Requisites of Kashmirology
Prof. P. N. Pushp
Kashmir's contribution to the heritage of India
has been distinct enough to permit the use of a new term, Kashmirology,
as an important branch of Indology. Its importance is manifold in terms
of myth and legend, custom and tradition, religion and philosophy, language and
literature, art and archaeology, and socio-economic as well as political
developments in this integral part of India.
But very little of this contribution has so far been adequately explored and
assessed, and systematically presented in spite of the pioneering work1
done in many a field such as historio-graphy, folk-lore philosophy and
linguistics.
The first significant effort to survey, secure and preserve MSS was made in
1860-65 at the instance of Maharaja Ranbir Singh who unfortunately did not live
long enough to see the important works published along with translation as
planned. Later on, when the State Research Department was set up in 1902 the
publication of the Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies was contemplated
and more than six dozen works have appeared since. A remarkable record, no
doubt, though very few of these publications meet the demands of critical and
scientific editing as understood now. What one misses most in a majority of
these is a thorough word-index and a revealing introduction and perhaps,
critical or elucidatory notes whereever unavoidable.
Every effort has, therefore, to be made now not only to overcome shortcomings
like these, but also to establish Kashmirology on foundations secure and
more broad-based, by integrating the isolated bits of earlier research into a
comprehensive whole. The emphasis, so far, has been on mere publication of MSS
(mostly of religio-philosophical content), and, even the basic tasks like
compilation of descriptive catalogues of MSS have all along been lying over for
one reason or the other. It is high time, therefore, that these research
problems are viewed in a more correlated perspective.
The problem of problems, obviously, continues to be that of salvaging rare
MSS and compiling not only Descriptive Catalogues of the collections made
(including those of art-pieces and other research material) but also Source-material
miscellanies on various aspects of Kashmirology so as to facilitate
researches therein?
The problem of compiling a Bibliography of Source-material is no less
urgent, but it presupposes a thorough (: both intensive and extensive) survey of
all the source-material lying scattered in private collections as well as in the
MS libraries of India and the world. Yet a humble beginning3 has to
be made with the material noticed so far or accessble with a little effort.
Parallel to this basic task of compilation runs that of bringing out critical
editions of important works defectively published or lying unpublished. In this
connection it is gratifying to know that the V.V. Research Institute of
Hoshiarpur has undertaken to bring out a revised edition of Kalhana's
Rajatarangini and critical editions of the later chronicles by Jonaraja,
Srivara and Suka. That is surely going to fulfil a longfelt need,
but equally pressing is the need of collating these chronicles with their
Persian counter-parts (versions or adaptations). Such an endeavour would light
up many a dark corner and fill up many a gap in the History of Kashmir. The
compilation of a Concordance and a Variorum in this connection
would also prove of immense help in reconstructing quite a few lost fragments of
our historical narrative as well as in checking up, reconsidering and revising
many inaccuracies undetected so far.
Archaeology could have helped a great deal in this endeavour, but
unfortunately it has yet to play its full role in digging up the very early
layers of Kashmir's historical evolution. The crest of the earth has, no doubt,
been scratched at a number of places; but very little digging of the right type
has so far taken place except, perhaps, at a site or two. Research scholars
would, therefore, feel grateful for any future programme of scientific
excavation in Kashmir (including the far flung regions which have yet to feature
in a historical account of the State). Meanwhile, a new hand-book on Archaeology
in Kashmir with copious illustrations is a pressing need.
The task of bringing out an Encyclopaedia of Kashmirology is no
less important, but to realize this objective, a few more preliminary and,
therefore, urgent steps are inevitable. Thus, for instance, uptodate and
authentic surveys of the various aspects of this heritage have to be made
and published with exhaustive indexes. Besides, not only a Biographical
Dictionary of the distinguished sons and daughters of Kashmir, such as
scholars, writers and thinkers, but also volumes like a Dictionary of Saivism
and Sufism have to be compiled. Such a work long overdue, is likely to
promote a study of the religio-philosophical history of the land.
A new linguistic survey of the state would, no doubt, be covered by the
fothcoming linguistic survey of India, in the near future, but that would hardly
justify any delay in the preparation of scientific grammars and linguistic
introductions to the mother-tongues spoken in the state; much less in the
task of exploring, collecting, and compiling the folklore of the land.
Unless these programmes are undertaken, no scientific study of the
folk-traditions and the folk-patterns is possible. The preparation of specific vocabularies
peculiar to different callings and vocations and spheres of activity has also to
be taken up and carried on side by side. That will, incidentally help in
collecting genuine source-material for the compilation of authentic dictionaries
of the various mother-tongues spoken in the State, including a Thesauras
and integrated multilingual vocabularies of all these tongues with
English, Hindi and Urdu parallels. The indispensability of this source-material
can hardly be overemphasized; for, a dictionary is not merely an alphabetical
list of coinages or terminologies, but has to derive sanction from some sort of diction
whether preserved in the written treasures or alive in the oral tradition.
The programme therefore, calls for the constitution of a Folklore Squad
of half a dozen competent young scholars trained in the technique of exploration
as well as scientific notation of folklore material and equipped with a
tape-recorder for the purpose. The material thus collected, would prepare the
ground for anthropological studies also and provide a correct perspective
for researches in the cultural evolution of Kashmir.
These, in brief are the requisites of Kashmirology which have to be
minded by all workers in the field.
Notes and References
1. Cf. p. 8
2. Accordingly, the Department is at present working on the following,
scheduled to appear in 1960-61 :
Catalogue : Vol. 1 (Historiography) ; and
Miscellany : Vol. 1 (Zainul-a'bidin and His Times)
3. With this idea in view a comprehensive survey of MS S lying undetected or
unutilized in the various regions of the State is under consideration by the
Department which proposes to bring out a Literary History of Kashmir in three
Vols. during (1960-63.)
[Excerpted from : 'The Literary Heritage of Kashmir' (1985). Edited by
K. L. Kalla, Mittal Publications, The author (late) Prof. P. N. Pushp has been a
renowned professor, linguist and scholar that Kashmir has produced. He has also
been the former Director, Research, Libraries and Museums, J&K Government,
Srinagar]
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