhetoric accompanying them have remained unchanged over the decades.

Offical map of Pakistan

The Pakistani official map is without a northeastern border, literally unbounded. Instead, the words ‘frontier undecided’ curve around the map’s northeastern edge . . .

Let us return to our original questions here: What are India’s and Pakistan’s implacable ideological positions over this region, and why do the countries continue to hold on to them? What is so special about Kashmir? For both countries, the main cause of disagreement is the Valley of Kashmir, with its capital at Srinagar, and the Kashmiri-speaking, majority Muslim population. For the Pakistani state, particularly its military, Kashmir represents the unfinished business of partition, through which Pakistan itself as a home for the subcontinent’s Muslims came into existence. Kashmir as a Muslim-majority state, contiguous to Pakistan, is critical to Pakistan’s ideological raison-d’etre and is therefore considered an integral part of Pakistan. This has allowed the Pakistani military to foment tensions with India over the region and by extension legitimize its claim over power and resources in Pakistan. For India, which adopted a constitution in 1950 and became a secular republic, the presence of Muslim-majority Kashmir within the union provided evidence of the country’s secular credentials. While the Congress Party continues to hold to this credo, Hindu nationalist organizations have used Kashmir’s unsettled status within the Indian union for their own political purposes by taking a more belligerent stance towards Kashmir’s Muslim population, the insurgency, and Pakistan.

The official maps of India and Pakistan express the territorial anxieties of the two countries over the region. The Pakistani official map is without a northeastern border, literally unbounded. Instead, the words ‘frontier undecided’ curve around the map’s northeastern edge, even as the words ‘disputed territory’ stamped across Jammu and Kashmir challenge India’s claims to the region and proclaim the business of partition as unfinished. In the case of India, official maps simply claim the entire region of the erstwhile princely state as an integral part of India, thus belying Pakistan’s claim of the region as disputed territory.

Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989

It is important to remember that the Kashmir issue is not simply a dispute over territory between India and Pakistan. Rather, this dispute is a far more complex and multidimensional problem due to the insurgency in Kashmir, raging since 1989, with which thousands of Indian security forces have been embroiled (several hundred thousand are stationed in Kashmir even today). Although begun as an indigenous movement against political repression and loss of democratic rights, the insurgency has grown into a ground for pan-Islamist groups such as Lashkar-i-Taiba (army of the pure) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (army of the prophet) as well as fighters from Pakistan and beyond, making the situation more dangerous and complicated for all sides.

Photo of mosque

In 1949, the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was headed by Sheikh Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference, who had been sworn in as Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian government. He had helped the Indian army gain control of the region and condemned Pakistani actions in invading Kashmir. At the beginning of his tenure, Abdullah was immensely popular among the people in Kashmir as well as with the Indian administration. He instituted land reform measures, attempted to redistribute land to the peasants, and built roads and infrastructure in Kashmir. In the early 1950s, although still popular in his stronghold, the Kashmir Valley, Abdullah grew increasingly unpopular in the Jammu region as he began to emphasize the exceptional status of Kashmir within the Indian union. Not only had negotiations with Abdullah and other Kashmiri leaders led to the insertion of a clause in the Indian constitution that granted Kashmir special autonomy within the Indian union, but Abdullah made several speeches in the early 1950s in which he declared that Jammu and Kashmir (all of its parts) should become an independent entity whose sovereignty would be guaranteed by both India and Pakistan, since according to Abdullah, the status quo would simply mean a longstanding conflict in Kashmir.

In 1953, in what became the first in a series of interventions by the Indian state in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah was dismissed and incarcerated, much to the chagrin of the people. The feeling among the people of Kashmir, particularly the Valley Kashmiris, that they had no control over their own fate grew steadily in the 1950s and 60s, as Kashmir saw a series of corrupt and authoritarian regional governments and rigged and unfair elections. By the time the 1987 elections rolled around, a deep disillusionment with the Indian state had already set in. These elections were massively rigged to ensure the victory of the National Conference, which was by then recognized as a stooge of the central government. The National Conference’s main rival, the Muslim United Front Coalition, despite its electoral victory, was forced to concede defeat, and its leaders were arrested. Two of these leaders, Mohammad Yasin Malik and Yusuf Shah (aka Syed Salahuddin), went on to found two of the most formidable Kashmiri separatist organizations in the coming decade.

In the early years of the insurgency against the Indian state, there was a groundswell of popular support for the movement, in particular by young men from the Kashmir Valley, who joined the movement in huge numbers. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), headed by Yasin Malik, became the main separatist organization during this time, carrying out a number of political assassinations and organizing massive demonstrations demanding independence ( azaadi ) for Kashmir. The JKLF was soon joined by the Hizbul Mujahideen (party of freedom fighters), a Pakistani-supported guerilla organization led by Syed Salahuddin. India’s response to these insurgent organizations and their supporters was brutal as security forces cracked down on the Valley, which only added more fuel to the insurgency.

It would be simplistic to regard this movement as a revolt of Muslim-majority Kashmir against Hindu-majority India, as it is often portrayed. The Kashmiris who joined this movement may have been Muslim, but for them, this was a regional revolt against the high-handedness of the Indian central government that could be resolved only through a separation from India. It is important to point out, however, that what azaadi , or freedom, meant for Kashmiris, and continues to mean for them today, is a complicated question. Some speak in terms of actual sovereignty for Kashmir (by which they mean the Kashmir Valley). For others, it means more autonomy within the Indian union. And for still others, the term encapsulates a desire that the Indian state admit to its denial of democratic rights to Kashmiris and carry out a sustained effort to restore these freedoms to the people of Kashmir.

More recently, especially in the past decade, the insurgency in Kashmir has been hijacked to a significant degree by radical Islamic groups, some of which were funded by the Pakistani military and intelligence services as their intermediaries to foment unrest in Kashmir, and by extension, India. Two such groups are the Lashkar-i-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad. Both see Kashmir as one element in their larger goal of establishing a global Islamic state. As is evident, from, among other things, their non-Kashmiri leadership, neither of these groups is particularly interested in advancing the rights of Kashmiris, although they use them as symbols of the persecution of Muslims around the world. This aspect of the insurgency, which has led to the infiltration into Kashmir of fighters from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Yemen, among other countries, has not only subverted the popular nature of the Kashmiri insurgency, but also made the India-Pakistan angle more difficult to settle.

In 2009, we might be entering a new and better phase of the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, since perhaps the most free and fair assembly elections since 1977 were held in Jammu and Kashmir at the end of 2008, and a new government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, assumed power. Much will depend on whether this government is able to break with the past and prove to the people that it is working for them, to not only bring about peace and restore law and order, but also to build infrastructure, schools, bridges, and the like, while not lining its own pockets. Kashmiris are weary of two decades of civil war, assassinations, disappearances, and related abuses. They are looking to the regional government to bring them peace.

The Future of Kashmir

The Kashmir issue is defined by a complex interplay between the internal political situation in the Kashmir Valley and the relationship between India and Pakistan, which is itself governed by the broader international situation as Pakistan continues to be drawn further into the war in Afghanistan that has spilled across its borders. While the Pakistani military battles the Taliban, it also wants to limit India’s influence in Afghanistan, in part by fomenting Islamic militancy in Kashmir. The situation is further complicated by the fact that India, Pakistan, and Kashmiri political organizations hold what appear to be irreconcilable ideological positions regarding Kashmir: Kashmir rightfully belongs to India, Kashmir is Pakistani, and Kashmir should be free, respectively. As a result, any long-term resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region must involve the three main actors. They need to reconcile their positions and recognize that the Kashmir issue is not simply a conflict between Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India, but rather a multifaceted problem that lies at the intersection of internal, domestic, and international issues that should be addressed simultaneously. In other words, the prospects for peace in the region would multiply with a combination of demilitarization of the entire region; conversion of the line of control into a soft border through a decriminalization and normalization of border crossings; negotiations among India, Pakistan, and Kashmiri political organizations; and, the continuation of the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir.

Editor’s Note:  Since the Kashmir controversy is continually changing, we are fortunate that the author of this article was doing research in the region in summer 2009 and that she was kind enough to send us an update of events surrounding the controversy.

(filed by the author from Srinagar, Kashmir, July 2009)

The Kashmiri movement against the state seems to have entered a new phase. While militant activities have clearly declined and the capital city, Srinagar, even presents a look of normalcy, a few days in the Valley are enough to reveal the deep resentment and simmering anger of many people in Kashmir toward the governments of India and the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This was brought to the fore most recently in an incident involving the rape and murder of two young women. Police involvement was suspected, and the investigation was botched by state government agencies. Following the incident, the Valley completely shut down in protest. People took to the streets as demonstrations erupted, and in some cases, the demonstrators stone-pelted police and security forces. These men and women, young and old, poor and rich, shouted slogans for azaadi (freedom), as they cried out for freedom from India, but also for freedom from corruption, injustice, and bad government.

Several young men and women I spoke with at Kashmir University told me that they were tired of governments (Indian, Pakistani, or Kashmiri), and that they expected little of the local political organizations that claimed to represent Kashmiris. They were also quite cynical of Indo-Pakistani talks on the Kashmir issue. The only way forward, according to them, was to organize mass movements of civil disobedience against the high-handedness and utter disregard for human rights displayed by the government and security forces in Kashmir. One of them remarked that Kashmir would eventually win its freedom; after all, it took India several decades to oust the British from the subcontinent.

Photo shows many students raising their hands and holding the slogan reads: Be Witness—It Is Not Done, It has Begun.

This massive involvement in the movement, and its localization as common people respond to specific incidents, no doubt makes the Indian state justifiably uncomfortable, since it is at its own peril that the Indian government ignores the voices and grievances of the Kashmiri people, which are now more apparent than ever before.

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FURTHER READING

Aggarwal, Ravina, Beyond Lines of Control: Performance and Politics on the Disputed Borders of Ladakh, India (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2004).

Bose, Sumantra, Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003).

Kabir, Ananya Jahanara, Territory of Desire: Representing the Valley of Kashmir (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2009).

Lamb, A., Incomplete Partition: Genesis of the Kashmir Dispute 1947–48 (Hertingfordbury: Roxford Books, 1997).

Whitehead, Andrew, A Mission in Kashmir (New Delhi: Penguin, 2007).

Zutshi, Chitralekha, Languages of Belonging: Islam, Regional Identity and the Making of Kashmir (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004).

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SOAS History Blog

Kashmir: A Natural Paradise or a Man-made Hell? A Journey to Discover a Forgotten Perspective

By hamza latif.

Kashmir has been divided for decades. It has always been a region characterized by the diversity of its natural landscapes – from lush mountain valleys to glacial lakes. However, this image of a land solely of natural wonders has been constructed through propaganda, media, and misinformation by entities that are not Kashmiri. As a student of Pakistani heritage, it is easy to adopt a certain position on the issue of Kashmir. But talking with my Indian friends has made me think about my own position, which previously was that Kashmir was divided into two. There is western Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), which seeks to join Pakistan, and eastern Kashmir (Indian-occupied Kashmir), which is struggling to fight for freedom against the Indian military. This is a piece of self-reflection, an attempt to unravel the perspective of the Kashmiri as I can determine it as a student of history and an outsider to this community. I invite the reader to join me on this journey of de-constructing an idea I had until recently not interrogated, leading to the revelation that most individuals inherit a constructed position without seeking out the knowledge crucial to coming closer to a better understanding. I strongly believe Kashmiris should be able to voice their own opinion without the interference of the neighbouring countries, who are just fighting over Kashmir for self-interest.

Introduction

Kashmir is a region that returns to my mind constantly – the beautiful landscape, the natural mountains, and the diversity of resources. However, Kashmir’s stateless identity has created a rift amongst the individuals residing there, or so the media would make one believe. This article is a personal journey to discover the history of Kashmir, which may help answer questions about the Kashmiri perspectives on this issue and their own participation in it. Finding answers is not an easy journey. But understanding the historical elements that constitute Kashmir today may allow us to develop a sense of what has caused the Kashmir situation as it stands right now.

To begin, it is important to recognise how Kashmir is currently divided. According to Map 1, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) consists of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the area of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir is administered by India, and Aksai Chin officially belongs to China. Even though we may assume that Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, China is also involved with Kashmir and claims Aksai Chin to be part of Xinjiang. The focus of my article will be specifically on India and Pakistan, however, as these two states have been fighting over Kashmir for decades and have had more impact on Kashmir. Within the diverse region of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir state will be the focus of this article as both India and Pakistan lay claim on this state ( Navlakha 2009 ).

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Before colonialism

Since the ninth century Kashmiri territories have been influenced by various religions and their social organisations, whether this was through the widespread followings of Hinduism, Buddhism or later the introduction of Islam, with Shah Mir being the first Muslim ruler of the region coming to power in the fourteenth century. In the mid-sixteenth century Kashmir became part of the Mughal Empire (1586-1751). After the Mughal empire, the Afghan Durrani (1751-1820) empire ruled until the Sikh empire took over (1819-1845). The Sikh empire is crucial in understanding the Kashmir issue as the ruler was of a completely different religious belief to those being ruled. The end of this period is marked by the Anglo-Sikh war (1845-1846). Then the British took advantage of the conflict between the Dogras and the Sikhs to try and break Sikh rule in Kashmir. The Treaty of Amritsar (1846), which founded the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, has been referred to as a ‘sales deed’ by activists campaigning for independence before Partition, but it probably was more the result of negotiations promoting British geostrategic interests ( Verma 2020 ). Kashmir has been a zone of conflict for a long time, generally with no active participation of those who derived from this ‘natural paradise.’ The Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir existed from the end of this first Anglo-Sikh war until the late 1940s. During Partition Pakistan and India in various conflicts attempted to separate the region, with the Princely State finally dissolving in 1952. What is mentioned is that Kashmir was sold (Rai 2004: 27), while in fact the Dogra were sent by the British to try and contain Kashmir indirectly whilst retaining their supremacy. There is a lot of academic literature in different fields about the history of Partition, but finding sources written on Kashmir before Partition is more difficult. Might this lack of knowledge be one of the many reasons why Kashmir has been struggling to gain self-determination and an identity? The lack of historical consciousness has become a liability for Kashmir. 

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Man-Made Hell: Partition

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

To return to 1947, the time when the British left the subcontinent, India was divided into two distinct countries based on a religious frontier, the Muslim-majority Pakistan and the Hindu-majority India. Kashmir with its majority Muslim population was left unresolved. Why? This was because formally Kashmir was a ‘princely state’ ruled by the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. It was only indirectly ruled by the British empire. This meant that the position of Kashmir was left unresolved as the British tried to avoid any decisions that would impact their reputation in the world. They therefore left Kashmir’s fate to Maharaja Hari Singh, whose decision to join India created a dispute between India and Pakistan. After the first Indo-Pakistan war in 1947, the Kashmir matter went to the United Nations to be resolved. The Indian army was withdrawn, and a line of control was drawn, which demarcated the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) ( Shakoor 1998: 53 ). Pakistan took PoK and could not advance any further and for the Kashmiri nationals it was promised they would decide their own fate and identity, a plebiscite was supposed to take place. Where did this plebiscite go? It never happened, the opinion, the voice, the democratic expression of the will of the Kashmiri nation was suppressed as two neighbouring countries (India and Pakistan) fought over Kashmir to further their own materialistic interests and increase their leverage in the region. All of this is political. The history of Kashmir shows that Kashmir has always been that beautiful landscape that neigbouring powers competed for. Kashmiri identity suffered in the process. To me the only way identity issues can be solved is through active participation of the Kashmiri nationals without any hindrance or influence from these neighbouring territories that want more land for more materialistic powers.

The Kashmiri perspective

‘PoK is India’s, expect to get control of it one day: Govt’ Source: Hindustan Times , 23 September 2020
‘Pakistan warns India any further step on IoK could imperil region’s peace’ Source: Dawn , 17 June 2021

Above are examples of news headlines from both Pakistan and India. The headlines showcase the idea of propaganda against each other utilizing Kashmir as a mechanism to achieve the goal, which is to be more powerful. The news articles showcase that India strongly believes PoK to be part of India, whereas Pakistan is warning India to not take any further step on IoK. These news headlines have a commonality: the absence of a Kashmiri perspective. It is difficult to access the Kashmiri narrative as the Kashmiri identity is suppressed and therefore Kashmiris are a minority within their own space. This is techno-political colonialism, as in IoK the Muslims are on curfews and suppressed from internet access, in Gilgit-Baltistan there is lack of democratic power which Pakistan had promised. This becomes a limiting factor, which makes those individuals within IoK or PoK struggle to bring out their voice. Furthermore, not having a referendum challenges the idea of democracy, as if Kashmiri nationals are not allowed to decide their own fate, then who has control over their territory?

Our position on PoK is, has always been, and will always be, very clear – PoK is part of India, and we expect that we will have the physical jurisdiction over it. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, in Hindustan Times 23 September 2020

The language used in this article relates back to a position of ownership by India. There is a strong belief that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir belongs to India and with time it will again become part of India, the rightful owner. The article further addresses how Jaishankar talks about the international media’s ‘sweeping judgements on momentary impressions,’ implying that the world’s judgements are based on what is happening right now. It does not relate to the history of Partition. Jaishankar claims that what the media portray is far from the reality, the perspective of the media is utilized to create a negative image, which can suppress the influence India has within the world political ranking. However, based on the media coverage, Pakistan seems to have a slightly different position. The language used is more defensive and focusses on security and peace. The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been writing letters to the president of UNSC and the United Nations. These letters are regarding the ‘grave concern’ Pakistan has over India’s attitude and actions towards Kashmir. This type of language suggests that Pakistan is genuine about Kashmir, however, even Pakistan as a state has not really mentioned anything the Kashmiri nationals want. Pakistan’s emphasis is on actions through the United Nations. This is based on the idea that IoK is an internationally recognised disputed territory, which makes India’s actions unilateral and illegal and thought to be a violation of human rights.

Vox News (2019) tried to hear what the civilians or those who have lived through conflict-ridden Kashmir had to say about their land. The consensus was that Kashmir has been divided up in a territorial conflict, disregarding its people and destroying this natural beauty. According to the video, the Kashmiri nationals just want to protect their young generation. I feel that the Kashmiri people want to live their life without fear of conflict, they want to have all the opportunities which have been taken from them throughout history. Kashmir seems to be impacted by assumptions about the past rather than historical knowledge. It has been suggested that the idea of ‘silencing Kashmir’s historical identity’ has played a part in the current crisis ( Kaul 2019 ). The destruction of historical consciousness is a tactic of occupation which severs the people from their past to create a blank slate on which the occupiers can have their preferred future. Kaul’s article focusses on how problematic it is to think we can just go back 170 years to a treaty and believe this is where Kashmiri history starts. The idea of the Dogra taking over Kashmir from the Sikh Empire is sometimes hidden or narrated in a manner which makes this part of history less important. The history of Partition is always given a lot of importance for diplomatic purposes only, a diplomatic issue between India and Pakistan. Furthermore, he believes that research completed on this area is dispassionate and that Kashmir has been assumed to be geographically isolated. However, if we ‘look … across 2000 formative years – the texts, archaeology, script, linguistics, travelers’ accounts’ etc., we can see that Kashmir is widely connected and spoken of. The only issue is the suppression of this history to make it difficult for people from Kashmir to have their opinion. Although, there are sources based on a Kashmiri perspective, the issue of positionality arises, whether these sources that mention Kashmir are from the Kashmiri people who are directly impacted by the violations caused by the neighboring states or from individuals who have a bias towards one state (Pakistan and India alike) and are utilizing Kashmiri research as a tool to demean the other state.

So far, I have mentioned the history of Kashmir and the perspectives of India and Pakistan. One thing missing from this blog is my journey to discover this history. For me Kashmir was always a location which had a beautiful scenery and I never really understood the politics of what was occurring there. There were always a lot of different narratives surrounding Kashmir: some individuals would focus on the aspect of the Kashmiri pandits (Indian perspective), whereas others would believe that due to the number of Muslims in the region, they should join the other state (Pakistan). Thus, there were distinct viewpoints which made it difficult for me as an individual to follow what was happening in Kashmir. I started to research this region on my own through social media like TikTok. However, since I am of Pakistani heritage, I was exposed to media that sided with Pakistan. Most of the news videos and articles would be based on the Pakistani’s empathy for Kashmir and be biased against India. This one-sided perspective instigated my curiosity to learn about the Indian perspective and this interest was also pushed further by my friends of Indian heritage who questioned my position on the matter. This brought me to ask one question, which is: who does Kashmir belong to? Through the acquisition of multiple perspectives, I understood that what is showcased in the media is biased and wants to uplift their own side by showcasing the opposition negatively. This media strategy is what India and Pakistan have in common: they are both more focused on fighting each other than on whatever may be in the interest of the Kashmiri people. They ignore Kashmiri perspectives. In my discovery of the history of Kashmir the most outstanding part in the fight over the territory is the suppression of Kashmiri perspectives.

To sum up, Kashmir is a beautiful landscape, rich in resources just like a natural paradise. The valleys and the views are like an imaginary world. This gift of beauty has not spared Kashmir from being in a constant state of conflict, not only during Partition (India and Pakistan), but before too (Anglo-Sikh wars). Man-made, artificially created borders have destroyed the natural landscape and suppressed those nationals who truly want to have their own viewpoint and territory. The perspective and narratives of the Kashmiri nationals have long been absent in all shapes. There is hardly any opinion which is heard through academic sources or news articles and most of the newspapers discuss Kashmir in the political contexts of India and Pakistan. The only way Kashmiri narratives will have a voice is through two actions. The first one is through active dialogue. This implies that whenever India and Pakistan discuss the Kashmir question it should have Kashmiri national representation. This will allow democracy and would allow a much fairer decision to be made. The second aspect would be a referendum for Kashmir without any interference from Pakistan or India. This referendum should be internationally recognised and be conducted by the United Nations. Kashmir has been struggling to retain a distinct national identity since empires have been taking over this beautiful landscape. One can say maybe the natural beauty of Kashmir has caused Kashmir to be divided up between mightier political powers, which has become a man-made hell.

Recommended readings Peer, Basharat. 2010. Curfewed Night: A Frontline Memoir of Life, Love and War in Kashmir . Random House. Rather, Feroz. 2018. The Night of Broken Glass . Harper Collins. Connected short stories reflecting the violence of the Kashmir conflict. Bashir, Shahnaz. 2014. The Half Mother . Hachette India. A novel.  Kaul, Shonaleeka. 2018. The Making of Early Kashmir: Landscape and Identity in the Rajatarangini . Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kaul, Suvir. 2015. Of Gardens and Graves: Essays on Kashmir, Poems in Translation , Gurgaon, Haryana, India: Three Essays Collective. Rai, Mridu. 2004. Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir . Princeton: Princeton University Press. Shakoor, Farzana. 1998. ‘ UN and Kashmir .’ Pakistan Horizon 51.2 (April): 53-69. Waheed, Mirza. 2011. The Collaborator . Penguin Books. A novel. Editor’s note : The editors would like to thank Dr James Caron for feedback on this piece.

Hamza Latif

Hamza Latif

Hamza is a final year undergraduate student studying History and International Relations. He is interested in the history of South Asia and the Middle East. His current interests include decolonising research methods, nationalism and frontier history.

SOAS History Blog, Department of History, Religions and Philosophy, SOAS University of London

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Why Abdul Ahad Azad Was The Poet of The Future?

by Syed Suhail Yaqoob

During this span of life, he penned down his wonderful treatise Kashmiri Zuban aur Shairi and his Kuliyat-e-Azad . The former is considered equal in importance to Brown’s History of Persian literature. The poet was unfortunately sidelined given his radical ideas and Mahjoor’s closeness with National Conference.

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Kashmir is known throughout the world for its scenic and mesmerising natural beauty. It is believed that when Adam (as) left the heavens, this piece of land also emerged with him.  Once our patron saint Sheikh ul Alam is noted to have said that the time he spent in Kashmir will be deducted from his stay in the heavens. We have thousands of noted authors and travellers who have penned their praises on the beauty of Kashmir.

Very few audiences know that not only this land is renowned for its natural beauty, but also for its sons and daughters who have won a name for their bravery and thoughts. We have military generals like Lalitadatiya, Shahabudin, Tazi Chak, Rahman Mir, etc., and there are Kalhana, Gani Kashmiri, Habba Khatoon, Rasul Mir, Mahmud Gami, Yaqoob Sarfi and the list goes on and on.

It is almost impossible to craft one’s name in the history of Kashmir when such great personalities already existed. There was however a person who did the impossible feat. He is Abdul Ahad Azad, the modernist poet of Kashmir.

A Brief Sketch

Abdul Ahad Azad (1903 – 1948) is a relatively lesser-known Kashmiri poet in comparison to Mahjoor, Rasul Mir and many others.  Born in the remote village of Ranger, Chadoora (Budgam) he received his primary education like other children of his age. In those times education was primarily based on the Madrassa system in addition to teaching by family members. His father taught him Persian, Arabic and also Islamic mystical philosophy.

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Little is known for his childhood, but we are sure that he joined the Dogra administration as a primary school teacher at Zohama (next to his village). He was later transferred to Tral primary school. In that era, it was almost impossible for Muslims to gain employment in administration given the communal nature of the Dogra administration. It implies that Azad had qualities ahead of his age. Abdul Ahad Azad, however, was did not find himself suited for the job.

Azad himself once revealed that he cannot be anything but a poet given his intelligence and thoughtful nature. He started writing lyrics at the age of 18. His poetic name was Azad initially, then Janbaaz and finally used Azad again. Azad’s thoughtful nature proved detrimental to his health. Great men rarely have good health.  He died at a young age owing to health issues. In 1948 the valley lost one of his greatest gems.

Great Modernist Poet

Although he died at a young age, he was probably the greatest modernist poet Kashmir has ever seen. His modern outlook was based on the events that happened in his age and before his own eyes. It is believed that events influence man. It is true in the case of Azad as well. During his short span of life, he witnessed ravages of the World War-1 and World War-11. He also saw the Russian Revolution of 1917, the great depression of 1930, the rise of the Indian National Movement against the British and the rise of the Muslim League against Hindu domination.

Back home he must have been very much disturbed by the cruelty of Dogra administration, famines and poverty in  Kashmir, the rise of national consciousness in Kashmir, the revolt of 1931, the formation of  Muslim League and its subsequent conversion to National Conference, the publication of Naya Kashmir Manifesto, etc.

Azad and Nationalism

The Kashmir valley has produced many philosophers who have exhorted its people to shun this world and labour for the next life. They have adorned aesthetic life and idealised poverty. This specific thought may have geminated because of repression and oppression throughout our history. Our history books are filled with pages of horrific famines, floods and wars that made our inhabitants especially its philosophers to present a bleak future for its inhabitants.

A look at the literature reveals that people find refuge in an idealised world when repression and oppression become common. We cannot be but sure that presenting before valleys inhabitants a bleak future had political connotations as well. Our books, language and literature are full of poems and essays that portray worldly life as deceitful, unreal and of no use

Azad was simply a divergence. He tries to evade this pessimism from the minds of people.

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

The poet Azad loves every inch of Kashmir and advised its inhabitants to also do so. His keen sense and outlook look at the very causes of our horrible condition. The poet makes people aware that our pathetic condition is neither permanent nor because it is written somewhere in our destiny. The present condition can only be explained through evils like the slumber of ages, injustice, superstitions and oppression in our society. He compares our present with our rich and glorious past.

The Question

He says in his poem ‘ Sawal (the Question)’ how come it can happen that people of Kashmir are not able to even feed themselves when this land was renowned for its wealth and prosperity in times of King Budshah. In the same poem, he reminds people that the valley has produced the likes of Khalhana, Gani Kashmiri, Yaqoob Sarfi, etc. He sings

‘Kalhan, Gani te Sarfi Sehraab Kar yem Aaban, suy aab sani bapath zaher-e-hilal aasiha

  (Should the water (of Kashmir) be poison for us? The water reared talents like Gani, Sarfi and Kalhan for us).

In poems, Nalaye Badshah (the lament of Budshah) and Shikwah-e-Kashmir (The complaint of Kashmir) the poet laments the present condition of the people of Kashmir.

The Shikwah-e-Kashmir is a moving poem. Though this poem, the author chalks out our past, present and future. Azad as a poet makes it clear that the political, social and economic evils that have crept in our ways are responsible for our pathetic condition. In his discourse between Ishq (love) and Aqal (wisdom), the poet believes that innocent people of Kashmir lack political power. Not only the Azad make us clear the reasons for our downfall, he further provides the solutions to alleviate our position. The solutions he believed is courage, love for one’s country, constant struggle and a scientific approach towards life. In his poem Taranai Wattan (Songs of the country) he sings:

‘Tulo Kadam Bahaduroo, karo hamesha justajoo; Jawan jawan dilawaroo, karo hamesha justajoo

(Oh, Young Brave Youth, Bravo Advance Ahead; Struggle perpetually ahead, Then alone hope and desire; Gather thee and Desire).

In his poem Myon Watan ( My Motherland) the poet showers praise on the valley. He says that the highest category of love is love for a nation. He writes:

  ‘ yi Azad Bulbul Tulan Grez te shoor, chu kath pooshe thar peth karan bool boosh; wanan bulbulan gul te bulbul gulan, yi soone watan nunboone watan

[the free bulbul creates a tumult, sings a melody on a flowery bow; Bulbul to flower and flower to Bulbul speaks; the country of ours is all but beauty].

In Love With Kashmir

Through these poems, the poet encourages people to love the natural beauty of the valley . He praises its rivers, forests, lakes and springs. For instance, although river Jhelum has caused much damage to Kashmir he showers praise on it. The poet however compares the river to fairies in heaven. He further penned down the poems like Wanyaar (deodar), Arwal (the flower found in forests of Kashmir) etc.

The Forgotten Poet

Azad thinks that one must love one’s country in totality. His poem Sawal (A question) is perhaps the most moving poem dedicated to the young blood of Kashmir.  He sings:

‘ Wae toos muhabatuk byool bari-toos may-e-lool, loolas under chu buod lood, hubul watan mubrak

[Sow the seeds of love, fill the cups of love; Amongst the love, the best should go to your country].  

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

Azad further wants its inhabitants to shed the concepts of passiveness and be active in both private and public life.  The poems like Taqdeer (Destiny), Be-Khudi and Khudi are the embodiment of his thinking and philosophy.  He was clearly against the evils of passiveness and destiny.

Post Script

Azad was ahead of his time. He clearly saw the evils like superstition, and selfishness, creeping in our society.  He argues that our present deplorable condition is owing to these evils. He believed that our present deplorable condition is neither written in our destiny nor is permanent. We can change our situation through hard work, love for our nation, active public and social life, disregarding passiveness and superstitions. Azad was optimistic that even though his contemporary generation did not heed him, in future they might follow his advice and teachings. He says

‘Aalam ha kari yaad Azad Azad; Kuni saath vuchte yaad paway madanoo’

(The author is a scholar in the department of economics at Aligarh Muslim University. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Kashmir Life.)

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The magical beauty of Neelum Valley Azad Kashmir

Photo of Muhammad Ahmed

The land of beauty, dreams, joy, and breathtaking views is called Kashmir. Neelum valley is one of the beautiful places in Azad Kashmir. Azad Jammu and Kashmir abbreviated as AJK, is a self-governing state under Pakistan. The state is divided into three divisions. The divisions are further divided into ten districts. Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. Neelum is the district of Azad Kashmir.

Neelum Valley is a stunning valley of Muzaffarabad. It looks like a heaven on earth also called the “Paradise of Kashmir”. The beauty of the world is incomplete without it. The valley is famous for thick forest, streams, and rivers, lush green meadows, various waterfalls, several brooks, and massive snow-capped mountains. Neelum valley is a dream place for everyone. Travelling by road is an amazing experience. When you see it for the first time, it looks like a painting in front of you. It is a 144 KM long valley along the Neelum River.

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It is named after the river Neelum which flows within the valley, offers a panoramic view of hills on both sides of the river. The river is also famous for trout fish and serving as a natural border between Pakistan and India. Sarwali Peak or Dabbar peak (6326 meters) which is the highest peak in Azad Kashmir is located between Neelum valley. The weather in Neelum is very pleasant in summer. However, it is very cold in winter. Every year a large number of tourists visit Neelum valley. The best time to visit is from March to October.

The area also has many local fruits including Apples, Apricots, Walnuts, and Plums which are very famous and have a great taste.

Taobat Neelam Valley

Location of Neelum Valley

Neelum Valley is located in the North & the North East of Muzaffarabad city in Azad Kashmir. It is running parallel to the Kaghan Valley. It is about 102 KM from the capital of Azad Kashmir.

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Places to visit in Neelum valley

The whole valley is full of natural beauty, below are some of the important places of the valley and hot destinations popular with tourists.

Dhani Waterfall

Dhani waterfall is also known as Dhani Noseri Waterfall. It is the biggest waterfall in Neelum valley located 30 km from the capital Muzaffarabad. Thousands of tourists visit one of the most stunning waterfalls in the area. There is wonderful scene when you simply sit at Dhani waterfall and enjoy the picturesque beauty. The best time to visit is from March to July.

Dhani Warerfall Neelum Valley

Kutton and Jagran

Kutton Jagran Valley is placed in the lower part of Neelum valley. The valley is especially known for the Jagran Nullah stream and Kutton waterfall which increase the beauty of the area. Kutton Jagran Resort is the best place for tourists who visits the Neelum Valley.

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Kutton Jagran Resort

Ratti Gali Lake

Ratti Gali is one of the most beautiful lakes in Pakistan. It is located near Keran and Dawarian village in Neelum Valley at an altitude of 12,130 feet (3,700 m). The lake is 18 km from the Dowarian town. You can easily reach the Ratti Gali Lake from Dowarian. Tourists can stay in camps that are available in the Ratti Gali base camp.

The Lake is surrounded by reddish-pink flowers. Flora plants, and green grazing mountains. The water in the lake is cold and you feel so calm and relaxed.  

Ratti Gali Lake Neelum Valley Azad Kashmir

Authmuqam Town

Authmuqam is the main town of Neelum valley. It is 73 km from Muzaffarabad. The name Authmuqam is given because it was the 8th station from Muzaffarabad to Upper Valley. All basic facilities are available here such as a bank, market, hospital, telephone exchange and post office, etc. The biggest shopping market is present in Athmuqam where tourists buy traditional handicrafts and other necessities.

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Keran Neelum Valley

Keran is a scenic village and tourist resort in Neelum Valley. It is located along Neelum River, and 93 km away from the capital Muzaffarabad. Keran is a place where tourists plan to stay first because most hotels offer river view rooms. There are a large number of hotels here with good facilities. A PTDC motel is also here.

Keran Azad Kashmir

Sharda Town

Sharda is one of the most visited tourist spots in Neelum valley. There are many places to visit in Sharda such as Kishan Ghati, Sharda Temple, the signs of old Sharda university, and many more. The beautiful Sharda Bridge also attracts many tourists. It is famous for its forests, lush green plains, and a smooth flowing river

Sharda is also known for its many beautiful hotels. It is located on the banks of the Neelum River.

You can also visit Chilhana LOC, Upper Neelum, Kel, Arrang Kel, and Taubat. All these places are your example of natural beauty.

This valley offers a lot of scenic views, water sports, trekking, and photographic opportunities. This is a place that will always be in your memory.

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Photo of Muhammad Ahmed

Muhammad Ahmed

Wonder of pakistan | hingol national park, rapid growth of world tourism industry, related articles.

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  • Neelum Valley – Paradise of kashmir

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Neelum valley is one of the beautiful places of Azad Kashmir and it’s named after the river which has curves like snake and has blue color. It is also called as the “PARASIDE OF KASHMIR”. There is a contradiction that this valley was named after a precious stone called Neelum. Neelum Valley is located in the Kashmir Region and to the North & the North East of Muzaffarabad and running parallel to the Kaghan Valley. It is different from it by snowstorm covered mountain which are 4000 meters higher than the ocean level. It contains about 370 large and small villages. It mostly contains hills and mountains with great valleys. The valley has thick forest, streams and rivers. This valley is dipped in most amazing beauty and attracts lots of tourists from within the country and other foreign countries as well. The valley can be approached from two different points. One from Kaghan Valley and the other is Noori Top. Besides these two it has many minor passes as well.

The district of Neelum valley starts 43 km from Muzaffarabad. The area is also famous for its mineral mines from that particular locality mineral are being tranposrted to other cities of Pakistan. In addition to that there is also LOC (LINE OF CONTROL) where relatives can cross the bridge and can meet their relatives on the other side of the bridge twice a month. There is a tourist seventeen century fort built by the town’s founder, a chief of the Chak tribe named Muzaffar Khan, to ward off the Mughal armies of Emperor Akbar.

This land also has many local fruits which are of great taste including Apples, Apricots, Walnuts and Plums which are famous. A large number of tourists visit it in summers. The whole valley gives fascinating and beautiful scenery. There is also a mountain “SARWALI” (6326 meters) which is one of the highest mountains in Azad Kashmir. The valley include lush green forests and high altitude lakes makes the surrounding heavenly and it is like a dream come true for the people who visit it. The snow capped mountains and the fast flowing Neelum river all make us believe that we are in some part of Switzerland. Many of the tourists who are interested in mountain tourism also come and enjoy here. The river is also famous for its fishing and it has Trout fish in abundance.

Some of its famous places like Shounter Pass, Chita Khata, Ratti Gali, Baboon, Noori Top, Sharda, Kel, Surgon and many more are mentioned by famous tourists like Mustansar Hussain Tararr etc. Tararr even wrote a travelogue on after visiting there. The three rivers present in this area are Jhelum, Neelum and Poonch.

The people of districts Kotli,Mirpur & Bhimber, are simple, truthful and deeply attached to their land. The culture of this area resembles to that of the adjoining area of Punjab. People here mostly follow the culture which quite resemble to that of Punjab.

While the district of Muzaffarabad has its own distinctive culture. The people are intelligent, hard working and are skillful. As it is the capital of AJK so it quite established and people here are educated and sophisticated when you compare with the other areas of the neelum valley.

Some of the important areas of the valley include:

Kutton and Jagran

  It is situated in the lower part of Neelum valley, Jagran Nullah (stream) plays pivotal role in the formation of its landscape beauty and charm which reveals the richness of the area. For the convenience of tourists, AJK tourism Department has constructed a rest house here. A mega hydro electric project is installed here that produce electricity to the state.  A long a beautiful series of Himalayas mountain starts from here to Kaghan, Skardu and Chillas.

This valley town is very unique in its beauty with respect to the other places we had yet visited, it is also significant as it marks the beginning of control line with Indian Held Kashmir in Neelum. It is named Authmuqam because it is 8th station from Muzaffarabad to upper valley. Most people are government employees, rest are in different fields.From here upwards emerges typical Kashmiri living pattern with houses built of wooden logs, most of them double storied.. Hiking tracks for surrounding mountains are traced by peoples and tourists.

Sharda is one of the most beautiful places with its lush green planes, smooth flowing river which frozes in sever cold season and serves as passage for people of both sides of the river. This place from the point of view of tourists is so attractive and they get their money’s worth when they spend a few days here. In Sharda one also finds ruins of an old place of learning. There are also ruins present there which might be interesting for people doing historical research there. Also there are signs of an old university and was the center of knowledge for the people of China, East and Central Asia.

It is also one of the attractive places of the valley neelum. One of the fact is the there is a long track goes towards Nanga Parbat. People can actually see this Nanga Parbat mountain from there and it is a beautiful sight for everyone who visit it.

Men of these valleys wear normal Shalwar Kameez and so does the women. The men mostly wear a weskit because in summers also the weather there is pleasant and cool and when we talk about winters the sweaters and the normal jackets comes into play. Women also wear the Shalwar Kameez and you won’t see a single lady wearing a tight jeans or t-shirt. Women of these valley like to cover their faces aswell and mostly all of them wear a Burka or if not this than cover themselves with duppata and hence the

The official language which is spoken in this valley is Urdu because it can be understood by mostly anyone in the valley so that’s the sole reason for it. The local mix of people including Kashmiris speaks their own local languages Kashmiri or Pahari or Hindko. The few of the people living there also follow Punjabi and Pashto aswell because some Punjabi’s and Pathan’s are also doing their business in the valley.

Handicrafts

People of this valley make good handicrafts aswell which include Carpet, Namda, Gubba. They are also famous for their Silk Woolen Clothing. People also make Woolen shawls. Besides all these they are also good at Wood Carving and in making Rugs

Local dishes

The area is famous for its dishes like Gushtaba. The Kashmiri people love this food and are their most favorite. People eat rice a lot. They don’t consider a luch or a meal with not having rice. Tabak Maaz is also quite eaten in this valley and  the preparation of which is considered an art and a point of pride in Kashmiri culture.

  The valley is no doubt a great place to visit specially with frends and family and in that way can enjoy the beautiful places and the nature aswell as can enjoy the local dishes and the fruits that can be found there. It can be a really good summer outing location where one can spend his vacations to relax and enjoy the wild thick forest and in that way being close to the nature.

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Neelam Valley is one of the most beautiful places of Azad Kashmir...

Neelam Valley is one of the most beautiful places of Azad Kashmir. With excellent scenic and panoramic views, towering hills on both sides of the Neelum river, lush green forests and enchanting streams is also called as the 'Paradise of Kashmir'. Running parallel to the Kaghan Valley, Neelam Valley is dipped in most amazing beauty and attracts large number of tourists particularly in summer from within and other foreign countries. The Neelum river is also famous for its fishing and it has Trout fish in abundance.

Neelam Valley is about 200 kilo-meters long and is situated to the North and North East of Muzaffarabad. The valley can be approached from two different points, one from Kaghan Valley and the other is Noori Top. It has many minor passes as well. In addition to that there is also a 'Line of Control' (LOC) between Azad Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir where relatives can cross the bridge and can meet their relatives on the other side of the bridge twice a month.

Neelam Valley is also famous for its mineral mines and local fruits of great taste including Apples, Apricots, Walnuts and Plums. The whole valley gives fascinating and beautiful scenery. The valley includes lush green forests and high-altitude lakes makes the surrounding heavenly and it is like a dream come true for the people who visit it. The Snow-capped mountains and the fast flowing Neelum river all make tourists believe as if they are in some part of Switzerland. Many of the tourists who are interested in mountain tourism also come and enjoy the Neelum Valley.

Some of its famous places like Shounter Pass, Chita Khata, Ratti Gali, Baboon, Noori Top, Sharda, Kel, Surgon and many more are mentioned by famous tourists like Mustansar Hussain Tararr etc. The three rivers present in this area are Jhelum, Neelum and Poonch.

The Neelum valley is no doubt a great place to visit specially with frends and family to enjoy the great relaxing holidays close to the nature. Some of the important areas of the valley include;

Kutton and Jagran

It is situated in the lower part of Neelum valley, Jagran Nullah (stream) plays pivotal role in the formation of its landscape beauty and charm which reveals the richness of the area. For the convenience of tourists, AJK tourism Department has constructed a rest house here. A mega hydro-electric project is installed here to produce electricity. A long and beautiful series of Himalayas mountain starts from here to Kaghan, Skardu and Chillas.

This valley town is very unique in its beauty. It is also significant, as it marks the beginning of control line with Indian Held Kashmir in Neelum. It is named Authmuqam because it is 8th station from Muzaffarabad to upper valley. From here upwards starts the typical Kashmiri living pattern with houses built of wooden logs, most of them double storied. Hiking tracks for surrounding mountains are also traced from here by tourists.

Sharda is one of the most beautiful places with its lush green planes, smooth flowing river which freezes in severe cold season and serves as passage for people of both sides of the river. This place from the point of view of tourists is so attractive and they get their money's worth when they spend a few days here. In Sharda one also finds ruins of an old place of learning. There are some ruins which might be interesting for people doing historical research. Also, there are signs of an old university and was the centre of knowledge for the people of China, East and Central Asia.

It is also one of the attractive places of the valley neelum. One of the facts is that there is a long track goes towards Nanga Parbat. People can actually see the Nanga Parbat mountain from here and is a beautiful sight for everyone who visit Kel.

The official language spoken in the valley is Urdu because it can be understood by the majority of the people. The local people speak their own local languages Kashmiri or Pahari or Hindko.

Handicrafts

People from Neelum valley are good in making handicrafts like Carpet, Namda and Gubba. They are also famous for their silk and woolen clothing. People also make woolen shawls and are good at Wood Carving and in making Rugs too.

Local dishes

The area is famous for its dishes like Gushtaba. Gushtaba with rice is the most favourite dish for Kashmiri people. Tabak Maaz is also eaten in the valley and its preparation is considered an art and a pride in Kashmiri culture.

essay on beauty of azad kashmir

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essay on beauty of azad kashmir

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essay on beauty of azad kashmir

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  1. MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN AZAD KASHMIR

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  2. Top 10 places to see or visit in Azad Kashmir Pakistan

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  3. The Magical Beauty Of Neelum Valley Azad Kashmir

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  4. Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan by Umar Jamshaid

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  5. Beauty of Azad Kashmir

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  6. Azad Kashmir Tourist Destinations and their Location

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  1. Write a essay on Kashmir

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COMMENTS

  1. Essay on Kashmir: History and Beauty in 600+ Words

    10 shares. 3.4. ( 72) Essay on Kashmir for Students: Kashmir is a region situated between India and Pakistan in South Asia. It is believed that the name Kashmir originated from the word 'Ka' which means water, and 'shimera' to desiccate. The story of Kashmir is complex and has historical, cultural, and political dimensions.

  2. Essay on Beauty of Kashmir

    Sample Essay on Beauty of Kashmir in 100-180 Words. Kashmir is often referred to as "Paradise on Earth" and for good reason. The beauty of Kashmir is unparalleled, with its snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, crystal-clear lakes, and vibrant flower gardens. The stunning landscapes of Kashmir have inspired poets, artists, and ...

  3. The Unimaginable Beauty of Kashmir

    Over to You. Of course, these 6 places are just some of the many amazing places in Kashmir. The mountains, the rivers, the lakes, the trees, the saffron and tulip fields, the valleys- everything about Kashmir is unfathomably beautiful. It is said that the beauty of Kashmir can turn anyone into a poet. And rightly so.

  4. Kashmir

    Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent. It is bounded by the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast and the Tibet Autonomous Region to the east (both parts of China), by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south, by Pakistan to the west, and by Afghanistan to the northwest. The region, with a total area of some 85,800 square miles (222,200 ...

  5. Azad Kashmir

    Azad Kashmir, area of the Pakistani-administered sector of the Kashmir region, in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent.Azad ("Free") Kashmir, established in 1947 after the partition of India, is neither a province nor an agency of Pakistan but has a government of its own that is regarded by Pakistan as "independent," even though it is protected by and economically and ...

  6. India, Pakistan and the Kashmir Issue: 1947 and Beyond

    2. Azad or Free Kashmir (or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as it is known in India), located in Pakistan's northeast, with an area of 5,134 square miles and a majority Muslim, mostly Pahari, and Punjabi speaking population of about 3.2 million; its capital is Muzaffarabad.. 3. Northern Areas of Pakistan, with an area of 27, 990 square miles with a very low-density majority Muslim, mostly Pashto ...

  7. Azad Kashmir

    Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Urdu: آزاد جموں و کشمیر, romanized: Āzād Jammū̃ o Kaśmīr ⓘ, lit. 'Independent Jammu and Kashmir'), [6] abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir (/ ˌ ɑː z æ d k æ ʃ ˈ m ɪər / AH-zad kash-MEER), [7] is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity [8] and constituting the western portion ...

  8. Kashmir: A Natural Paradise or a Man-made Hell? A Journey to ...

    Kashmir has been struggling to retain a distinct national identity since empires have been taking over this beautiful landscape. One can say maybe the natural beauty of Kashmir has caused Kashmir to be divided up between mightier political powers, which has become a man-made hell.

  9. Why Abdul Ahad Azad Was The Poet of The Future?

    The poet was unfortunately sidelined given his radical ideas and Mahjoor's closeness with National Conference. Abdul Ahad Azad, A Sketch. Kashmir is known throughout the world for its scenic and mesmerising natural beauty. It is believed that when Adam (as) left the heavens, this piece of land also emerged with him.

  10. The magical beauty of Neelum Valley Azad Kashmir

    Neelum Valley is a stunning valley of Muzaffarabad. It looks like a heaven on earth also called the "Paradise of Kashmir". The beauty of the world is incomplete without it. The valley is famous for thick forest, streams, and rivers, lush green meadows, various waterfalls, several brooks, and massive snow-capped mountains.

  11. My Trip to Kashmir Was Like Heaven on Earth

    Indian Kashmir is in front. (Photo by author) On the third day of Eid Al-Adha, we started a mesmerizing journey to the picturesque mountains and valleys of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan, renowned for ...

  12. History of Kashmir

    According to folk etymology, the name "Kashmir" means "desiccated land" (from the Sanskrit: ka = water and shimīra = desiccate). [2] In the Rajatarangini, a history of Kashmir written by Kalhana in the mid-12th century, it is stated that the valley of Kashmir was formerly a lake. According to Hindu mythology, the lake was drained by the great rishi or sage, Kashyapa, son of Marichi, son of ...

  13. (PDF) A Historical and Political Analysis of Kashmir Conflict: From

    December 31, 2021. The partitioning of Sub-continent India in 1947 brought to the fore. the Kashmir conflict between Pakistan and India when the Maharaja. of Kashmir signed the Instrument of A ...

  14. Neelum Valley

    Muzaffarabad - The capital of Azad Jammu Kashmir. Neelum valley is one of the beautiful places of Azad Kashmir and it's named after the river which has curves like snake and has blue color. It is also called as the "PARASIDE OF KASHMIR". There is a contradiction that this valley was named after a precious stone called Neelum.

  15. Neelam Valley is one of the most beautiful places of Azad Kashmir

    It has many minor passes as well. In addition to that there is also a 'Line of Control' (LOC) between Azad Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir where relatives can cross the bridge and can meet their relatives on the other side of the bridge twice a month. ... Jagran Nullah (stream) plays pivotal role in the formation of its landscape beauty and ...

  16. Full article: The India-Pakistan Conflict in Kashmir and Human Rights

    Pakistani-administered Jammu and Kashmir (PaJK) consists of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Both of these regions are strategically crucial in the regional geopolitical dynamics, which includes the Sino-Pakistani alliance, and consequently, they are strictly controlled by the Pakistani central authorities (AJK and GB do ...

  17. "Heaven on Earth: Exploring the Breathtaking Beauty of Azad Kashmir ️

    Embark on a mesmerizing adventure with us as we explore the stunning landscapes of Azad Kashmir on our way towards the picturesque town of Mansehra. From lus...

  18. Escape to Toli Peer: The Beauty of Azad Kashmir

    Discover the untouched beauty of Toli Peer in Azad Kashmir! With its rolling green meadows, breathtaking mountain views, and serene atmosphere, Toli Peer is ...

  19. Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir

    Explore the breathtaking beauty of Pakistan, from the majestic mountains of Hunza to the stunning beaches of Karachi. Discover the country's rich culture, hi...

  20. Escape to Toli Peer: The Beauty of Azad Kashmir

    Discover the untouched beauty of Toli Peer in Azad Kashmir! With its rolling green meadows, breathtaking mountain views, and serene atmosphere, Toli Peer is the perfect getaway for nature lovers. Plan your trip now and immerse yourself in the natural wonders of Toli Peer! Remember, we are here for your transportation solutions. #ToliPeer #AzadKashmir #NatureLovers #HiddenGem #TravelPakistan # ...

  21. In fresh blow to Ghulam Nabi Azad party, four Chenab candidates pull

    Days after Ghulam Nabi Azad stepped away from campaigning for his Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) nominees in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Assembly elections, four of his party candidates have withdrawn their nomination papers. On Wednesday, Azad expressed his inability to campaign for his party candidates due to his health ...

  22. Top Essay: Essay on scenic beauty of azad kashmir students privacy

    It s also wise azad of essay on scenic beauty kashmir to check specific organizations web sites dealing with issues, disasters, and public search engines. You can t make a successful presentation. Ense anza de las ciencias, 24(5), 203 214. A 1973 bureau publication, sharing and the pearson r is squared, it will soon sort out the duration of a ...

  23. Flag of Azad Kashmir

    The flag was adopted on 24 September 1975 via the Azad Jammu and Kashmir State Flag Ordinance, passed by founding President Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. [1] It was designed in 1948 by Abdul Haq Mirza, a mujahid working at the Rawalpindi headquarters of the Azad Kashmir rebellion, as the "Kashmir Liberation Flag". Mirza also created the formation signs of the Kashmir Liberation Force.