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A Visit to Kapal Mouchan by Anand Koul, 1909


In 1911 Volume II issue of Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Pandit Anand Koul reported discovery of stone inscriptions at the springs at Kapal Mouchan by two priest named Lakshaman Bayu and Vishnu Bayu [‘Boi’ of Kashmiri, for priest or ‘Gor Boi’].

The stone inscriptions were in Sharda and of much interest because the date on them put them in 18th century, around 1789 when Afghans were governing Kashmir (Timur Shah (1772-1793 A.D.), a period which is now remembered as a period of much persecution. It is interesting that even around that time Sharda survived and Pandits were working on their holy places.

Bhushan Kumar Kaul Deambi in his work ‘Sarada and Takari Alphabets: Origin and Development’ (2008) mentions the inscription but reports that this important inscription is now untraceable.

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Finished uploading the paper, you can read it here at archive.org

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Notes on Pilgrimages in the Country of Cashmere, 1866

“The tendency of the Hindu inhabitants of Cashmere, to localise in his own small, though levelly valley the fabled incidents of his religion, common to all lands where the Brahminical faith prevails, is, I believe generally known. In putting on record, therefore, a few notes on the pilgrimages of Cashmere, I may be, perhaps merely on a small scale, assigning to local spots the fables which more properly belong to the entire Hindu Pantheon, and have their localities elsewhere in Hindustan.”
Notes on Pilgrimages in the Country of Cashmere
by Major D. F. Newall, R. A.
from travels in Kashmir valley in 1866
from
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal
Volume XXXV, Issue IV, 1867

Pilgrimages covered, along with routes and other details:



1. Amarnath
Fourteen places for bathing (snan)
Stops:
Srinagar, Pandrethon, Padinapore,Jubroroo(?), Awantipore, Hurriepore (?), Wagahamoo, Husti-ki-nar-Nargum, Chakredhar, Deojie-zan,Wuzzeeshur,Hurrrichundra Raj, Tejwarrah, Soorie Goophar, Succur-gaom, Buddraroo, Sullur, Ganeshbul, Neela Gunga, Tanashur, Panch Taringini, Amreeshur, 
2. Hur Moktur Gunga (Gungabul)
four days before mid summer.
Vecha Kund (Vichar Nag), about a mile from the shores of Dul Lake on road towards Lar.
Walk along marshes of Hakrit Bul, reach Gundoor Nagar.
Mahirji gaon
Numoor
Karrung-ka-Nuddue
Ramaradun
Mahulish Merg
Mumsadar
Mundi-Kettur
Gangbul
Nara Nag
Wangut
Woosun
Ends back at Vichar Nag
3. Pilgrimage to Martund
Seven places for snan
Deokie Yar
Doomia Shrum
Anant Nag
Gutim Nag
Charkabul
Ends at Anant Nag
4. Pilgrimage to Vitasta Kund
Ten places for snan
Sooneyar
Gunpatyaar
Mullyar
Shriya
Bijbehara
Waupoosh, a part of old Bijbehara
Hur Nag
Virnag
[reference in paper to ‘Keer Bownie’…Khir Bhawani…]
Vitasta Kund
Kootee Teerut via Baramula
5. Pilgrimage to Suhoojun Teerut
Three places for snan
Mahadamuttie
Luhoojun (fire from earth). Pandits cook rice.
Return to Mahadamuttie
6. Pilgrimage to Kapal Muchan
Taken by grave sinner
[See separate note of Anand Koul on it]
7. Pilgrimage to Sheeva DEvi
In Bring Pergunnah. For old people. 
Shahabad towards Meribul Pass
8. Pilgrimage to Kunhyie Matar
Four places for Snan
Related to draining of valley.
Baramula
Papaharun Nag
Kinchijie Matar
Return to Baramula
9. Pilgrimage to Teiposh Kur
Two places for snan
In Bongil Pergunna. 
Karg
10. Second pilgrimage to Vitasta Kund
Eight places of snan
Kanibul
Meeting point of Vitasta, Sumbooderi and Rhiddur (Lidder)
Deokie Zar
Bejbehara
Sungum
Shriya
Mullyar
Gunputyar
Soomyar
Baramula
11. Pilgrimage of Raja Bhageerut, deity of Vitasta.
Ten places of snan
Kanibul
Sumbooderi Tirat
Deokieyar
Bijbehara
Sungum
Shriya
Mullyar
Gunpatyar
Soomyar
Baramula

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Paper uploaded and can be accessed here at archive.org

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The ‘Dwarika’ of Kashmir

In ancient Sri Lanka they built great water reservoirs. They had great engineers. The tanks still exist and are called Weva. All their ancient tanks are neatly listed on Wikipedia with the name of builders.

Cut to Kashmir.

In 8th century, King Jayapida, grandson of Lalitaditya, called upon the engineers from Sri Lanka (in Rajatarangini, in typical Kashmiri manner, called “Rakshasas”) to build water reservoirs in Kashmir. Jayapida’s pet project was a sort of water fort called Dvaravati (named after Krishna’s Dwarika).

Alexander Cunningham, the 19th century British archaeologist identified Andarkut near Sumbal as Dvaravati.

He was wrong and had only discovered half-a-city. A few years later George Buhler while looking for Sanskrit Manuscripts in Kashmir was lead rightly by a boatman to a nearby place called Bahirkut which he was able to identify due to its geography as Dvaravati.

Dvaravati was a two part fort. Exterior called Bhayyam Kottam and interior called Abhayantaram. Abhayantaram was the proper Jayapur, the city Jayapida founded and Dvaravati – the outer fort.

That would explain the names Bahir (outer) kut and Andar (inner) Kut.

An indication of how the names change in a fertile place like Kashmir.

If you Google search now. You will not find Andarkut but ‘Inderkot’ near Sumbal. And nothing on Bahirkot.

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I Married a Dinosaur


In 1922, Barnum “Mr. Bones” Brown, the famous American paleontologist got married a second time. He sent his wife to Srinagar for a solitary “honeymoon” while he head to Baluchistan’s Bugti hills to look for bones of Baluchitherium, the largest land mammal that looked like a Rhino. His wife Lilian Brown wrote the book “I Married a Dinosaur” (1950).
She stayed at Houseboat no.6 at Sonwar Bagh.

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You can read the book here: at Hathi Trust