Abstract
This book is a compilation of diverse chapters on Kashmir compartmentalised into its History, Politics, and Representation. The chapters encompassing these fields present a multifaceted picture of the ‘Greater Kashmir’—a platter of assorted academic writings whose rationale behind their inclusion is justified reasonably by Zutshi in her introductory write-up. Perhaps the essence of the book lies in its complexity, hence it is a complicated reading that is bound to leave the reader adrift on certain occasions—not in terms of the content of the chapters but the overall structure of the volume. Although Zutshi has tried to simplify the idea and ‘definition’ of Kashmir by locating references from Sanskrit texts to the 19th-century narratives up till the birth of the idea and sentiment of Kashmiriyat, the onus is pretty much on the reader to make their way through a certain ambiguity that looms over as one goes through each chapter. The idea of Kashmir is different in every chapter which must be grasped to keep a track of the sudden leaps from one chapter to another.
The ‘History’ section deals with historical accounts of the Kashmir valley. There are four chapters in this section covering a wide range of topics. In the first chapter, Mridu Rai comments upon the politics of colonial archaeological projects carried out in Kashmir. Within the chapter, she traces Indian archaeology’s relation with the colonial state and then zooms upon how archaeology was used by both the Dogra rulers and later by the Kashmiri Muslim elite to project their sovereignty and identity. In the second chapter, the editor herself talks about the shrine culture in Kashmir. Zutshi discusses how urban shrines in Srinagar have become corporatised and come to exercise a symbolic power. She describes, within the chapter, how two Mirwaizes (chief preachers) contested for preaching and management privileges of Khanqah-i-Mullah shrine and Jama Masjid. These urban spaces (shrines) were seen as a means of increasing social and political influence in the city. Andrew Whitehead, in his chapter ‘The Rise and Fall of New Kashmir’ describes Kashmir’s political awakening and the idea of ‘New Kashmir’ under Sheikh Abdullah. The chapter revisits Kashmir’s resistance against Maharaja Hari Singh’s administration and the subsequent strengthening of Kashmiri nationalism. The chapter further delves into the fall of Sheikh Abdullah and how it distressed relations between the Kashmiri nationalists and the Indian state in terms of the latter’s increasing interference in Kashmir’s internal politics. The fourth chapter, by Shahla Hussain, is an insightful discussion of the changing definitions of ‘azadi’ over a period of time. Overall, this section is diverse and well-organised but somewhat lacks a discernable axis around which the chapters are located.
The chapters in the ‘Politics’ section have been included keeping in mind the intricate geography of the Kashmir dispute. Although Ladakh has failed to bag a spot in the list, this section presents the labyrinthine face of the politics of the two other regions: Jammu and Kashmir. The pre-partition and contemporary maps in the beginning of the book come in handy. Christopher Snedden writes a detailed narrative on ‘Azad Kashmir’ in his chapter. He observes that India-Pakistan dialogues on the Kashmir problem have evaded discussion on ‘Azad Kashmir’ and India largely remains disinterested in Azad Kashmir. A similar argument is presented by Martin Sökefeld who forays into the region of Gilgit-Baltistan and discusses its unresolved political status with Pakistan. Reeta Tremblay’s chapter puts forth a detailed analysis of governance and identity politics contextualizing the evolving and multifaceted nature of the Indian occupation. Through a detailed investigation of crime against women in Kashmir in the recent past, Seema Kazi questions the idea of governance in Kashmir through a gendered lens. Along with chapters on the identity of Kashmiri Pandits by Haley Duschinski and caste dynamics in Jammu by Mohita Bhatia in this conflict-ridden region, this section is a presentation of the complex power dynamics involving the state and its subjects. The section provides a rich description of the latent and manifest sentiments and imagination of the people (identified on the basis of region and religion).
‘Representation’ is the most interesting section in the book. It is a mix of fresh and stimulating chapters that engages the issue of self-representation of Kashmir/Kashmiris vis-à-vis its representation by outsiders. Dean Accardi writes about two patron saints of Kashmir—Lalla Ded and Nund Rishi, who are central to Kashmiri identity and deeply embedded in the collective memories of the people. Accardi observes that the mystic past of Kashmiris is deeply embedded with their present through the landscape. Spirituality draws extraordinary significance in the lives of Kashmiris as it helps the people to define their identity. Vanessa Chisti takes the opportunity to describe how the imperial imagination and the elitist fascination with the idea of Kashmir were discerned through Kashmiri shawls which were regarded as the physical ‘embodiment’ of the place. The chapter by Ananya Jahanara Kabir deals with the cinematic depiction of Kashmir and Kashmiris in Bollywood’s ‘new Kashmir films’ and raises questions on the portrayal of Kashmiri Muslims. The final chapter by Suvir Kaul is an analysis of Kashmiri poems (post-1989). It shows how individual suffering becomes an aspect of collective trauma and anguish for Kashmir and its people. The choice of poems included and analysed seem to do justice to the theme of a past that is lived in the present through collective memories.
The book, through its three sections, successfully manages to offer insights into several issues—both past and present—relevant to the region. The chapters steer the reader through several directions and allow for a broadening of the understanding about the Kashmir region. An important contribution to Kashmir Studies and a must-read for students, academics and policy makers alike.