History

Sheikh Abdullah led Kashmir from Dogra rule to accession, abolished landlordism in 1950, then spent 22 years in jail. A sourced account of a contested legacy.

Sharda Peeth is a ruined Hindu temple and ancient centre of learning in the Neelum Valley of Pakistan‑administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir, revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and historically among the subcontinent’s most important temple‑universities. For Kashmiri Pandits it is one of the three holiest shrines along with Martand Sun Temple … Read more

Few poets have shaped the cultural identity of a people as profoundly as Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor. Revered as Shair-e-Kashmir (Poet of Kashmir), Mehjoor transformed Kashmiri poetry by bringing it closer to the language, emotions, and aspirations of ordinary people. Literary historians widely regard him as the father of modern Kashmiri poetry because he expanded … Read more

Author’s Preface This article was not written from a distance. It was written ahead of the 36th martyrdom anniversary of Sarwanand Kaul Premi and his son, Virender Kaul, at the family’s request. They wanted someone who understood the historical weight of what they had endured, and who would write it with the seriousness it deserved. … Read more

April 1990 Killings in Kashmir marked a grim phase of targeted violence, where individuals were singled out and killed in a climate of fear and silence. This article documents verified names and case profiles, including Bansi Lal Sapru, Sarla Bhat, BHL Khera, and Sh. Sarvanand Kaul Premi with his son Virender Kaul, to present a … Read more

  Spring came to the Kashmir Valley in 1990 with blood on its hands. Bansi Lal Sapru, a forty-five-year-old Kashmiri Pandit from Gulab Bagh, Srinagar, never saw summer. His neighbours shot him dead in the compound of his own home on 24 April 1990. Three bullets at close range. The killers knew his face. They … Read more

Bhushan Lal Raina was 29 years old and worked at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura. He lived in Ompora, Budgam, with his elderly mother and was soon to be married. He had no political affiliations and no connection to militancy of any kind. He was preparing to leave the Valley, as … Read more

  In Anantnag, south Kashmir, 84 carved columns rise from the earth in various states of ruin. The Martand Sun Temple, built in the 8th century, stands on a high escarpment that commands an unbroken view of the Lidder Valley below. In March 2024, the Jammu and Kashmir government announced restoration efforts at this site … Read more

“He alone is worthy to narrate the history of kings whose mind, though cleansed by the waters of knowledge, remains unruffled by passion — who regards the deeds of rulers with the impartiality of Time itself.” — Kalhana, Rajatarangini, Book I, Verse 7 (Trans. M.A. Stein, 1900) Rajatarangini: The Chronicle No One Taught You About … Read more

Kashmir is the northernmost jewel of India, a land whose history stretches back more than 5,000 years. Cradled in the western Himalayas, this valley of extraordinary beauty has given the world profound philosophy, sublime poetry, magnificent temple architecture, and a civilisational heritage that is deeply, inseparably Indian. The history of Kashmir is not a story … Read more

Operation Gulmarg: How Pakistan’s 1947 Treachery Triggered India’s Finest Hour in Kashmir By Rohit Tikoo Military Historian  |  Kashmir History Project  |  Kashmiri Pandit  |  Published: February 2026  |  Last Reviewed: February 2026  |  Reading Time: ~13 minutes A Note From the Author I write this as a Kashmiri Pandit — a descendant of those … Read more

This document provides a comprehensive, fact-based analysis of the evolution of militancy in Kashmir, spanning from the initial tribal invasion of 1947 through the modern era of hybrid warfare. The analysis is structured chronologically to trace the transformation from early armed incursions to sophisticated contemporary operations, examining key organisations, pivotal incidents, and the shifting nature … Read more