By Dr. Rajesh Bhat

Ever heard of snakes or stones snowing? No! then go through this snowy story. No fairy tale but buried in the archives is a part of the recent history of Kashmir, supported by documentary evidence.

     The two phenomenal incidents when snakes and stones came dangling along with snowflakes in Kashmir, took place during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, a highly devout and God-fearing King.  The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is in possession of the precious documents pertaining to these two extraordinary incidents when stones and snakes had “descended from heaven’’ in two South Kashmir villages.

 Worried Maharaja

The worried Maharaja, shaken by these ominous happenings, foresaw a terrible calamity that was in the days to come on him and his Subjects. He had immediately summoned the Official Head Priest to find the way out and to ward off any bad effect associated with this event of apocalyptic proportions.

When this writer, during his Ph.D. work approached the J&K  Department of Archives, Archeology and Museums in 2009, little did the writer know that he had laid his hands on a very vital and important aspect of Kashmir’s history or that matter such a strange and unique event seen anywhere in the world. The files titled “ Fall of Stones’’ and “ Fall of Snakes from Heaven” have become the centre of attention for researchers and the common people as well.

December 1912—when stones snowed in Shopian

 On scrutiny, the files reveal that it was in December 1912 when people of Shopian had complained of having noticed stones falling in their village along with snow. When the matter was brought to the notice of Maharaja Pratap Singh, the fear-stricken king immediately ordered his official priest Pandit Jagdish Ji to assess the situation and suggest remedial measures. The Priest had recommended a yagya to appease the gods of the Sun, Indra and Moon. Besides, the Maharaja was asked to donate gold, rice, and a white horse in a bid to ward off any bad omen.

 The Maharaja through his order number 1625, dated April 6, 1912, had immediately sanctioned rupees 500 for the purpose of undertaking the yagya and all other related ceremonies through his Department of  Religion, called Dharamarth Trust.

  Fall of Snakes from Sky

Kashmir had witnessed another such unnatural phenomenon again during the kingship of Maharaja Pratap Singh. Two years after “Fall of Stones’’, it was now the turn of snakes to descend with the snow. It was March 1914, when the incident took place in Kulgam tehsil of South Kashmir.

The Maharaja was again sounded and Pandit Jagdish Ji had foreseen war like situation in near future. The panic-stricken Maharaja was advised to undertake “Shanti Paath’’ which burdened State exchequer by rupees 338 and one Anna. The file that belonged to the then “Political Department of General Chief Secretariat’’, carries all the notings mentioning the detail of items and materials to be used for performing oblations to gods. Call it a coincidence or otherwise, it was after the incident of the “ falling of snakes’’ that World War I had broken out in 1914! 

      Incidentally, the Department of Archeology, Archives and Museums is in possession of one such heavy stone that had reportedly come down with snowflakes in 1912. This stone is presently lying in the Shri Pratap Museum in Srinagar.  Maharaja Pratap Singh, as the officials have noted, despatched this stone to be displayed prominently in this museum as a souvenir as well as a reminder of evil deeds of man.