Page:The Imperial Durbar Album of the Indian princes, chiefs and zamindars.djvu/40



THE hilly and fertile tract of country in the Himalayan valley "situated to the east- ward of the river Indus and westward of the river Ravi," as described in the treaty of 1846 A.D., is known to Europeans as Kashmir, and to the natives of India, as Jammu. Defining more precisely, the State comprises the territories of Jammu, the valley of Kashmir, and the frontier districts of Ladak and digit.

The family-legend of the house of Jammu shows that the first scion of the Solar dynasty, who came over from Ayodhya, was Agni Giri. His descendant, Jambu Lochan laid the foundation of the preseht Jammu Raj. Later on, Daya Karan, who was one of the sons of Jambu Lochan, conquered Kashmir and ruled over it. The sway established by him continued in his line for fifty-two generations.

Lack of historical literature in Sanskrit is well-known, but Kashmir has its history chronicled from very remote times by the poets Kalhana and Jonaraja in the Rajatarangim, and by Shrivara in the Rajaualipataka, bringing the record down to the subjugation of the country by the Mogul Emperor Akbar in 1586 A.D. Akbar built a strong fortress on the slopes of Hara-Parvat. His luxurious son and successor Jehangir was so fascinated with the natural grandeur of the country and its bracing climate, that he made it his summer-resort.

Raja Ranjit Dev was the ruler of Jammu in the middle of the 18th century. At his death, about 1780 A.D., his three sons quarrelled, and the principality was thrown into confusion by internecine feuds. The Sikhs took advantage of the situation, plundered the city of Jammu, and made the State their tributary. Ranjit Singh of Lahore, khown as the 'Lion of the Punjab,' found that it was no easy task to keep the warlike Dogras under control, and hit upon the policy of enlisting capable persons from the clan in his service. Gulab Singh and his two brothers, the great-grandsons of Surat Singh, the younger brother of Ranjit Dev, were soldiers of fortune. They took service under the ruler of the Punjab, and soon distinguished themselves by their bravery, and were duly rewarded. Gulab Singh was created Raja of Jammu in 1820 A.D., and both the other brothers got estates in the adjoining territories. After the death of Ranjit Singh in 1844 A.D., there was great confusion in the Punjab, and for a time it was a hot-bed of intrigue and turmoil. Ranjit Singh's widow placed her minor son, Dhulip Singh, on the throne, and carried on the administration with the help of her brother, and Gulab Singh of Jammu.

War broke out between the English and the Sikhs in 1845 A.D. during which Gulab Singh of Jammu carefully kept himself aloof. On the termination of the Sikh war in 1847 A.D. a treaty was concluded, by which it was agreed that the Sikh Maharaja should cede the district of Doab to the English, and pay one crore of rupees as the expenses of the war to them. The Maharaja, not being able to pay this war indemnity, handed over the province of Kashmir and Hazara to the English, who, in their turn, sold them to Gulab Singh of Jammu for seventy-five lacs of Rupees. Thus it was that the ruler of Jammu became master of Kashmir. The newly purchasd tracts did not, however, come into the hands of Gulab Singh smoothly and peacefully.