The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
The book Kashmir Kusum is written by Rajendramohan Bosu. It was published in 1875 (Jaistha, 1282 Bengali Year). (It seems there are some printing errors regarding the year of publication because the travel period cannot be after the publication date). There is little information available about Rajendramohan Bosu. However, in the dedication, he mentions that he presented the book to Nilambar Mukhopadhyay, the then Chief Justice and Judicial Commissioner of Kashmir, and stated that he was his beloved. From the text, it is known that Rajendramohan Bosu lived in Kashmir for an extended period starting from 1879 due to his job. Some parts of Kashmir Kusum were earlier published in a journal under the title Description of Kashmir. The full title of the book is Kashmir Kusum, or Description of Kashmir. It can be categorized more as a Kashmir Tourist Guide rather than a travelogue. However, since the author mentions in the preface that he has personally visited or resided at these locations in Kashmir, it can be considered as a travelogue. He also mentions using information from Dr. Ince's Kashmir Handbook and the Persian work Gulzar-e-Kashmir by Kashmir's Dewan Kriparam.
The main feature of the book is that the description of Kashmir provided here pertains to undivided India, without mentioning the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or Azad Kashmir, as Pakistan had not yet come into existence at the time, which was more than 70 years away. Therefore, Kashmir is described as undivided. At that time, Kashmir was under the rule of the independent King of Kashmir. During this period, Ranbir Singh (reigned 1856–1885) was the king of Kashmir, and his father was Maharaja Gulab Singh (reigned 1846–1856), whose name is mentioned several times in the book.
The book primarily discusses the travel routes and destinations in present-day Kashmir. The western border of Kashmir during that time was Hazara and Rawalpindi, with a length of 350 miles from east to west. To the north, it extended to Baltistan or Skardu, all the way up to the Karakoram range.
According to the author, there are five main routes to travel to Kashmir:
- Jammu and Banhal Route: This is the modern route used by the Kashmir King (currently the popular Jammu-Banihal Pass route).
- Bhimber and Pir Panjal Route (Old Badshahi Route): Bhimber is now in Pakistan-occupied Azad Kashmir.
- Bhimber and Poonch Route.
- Muri Route.
- Abbottabad Route: This was used by the former Afghan rulers.
Among these routes, only the first one, i.e., the Jammu-Banhal route, required the permission of the king to enter Kashmir. Travelers were required to carry a permit from either the King of Kashmir or the British Government for ease of access to transport, food, etc. However, when leaving Kashmir, no one could exit without a signed order from the king. All the routes had rest houses (called adda) where travelers could easily get rooms, horses, mules, palanquins, and food. The king’s officials took care of the travelers to ensure they faced no discomfort.
The Jammu and Banhal Route: The distance from Lahore to Srinagar is 270 miles via this route. It takes 11 days from Jammu to Srinagar. The route goes through Danchal, Kirimchi, Mir, Landar, Bilawat, Ramban, Ramsu, Banhal, Bairnagar, and Anantnag to reach Srinagar. To reach Ramban, one must cross the Chandrabhaga River, which is very difficult and dangerous. The road is treacherous and often not properly paved. From Anantnag, travelers take boats to reach Srinagar, as it takes two more days to reach Srinagar by land from there. The king of Kashmir used this route for travel.
The Bhimber and Pir Panjal Route: The distance from Lahore to Srinagar is 246 miles via this route. It takes 12 days from Bhimber to Srinagar. The route goes through Syedabad, Nowshera, Chingas, Rajouri, Thannamandi, Baramgola, Poshiyana, Aliyabad Sarai, Hirpur, Shopiyan, Ramu, and then to Srinagar. This route crosses the Chitrpani River twenty-five times. Many beautiful waterfalls are located along this route. (Most of these areas are now part of Azad Kashmir.)
The Bhimber and Poonch Route: From Bhimber to Srinagar is a 14-day journey. The route passes through Thannamandi, Surn, Poonch, Kehuta, Aliyabad, Hyderabad, Uri, Nowshera, and Baramulla to reach Srinagar (most of these areas are now part of Azad Kashmir). From Baramulla, everyone travels by boat to Srinagar, or it takes two days to go by land.
The Muri Route: This route is very difficult to travel from Lahore, but it is easier from Rawalpindi. The route goes through Muri, Deol, Kohala, Danna, Mair, Chikkar, Hatti, Chokoti, Uri, Nowshera, and Baramulla to Srinagar, a distance of 137 miles (again, most of these areas are now in Azad Kashmir).
The Abbottabad Route: This route is 155 miles. It goes through Abbottabad, Manshera, Ghrie, Muzaffarabad, Hatiyan, Konda, Kathai, Shahadra, Gingal, Baramulla to Srinagar (most of these areas are now in Azad Kashmir).
The author advises that for residents of Kolkata, the Banhal, Pir Panjal, or Poonch routes should be preferred. The other two routes are very difficult, so the Pir Panjal route is the better option. Although the Banhal route requires the king’s special permission, there are no restrictions for Bengalis.
{Currently, all routes except the Banihal route are closed for India, as they pass through areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or Azad Kashmir. There are also two other routes from Shimla through mountain ranges and hilltops, but they require special permission from the Punjab government. (Currently, one can enter Kashmir from Shimla via Ladakh, but that requires crossing several high mountain passes).}
In every resting place along the route, one can find accommodation, bedding, and food such as rice, flour, milk, ghee, and meat. However, to fully enjoy traveling in the Kashmir Valley, it is necessary to bring tents, camp beds, spices, dal, potatoes, warm clothing, and waterproof gear. Although carrying fewer items might be more convenient for travel, it is important to carry currency, as the hill people do not accept paper money. The Maharaja has built several bungalows for tourists in Srinagar, but they are always full due to the English. Houses are available for rent in the city, but they are very filthy, so staying in a houseboat is better. There is also land available for setting up tents.
The prices for animals and bearers from one resting place to the next are as follows: Horse – 8 annas, Mule – 8 annas, Palanquin – 4 annas, Palanquin bearer – 9 annas, Mule bearer – 4 annas, Piththu – 12 annas (1 anna = 6.25 paisa). Horses and bearers do not travel more than one adda. After receiving their wage, they return to their original place. Therefore, a new horse or bearer must be hired at each adda.
The author cautions that those who have not traveled in mountainous regions will not understand the difficulty of these routes. If Kashmir is heaven, the paths to it are as difficult as the steps of heaven. Some paths are so steep that one has to use ropes to climb up or descend. During these climbs, both the rider and the spectator’s hearts race. In some places, the actual path is only a couple of feet wide, and it is so high that looking down makes one dizzy. In winter, these paths become completely covered in snow and are impassable. However, the beauty of these treacherous paths is immense. The difficult terrain is filled with flowers and fruits, and there is no fear of robbery or theft, as Maharaja Gulab Singh ruled with an iron fist. However, it is not completely safe to travel by rope or horse due to the treacherous conditions. Horses and camels can only travel the Banhal route; in the other routes, elephants were used by Mughal emperors and were described by Bernier, but these journeys were also fraught with danger. Some people even use the Piththu or carry goods on the back, sitting on a small seat tied to the bearer’s back.
The locals of Kashmir are accustomed to these difficult routes and travel easily. Even on the first route, the Maharaja's messenger can travel from Jammu to Srinagar on foot in 18 hours, at lightning speed.
The author warns tourists to remember that they are entering the kingdom of an independent king. They should show proper respect when meeting the Maharaja, his family, and high-ranking officials, and follow all local rules and regulations. Tourists should not secretly take any goods across the border without the Maharaja’s permission and should not take any Kashmiris out of Kashmir without the Maharaja’s consent.
(To be continued)
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