AN OLD PHOTOGRAPH OF MISSION SCHOOL FATEH KADAL , SRINAGAR KASHMIR

                                                                                     

                                      

INSIDE MISSION SCHOOL, FATEH KADAL , SRINAGAR KASHMIR....1890..

Teachers , Students , onlookers ...Pherans , Dastaars and Blankets...Monkey Pole , Boxing and High Jumps ..

Founded by Rev J. H, Knowles during the  last quarter if 19th Century , Fateh Kadal Mission school was the  first school opened in kashmir valley to impart Modern education  to kashmiris . Before this , Maktabs and Paath-Shalas run by Moulvis and Pandits were imparting Education In kashmir valley. The missionaries introduced sports and  extra curricular activities like  Cricket , Football, Water Polo , Swimming, Boating , Boxing and Hiking in their schools. The Fateh kadal school was followed by other Mission Schools opened at Rainawari, NawaKadal, Habbakadal, Amirakadal and a high School at Anantnaag.

 When football was introduced  in Missionary schools , there was some resistance .Boys felt the leather was unhoy and did not touch the Ball. They played football with  a wooden clog ( known as Khraav in kashmiri ) in their feet .  And When they  tried to pick up the ball with their feet, it went up in the air along with the wooden clog or khraav. And  some times when the ball   was kicked , the clog too got part of the kick. 

When Boating was introduced in Mission schools, there was some initial resistance.Boys did not like Boating because  Orthodox kashmiri society did not  consider Boatmen as respectable members of the society at that point if time.But things finally settled for good and the mission school boys became efficient paddlers and rowers.

" I can not tell you how difficult it was for us to introduce swimming and Boating .I first attacked what kashmiri boys dreaded.Kashmiris had a great dread of wular kake. I would always be told that the lake was a haunted place full of water spirits, Djjins and aligators.So I along with some teachers went to swim in lake waters. Darim Chand , a teacher in our school, swam across the lake along with me.After crossing the lake, I went to srinagâr on my own bicycle paddling about 34 miles.Next day I made a small note and made every school boy read it ...

"Darim Chand swam across Wular Lake .All boys should know".

That dispelled the dread altogether.”

 Writes  Rev. Canon C E Tyndale Biscoe In His Book” KASHMIR UNDER SUNLIGHT AND SHADE  ..’

( Autar Mota )

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