Dr J S Dev
The State of Jammu and Kashmir as a district unit appeared on the map in the wake of the treaty of Amritsar, signed on the 16th March, 1846 between Maharaja Gulab Singh, the Purchaser on the one side and the British Indian Government on the other. Before partition the total area of the State was 84,471 sqm miles. Internally the total length from East to West was about 250 miles and from North to South was 275 miles. It was bounded on the North by the Chinese Sinkiang on the East by Tibet, Punjab on the South and North-West Frontier Province of India on the West. Only a very narrow tract of Afgan territory separated it from the Soviet Union. Its location gave the State a strategic importance which further increased after 15th August, 1947 when it came to share its borders with newly born dominions of India and Pakistan. After pushing back tribal raiders and subsequently marking cease fire line, the area of the State was effectively reduced to 2/3rd only leaving 1/3rd in Pakistan’s illegal occupation.
Population of the State as per the census of 1941 was just over 4 millions. The population of Jammu Province was 19,81,432, Kashmir Province 17,28,705 and Frontier districts of Ladakh and Gilgit was 3,11,478 respectively. Before partition, Muslims in Jammu Province were in slight majority but after partition with the wave of panic migration the Jammu came to be dominated by Hindus. In Kashmir Sunni Muslims were in majority, Ladakh was peopled mostly by Budhists and Gilgit mostly by Muslims from Shia and Ismaili sects. In both, Jammu and the Valley of Kashmir there was also fair sprinkling of Sikhs. But the State as a whole was marked by great deal of cultural heterogeneity.
Physio graphically State formed four natural divsions (i) semi-mountainous region situated between Punjab and mountainous territory (ii) mountainous tract comprising area lying south to Pir Panchal which separates provinces of Jammu and Kashmir (iii) Kashmir valley and (iv) Indus Valley enclosed by the Karakoram mountains on the north and the Central range of Himalayas on the south. Ladakh area is one ofthe highest inhabited regions in the world.
The economy of the State depended largely on agriculture and to some extent on trade. Though agriculture was the backbone of the State economy it suffered due to shortage of water supply, poor communication etc. The total cultivable area was hardly 7% whereas about 80% population was depended on agriculture. The chief crops grown were rice, wheat, maize, barley, pulses and oil seeds etc. Rice being the staple food of Kashmiris was grown through length of the Valley. It was grown in Jammu Province also especially in plains as sufficient water is required for it. Wheat being the staple food of Jammu people was cultivated throughout the Province. Saffron of Kashmir is very famous for its bouquet, condiment and pigment. It is cultivated in Kishtwar and in the neighbourhood of Pampur near Srinagar. Kashmir is known to the outer world for its fruits. The chief fruits being Apple, Pear, Plumb, Peach, Cherry, Mulberry, Raspberry, Gooseberry, Almond and Walnuts etc.
The State is rich in mineral wealth. In Jammu Province, particularly the Reasi Tehsil is rich in minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and nickels etc. In Kashmir Province lignite, lead, silver, graphite and gypsum etc. were found at different places. Besides, some precious stones were discovered in and around Padar, Limestone and extensive deposits of finest clays of colours were found throughout Ladakh.
Trade next to agriculture is the backbone of a country’s economy. The volume of trade was small in the absence of proper means of communications. The trade suffered invariably due to natural calamities such as floods, famines and fires etc. Trade in silk suffered greatly due to the severe fire that broke out in Srinagar silk factory. The most famous shawl industry was almost wiped out during the great famine of 1877-79. When out of 30,000 to 40,000 shawl weavers only 4000 survived.
The communication system in the State was extremely primitive. There was no road connectivity worth the name within the State and outside. Ponies were frequently used for transporting essential commodities from one place to the other within the State whereas Yaks and horses were used for transportation with the outside world. Whenever there was shortage of food grains in any part of the State the people had to suffer due to absence of road connectivity as the food grains could not be transported from other parts of the State or imported from outside. It was only after the great famine of 1877-79 when thousands of lives were lost due to starvation, the Government woke up to the need of proper road connectivity. As a result, the construction of first phase of the Jhelum valley cart road from Baramulla to Kohala was undertaken in 1880 and later extended upto Srinagar. This road was opened to wheeled traffic in 1890. This road gave much relief to the State Govt and to the people in the years that followed. Banihal cart road a direct link between Jammu and Srinagar was taken up in 1901 and was completed in 1922 in three phases upto Srinagar. In early years of twentieth century a rail link was also established between Jammu and Sialkot which facilitated trade with outside world.
The education system in the State was indigenous. There were only a few pathshallas and Madrasas. The number of students was very low. They were taught Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit etc. It was only in 1880 that a school on western lines was opened at Srinagar by the Church Missionary Society. Following this the State Govt also established one such school in 1886. Thereafter, quite a few such schools came up. The number of private schools which was fourteen in 1991 quadrupled by 1921. By the end of World War-I, the Church Missionary Society had opened many branches of schools and one high school for Girls at Srinagar. There were three colleges viz SP College Srinagar, Prince of Wales College now known as Gandhi Memorial College, Jammu and Amar Singh College Srinagar opened in 1905, 1907 and 1937 respectively. Besides, there was an intermediate college at Mirpur. These colleges were affiliated with Punjab University at Lahore.
Due to lack of proper education the people were traditionalists and superstitious in their outlook. They dreaded and even hated modern medicines. The spread of education had a tremendous impact on the lives of people. It brought home to them the value of western medicines and the good effects of the sanitation. The people usually opposed to any new regulations slowly prepared to accept those. Scientific treatment became increasingly popular and the people were taught the value of hygienic living. Since there was strict control over entry of newspaper from outside, the state was almost cut off from the outside world. Only Dogra Gazette and Mahajan journal were published from Jammu. It was during the year 1924 that Urdu News Paper, Ranbir made appearance. In 1932 the Press and Publication Act was amended paving the way for publication of Newspaper in the State and restriction on entry from outside was also relaxed.
The valley of Kashmir one of the most beautiful place was is visited by a good number of visitors every year during summer season. It was also a home of sophisticated crafts-men working with silk, wool, wood, and brass making which were exported to all parts of India and beyond. Kashmiri shawls were famous all over. Mughal gardens and lakes were another source of attraction for visitors.
However, the financial health of the State was weak and people were by and large poor.
(The author is former Registrar JU)
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