Kashmir

Kashmir actually has been one of the major nurseries of Indian civilization.

For millennia, it was known to be a Shivite centre, especially in the valley, which was considered to be the embodiment of Goddess Uma, wife of Lord Shiva.

Srinagar, situated on the banks of the Jhelum, finds mention in the Rig Veda. It is a known fact that Vedic Indians who settled along the banks of the Indus were very much familiar with the valley. Kashmir was once a major centre of culture. At one stage Buddhism flourished there. Yuan Chwang, a Chinese traveller, recorded in 631 AD that the people of the valley loved learning and were highly cultured. In the 11th century, Al Biruni observed that the land of Kashmir was "the high school of Hindu science". The valley showed remarkable development in disciplines such as medicine, astrology and astronomy. The doors of Hindu shrines and temples were never locked for Muslims and Muslim shrines have invariably remained open to Hindus. Many Kashmiri Muslims would be seen circumambulating the Pari Parbhat fortress which is dotted by Hindu and Muslim shrines. Hindus have been seen bowing their heads at the doorstep of the shrine of Maqdoom Sahib in Srinagar before praying at the lower Ganesha temple.

Kashmir has been an integral part of Indian civilization and culture. It is a symbol of secularism which is the very basis of the Indian nationhood. This secular legacy is visible even in the Amarnath temple tradition. The offerings there are shared by both the Hindu and Muslim custodians of the temple.