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The Shrine of Sultan Sahib (Sultan Darvesh) at Hakura Badasgam, Anantnag

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A 20th century Sufi known as Sheikh Muhammad Sultan used to live in a small village in Anantnag, the Kashmir valley called Hakura Badasgam. He has achieved miraculous status throughout the Kashmir area as well as outside of it as one of its prophets. Baba Sultan is classified as a Qalandar (one of 4 categories of Sufis). The Qalandars lived their lives wholly devoted to God by following Him alone and not following social customs (that is, the accepted rules of society) as a matter of course, except where doing so might violate the Shari'ah (that is, the universal law of God). (The differences in behaviour, dress, and objects carried by Qalandars has been used as an excuse to consider Qalandars to be separate from others.) There exists a considerable amount of literature concerning Qalandars in languages other than English such as Urdu (the principal native language of Pakistan), Persian (the principal native language of Iran), and Arabic (the principal native language of Saudi Arab...
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Sacred Devika River of Udhampur

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Many scriptures describe the Devika River as either the holiest river in existence, or, as some call it, the Ganges of Duggar. Even though Devika is located and flows through Jammu (in J&K state), many scholars have provided conflicting views as to what this river really is, where it came from and where it is going to. According to the Dr. Vasudeva Sharan Agrawal, "Devika is the sacred river of 'Madra Desha' - the old name for what we now call the land of Dogras; it begins its course in the hills of Jammu at 'Sahashra-dhara', which is located near the Suddha Mahadev temple, flowing through 'Jammu' and into 'Western Punjab' (present day 'Pakistan') and eventually meeting up with the Ravi River in Pakistan." According to Dr. P. V. Kane, a winner of the Bharat Ratna award, this river should be placed next to Wullar Lake in Kashmir Valley - contrary to Dr. Agrawal's view of the river located under the earth's surface except for ...
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Sharda Mata Shrine in Udhampur: History and cultural Significance

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History:  The district headquarters of Udhampur is located in an area that has been traditionally known as "the land of Druva."; Udhampur derives its name from Raja Udham Singh, the oldest son of Maharaja Gulab Singh, who was the founder of the Dogra dynasty and founder of the Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir. Udhampur was established on a location that was previously very thick forested and was a place that Raja Udham Singh frequented while hunting. Over time, Raja Udham Singh became fond of the area and made it the location for his new town. Udhampur District is located between 32 degrees 34 minutes to 39 degrees 30 minutes north latitude and 74 degrees 16 minutes to 75 degrees 38 minutes east longitude. Udhampur District has elevations ranging from 600 meters to 3,000 meters above sea level. Udhampur District is located in southeast Jammu and Kashmir and is bordered on the northwest by Rajouri District, northeast by Doda District, southeast by Kathua District, southwest by Jam...
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The Timeless Bond of Maharaja Pratap Singh and Krishna Joo Razdan

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Maharaja Pratap Singh ruled the state of Jammu and Kashmir and belonged to the prominent Jamwal Rajput clan. Krishna Joo Razdan came from a very modest family in a small community of Kashmir, and grew up as a Kashmiri Brahmin. They were united only by their birth year of 1850, although Pratap Singh was born in Reasi and Razdan was born in Vanpoh. One of the points that connect them is that for both of them, 1948 is seen by some people as their "true birth." One was a wise and benevolent king who had a strong commitment to social reform and economic development in his state; the other was an ordinary villager whose poetry demonstrated his great intelligence and spirituality. The manner in which these two men were brought together in close collaboration and became instant admirers of each other can only be attributed to fortune. Krishna Joo Razdan, an eminent saint-poet hailing from Kashmir, entered into matrimony with the distinguished Kaul lineage of Vessu. Vessu is a hamlet ...
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Famous Ramkund Mandir in Poonch

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Location:- Ramkund temple embodies our ancient traditions, culture, and art. The oldest temple in the Poonch area of northern India, according to archaeological evidence, was built by Raja Lalitaditya (c.724-761 A.D.), which matches the architecture and style found in all of the other Rajas' temples constructed during his reign in Kashmir (e.g., in Srinagar). This temple has compelling archaeological and historical qualities that capture its uniqueness and attractiveness; however, it has been overlooked due to its unfortunate geographic location, but thanks to recent archaeological work, Ramkund is being rediscovered and re-established in its rightful place of importance among the ancient sites of this area. The location of Ramkund Temple is located within the Narol community, which is in the Mendhar Tehsil 62 Kilometers away from Poonch. It is an important holy site that has been built inside a deep gorge situated at the base of the Shah Star Range mountains. Currently, in additio...
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Chillai Kalan: The Heart of Kashmir’s Winter

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The Three Chillas: Degrees of Cold and Human Endurance:  The terms "Chilla Bacha" and "Chilla Khurd" refer to very cold weather conditions, however these time periods are more likely to represent mud, dirt, intensily cold mud than Siberian climates. In addition, "Chilla Kalan" is cold and vicious, it will freeze you out of your bones and make you shiver both in day time and in night. It is a beautiful sight to look up at a night in "Chilla Kalan", a shiny, moonlit night that is "glaciating" but is a contrast of the stars too, an oxymoron in itself. The mad trees of Poplar, Chinar and Willow are full of icicles around, casting huge shadows on the ground. Witching hours are blanketed with frost so that the tail (and nuts of a brass monkey) freeze and make animal life invisible. No creature will rest anywhere on the stripped icy branches of the trees during the witching hour. Once in a poppy's lifetime (or a coon) will the insanity and...
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Remembering Pandit Prem Nath Shastri: J&K's Revered Saint-Scholar

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                        (Image Source: Internet)  Prem Nath Shastri Ji: Visionary Reformer and Pillar of the Kashmiri Pandit Community:  Prem Nath Shastri, commonly known as Shastri Ji never requires any sort of introduction as he has done extensive amounts of work for the KP community at large. He was short in stature, a positive person who was obviously very talented and skilled in many different areas, and had a very friendly and open face. Shastri Ji was born into a family that has been highly influential in the astrological field and he has made a significant difference in how people view Kashmiri Pandits and how they embrace a more practical approach to life and the rules associated with this way of living. Shastri Ji started out with little, but through hard work and his dedication to helping others, he developed a solid position among the many other great men in society today and has rightfully been labelled a...
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Kashmiri Pandit Festival of Khech Mavas (Yaksha Amavasya)

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                      (Image Source: Internet) Introduction: India is globally renowned for its civilizational depth and cultural diversity, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is no exception. Among the many communities that have shaped the cultural and spiritual ethos of Kashmir over millennia, the Kashmiri Pandits stand out as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Valley. This minuscule yet culturally profound community has endured one of the most painful chapters in modern Indian history - its forcible displacement during the years 1989-90, when Kashmiri Pandits were brutally uprooted from their ancestral homes, hearths, temples, and sacred landscapes. Since that tragic exodus, Kashmiri Pandits have lived a life of exile, scattered across various parts of India. Despite displacement, dislocation, and decades of struggle, the community has demonstrated extraordinary resilience by preserving its ancient, rich, and distinct cu...
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