AN OLD PHOTOGRAPH OF NAALA MAAR ( MAAR CANAL ) OF KASHMIR

                                                                            

 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..  

Maar Canal {Nala Maar}was  laid  during the reign of Zain-ul-Abidin {1420-70 AD}. This canal was also used as an inland-waterway in the old city  till  1962 or 1963.  Roofless Boats ( Demb Naav ) , Doongas and  Shikaras would move on its surface carrying men and material into and out of the old city .  It  has been filled couple of decades ago and a Motorable road has been constructed over its surface now.

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 )

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