AN OLD PHOTOGRAPH OF NAALA
MAAR CANAL
IN SRINAGAR CITY
To this photograph , i am adding some Bits and pieces from our Past ..
NAALA MAAR ( MAAR CANAL ) IN OLD SRINAGAR CITY..
WHO DEVELOPED GULMARG
In 1928, Maharaja Hari Singh
established Tourist Department in the state that used to be known as VISITORS
BUREAU.This Bureau focused on development of Gulmarg as prime Destination. A
polo ground was created in Gulmarg.A ski club was started in Gulmarg.A golf
field was also developed.2,3,4 bedroom huts were also built. Since britishers
would flock to gulmarg with their families, Nedou's Hotel created a Dancing
Hall and a recreational club. At GULMARG , a hut was available for an annual
lease of about Rs 500 in 1939 .
Maharaja also brought piped water
to Gulmarg from nearby springs.Almost all the shops in Gulmarg belonged to
kashmiris... Pandits sold medicines,toiletries and wine while muslim
shopkeepers sold jewellery,leather goods, Provisions, shoes ,Handicrafts
etc.Some Bandookhaars / Gunsmith from Rainawari had their shops in Gulmarg.
A pair of good quality leather
shoe was available for 3 rupees.You had to give measurement and then a try to
get your New shoe made in about 4 days at Gulmarg.Leather was of a fine quality
imported from outside the state. Many Britishers bought shoes from Gulmarg
only. .
A photo shop was also opened by W
Lambert ( A British National who had his
main business in present day Lambert lane in srinagar ) at Gulmarg.W. Lambert also opened a
Chemist shop at Gulmarg.
HOW COMMUNISM CAME TO
KASHMIR
In 1938, Kashmir Literary League
was launched with GM Sadiq as its President and Peer Abdul Ahad and Jia Kilam
as two vice presidents.It was A group of educated men with leftist beliefs.This
group got a big leap forward when they invited the renowned CPI leader Dr.KM
Ashraf to kashmir in 1939.Dr Ashraf's motivating lecture inside S P College
proved a catalytic agent and brought many educated kashmiri youth to CPI
door.Many became card holders. G M Sadiq presided over this function. After
Dr.K M Ashraf ,It was Prof. N N Raina who played a key role in expanding
communist ideology in kashmir.He was well read and his memory power extraordinary .His motivation power was unmatched .
Adds Peer Moin Shah son of Peer Giyas Ud din
“ Prof N.N.Raina whom i had met many times along with my late
father Peer Giyas uddin was a communist ideologue, well read with firm ideological
substance, a rational thinker besides an academia of par excellence.. Raina
sahib was the person who imbibed communist ideology to bunch of progressive
leaders from Kashmir like my late father
Peer sahib, uncle Peer Abdul Ahad ( a pioneer freedom fighter ) Rajpori sahib, and G.M. Malik They were
influenced at the given period of history during the times of erstwhile soviet
union by dialectical materialism and Red communism, a political Romanticism.
My father along with other comrades like late Noor Mohd, Rajpori and others
including much elder generation like G.M.Sadiq were in congress party with a
strong leftist leanings. ”
FIRST CAR IN KASHMIR
Till 1919 , No person other than Maharaja's office had a car
in Srinagar city
. well off families owned Tongas
. First car in private hands to be seen in srinagar was somewhere in 1920. Northern
Motors , a leading vehicle dealer from Punjab (having branches in Rawalpindi ,Lahore
,Peshawar etc .with its Head office at Rawalpindi ) during those days ,opened a
branch at lal chowk Srinagar ( Ganda Singh Building ).They sold their first
Cheverelet car for Rs2550. approximately. ..
( Autar Mota 12.05.2014 )
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
Hi..Thanks for writing about Gulmarg history. Whether someone wants a tryst with adventure or a quiet and relaxing vacation, Gulmarg is the place to be. For accommodation, check out these Gulmarg Hotels.
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