Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Dr R L Bhat’s yet another book The Persian Narrative of Kashmir -A Corrigendum hits stands here, today. The book was released at a function organised by Samprati the organisation of Kashmiri writers and poets at Writers Club in presence of a galaxy of academicians, intellectuals and socio-political activists. The book has been published by Gulshan Books, Srinagar.
The function was presided over by noted writer and former Dean Jammu University, Professor A N Sadhu.
Eminent educationist and former Vice Chancellor Allahabad Central University, Prof R L Hangloo, was the chief guest on the occasion and the ex-bureaucrat and noted Punjabi and Urdu writer Khalid Hussain and the well-known journalist, and noted Dogri and Hindi writer, Dr Nirmal Vinod graced the occasion as guests of honour.
Shiban Khaibri a noted scholar read a detailed paper on the book who highly acclaimed the work of Dr Bhat and termed him a bold and courageous writer. He said The Persian narrative of Kashmir – A Corrigendum is the 3rd book of Dr Bhat in his exhaustive project on the history of medieval Kashmir, which began with his first book Kashmir After Kalhan and continued with the second Book, Kashmir Under Shariyat.
The function was conducted by well-known Kashmiri writer, Tej Sagar, while the noted author, poet and critic B K Sanyasi, read the welcome address. A K Naaz, president Naagraad, presented the vote of thanks.
The speakers lauded the huge analytic effort examining the whole gamut of Persian histories of Kashmir on the well-reasoned basis of the pre-existing eye witness record of Kashmir history which is available in Sanskrit histories of Joonaraaja, Shriivara, Shuka Pandit and others and the earlier Persian work of SayyidAlii. Through this extended analysis The Persian Narrative of Kashmir – A Corrigendum by R L Bhat, showed that unwarranted slants have been inserted into the history of medieval Kashmir and strange myths have been imposed upon it.
Former VC, Prof R L Hanglooo while lauding the work of Dr Bhat said the author has performed a noble task. He said a historian should be objective in his work and while referring to great historian of Kashmir, Kalhan he said he was so objective that he did not spare his father even. For this peculiarity he was worldwide acknowledged. A historian should be critic but not biased, he added.
Prof Hangloo said that historians have their own method of examining dates and they look carefully on documents. He said besides studying history of Kashmir it is imperative that one must study history of Central Asia. He regretted that a wrong narrative has been created on Kashmiri Pandits which is not a fact.
Prof A N Sadhu in his concluding remarks said that narration should be factual and facts should be recorded instead of presenting a wrong data. History writers work in their own way but they should not distort the facts and should be unbiased, he added.
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