Ancient kingdoms of Kashmir.

My older posts in this blog deal with Hindu mythology linked since ages with valley of kashmir, let me quicky recall that, Kashmir valley once was great lake called Satisar and Rishi Kashyapa is attributed to form valley by fighting the demon called jalodhbava, as legend goes, a trident was struck by Vishnu near Baramulla that caused water to gush out of valley and then jalodhbava invincible in its own element refused to come out then finally Parvati consort of Shiva is said to crush him using large mountain Hari-Parvat now popularly know as Hari-Parbat, afterwards goddess took shape in form of rivers and springs.Nagas and Pisacas tribe first settled in Kashmir.Rivers and Springs in valley are of high religious importance.
There are pretty good geoligical evidences and scientific data that is similar to legend according to which volcanic activities caused heavy earthquake that caused fissures in mountains and that lead Jhelum to gush out and as a matter of fact jhelum escapes kashmir valley through narrow gorge near barmulla!Another very important evidence is formation of karwaes or pleatue which contain lascustrine deposits and by any geological standard they are older than any monuments found in vale, these clay and sand deposit from great lake using many modern archaeological and scientific techniques clearly reflected the valley as once huge lake with any doubt.

Kahalana, work called Rajatarangini is old account of valley of Kashmir, He composed his Rajatarangini, the river of kings, in A.D. 1148-49, Sir Aurel Stein is attributed for its translation from Sanskrit to English and it is surprising that kashmir has written record of all history from Kahalana to modern as compared to India which rely on hit and trail method or numismatic data to arrive at various kingdoms but it unfortunate that we are ignorant and unaware of our history and rich culture.
As per Rajatarangini, the first king to rule Kashmir was Gonanda I and subsequent 35 kings that followed however there is no record available to trace them and Kahalana called them lost kings of kashmir; there is also record of Alexander and Greek invasion to Kashmir, there are numismatic records of old coins found near Jhelum river that support this fact also if one looks carefully at Buddha sculpture and many Ancient monuments we will find trace of Greek Art so we can think Kashmir monuments or Art was influenced by Greek Art and sculpture, Kahalana speaks high of great king Asoka as king of Kashmir, he is attributed to form Srinagar and building various vihras and stupas and he is credited to introduce Buddhism in Kashmir as he found Kashmir favorable for meditation and religious study and as a matter of fact Kashmir was fountainhead of Sanskrit learning and saiva thought of philosophy or Kashmir Shaivasm, the kashmiri brahim or pandit know for their open thought and intellect developed new form of Buddhism called Mahayana.S.P.S Museum Lal Mandi, Srinagar gives clear picture of various Ancient kingdom of valley particularly we look at Archaeological and numismatic section in the museum that has collected some important excavations at sites like Burzahom, Avantipora and harwan.to be continued....