NAHR-E- ZAINAGEER- A NEGLECTED HERITAGE

Bilal Hassan Shah

 Protection of heritage is important for many reasons, and it can give a boost to economy. To begin with, all civilizations have thrived on rivers, because water is important. The writer’s concern is about Nahr-e-Zainageer, whose origin is from Wullar lake. It irrigates miles of hectares of rice fields and orchards. Its origin is from earlier kings, but later it was renovated and further extended by Budsha (Zain-ul-Abidin). It is a network of channels and streams. But now it is in a pathetic condition. People have encroached upon it. Because of this and government’s negligence, its condition is deteriorating. Will government’s conscience wake up?

Excerpts:

Protection of heritage:

“This piece of writing is about understanding the value, treatment and protection of heritage, and in it I am trying to highlight the various issues related to heritage identities, the maintenance, repatriation, and protection of heritage. All are important concerns that have global and domestic applicability. Transformations of geo political economy over the past century have threatened the importance of heritages and identity. In recent years, many of the efforts to conserve heritage resources have been expressed in terms of “heritage development.” Number ofgovernment and NGO initiatives have begun to increase our vision for the importance of strengthen locality and encouraging diversity in the face of increased pressures toward globalization and homogenization. The protection of the past is necessary component of preserving local identity and sense of heritage. However, the protection  of heritage often comes at a cost. With the increased interest and the new infusion of funds into heritage development, there are always tradeoffs that have social, political, and economic implications. The question that often arises is, “Which heritage is best to preserve, and will the promotion of heritage have an impact on the local cultural resources, the community, and the environment?” For instance, the protection of heritage may provide a boost to the local economy in the form of tourism, but at present there is too little understanding of this economic impact. Let’s talk of the ancient canals which are an important part of our heritage and cause of the civilization. It is because of the water the civilizations flourished and reached at the apex. The history of canals is the history of civilizations. With the beginning of agriculture the start of   canal system also emerged and endeavor was in the form of urbanization. The story starts with the civilizations which developed in the basins of the Indus, Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Amu Darya and Yellow rivers”. Kashmir News Pakistan

Nehr-e-Zainageer:

Now my main concern here is the Nahre Zainageer (BAEDH KOUL) which is the incredible gift inherited from our fore fathers. Its origin is from the famous Wular Lake which is the famous picnic spot though the major portion of it is under the control of Indian Navy and the entry is restricted. The Nahre Zainageer is also the tributary of the river Jehlum. From its origin Nahre Zainageer irrigates miles of hectares of rice fields and the apple orchards on which the economy of Sopore depends. Due to the blessings of this canal Sopore is also called the apple town of Kashmir Climate. This canal also has the historical significance, it is said to be originally constructed by the famous engineer of Avantivermn known as Suya though we don’t have literary sources to prove it, but the town built by him Suyapur presently known as Sopore was mentioned by the Kalhana in his book Rajatarangni. Later in the sultanate period also known as the Muslim period when Badhshah (Zainul Abidin) was ruling the Kashmir News Srinagar the canal was renovated and further extended. This is not just one canal it’s the network of channels and streams. It runs through the mountain ranges from its origin up to the village of Pazalpora which was once the famous  picnic spot also (again in control of Indian Army). The stunning thing is that gravity plays its role in flowing of water and rate of discharge at each connection is constant. Zainul Abidin also built a town in his name called Zinageer which is still known in the same name and also the Islands in the Wular lake known as Zinalank. The canal was also called Nahre Zainageer then.”

Dogra Period:

“During the Dogra rule people were not allowed to walk on the banks of canal with pin sole shoes so was the respect and care of the canal. We owe a lot to this fascinating water source which kept us alive during the droughts. The canal is  wailing for the help from the people. It is in pathetic condition now as people have encroached upon its banks which once stood five meters high and are barely now one and half meters. The soil of the banks is used in the filling of the lands and for construction purposes. It was an everlasting gift to us but the people unfortunately changed it to the dumping yard. All the waste materials and polythene bags are dumped in and along the banks of the canal”.

The Latest Trend:

“The condition of the Nahre Zaingeer is deteriorating fast and callous people and negligent Government are pushing it to extinction.  Making roads along the banks of the canal also is adding to its misery. MGNERAGA road connectivity along the banks of the canal also devastated the banks. Government has done nothing to preserve this heritage. Some maintenance work was done before a decade which yielded nothing. People easily erode the soil and the poplar trees are uprooted for construction purposes without any concern. A decade ago along the banks of the canal there used to be thousands of mulberry trees, now looking at the banks there are no signs of greenery. If you walk along the canal you will feel the pain and hear the silent sobs of Nahre Zainageer”.

“Indeed I have no words to explain. The banks of the canal was once the home to the famous Kashmiri willows but due to the lack of attention and the carelessness of the concerned authorities, there is nothing left for the purification. Trees are the main components which balance the ecology but now we have no place for them. Our water sources are drying at an alarming pace. People are always self-centered. It is the Government which has to take the initiative to protect this dying heritage. Awareness campaigns are wasting of money and time. People are educated enough to understand the Heritage value. It is again the authorities who are in hibernation. Government is paying crores in the form of salary of the officers and guards to prevent the loot of natural resources. Then where is the flaw?  If this  present condition of the Nahre Zainageer remains as it is, there will be no Nahre Zaingeer after 10 years and obviously no agriculture in its vicinity. Please save your present for your future.

[Courtesy: daily Kashmir Observer, Srinagar, Kashmir, January 10, 2019].

THE FINE ‘COPPER WORKS’ - Kashmir Trends

Iqbal Ahmad

The tale of Kashmiri metal works is very old and is prominent part of Jammu and Kashmir Heritage. The craftsmen produced brilliant metal works. Since Hindu and Buddhist cultures needed icons for various deities, these were made not in wood or stone, but bronze. Since coming of Islam discouraged these image makings, craftsmen shifted to other trades, like making utensils.

Excerpts:

Tradition of metal images:

“Handling Metal is a bit difficult and tedious when compared to handling wood. It requires not only high skill but also improved instruments and casting as well as clipping technologies. Romans and Greeks were the first to introduce metal in various forms. Harappan people also made ornaments and seals of it and people of Kashmir News Army did not remain far-behind in making impressive objects of copper and bronze. The tale of Kashmiri metal works is very old, perhaps as old as the political history of the land. The metal workers commissioned impressive objects to meet the social and economic requirements of the country. Official coins, ornaments, religious icons, domestic utensils etc. are the things, which have a long history in the Valley. The craftsmen of the land produced brilliant metal works. The early medieval and medieval ages witnessed the promotion of Hindu and Buddhist cultures here. The followers of these faiths required icons of various deities. These deities were not only made in stone and wood but also in bronze. The land is said to have cultivated a rich tradition of metal images, rarely found anywhere else. “Unlike other regions where copper alloys were preferred, Kashmir sculptures had been partially of brass which were often inlaid with silver and copper,” says Pratapiditya Pal, in his book, ‘Kashmir News Zone’. Besides masterpieces in copper and bronze, Kalhana has made mention of several gold and silver images and some of such images, according to his reports, were installed in the temples of Parihaspura”.

Declining practice:

“The European and local archaeologists recovered a number of wonderful bronze images from excavated sites that today have become the zenith of stalls of world museums and art galleries. Prepared through casting technique these wonderful images clearly speak of the valley’s high skilled metal art. Percey Brown, George Watts, Pratapaditya Pal and John Seuidmark like veteran scholars on the subject have made a detailed mention of Kashmir metal works in their respective accounts. They have classified the Kashmir News Tomorrow works in separate groups and found its influence on the bronze produced in other regions. It was during the Hindu and Buddhist ages that impressive bronze images were commissioned here while the practice was discouraged by the new faith that got cultivated here from 14th century onwards. It was the advent of Islam wherein not only worshipping but also commissioning of the image was strictly prohibited. So the communities involved in making brilliant images shifted to other trades. The trade involved making of various types of domestic vessels used for cooking and serving food made from copper. This new trade also developed very fast as its makers extended their ingenuity and skill to working in copper with Persian and Iranian influences. The copper utensils turned more popular and Muslim society adopted it quickly. This gave rise to copper industry, which rapidly flourished throughout the valley. Centuries old magnificent utensils of Kashmir also found their place in the art galleries of the world. Although many old traditions of land vanished from the scene but copper utensil manufacturing is flourishing all over Kashmir. Despite inroads made by the machine-made objects, the popularity of using copper pots has not diminished, says Muhammad Ramzan, who runs a copper shop in old Srinagar city. As per unofficial estimates four to five hundred families are involved in making these objects while thousands of people are involved at various stages of this trade”.

[Courtesy: daily Kashmir Images, Srinagar, Kashmir, January 13, 2019].