Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Kashmir the Abode of Rishis

Sham S.Misri

Kashmir is known as the abode of Rishis because it has provided a calm and serene shelter to sages and savants for their penance. In the hoary past, it was inhabited by the Nagas as is proved by Nila in his Nilmat Purana and Kalhana in his Rajatarangini. Nila, himself a naga, was the son of the illustrious Rishi, Kashyapa. The penance and the efforts of Kashyapa transformed the vast span of water called the 'Sati Sar' into a fertile valley fit for inhabitation and worship by the austere Rishis. It was he who helped these Rishis to get rid of the demon 'Jalodbhava'. These Rishis, finding the place secure for their 'Tapas', made it their home and gave it the name 'Kashyapa-mar' after the Rishi who founded it. This name, in due course became Kashmir.

These pious and compassionate Rishis did not neglect the nagas and rakshasas who were the original tribesmen living in this land. They made arrangements to satisfy their needs acid requirements from time to time. This gave rise to certain peculiar customs and festivals, not prevalent in any other part of the country. These forest-dwelling tribes would usually demand food items during the winter months. It is because of this that most of these festivals are held in the month of 'Pausha' of the lunar calendar.

Chakrishwar Shrine of Srinagar, Kashmir

Chakrishwar the abode of Maha Shakti (Parvati) on the hill of Sharika Parvat has been a source of inspiration for many scholars, saints and philosophers of Kashmir from ancient times.

Situated in the centre of Srinagar city in Kashmir valley, it has come into existence millions of years ago as per the descriptions in the Neel mat Puran, the oldest script on Kashmir history and religion.

The Puranic description says that the Chakrishwar came into being after the Parvati in the form of a bird lifted a pebble in her beak and dropped it into the centre of Satisar, the present day Kashmir, which was a lake millions of years ago, to kill the demon Jalodbhava who had created terror among the people living on the bank of Satisar. The place, where the Maha shakhti had dropped the pebble developed into a hill which was later named as Hari Parvat, after the water from the Satisar was drained out by Saint Kashyap Rishi through his great meditation. The legend goes that the Shakhti had formed the shape of a bird called Har (Mina), in Kashmiri while dropping the pebble into the Satisar.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

The History of the Potato

Sham S. Misri

Potatoes are a popular food weather roasted, baked, mashed or fried. Many traditional dishes contain potatoes, for example: fish and chips, fried cabbage, onion and mash or a roast dinner.

Potatoes were first grown in Peru in South America around 5000 years ago. Historians think that these potatoes had purple skins and yellow flesh inside. Peru has a lot of mountains and it is too cold to grow corn and wheat there. Potatoes grow well in the cold, so they became a very important food for people in Peru.

Although potatoes were grown in South America for thousands of years, they were only brought to Europe about 500 years ago. In the 1400s and 1500s, the design of European ships and navigation equipment improved. Explorers could sail further and visit new countries. They brought potatoes back to Europe to show people at home.

The English sailor, Captain John Hawkins, is thought to have been the first person to bring a potato to England in 1563, However, some people think it may have been Sir Francis Drake, who was the first Englishman to sail around the world.

Another famous explorer Sir Walter Raleigh offered some potato plants to Queen Elizabeth I in 1586. At that time, nobody knew the best way to cook and eat potatoes.The royal cooks threw away the potato tubers(the part we eat) and served up the boiled leaves and stem instead. Potato leaves and stems are poisonous and the royal family became so ill from eating them that potatoes were banned from the royal palace. False rumors began that potatoes were evil and spread illnesses.

When potatoes were first brought to Britain, they were only grown by botanists who wanted to study them. However, once people had learnt how to cook them without poisoning themselves, potatoes quickly became popular!

Sailors liked potatoes because they could be store4d for a long period of time without rotting. They also helped to prevent sailors getting horrible disease called scurvy. Scurvy was caused by sailors not eating enough fruit and vegetables on long voyages.

Farmers liked potatoes because they were easy to grow and each plant produced mant potatoes. By the late 1700s potatoes had become the main food for many families as they were cheap and made filling meals. It is estimated that in Ireland at that time each person was eating 10 potatoes a day – they formed about 80% of their diet.

In 1840s there was a devastating potato famine in Ireland, caused by a fungal infection which killed potato plants. The effects of the famine were horrific. Over one million people died from starvation. Many more moved abroad to escape the famine. It was a terrible disaster. By the 1800s, potatoes were becoming popular in many countries. Crisps were invented as a snack in North America. There is a well known story about how crips were invented- which may or may not be true!

According to the story, in 1853, a man called Commander C.Vanderbilt ordered some fried potatoes. When his meal arrived he complained that the potatoes had been sliced too thickly and sent them back to the kitchen. The cook sliced the potatoes more thinly , but again the Commander complained and sent them back. After this had happened once more, the cook was so angry that he sliced some potatoes very thinly, fried them and threw salt over the slices before serving them to the Commander. He loved them! Crisp became a popular snack. One UK crisp manufacturer makes 10 million packets of crisps a day.

Today, potatoes are one of the most popular food crops grown in the world. The future for potatoes looks good, with new varieties being created each year. The potato was the first food ever grown in orbit (as the Space Shuttle Columbia circled Earth in 1975). So if people ever begin to live in space, they can still eat a nice baked potato for tea!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Rock of Falling Flowers

Sham S. Misri

The famous Falling Flower Rock is on the bank of River Keum in Korea. It was the old capital of Korea at Pakje. It is nature’s most remarkable memorial for a, departed kingdom. It is the scene of a miracle repeated every year.

In the year 660 A.D. the kingdom of Korea was invaded and destroyed by Chinese. The Korean king, Pakje, his sons and his great ministers were made prisoners and transported to China. Nearly, seventy one, royal wives and concubines committed suicide by hurling themselves in the River Keum from this rock.

Perhaps, the nature wanted to remember this mass sacrifice. Seventy one flowers and only 71 grow on the rock each spring. After they have bloomed and spread fragrance they fall into the River on the same day each year.

Hundreds of years ago, Korea was divided into three parts. At that time, the King of Silla in southeast Korea fought with the King of Pakje in southeast Korea.

“Surrender yourself,” he called out to the King of Pakje. “I promise that you and your family will be allowed to go free.”

The King of Pakje’s minister advised him not to listen. “Do not believe anything the King of Silla says. His words sound fine but if you surrender, you and your family will surely be killed.”

The King of Pakje had three thousand women servants in his palace. The leader of them said to him, “Your Majesty, please leave with your family while you can. There is a secret door at the back of the palace. If you leave by it, the King of Silla will not be able to see you. One day you can return to rule your country.”

Although the King of Pakje did not want to go, his ministers and maid-servants made him do so.

After he had left, the brave women servants continued to fight. They fought till last. Then they climbed a high rock above the nearby Sacha River and jumped into the cold water. As they all wore white dress, they looked like white flowers falling into the river.

The Korean people have never forgotten their bravery. The rock from which they jumped is now called the Falling Flower Rock. Many people still go to visit it from all over Korea and from other countries too.

Books by the Author(s)

Lal Ded Of Kashmir Saint Poetess: A Catalogue of Lal Vakhs

Kashmir Shaivism and Modern Science

Kashmir - A Concise History: Mahabharata Epoch 3067 BCE to Modi Era 2016 A.D

The Aryan Invasion Theory - A Subterfuge: A Scientific Look

Tibet: Earthly Paradise

Kali Maa: The Dawn of Woman and Beyond

Maa Ganga: Mythology, Mystery and Science

The Ten Departures of Kashmiri Pandits

Tales from Kashmir, Part-1

Tales from Kashmir, Part-2

Tales from Kashmir, Part-3

Tales from Kashmir, Part-4

Tales from Kashmir, Part-5

The Wandering Pandit

Wonderful Stories for Children, Book-1

A Peep Into America's Past

Silkworm Breeding Made Easy

Collected Poems of Pt. Krishen Joo Razdan, By J. N. Misri, Vol. 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6[Edited and Published]

Travels Through America And Canada

When I Met Her

The Ultimate Fishing Rod

Kashmir: The Book of Anecdotes

Tour to 5 Countries in Europe

Cleopatra-Harmachis-Part-1-Love-Lord

Cleopatra and Harmachis - Part-2: The Finding of Treasure

Monday, May 6, 2013

Son-in-law’s Lake, 'Zamturnag'

Sham S. Misri
King Nara ruled over Kashmir long ago. He was known as a god of love. Every year he was in a state of continuous love with some girl or the other. Once he had fallen in love with the daughter of a minister. She was extremely beautiful. She had magnificent gait with large eyes. Her graceful and attractive looks had hooked him fast. It was a face that got fixed in his mind. The king wanted her to be his queen, but the king’s love was refused by the girl. She told the king that she was already engaged to a Buddhist priest. The king had only one way to possess her. He had to get the priest killed through his secret orders. But, before the king ...

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Fa Hein-A Chinese Traveller

Sham S. Misri

He visited Ladakh (J and K) in 400 A.D. He was a native of Wu Yang in the Shansi district of west China. His three elder brothers having died in infancy, is father had vowed to dedicate him to the service of Buddhism if he lived. He, therefore, had him entered as a religious school at the age of three. But after some time when the boy was taken dangerously ill his parents immediately sent him to the monastery which he refused to leave even when he was well again. Here he devoted himself to the study of Buddhist scriptures. Later when he had received full monastic orders he was distressed “to observe the imperfect rules of the discipline of the monks” in Changan. He there, decided to come to India along with four more monks to secure complete and authentic copies of the Vinaya -pitaka.

Fa Hein came to Ladakh from Khotan. The ruler of the place was then holding an assembly, initiated by Asoka. On such an occasion the Chinese pilgrim tells us, the king invites scholars from all quarters. After they are assembled in large numbers their meeting place is decorated with silken streamers canopies are hung out on it. Water Lilies in gold and silver are made and fixed up behind the place where the chief monks are to sit. The other monks are seated on other clean mats.

The assembly took place in the first, second or the third month of spring. It lasted about a month, at the end of which the king and his ministers made offerings. These included fine white woolen cloth, possibly white Pashmina, and all sorts of precious things.

The presentation of these things took from one to seven days at the end of which they were redeemed by their owners for some value.

Fa Hein mentions of two relics of Buddha. One of them was his spittoon, or bowl made of stone and in colour like his alms bowl. The other was a tooth of Buddha for which the people had erected a stupa.

Writing in 1853 A.D. Cunningham says, “Now one of these relics (the alms bowl) still exists in a temple to the north of Leh. It is a large earthenware vase similar in shape to the largest steatite vases. But Ladakh also possessed a tooth of Buddha, which was formerly enshrined at Le in a dung ten or solid mound of masonry. The dung ten still exists, though ruinous, but the holy tooth is said to have been carried away by Ali Sher, of Balti, upwards of 200 years ago, when Ladakh was invaded and plundered by the Muslims of the west, who most probably threw the much prized relic into the Indus. At any rate it has never since been heard of.