Winter arrives in Srinagar
Hasantika
of many blazing holes
is seen flashing in women’s quarters
like a row of lovelorn eyes
on fire
out to conquer Siva
~ lines from 12th century Kashmiri poet Mankha in his work Srikanthacharitam. This is the earliest reference to use of ‘hasantika’ in Kashmir, the early form of beloved Kangar.
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Eugen Hultzsch gives the original line in 1886 article on Kashmiri Kangri published in IA. His article was in response to 1884 article by Knowles on trying to locate the origin of Kangri in Europe.
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