Special Series: The Untold Histories of Kashmir
A series based on family history, anecdotes, cultural linkages and ancestry.
Hi there,
On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti last week, Member Pratap Tambe writes a Manifesto of a Common Ambedkerite.
The rich history of Jammu and Kashmir is rarely shared and known within India, let alone outside. We’re delighted to have published a series of articles and publications on this varied history, by journalist Venus Upadhayaya.
Read on for the unique stories we’ve published so far.
“Great Games were a series of geo-political activities between the Russian and British Empires from 1838 to 1907.
In the 19th century, they were driven by expansionist agendas and led to massive territorial, political and socio-economic changes in the region that lay between the two empires. The sandwiched region included today’s Central Asia, Afghanistan, India’s and Pakistan’s northern frontiers, today’s Xinjiang and Tibet.
During the Great Games period, Kashmir was ruled over by Dogras, a warrior race of the north western Himalayas and its adjoining Indus Basin.”
Small Piece of a Family’s History Could be Missing Chunk in Kashmir’s Puzzle
“There was an ancient route from Kashmir to Haridwar traversing through the shivalik ranges of Jammu that brought traders, seekers and invaders to India. Haridwar is a pilgrimage town of antiquity on the bank of the Ganges, about 16 miles downstream from Rishikesh from where Beatles started their journey into meditation in the late 1960s.”
Is My Jammu Village Standing on a Civilisational Catchment?
“As children, growing up in the old Jammu city, we could from the terrace watch a far off tree line and whenever there was noise on the border, my mother would point at the tree line and say that’s from where the noise is coming, ‘in that direction lies Pakistan’.”
“Gilgit is of high stakes today in the geo-political chess game—a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, China is building the $80 billion worth China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through it.”
Hydro-geology, bowlis and the people we call Dogras
“I’m a Dogra – put simply I’m from a land geologically sandwiched between the fertile plains of Indus and the mighty ranges of the North western Himalayas. For thousands of years this midland ranging from 1,000-4,000 feet above sea level became home to many who escaped from the floods of the mighty Indus or the harshness of the high ranges.”
Ancient Battles at India’s Gateway and and its Constant Reflections in Contemporary Geopolitics
“Neglecting a region’s history is akin to waging a covert war against it. Recorded history has often been a mixture of fiction and fantasy, its angle is often defined by the narrative adopted by the writer. And that has likely been dictated by the ruler that hired or patronized the writer.”
Can the ancient ‘Kashmir to Haridwar’ route be revitalised into a National Educational Route?
“A November 2022 report in The Tribune warns about increasing drug peddling involving youth into Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh from the adjoining regions of Punjab and the J&K union territory. The undercurrents are felt in my region too.”
The billions of dollars worth of my grandfather’s one rupee
“Nanku’s spiced channa in thick, fresh yogurt has also passed away with him. Downtown’s Jammu taste buds have evolved to momos, chowmein and spring rolls while retaining its kachaloos (taro spiced chat), samosas and sweets. Nanku’s family today sells pastries, cakes and aerated drinks. Until someone like Vikas Khanna rediscovers Nanku’s recipe, I fear the net worth of Nanku’s idea will die forever.”
Dogras, The Most Competent Militaries of the Great Games and The Policy Imperatives of Their Legacy
“The Dogra kingdom lay right between the British Empire and the Russian Empire during the 19th century when the geo-political rivalries called the “Great Games” were at their peak between the two empires.
Yet Dogras are the least studied in any geo-political context, except for vis-a-vis the contemporary Kashmir conflict. Dogra history has turned into a fodder for the Great Game propagandists of the past and the present.”
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11-12 May 2023 | BI Members £100, Non-Members £250 | Book here
Our flagship annual Ideas for India conference is back. Last year over 500 guests joined us over two days to celebrate 75 years of Indian independence. This year, we have over 100 business delegates from India confirmed as attending, as well as senior policy makers from the breadth of India:
Dr Raghuram Rajan, Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India
KT Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries, Commerce & IT, Government of Telangana)
Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water
Abhinandan Sekhri, Co-Founder, Newslaundry
Siddarth Yog, Founder, Xander Group
Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (Maharashtra)
Rohit Pawar, Member of Legislative Assembly (Maharashtra)
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Deputy Leader and Spokesperson, Shiv Sena (Maharashtra)
Kartikeya Sharma, Member of Parliament (Haryana)
Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, Managing Director, Pride East Entertainment (Assam)
Pradyot Manikya, Chairman, Tipra Motha (Tripura)
Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce and IT (Telangana)
Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi, National Spokesperson, JD (U) (Bihar)
Dr Mohammad Amin, Former Joint Director/ Chief of Protocol, Election Commission Of India
Umar Kamaal Farooqui, National Spokesperson, NCP (Maharashtra)
Elena Fernandes, supermodel and influencer
Rita Kakati-Shah, Founder and CEO, Uma
Upcoming event: Classical music & Art dinner soiree
6:30pm, Sat 27 May, Ketna Patel art studio, Stanmore | £45 (Members), £55 (Non-Members) | Book here
When is the last time you spent an eclectic evening at a funky artist’s studio fusing Asian Pop Art, Indian classical music, food and wine?
Our first Bridge India soiree is in collaboration with Pop Artist Ketna Patel at her fantastically colourful home and studio in Stanmore. Inspired by many years of famous soirees held at her Singapore studio, these evenings hosting poets, musicians, writers, film screenings etc have generated many long lasting friendships & collaborations across time zones and geography.
This soiree will feature the young and very talented Sarod maverick Abhishek Borkar from Pune, India. Abhishek is rapidly gaining recognition as one of India’s finest young sarod players.
Along with Abhishek will be his beautiful wife Saberi Misra. The daughter of Pt. Rajkumar Misra and Smt. Chandrima Misra, renowned musicians and gurus themselves, Saberi has been exposed to tabla and vocal music respectively, all her life, performing, training and moulding young minds herself.
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