“KASHMIR: THE
CROWN JEWEL OF INDIC CIVILISATION” (Eleven Essays )
By Avtar Mota
Published in May
2024
Available
…Worldwide on Amazon and Flipkart
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THREE EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK
(1)
Excerpt from the essay ,” KALHANA PANDIT AND HIS RAJATARANGINI”
Kalhana had studied the "VikramankaDevaCaritam"
of Bilhana, a fellow-poet of his period. He has not at times refrained from
quoting his phraseology and style. Another earlier work which he has consulted
is Bana's "Harshacharita". It is a well-known fact that this
historical record of King Harsha-vardhana of Kanauj enjoyed popularity in
Kashmir as Mammata in his Kavyaprakasa has quoted a passage from it.
“
(2)
(2) Excerpt from the essay ,” ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF KASHMIR “
“Music has been a part of Kashmir’s
social life since ancient times. The earliest proof of the popularity of music
and dancing in Kashmir is provided by
the archaeology. One can find it in terracotta tiles recovered from
Harwan. A tile from Harwan shows three musicians while another shows a dancing
girl. The tile showing three musicians also shows a flute , cymbals and a pair
of drums . A musician playing on flute is visible on a carved stone of
Marttanda Sun Temple. During every
festivity, whether religious or semi-religious or seasonal (sowing, harvesting,
spring, and new snowfall), the main item of celebration has been music; vocal
and instrumental .The Nilamata Purana makes mention of professional singers and
dancers active in ancient Kashmir. The Nilamata Purana also makes mention
of Vadya ,Vaditra and Vadya
Bhanda as the category of key musical instruments . The Nilamata Purana makes mention of Anaddha (percussion) and
Tantri (string) instruments that were played on certain occasions. One can
quote the relevant Slokas from the Nilamata Purana as under:-
(a)
“Singing should
be carried on and the instruments Anaddha and Tantri should be played upon ,”…….( Sloka 687-88a)
(b)
“The musical
instrument Tantri should be played upon while he is being sent . O descendent
of Kasyapa , he must be followed the next day “….( Sloka 690)
If one reads Vishnudharmottara-Purana,a text popular
in ancient Kashmir,one finds mention of Ghana
( cymbal ) ,Vitata ( percussion ) ,Tata ( stringed instruments ) and Susira (
wind instruments ) . The
Natya-Shastra, classifies musical
instruments into four groups: tata vadya
(stringed instrument), sushira vadya
(wind instrument), avanaddha vadya
(percussion instrument) and ghana vadya (solid instrument). Every
myriad instrument invented since then fits into one of these four timeless
categories.”
(3)
(3) Excerpts from the essay, “KASHMIR’S
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SANSKRIT LITERATURE OF INDIA “
“The contribution of Kashmiris to the
Sanskrit literature of India remains unparalleled .Even the Chitrasutra part of Vishnudharmotrapuran is believed to
have been written by some Kashmiri Brahmin .The best commentators on Rasa and Dhvani theory of Natyashastra
have been Kashmiris. Sharangadeva , a Kashmiri , left the valley during the rule of the Lohara Kings . He
wrote Sangita- Ratnakara
and established himself as one of the most influential
medieval-era music theorists of the Indian subcontinent. Dāmodaragupta
virtually created a literary genre, by composing the erotic work called the Kuṭṭanīmata-Kavya.
In this work, satirical and didactic materials have been mixed.
Dāmodaragupta acquired recognition as a poet, which is evinced by the citation
of his verses, in works on rhetorics and anthologies.
One cannot but be overwhelmed by the fact that almost all the
major schools of Indian aesthetics were founded by Kashmiri theoriticians -the
Alamkara School by Bhamaha, Riti School by Vamana, Vakrokti School by Kuntaka,
Dhvani School by Anandavardhana and Auchitya School by Kshemendra.
Patanjali, the commentator of Panini's Astadhyayi (the first
treatise on Sanskrit Grammar) was a Kashmiri, and so was Pingala, the author of
Pingala Sutra (a treatise on metrics and prosody). There are many remarkable
writers of Kashmir who have contributed to scientific subjects like astronomy,
medicine, agriculture, architecture, and other arts. For instance, Charaka, the
author of a well-known medical treatise, Charaka Samhita, belonged to Kashmir.
A comprehensive Sanskrit treatise on Agricultural Science (Krisi Shastra),
namely Kasapa-munikathita-Kasyapiya-Krisi-sukti is ascribed to Kashyapa, a
well-known sage of Kashmir. The study of Poetics cannot be
perfect and complete without a mention of the Kavyaprakasa of Rajanaka Mammata which occupies a unique position
in it. That it is both popular and erudite is clear by the numerous references
to it by later writers. Śivasvāmin
composed the Kapphanabhyudaya,
in twenty cantos, another Mahākāvya produced in the land of Kashmir.Poet Jaynayaka, the writer of another
text (with a historical description) Prithvirajvijay,
was also a Kashmiri Brahmin.He came to Ajmer by obtaining the asylum in the
court of Prithviraj Chauhan .
Jaynayaka wrote a historical poem titled Prithvirajvijay,
where the victory of Prithviraj Chauhan over Muhammad Ghori in the first Battle
of Tarain (1191) was celebrated. Jayanayaka portrays Prithviraj as Sri Rama and
his wife as Sita.”
(AVTAR
MOTA )
This is what I B Zutshi writes about the book in his review...
BOOK REVIEW
KASHMIR : THE CROWN JEWEL OF INDIC CIVILIZATION
(Published in May 2024)
Author Avtar Mota
Distribution..Amazon / Flipkart. Worldwide
Price Rs 460/=
............................
Researching into roots of history and civilisation is not every body's cup of tea.
Working on such topics requires hard labour , intense research,linguistic skills , and historical knowledge .
Avtar Mota, a well known blogger, author,photographer and researcher possibly is most suitable person to work on such delicate subjects which deal with cultural and historical stories of people and their past .
One is bound to get trapped in emotions and subjectivity while working on subjects that constitute one's own past. It goes to the credit of Avtar Mota that he has not allowed himself to get swayed by emotions or lose objectivity . In the alternative , he has consistently upheld the available historical and other works, that are available on the subject that have been brought into the book under review .
The book remains Authors Magnum opus in the sense that it has not only consumed his five years of hard labour and his research faculties but his sensitivities as an author and researcher have been utilised to the full extent.The book has finally seen the light of the day.
The book exhaustively deals with the routes of Kashmir's civilisational march. These routed, as per the author remain twined with indic civilisation, to which Kashmir has contributed enormously.
Kashmir has produced many poets, critics, historians, aestheticians, logicians, chemists, musicians, rhetoricians, philosophers, grammarians, translators and Shaiva Darshana scholars right up to the 16th -century. Some among them rose to eminence the world over for their original contribution. We have shining examples of men like Rishi Vasugupta, Abhinavgupta, Khemraja, Utpaldeva, Kshemendra, Bilhana, Kalhana, Somadeva, Sharangadeva, Bhatta Narayana, Jayanta Bhatta, Rajanka Bhatta, Sivaswamin, Srivara, Bhallaṭa, Vamana, Jonaraja, Anandavardhana, Udbhata, Kuntala, Mahima Bhatta, Silhana, Abhinanda Bhatta, Panini,, Charaka, Bhamaha, Rudrata, Kuntaka, Mammaṭa, Dandin, Bhatta Nayaka, Bhatta Tauta, Ruyyaka, Muktakana, Jaynayaka, Damodaragupta, Mukula-Bhatta, Ratnaka, Jayaratha, Shobhakaramitra, Ghantaka, Kirtidhara, Harsata, and many more.
The Sanskrit poets and scholars from Kashmir have left nothing untouched for subsequent poets and scholars . Poetical works covering a wide diversity of themes viz; historical, religious, devotional, didactic, romantic, satirical and even erotic as well as philosophical treatises, expounding the views of a distinct school of Śhaivism that developed in Kashmir, works dealing with poetics and music, anthologies and lexicons, the works of the prolific writer Kṣhemendra, especially the Bṛhatkathāmañjarī and Somadeva’s Kathāsaritsāgara -all these and many other works on diverse topics, touching upon various aspects of human life constitute a rich legacy of which, any part of India may feel proud.
From scrutiny of some ancient texts from Kashmir, one comes to know that ancient temples in Kashmir were not only housing deities but were storehouses of paintings and manuscripts as well. They were the centres for the dissemination of religious thought, literature, music and other arts. When Temples of Avantipura, Vijyeshwara, Kali-Shri, Maha-Shri, Tarapida, Vishnu Ranaswamin, Marttanda, Parihaspura, Bhima-Keshva, Naran-nag, and many more were demolished, many precious manuscripts were also destroyed along with priceless paintings and sculptures. Unfortunately, most of the works of Sanskrit scholars from Kashmir faced neglect from every corner. Many were destroyed during the period of Sultans especially when Sikandar Butshikan put all his energy into the destruction and demolition of Temples of Kashmir.It goes to the credit of many Kashmiri Pandits who saved many manuscripts at their individual levels for many centuries. The European scholars collected them from Kashmiri Pandit households, got them translated and shifted them to museums and libraries for proper custody.
From the book one comes to know that the Natya-Shastra guidelines have Influenced the sculpture art in ancient Kashmir. So have the Gandhra and Gupta styles influenced Kashmir’s art and sculpture. The Shilpshatra, Vastu-shastra and temple architecture of ancient India influenced the structural style of Kashmirian temples. This is starkly visible
in the demolished temple structures or ruins or sculptures retrieved from these structures and now lying in the SPS Museum, Srinagar and many other museums within the country and the world over. The Chitrasutra guidelines were also implemented in ancient Kashmiri Paintings. The Bhumishoba ( known as Vyoog in Kashmiri ) and Grihshobha ( known as Krool in Kashmiri ) decorations and paintings of ancient India are still in vogue among the Kashmiri Pandits even in their exile.
According to Avtar Mota, 'if the contribution of Kashmiri Pandits to the Sanskrit Literature of the world is removed, more than fifty percent of Sanskrit Literature of the world will be removed ' .The ancient musical instruments of Kashmir, the sacred water bodies of Kashmir, the sacred trees of Kashmir, the journey of Kashmiri shawls to Europe and Russia, the contribution of Kashmiri artists for the development of Pahari Miniature Art in India, the contribution of Punjabi Khatris towards the development of trade and commerce in Kashmir, Vanvun singing of Kashmiris right from Vedic age and some more engrossing topics constitute the core topics of the book. The critical assessment of Kalhana's work as poet, historian and narrator is a master essay in this book. Not only is it eye-opener , it also throws bright light on hitherto unknown facets of Kalhana's creativity.
The topics in the book have been dealt purely from an academician's and researcher's point of view. Those interested in Kashmiri culture and its contribution to the indic civilisational ethos may find this book Illuminating. Those peddling fake or false narratives need also to read it to know the truth.
The book is available in india at http: www.amzon.in/dp/BOD4M6TNR3
( IB Zutshi )
This is what Prof Ratan Parimoo writes about the book
" Congratulations for your great book, "Kashmir: The Crown Jewel of Indic Civilization". It is truly a great book and deserves a larger and impressive format. Lot of wonderful information about Kashmir 's past which will make every Kashmiri feel proud about our rich heritage, establishing integrated relation with Indian culture. Explanation of Tarkhan was very revealing. You have also shown that 'oral history ' and 'racial Memory' are equally valid in academic research. It has indeed been a happy absorbing reading. " .......*Ratan Parimoo
PS
*Prof. Ratan Parimoo is one of India’s leading art historians as well as an accomplished painter and teacher. Beyond his post at M.S. University, Baroda, as a professor of Art History and Aesthetics and the dean of the department for twenty five years, Prof. Parimoo has been shaping modern art discourse in the country since he was a young man. In 1956, he cofounded the Baroda Group of Artists with peers including G.R. Santosh, K.G. Subramanyan, Shanti Dave, N.S. Bendre, and Jyoti Bhatt, to expand on the postcolonial aesthetics piloted in Santiniketan the previous decade and evolve the meaning of contemporary art in India by integrating living traditions with modern techniques.
This is what eminent scholar , Dr SS Toshakhani writes about the book :-
"Received a copy of your brilliantly written book ‘Kashmir: The Crown Jewel of Indic Civilisation’ All the essays are well researched and intellectually stimulating. Feel happy that I have a whole shelf of your books now."
PS
Dr. S. S. Toshakhani is a noted scholar, author , poet and critic from Kashmir, known for his extensive contributions to Kashmiri literature and culture. His works often delve into the rich heritage of Kashmir, exploring its literary traditions, historical narratives, and cultural dynamics. Dr. Toshakhani has been influential in preserving and promoting the linguistic and cultural identity of Kashmir through his scholarly writings, research, and educational endeavours.
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
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