New publication: Family migration stories in the Indus Basin and Kashmir’s Customary Laws
Read the latest in our Special Series on Kashmir.
Hi there,
We’re delighted to be publishing the tenth in our Special Series on Kashmir, by journalist Venus Upadhayaya, where she delves into her patrileanal heritage of “Upadhaya”, her kul-devta (family’s principal deity), looks through unique of cross-generational records existing with the Brahmins of Haridwar and finds the history behind the Codes and Customs of the Tribes of Kashmir, research which enabled the prevailing customs of different tribes in various villages of the Kashmir valley compiled and codified to the level of law. Scroll down for more.
Venus was born in Jammu and her ancestral home is in a village in the lower shivalik ranges that are also home to the Dogra/Pahadi culture. Her ancestral home has always fascinated her and this series is her journey to discover her roots. She's also a Research Fellow at the National School of Leadership.
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Next week in London, Jui Gangan and Khadi London are hosting the Festival of Natural Fibres: Threads of Change at the Nehru Centre, with Sangeeta Waldron, Rachel Sheila Kan and Pratik Dattani as speakers on the 19th. Scroll down for details of the entire’ week’s programming.
Congratulations to Devasiachan Benny for being producer of Pyaar Jaana Pehchana, a reimagining of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, performed in theatres including The Box and The Base in Pune over the last few weeks. Find out more here.
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Pop artist Ketna Patel is hosting her latest BRITINDIA exhibition at the Headstone Manor and Museum in London (10 Oct 23 - 28 Jan 24). If you’re interested in free artist guided group tours and talks, please call Ketna on 07982 654310.
Family Migration Stories in the Indus Basin, Kashmir’s Customary Laws and a Mysterious Murder
An extract from this unique publication, based on months of detailed field work by Venus:
Dogra toured the valley “exhaustively” and compiled his inquiries into Codes and Customs of the Tribes of Kashmir, which enabled the prevailing customs of different tribes in various villages of the Kashmir valley compiled and codified to the level of law.
“The codification of custom was part of the movement by the state to amend, consolidate and declare laws to be administered in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which found fruition in the Sri Pratap Jammu and Kashmir Consolidation Act 1977B (1920). Based on Dogra’s code, the Sri Pratap Act, while granting primacy to Hindu and Muslim Personal Law, recognised customary laws in cases where it had altered or replaced personal law,” says Zutshi.
The motivation behind this codification in Kashmir was the need for an assessment of land holding rights because the agricultural classes applied customary law in matters of land inheritance and land division.
Sant Ram Dogra was killed on his way home to see his newborn son, my grandfather. He was run over by his own horse buggy on April 17, 1918. If the folklores are to be believed, his adversaries didn’t want to see his work culminating in state law. Land settlement and issues of inheritance in that feudal society must have made his tenure a very threatening job. Even Lawrence on at least one occasion had received a written death threat (16).
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Upcoming events:
Festival of Natural Fibres: Threads of Change 2023 (16-20 October | Nehru Centre, London | Book here)
From creators of the problem to leaders to the solution: could the fashion and textiles industry drive the change, thread by thread? Join Khadi London for the latest in a series of events aimed at everyone, from those in the global fashion and textiles community, to all of us as consumers who want to see revolutionary change and who recognise our collective power to make it happen.
Details:
16th October (5:30 - 8pm): Inauguration, exhibtion, keynote and networking (book here)
17th October (10am - 12:45pm): Climate Change and Social Justice group discussion and networking (book here)
19th October (1:30 - 6pm): Education, Heritage and Culture with craft demonstrations in the morning, followed by panels and networking, then music and film (book here)
6:30pm: Gandhi Foundation Annual Lecture: Becoming Gandhi by actor Paul Bazely who is currently starring in the National Theatre production The Father and the Assassin.
20th October (10am - 1pm): Culture and Inclusive Ecosystem group discussion and networking (book here)
Book launch of The Concert for Bangladesh: United friends of Bangladesh (5pm, 18 October, SOAS | Book here)
This book predominantly discuses not only the history of Bangladesh but also from a global perspective as to how the chain of events leading up to the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war impacted geopolitically. It was a great pleasure for both of us to have collaborated and worked jointly on this huge and vast piece of current history. The idea first to write about this book came about a few years ago when both of us were reading the pieces of the 1971 liberation war and in that context we came about some original pieces of advertisement and the LP vinyl disc records of the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh.
Its authors are Abu Sayed, an imminent journalist from Bangladesh who works with special focus on the 1971 war of liberation, and geopolitical analyst Priyajit Debsarkar.
Ramayana: A puppet show (6pm, Fri 10 Nov | Guy’s Campus, King’s College London | Book here)
The Ramayana Puppet Show is StoryHour UK flagship performance. A timeless piece of culture and art, this story narrates the epic tale behind the festival of Diwali, using uniquely hand-crafted puppets. Having been performed across many different audiences, this puppet show has been celebrated for capturing the essence of a classic. The show has been screened at various Indian embassies across Europe and schools in London while also being readily available in 6 languages here. It has been applauded by Indian Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, author Amish Tripathi and others.
Alongside a screening of the puppet show, there will be live puppeteers demonstrating scenes from the Ramayana, with an installation of the six puppets, followed by a talk and Q&A with producer Neelima Penumarthy.
When: 5 – 6:30pm, Wed 19 July
Where: Guy’s Campus, King’s College London (Waterloo)
Book: Bridge India Members: £10 | Others: £20 bookable here | Drinks and snacks provided
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