Kashmiris — both Pandits and Muslims — have not traditionally celebrated religious festivals with loud public festivities. Their observances have always been intimate, family-centred occasions, sometimes marked by quiet congregations at shrines where devotion found expression in serene and melodious chants.
Dussehra, by contrast, was and remains a public festival celebrated primarily by the non-Kashmiri residents of Srinagar. The organizers of this event were, and continue to be, the Khatris non-Kashmiri traders who had settled in the Valley in the latter part of the 19th century. Their rise as a mercantile class in North India, including Kashmir, is a fascinating story in itself. Initially, they established themselves in the downtown locality of Maharaj Ganj, later moving to the Civil Lines area in the more affluent part of the city. Over time, they came to dominate the wholesale trade in imported consumer goods not linked to local produce.
The Dussehra celebration followed the customary ritual of burning the effigies of Ravana, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil — the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana as narrated in the Ramayana. The event was usually held at Hazuri Bagh,Gol Bagh (now Iqbal Park) and, before that, at the site of the present Indoor Stadium. The Khatri community had settled in areas nearby. During Dogra rule, an “At Home” gathering traditionally followed the burning of effigies. From 1935 onwards, this function was organised at the Amar Singh Club, whose membership was dominated by non-local residents and state officials. (Amar Singh Club Archives, inventoried and conserved by INTACH Kashmir.)
In 1947, however, the Dussehra “At Home” was meant to be different. The Dussehra Celebration Committee decided to invite their “Muslim brethren” to the event, which was scheduled for 4 p.m. on 25 October 1947. This decision was formally recorded in a letter dated 17 October 1947, accompanied by a list of 176 prospective Muslim invitees.
Yet, the event never took place. The tribal invasion of Kashmir began on 22 October 1947, and by 24 October, the raiders had reached Baramulla. The ensuing turmoil led to the migration of most organisers. The invitation list, however, survives — a document of considerable historical interest — revealing the names of many prominent Muslims residing in Srinagar at the time.
The list records several Muslim officers from the Dogra Army, along with Rajas from adjoining hilly regions who may have intended to settle in Srinagar. Names such as Brigadier Rematullah, Colonel Sher Ali, Major Haroon, and Captain Ali Sher appear alongside Raja Mohammad Khan of Garhi Dupatta and Raja Zabardast Khan. Brigadier Rematullah, it is noted, owned extensive properties in Kashmir, including the area now known as Bagh-i-Mehtab. He migrated to Pakistan in early November 1947, where members of his family later served the new country with distinction. None of these individuals, however, were ethnic Kashmiris.
Among the Kashmiri Muslims, the list includes merchants, doctors, a few government officers, and several politicians. Interestingly, the spelling of some political names had evolved over time — Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad appears as Ghulam Mohammad Bakshi; Mirza Afzal Beg as Mohammad Afzal Beg; and Maulana Mohammad Syed as Mohammad Syed Molvi.
It also appears that Dr. Saifuddin Kitchloo, the noted leftist leader from Punjab, was in Srinagar around that time — his address is listed as “c/o Regina Hotel.” Kashmir was still under Dogra rule, and politicians from both India and Pakistan were travelling frequently to the Valley, each forwarding their respective political agendas. Kitchloo Sahib, a prominent Congress leader with strong socialist leanings, was likely among those engaged in these discussions.
The Naqshbandis — a distinguished family in Kashmir since Mughal times — also feature prominently in the list. Names such as Salam Shah Naqshbandi, Ghulam Nabi Naqshbandi, and Dr. Naqshbandi reflect their continued influence in public life.
From the merchant community, the Shahsons — still an influential business family — were recorded as using “Pir” as a surname, a practice later dropped by their descendants. Similarly, members of the Aga family once used “Qizilbash” as their surname but have since retained simply “Aga.”
Intriguingly, the list also includes prominent religious figures, Pirs, and Muftis of Srinagar. Names such as Mufti Jalal-ud-Din, Mirwaiz Hamadani, Mirza Kamal-ud-Din, Moulvi Mohammad Hassan, Moulvi Mohammad Ibrahim, and Mir Maqbool Geelani appear among the invitees.
In retrospect, the event was an earnest but belated gesture of outreach — perhaps the first and the last — by an old social order trying to come to terms with the swiftly changing political landscape of the country.
Badalta hai aasman rang kaise kaise.
