A Paradise wrongly in search of Identity

The name Kashmir is derived from two words

- ka (the water) - and shimeera (to desiccate),

so the word Kashmir implies land desiccated from water

We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to

arrive where we started… and know the place for the first time

T S Eliot, poet, playwright, critic

Geography

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, Chenab Valley, Poonch Valley, Sind Valley and Lidder Valley. The main Kashmir valley is 100 km (62 mi) wide and 15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi) in area. The Himalayas divide the Kashmir valley from Ladakh while the Pir Panjal range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the Great Plains of northern India.

Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas. This densely settled and beautiful valley has an average height of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea-level but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 5,000 metres (16,000 ft).

The Jhelum River is the only major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley. The Indus, Tawi, Ravi and Chenab are the major rivers flowing through the state. Jammu and Kashmir is home to several Himalayan glaciers. With an average altitude of 5,753 metres (18,875 ft) above sea-level, the Siachen Glacier is 70 km (43 mi) long making it the longest Himalayan glacier.

The climate of Jammu and Kashmir varies greatly owing to its rugged topography. In the south around Jammu, the climate is typically monsoonal, though the region is sufficiently far west to average 40 to 50 mm (1.6 to 2 inches) of rain per months between January and March. In the hot season, Jammu city is very hot and can reach up to 40 °C (104 °F) whilst in July and August, very heavy though erratic rainfall occurs with monthly extremes of up to 650 millimetres (25.5 inches). In September, rainfall declines, and by October conditions are hot but extremely dry, with minimal rainfall and temperatures of around 29 °C (84 °F).

Across from the Pir Panjal range, the South Asian monsoon is no longer a factor and most precipitation falls in the spring from southwest cloudbands. Because of its closeness to the Arabian Sea, Srinagar receives as much as 25 inches (635 millimetres) of rain from this source, with the wettest months being March to May with around 85 millimetres (3.3 inches) per month. Across from the main Himalaya Range, even the southwest cloudbands break up and the climate of Ladakh and Zanskar is extremely dry and cold. Annual precipitation is only around 100 mm (4 inches) per year and humidity is very low. This region, almost all above 3,000 metres (9,750 ft) above sea level and winters are extremely cold. In Zanskar, the average January temperature is -20 °C (-4 °F) with extremes as low as -40 °C (-40 °F). All the rivers freeze over and locals actually do river crossings during this period because their high levels from glacier melt in summer inhibits crossing. In summer in Ladakh and Zanskar, days are typically a warm 20 °C (68 °F) but with the low humidity and thin air nights can still be cold.

Historical Vedic Civilization extended much

over northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan

Since ancient times, Kashmir has been part of the Himalayan region of Bharatvarsha

Finds mentions also in Mahabharata

Kashmir is also the birthplace of Shaivism, Shiv Sutra revealed by Lord Shiva to sage Vasuguptacharya, and Panini, the famous Sanskrit grammarian

Till 11th century, Kashmir was important part of the powerful Hindu monarchs whose kingdoms spanned till Central Asia

Important centre also in the Buddhist era

Historical (2)Invasion, Conversion, Ousting out owners

After Taxila and Nalanda, Kashmir also was important center for profound Hindu culture and Sanskrit studies

Invading Islam / Turkish zealots destroyed its libraries

Islam zealots 1st invaded Kashmir in 12th century (1322) by Turkish Zulakdur Khan

2nd Turkish invasion (1394) by Sikander Butshikhan made Islam the state religion by enforced mass conversions

King Akbar one of India’s leading Muslim ruler is known to have thrown out Hindu Kashmir Pandits, owners of Kashmir

Since then millions of Kashmiri Pandits have been thrown out of their homeland

In 21st century, Islam zealots have continued this terrorizing tradition

Political

Disasters of history are the result of government's folly and perverse persistence in pursuing the policies contrary to national interests.

- Barbara W. TuchmanAmerican historian and author of 'The March of Folly'

Political Desperately searching for its identity, Kashmir must realize, it was and is very much part of prosperous India

India is a successful democracy after six decades of good politics; Pakistan still undeveloped with almost five decades of dictatorship

Radidcal Islam has more political ideology that has since centuries preached violence

Centuries of invasions, brutal, enforced conversions has high Muslim population in Kashmir

Pakistan was carved out from large hearted India for the benefit of Muslims

Fathers of Independent India then thought Muslims will be happy with their own country

Pakistan has instead unleashed politics of hate, snatched land from Kashmir, unleashed terror across the world and even set up terror camps across line of control

Political - 2 India has been forced to

fight four avoidable wars on wrongs committed 60 years ago by politicians of both India and Pakistan

Muslim-favoring Nehru was wrong in taking the Kashmir issue to UN even when the then Hindu Ruler Hari Singh had agreed to join the Independent India

Pakistan supported slogan mongers, secessionists have wrongly hyped `Kashmiriat’

Removal of wrongly imposed Section 370 will help return Kashmir Pandits into Kashmir and allow all Indians to own land in Kashmir as it is across India

This will help Kashmir develop faster with more number of industries in the State

Economic Reasons Kashmir was always known

as heaven on earth In 2008, it is shimmering

under the Islam fanatics

Democratic India has progressed well and now an emerging economic power

Pakistan’s governed largely by dicatators, religious-zealots is fiscally imprudent, mismanaged,considered poor

India’s GDP pie in 2008 is over $1 trillion ($650 billion in 2004)

Pakistan’s economy is barely 1/10th of India

With its 172.8 million population, Pakistan’s GDP was estimated at around $140 bn in 2007

Economic Reasons – 2 India’s GDP growth close to 10%, Pakistan’s

GDP growth hovers around 6% India has strong social sector; Pakistan just

out of the clutches of dictators has barely managed to initiate financing its social sector

Urban wages in India go up to even Rs 5,000-6,000 per day; in Pakistan, urban wages in 2007 were said to be around Rs 300-400!

Afghan refugees – over three million – still burden Pakistan’s economy

Kashmir’s economy for over a decade is in shambles because of Pakistan-supported fanatics

Slow developing, small and poor Pakistan would hardly be able to support Kashmir’s soft industries like tourism, art and artifacts, agriculture (to some extent)

Kashmiris will benefit more and progress fast if they are with Prosperous India than with unstable Pakistan

Religious Freedom Belief in pantheism and restrained modernism are at the basis of both Sanatana Hinduism and Islam

Large number of Kashmiris are originally Hindus who were forcefully converted into becoming Muslims

Large-hearted, poly-theistic India offers more freedom and benefits also to Muslims who have prospered faster in India than in Pakistan

Centuries old India’s Sanatana Hinduism is the most tolerant, conducive & progressive of all other faiths

India’s poly-theism has also helped cross section of religious followers to freely follow their religion

Religious Freedom - 2 Islam’s mono-theistic, violence-preaching political ideology has

overshadowed good, God-fearing and loving aspects about Islam The 1400-years old Islam religion is the world’s most severe,

intolerant of all faiths Islam’s strict mono-theism has emerged as the most frightening

of all religions Muslims across the world find India the best place to follow their

religion World’s largest Muslim population is in India

Kashmiris…

Understand and chose what’s best in your interest

for a progressive and prosperous future

Namaste…

Namaste… and join us fast for a peaceful and prosperous world