“Sair-e- Kashmir”-Part-II

• (By Kanwal Krishan Lidhoo)*

Kashmir Rechords in its blog dated 09/12/2023 highlighted the contents of a historical travelogue of 1847 written by Pandit Kanhaya Lal Aashiq Dehalvi titled `Sair-e-Kashmir’. The copy of the travelogue, which is written in old style Urdu and in Nastalique script, was made available to us by Rafi Ahmad Masoodi Sahab of Sopore who is an Educationist, Writer and  and a   historian.  

Part first of the blog was shared with readers under the title “Englishman’s 1847 travel to Kashmir via Jammu’’. The blog  brought out the vivid and poignant details of the history of that period. The same can be assessed here: https://kashmir-rechords.com/englishmans-1847-travel-to-kashmir-via-jammu/

Leaving Jammu for Rajouri

The Part II of the  travelogue in the form of daily entries in a diary called ‘Roznamcha’ also contains immensely useful  information and details about the onward journey to Kashmir undertaken by one Englishman Mr. Winter Bedim and Pandit Kanhaya Lal Aashiq Dehalvi and it goes like this:–

The party left Jammu on 25^th of April, 1847, crossed the river Chenab at Akhnoor and traversed their path through what the writer calls “Kohistani llaqa”…. the mountainous region. The ‘Roznamcha’ makes the mention of places like “Daab”, “Bhimber”, “Rah Koh” “Sayal Soi” and finally Rajouri. The officialdom of Maharaja Gulab Singh comprising of Diwan Gurudita Mal, Kochak Diwan, Karam Chand and Jamadar Charitoo welcomed them and took care of all their needs. The Roznamcha reveals that three parts of land at Rajouri yield ‘Brinj” and the remaining one fourth produces wheat and barley. Rajouri town is mentioned as an impressive one with bustling trade activity.

People’s Poor State of Health

The party finally leaves Rajouri town on or around the morning of 1st May 1847 and crosses Thana Mandi around second May 1847.  Mr Dehalvi reveals that it has a sizeable  number  of Kashmiri speaking population but in terms of health people are prone to cold, cough related infections and extreme debility and exhaustion was noticed on account of high malnutrition. The party upon onward journey reached Behram Gulla from whereupon they proceeded to cross what the writer of the `Roznamcha’ calls “Rattan Paanchaal” peak and is said to be at a height of about nine thousand feet from sea level. There is a `Mazar’ in memory of a great saint in this area. This saint has a large following.

In the relatively low-lying area between two mountainous ridges is situated Behram Gulla. Gulla as per the local lingo signifies a pass or a passage. A chowki installed on the orders of Maharaja Gulab Singh collects tribute or levy in the form of following goods with their declared quantity as follows:-

SALT………………………………………………………… = Four (Mounds)

PARCHA SAFED (probably white Latha)…………… = Nine (Mounds)

WHITE SUGAR…………………………………………… = Four (Mounds)

No other good or trade item passes across this mountainous pass.

The party is said to have continued its trek across this vast mountainous area coming across infinite number of water bodies, rivulets, nullahs, cascades etc through this perilous territory with  a miniature town and  its minuscule population namely ‘Poshan’. However, the onward journey could not be made due to accumulated snow and to circumvent the challenge as many as fifty `mazdoors’ (labourers) were called out to clear out the way forward at a feverish speed even through the night and thus the travel continued in the full moonlight, the `Roznamcha’ reveals.  This part of the Pir Panchal range is at about a height of more than twelve thousand feet. A Sarai does exist at a distance of one `kos’ at a place called Ali Abad. The `Roznamcha’ mentions about the spending of night in a `Sarai’. The writer of the travelogue was so unnerved by the cold at this place that he goes on record to mention that even the bonfire they made at these heights caught cold.

Trekking through Heerpur

After a proper rest, the party continued its downward trek through Heerpur where they were received by Diwan Gobind and one Lala Jendyal. The town has been mentioned as having a sizable population and all kinds of eatables are said to be available.

The party left Heerpur on seventh of May 1847 for Shahabad in Devsar Pargana and upon reaching there, they exclaimed! Lo and behold! Glimpse of the great Aharbal Aabshaar (Cascade) was before them. “It indeed is a miracle of God where a rainbow gets formed on the splashes created by the downward fall of this great water fall”. The writer of the travelogue, however, here also comes across a weak population with minimum resources to combat the usual prevalent diseases of debility, exhaustion and infections. The `Badda Sahab” i, e Winter Bedim is reported to have distributed some medicines he had brought along with him among these people. ………………. (TO BE CONTINUED)

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