Kashmir History - Sikhs Presence and Article 370

Picturesque Kashmir Valley

 Kashmir (Kashmiri: کٔشِیر / कॅशीर; Hindi: कश्मीर; Urdu: کشمیر‎; Shina: کشمیر), archaically spelled Cashmere, is the northwestern region of South Asia. Today, it denotes a region that includes the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir (which consists of Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, and Ladakh), the Pakistan-administered autonomous territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract. The valley of Kashmir is known all over the world for its beauty and charm. The emerald valley of Kashmir is cradled in the Himalayas, under the crystal blue skies, against the background of snow-capped mountains. It is a magic land of silvery streams, rivers, fresh water lakes, pine, deodhar and chinar forests, snow clad mountains, sparkling waterfalls, shikaras, green meadows and grassy slopes full of flowers of vibrant colors.

Map of Kashmir - territories in India, Pakistan, and China

The demography of Kashmir include Tibetan people in Laddakh, proto-europeoan Drogpas or Kalash ople in Kargil and Chitral, Dogras and Punjabis in Jammu, Muslim and Hindu Pundits in Kashmir Valley. 

People of Kashmir Valley

Besides being a great nursery of Indian culture and civilization, Kashmir had been a part of the empires of Ashoka, Kanishka, Harsha Vardhan, then Mughals and Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 AD at Nankana Sahib, Punjab. He accomplished Udasis (preaching tours) to different directions and covered almost 14,000 miles on foot. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji began his second Udasis in 1517 AD and entered Kashmir Valley in the last phase.

Guru Nanak arriving in Kashmir being welcomed by Siddhas

His stay at Hari Parbat and  visit to Shankracharya temple  is recorded in history. At Residency Road, Srinagar where today Acharya Sri Chand Mandir is established  Guruji met two renowned persons of that time Mahatma Shri Abinashi Muni ji and Pandit Shri Parshotam Dass Koul ji.  Baba Sri Chand Ji,the elder son of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji stayed  at this  place. Later Gurdwara at Amira Kadal was established in his memory. A historical Gurdwara at Beerwa, Budgam also depicts visit of  Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji  there. Thereafter Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji proceeded towards  Awantipora where a gurudwara was recently build on National Highway. Exchange of thoughts between Sufi Dervesh Kamaal Sahib and Sri  Guru Nanak  Dev ji  is also recorded in books. At Bijbehara, it is believed, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji met  a pious lady Goopi Diee  and a Gurdwara is built there.

Guru Nanak Gurdwara at Mattan, Kashmir

At  Mattan, South Kashmir Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji had discussions with various religious persons. One among them was Shri Braham Dass ji  who was a literary pious person with vast knowledge in religion. He used to carry religious books on a cart. Later people established  a Gurudwara in Mattan  in memory of the visit of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. In Pahalgam we can see a Gurdwara  constructed in the loving memory of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji  who stayed there before visiting  Amarnath Cave. Afterwards Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji left towards Jammu  region enroute stayed at Qazigund where a gurudwara  is built in his memory.

Gurdwara Pathar Sahib - Laddakh

This is Pathar Sahib Gurdwara, built and maintained by the Indian army, is historical and the background is that during his second journey (1515 to 1518) Guru Nanak Sahib stayed here in 1517 on return from Sumer Mountain. He traveled along the route from Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Yarkand to Leh and after discourses with local Budhists, and came to be revered as Nanak Lama.



The "saakhi" told by the local people about the rock hurled at the Guru down from a hilltop by a local. Guru Sahib's head and body imprint is seen as a cavity in the stone which is now regarded as sacred due to its contact with Guru Ji's person.

Body imprint of Guru Nanak on a Boulder in Pathar Sahib

Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom was intimately connected with the developments in Kashmir. The Mughal governor  of Kashmir Iftekhar Khan had deployed brutal tactics to suppress the Kashmiri Pundits and convert them into Islam by force.

Oppression of Kashmiri Pundits by Mughal Governor of Kashmir

Pundit Kirpa Ram Dutt, son of Bhai Aru Ram, a Saraswati Brahmin of Matan, 65 km east of Srinagar, in Kashmir, led a group of Kashmiri Brahmins to Guru Tegh Bahadar at Anandpur in May 1675 for protection against atrocities of Aurungzeb. The Kashmiri Pandits were in dire straits by State Persecution. They had faced stiff taxes, atrocities, cruelty under Muslim Mughal governor of Kashmir. Honor of their daughters was being lost and they were losing their religion to the fanatic zeal and proletyzation activities of Islamic crusaders.

Travel of Kashmiri Pundits from Kashmir to Anandpur Sahib

Guru Tegh Bahadur's response to the Kashmiri Pandits not only produced a revolutionary impact on the Sikh religion and outlook but also strengthened the social and cultural forces which facilitated national integration. And the Kashmiri Pandits to date feel one with the Sikhs. There was hardly any other event which caused as great a revolutionary impact on the Sikh faith as this one.

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur for the liberty of Kashmiri Pundits

The great fighting force, the Khalsa, which Guru Gobind Singh created and which lives and prospers as a brave and dynamic community, was a direct fallout of the barbarous and brutal torture to which a saintly soul like Guru Tegh Bahadur was subjected merely because he defended the right of Kashmiri Pandits to live in peace in accordance with the tenets of their religion.

Sikh Warrior Banda Singh Bahadur who established Sikh Sovereignty in Norther India from UP, Haryana, Punjab & Jammu  

Another great figure of Sikh history is Banda Singh Bahadur, whom Guru Gobind Singh bequeathed the task of carrying on the valiant fight against the injustices and atrocities of the Mughals. He resorted to guerrilla warfare and wrote many new chapters in the saga of Sikh rise to power.When arrested, he was put in a cage and tortured savagely before being put to death. Banda Bahadur, who has become immortal in Sikh folklore, came from what is now known as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He was born near Rajouri. During his guerrilla fight, too, he took refuge in Jammu's hills where his ``Dera'', known as Dera Banda Bahadur, still exists.

Kashmiri Pundits in 19th Century

Jabbar Khan, the last Afghan Governor of Kashmir, relentlessly persecuted Hindus. Unable to view Kashmiris being tormented and tortured, Birbal Dhar, a Pandit, approached Maharaja Ranjit Singh for help. The Sikh forces, under the able command of Misser Dewan Chand, defeated Jabbar Khan at Shopian on July 15, 1819, and triumphantly marched into the capital the next day.



My own ancestor, Sardar Mihan Singh was the Sikh governor of Kashmir from 1834 to 1841. He had taken part in numerous military operations under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and was appointed as the governor of Kashmir province. Before his reign, the Kashmiri Pundits were not allowed to worship at Hindu temples. Mihan Singh posted a massive cannon in front of Hazrat Bal, the historical mosque hosting a hair of Hazrat Mohammad, the founder of Islam. He announced that the mosque will be blown away if the Kashmiri Pundits were not allowed to pray in their Hindu temples.

Sardar Zorawar Singh, a general in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Sikh Army annexed Laddakh from the Chinese in the 18th century and made it part of Jammu and Kashmir based on a treaty between the Sikhs and Tibet.

Statue of Sardar Zoravar Singh in Jamu

After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Raja Gulab Singh, the ruler of Jammu decided to abandon his Sikh masters treacherously and joined the British in the middle of the battle of Sabhraon. Along with the British, he took control of the Sikh treasury and shared the bounty.

Anglo-Sikh War - Sabhraon

His grandson Raja Hari Singh was the ruler of Kashmir at the time of partition of India. Because of his indecisiveness and weak Indian Government, the Pakistanis occupied most of Kashmir. The Kabaili Pathan were drafted in the name of "Jehad' to invade Kashmir Valley. The Raiders were given the license to loot, rape and kill. When these forces were ready, a full-scale tribal invasion backed by the Pakistani regular army was launched.

Defense Minister balwant Singh, Raja Hari Singh, Nehru, and Sheikh Abdullah in October 24, 1947

The Pakistani operations in the Jammu Sector and Poonch started on October, 15 1947 and in the Kashmir Valley on October, 20 1947 with the aim of capturing Srinagar by October 26, 1947. On October 22, 1947, a Lashkar of tribal, some five thousands strong, led an incursion into the valley of Kashmir from Abbottabad. Tribal and Pakistani forces experienced significant successes in the opening days of the conflict as they were able to take Dommel on the first day and overpowered a Kashmiri government battalion at Muzaffarabad by October 23. On October 26, 1947, after four days, they were in the vicinity of Srinagar. The Dogra Army seemed to have been beaten. The Maharaja had already fled his capital, Srinagar, to seek the comparative safety of Jammu.. Yet in their success lay the seeds of their doom. For on their way, they took to looting and raping, and the ultimate goal of the 'Holy War' was forgotten. Each man tried to grab as much wealth or as many girls as he could, and the 'infidel' Maharaja at Srinagar or the 'liberation of the oppressed Muslims' of Kashmir was last on his mind.

Massacre of Sikhs and Hindus in Mirpur - 1948

Nehru was equally indecisive. Sardar Patel lost his temper on his dillydallying. He said, "Jawaharlal, do you want Kashmir, or do you want to give it away?" Nehru said, "Of course, I want Kashmir." Then Patel said: "Please give your orders."

The rescue mission was code-named, Operation JAK. The first regiment to move in was 1 Sikh, stationed at Gurgaon at the time and commanded by Lt. Col. D.R. Rai. The troops were transported in four Dakota planes that took off from Delhi on October 27th and reached Srinagar early morning the same day. The first engagement with the enemy started on October 28th. Lt. Col. Rai was the first Indian officer to fall in the battle of liberation. The liberation of the Valley in early November 1947 was a splendid feat of arms by this regiment of the 161 Brigade, fighting against hordes of raiders. This single brigade managed to hold its own throughout the long winter of 1947-48 when its only line of communication was blocked by snow.

In a masterly battle strategy, the Indian troops flanked the invaders from three sides and unleashed murderous firepower on them. The RIAF strafed them from the air. The Battle of Shalateng was over within 20 minutes. It put Srinagar and Kashmir Valley beyond the grasp of the invaders forever. There were encounters after that, but the enemy was being driven back steadily and surely. By the evening of November 13th, Uri was captured. With that the liberation of the Kashmir Valley was complete.

Sikh soldiers of 161 Brigade taking positions against Tribal Invaders

Learn more about the bravery of Sikh soldiers in liberating Kashmir from the Afghani tribals here:

On the basis of written reference in history books, Sikh literature and construction of gurdwaras, we can say that the people who have faith in Sikh religion have been living in Kashmir since the inception of Sikhism by Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

Sikh Farmer in Jammu & Kashmir

The Sikhs are contributing to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir by farming in the dangerous border areas facing bullets from the snipers of Pakistani Rangers every day.

A Sikh boy sits on the wall at his home littered with bullet holes from Pakistani firing

Sikh soldiers protect the borders from terrorist invasions and take Pakistani terrorists head on everyday in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Sikh soldier protecting the Line of Control - Kashmir

These soldiers have risked their lives in protecting the public and controlling the menace of Pakistani terrorist organization such as Laskar-E-Taiba.

Sikh soldier after an encounter with Pakistani terrorist in Kashmir

The Sikhs setup relief camps and rescued Kashmiris from the floods in 2014. The Sikh Gurdwaras all over the state organized shelters and provided free Langar to all during the floods.

Its about time Indian government scrap the Article 370 allowing the Sikhs to settle in Kashmir Valley as they have contributed to its liberation, economy, and constant protection from the terrorist attacks originating from Pakistan,