Books and Sources of Kashmir History for JKSSB
There are many sources of history of Kashmir. They are listed below;
1 Nilamat Purana:
It is the earliest known historical text of Kashmir. Written by Sage Nila, the lord of Kashmir Nagas, it throws light on the Pre-Rajatrangno era of Kashmir.
According to this text, Kashmir valley was originally a huge lake called Satisar, which was inhabited by a demon called Jalod Bawa.
The inhabitants of the valley had to suffer a lot on his hands, and hearing about it, a saint named Kashyap Reshi came to their rescue.
He cut a mountain near Varahmulla, and the Satisar got drained and the demon was killed.
It is owing to this reason that people called Kashmir as Kashyap Mar and Kasyap pura.
2 Rajatrangni:
This has been written by Kalhana Pandit in 1149-50 AD (Originally written in Sanskrit & Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin got it translated into Persian by Mulla Ahamad). Kalhana is considered as the first historian of Kashmir.
The Rajatrangni mean the “river of Kings”, and it has recorded the kings from the epic era of Mahabharat to the reign of Sangrama Deva.
3 Hara Charitachintamani:
Written by Jayadrath, it provides information about the saced sites of Kashmir.
4 Twarikh-I-Kashmir:
it has been written by Malik Haider, who was a courtier in the court of Yusuf Shah Chak.
It has recorded the history of Kashmir from earliest time to 1617 AD.
5 Samayatrika of Kshemendra gives the topographical details of Kashmir.
6 Kitab-ul-Hind of Alberuni.
7 Waquat-I-Kashmir by Khawaja Mohammad Azam Kaul in 1748.
8 Tarikh-I-Hassan by Pir Hassan Shah. It is considered as the most comprehensive and most detailed of all the indigenous Persian works on Kashmir History.
9 Mukhtsar-Tarikh-I-Kashmir by Pandit Birbal Kachru in 1835.
10 Zafar Nama by Sharif-ud-Din-Yazdi. It gives us glimpses of the relation between Sultan Sikander of Kashmir and Timur.
11 The valley of Kashmir by Sir Walter Lawerence.
12 Tarikh-I-Hind by Alberuni.
13 Travel account of Huen-Tasng. Al-Masudi, Al-Qazwini, Ou-Kong etc.
History of Kashmir
According to Nilmat Purana, the Nagas were the early inhabitants of Kashmir. They worshipped serpents and their celebrated king was Nila.
Kalhana’s Rajatarangini mentions Gonanda I as the first recorded king. He ascended to the throne around 3000 BC
fighting alongside his relative Jarasand against Krishna in a battle at Mathura.
Following Gonanda 1’s reign, his son Dhamodar succeeded him as the ruler of Kashmir