KASHMIR: THE CROWN JEWEL OF INDIC CIVILISATION

Kashmir has produced many poets, critics, historians, aestheticians, logicians, musicians, rhetoricians, philosophers, grammarians, translators and Shaiva Darshana scholars right up to the 16th -century. Some among them rose to eminence the world over for their original contribution. Poetical works covering a wide diversity of themes viz; historical, religious, devotional, didactic, romantic, satirical and even erotic as well as philosophical treatises, expounding the views of a distinct school of haivism that developed in Kashmir, works dealing with poetics and music, anthologies and lexicons, the works of the prolific writer Khemendra, especially the Bhatkathmajar and Somadevas Kathsaritsgara -all these and many other works on diverse topics, touching upon various aspects of human life constitute a rich legacy of which, any part of India may feel proud. The book informs about the contribution of Kashmiris to the Sanskrit literature of India, the ancient musical instruments of Kashmir, the sacred water bodies of Kashmir, the sacred trees of Kashmir, the journey of Kashmiri shawls to Europe and Russia, the contribution of Kashmiri artists for the development of Pahari Miniature Art in India, the contribution of Punjabi Khatris towards the development of trade and commerce in Kashmir, Vanvun singing of Kashmiris right from Vedic age and some more engrossing topics.