Kashmir -Behind The Vale

by M.J. Akbar

Kashmir lies at the edge of India’s borders and at the heart of India’s consciousness. It is not geography that is the issue; Kashmir also guards the frontiers of ideology. If there was a glow of hope in the deepening shadows of a bitter partition, then it was Kashmir, whose people consciously rejected the false patriotism of fundamentalism and made common cause with secular India instead of theocratic Pakistan. Kashmir was, as Sheikh Abdullah said and Jawaharlal Nehru believed, a stabilising force for India. Why has that harmony disintegrated? Why has the promise been stained by the blood of rebellion? M.J. Akbar, the celebrated author of The Siege Within, The Making of India, Riot After Riot and The Shade of Jihad and the Conflict between Islam and Christianity delves deep into the past for the roots of Kashmiriyat, the identity and culture that has blossomed within the ring of mountains for thousands of years. He records Kashmir’s struggle in the century to first free itself from feudal oppression and then enter the world of modern India in 1947. Placing the mistakes and triumphs of those early, formative years in the perspective of history, the author goes on to explain how the 1980s have opened the way for Kashmir’s hitherto marginalised secessionists. Both victory and defeat have their lessons; to forget either is to destablise the future. Kashmir and the mother country are inextricably linked. India cannot afford to be defeated in her Kashmir.

Genres: History, Politics, India, Indian Literature, Nonfiction, Religion

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Mobashar Jawed "M.J." Akbar (born 11 January 1951) is a leading Indian journalist and author. He was the Editorial Director of India Today, India's leading weekly English news magazine published by the Living Media group till his resignation in October 2012. He also had an additional responsibility of overseeing the media conglomerate's English news channel, Headlines Today.
He launched "The Sunday Guardian", a weekly newspaper in 2010, and continues to serve as Editor-in-Chief. He is also the founder and former editor-in-chief and managing director of The Asian Age, a daily multi-edition Indian newspaper with a global perspective.
He has written several non-fiction books, including Byline (New Delhi: Chronicle Books, 2003), a biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: The Making of India, a book on Kashmir titled Kashmir: Behind the Vale, Riot After Riot and India: The Siege Within. He also authored The Shade of Swords, a cohesive history of jihad. Akbar's recent published book is Blood Brothers, a skillfully crafted family saga covering three generations and packed with information of events in India and the world, particularly the changing Hindu-Muslim relations.
His book Blood Brothers has been translated into Italian as Fratelli di Sangue. It was released in Rome at the headquarters of Adnkronos on 15 January 2008.
He published his latest book "Tinderbox: The past and future of Pakistan" in January 2012 discussing the themes of identity crisis and class struggles in Pakistan.
Akbar was also the editor-in-chief of The Deccan Chronicle, a Hyderabad-based news daily.

Reviews

[Girl from Mumbai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agar Firdaus bar ru-e zamin ast
Hami ast o-hami ast o-hami ast.

If there is paradise on earth it is this, it is this, said ‘Amir Khusrau’ when he saw Kashmir for the first time. And like any paradise it has been cursed. The book “Kashmir – Behind the Vale’ By M J Akbar is an amazing read about this disputed Paradise. It is a very well researched historical account from the history of Kashmir to its politics. The author gives us a complete background of what Kashmir was from mystical poets like Lal Ded, Sufis like Nand Rishi ,benevolent kings like Bud Shah and idealistic men like Shaikh Abdullah who gave Kashmir it’s identity of not being a Muslim or a Hindu state but a state that valued it’s 'Kashmiryat' which gave it, its unique identity. M. J Akbar goes in detail about the love that Pandit Nehru had for Kashmir and how he fought all his life for doing what he thought was right for it. The politics in the book is intriguing,whether it is Sardar Patel being indecisive about getting Maharaja Hari Singh to align with India and to the immature politics of a very young Farooq Abdullah. The book grips you, taking you deeper into the realms of the deluded human hearts that have shaped what Kashmir is today. A fabulous and MUST read for anyone who wants to understand the mystery that Kashmir is and how things fell apart.

[Sarvjeet]

M J Akbar discusses and describes Kashmir with the acumen of a scientist and heart of a poet.

[Rohan Sangodkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wo waqt bhi dekhe hain taarikh ki ghariyon ne
Lamhon ne khata ki thi, sadiyon ne saza paai"
(History, has seen such times when the crime was committed by a moment, but the punishment suffered by centuries.)
-Sheikh Abdullah in his speech on 21st August 1981 at Iqbal Park, Srinagar.

My fascination with the land of Kashmir continues with this book. My maternal grandfather served in an Indian army and he was posted in Kashmir for a really long time during China and the second Indo-Pak war. He had always been in an awe of this magical land despite all the bloodshed he witnessed. I think he passed on this awe and curiosity to me.

Before this book, I had read Our Moon Has Blood Clots: The Exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits and Curfewed Night. These two were somewhat non-political memoirs. But no Kashmiri life existed in post-independence India without being marred by politics.

The first time I came across the name of the author M.J.Akbar while I was reading Durbar, which is an astounding book about infamous "Operation BlueStar". Kashmir-Behind the vale proved to be an amazing political guide about the medieval and modern state of Kashmir. This succinct account briefs readers about dynasties who ruled the valley since the ages of Asoka till The Farooq Abdullah.

But this book is about one man, a man who to Kashmir, is what Gandhi is to India. Sheikh Abdullah. The best part about this book is where the author tries to explain what it means to be a Kashmiri. How and why a Kashmiri looks at a person who is not from Kashmir. An apathy about regions other than Kashmir is due to the inherent Kashmiri nature since the valley has been nothing but a detached holiday destination since the times of Mughals. A trophy state. Everyone either praises Kashmir or bashes Kashmir, no one tries to understand Kashmir. This book passes with flying colors in this department.

The second part of this book deals with the incompetency and foolishness of Raja Hari Singh during the famous accession(?) of Kashmir to India. Had he been a little reasonable, he could have saved his own white valley from getting painted red.
Another key personality was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, a Kashmiri Pandit who was a Delhiite. Pandit Nehru squandered some wonderful opportunities to resolve or mitigate the Kashmir issues.
After his death, Indira Gandhi also tried her hand at resolving this issue but to no avail. On contrary, the Simla Agreement in 1972 left a bitter taste in her mouth, and from there onwards, things went downhill.

The third part deals with the effects of the death of both Indira and Sheikh Abdullah. Farooq Abdullah is a living example of why nepotism should be kept away from politics. In the foreign-educated, product-of-nepotism politicians era, Farooq proved to be really incapable of his own good as well as Kashmir's. You can observe a pattern of defection from main parties pan-India during this time, the sole reason being sycophancy and favoritism towards bloodline. The damage which this period did to Kashmir is yet to heal, on contrary, it festered.

Now the things I did not like about this book.
The convenient ignorance towards Sheikh Abdullah's and Farooq Abdullah's pro-Islam speeches which are well documented.
Only a paragraph towards the end has been dedicated to the infamous exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. And third, a lopsided approach towards Sardar Patel. He has been indirectly called inefficient and apathetic towards the Kashmir cause without any strong evidence.

Everyone who wants to know about why is Kashmir is Kashmir, should read this (and many more) book. You cannot gauge "Kashmiriyat" through the eyes of news channels or newspapers. The history is different, circumstances are different, people are different. Understand Kashmir before you pass a judgment towards a Kashmiri.

Gar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.

If there is a heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here..

[Vandita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this well researched, well written history of Kashmir by MJ Akbar. Kashmir: Behind the vale, is short for a history book (300 pages) but packs a punch to bring historical perspective to understand the evolution of 'Kashmiriyat': Kashmiri identity which through centuries was nothing to do with religion (with its emphasis of culture, poetry, crafts, Kashmir's own brand of Sufism). It canters through the long history of alternate rules of afghans, Mughals, hindu Dogras who seemed to almost compete with each other to be more brutal than the previous regime. The strength of the book is to delve in details, quoting from primary and secondary sources (govt papers, letters, UN speeches, books etc), the build of the 'Kashmir issue' and more interestingly, the role of all 'players' on the stage spanning 3 generations (1930-1960 era: Singh, sheikh abdullah, Nehru, Patel. Menon, Jinnah, Mountbatten etc, to later 1970-80s phase: Indira Gandhi,bhutto, ayub khan). The tale of miscalculations, missed opportunities, vicious cycle of events, politics winning over well being of people almost gives rise to frustration as one reads the book which indeed is tthe tragic story of this issue. My only gripe with this book is that whilst the new edition was published in 2010, the author says that he hasn't added an 'afterword' to update the commentary since the original book (which covered events till 1990). Thus I felt a bit cheated as the build up till 1990 misses the update of last 2 decades or so in which, if anything, the situation actually deteriorated( whilst it seems to have stabilised a bit now for last 2 years). The author should have taken the effort to update the new edition to fill in for 1990-2010 phase. Neverlessless, I was looking for history book on Kashmir to accompany me for my visit to that lovely state and this was the right book for it. Recommended it.

[Koustubh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book with history and deep insights of the region which has not been left for itself for peace and for tranquility with itself or with others..

[Himanshu · Rating 1 out of 5]

After seeing The Kashmir Files which is the flavour of the season, I was expecting some eye-opening historical insights on the place known as heaven on earth. What I got was a book full of whitewashed history , plain avoidance of painful bits , worshipping false Gods and vilifying hapless characters.

This book gives a very long rope to Nehru and his policies towards accession of J&K to India. His Himalayan(pun unintended) blunder to take the matter to UN is mentioned in passing. And surprise, Sardar Patel - the great unifier of the nation is portrayed as some hapless leader out of his depths regarding what is happening in the world.

Jagmohan the no nonsense Governor of the state is portrayed as someone who harboured dreams of being a ruler of J&K . Thankfully after TKF and some other reading I know this is not true.

A book talking about history of Kashmir, published in 2002 but surprise surprise no mention of KP exodus of 1990.

With such glaring (and possibly intentional) omissions it makes it very difficult for any reader to trust the intent of the author in giving a honest well rounded coverage to history of the state. I would suggest avoid.

[Aakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history of Kashmir over the ages in the early chapter, followed by the turbulent times of partition. Bit of a shock to read that Sardar Patel was actually not interested in Kashmir's accession to India, and it took a massive effort from Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah to achieve that. In hindsight though, Patel may have been right. Tough to pinpoint what led to such degeneration, seems like a combination of Indira Gandhi's dictatorial streak and Farooq Abdullah's lackadaisical approach. More I read about Nehru, more I respect the way he handled the country (including Kashmir) in really tough times. Which leader doesn't blunder? You cannot erase his legacy as one of our best leaders, as the right wing is currently trying to do. Thoroughly researched, insightful book that clears the Kashmir picture.

[Samyuktha jayaprakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really impressed. But then i know nil about Kashmir - only whatever i read from this book. The author has brought breakneck speed in a non fiction book xD while the content plays a major role his handling has made it simple and entertaining for a beginner to learn about the indian pak relations over kashmir. The process and confusion on either sides is quite revealing. I found lots of anecdotes and less sources - what with it being a non fiction book - and also found the author to be pretty biased on certain levels :P
Learnt a lot and enjoyed this book thoroughly. Shows reality> fiction histoy politics <3 my favorite
the conditions of kashmiri ppl after independence could've been highlighted more.

[Devi Shankar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author has tried to display his research like an encyclopaedia. It's just a narrative of several people and events over 2000 years, and he narrates it as 'A happened, B came, C died, D ruled, then Y came and X happened.....' as though the reader is just supposed to know every character and event he is speaking of. In fact a Wikipedia is better written than this! The author stays completely on the surface and the reader feels no depth of the content. Totally avoidable read!

[Chandrasekhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for someone interested in the history of Kashmir. Starts right from the beginning with Lal Ded and includes the early history (chapter 2 seems a thriller straight from bollywood and with its turns and twists seems like a comedy).
Post independence, India's handling of the situation is an eye-opener. Its really surprising how many errors Nehru and party committed.

[Anil Swarup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kashmir evokes complex thoughts and feelings. The issues involved are complex but it is to the credit of Akbar that he articulates his thoughts and arguments cogently and lucidly. The book makes an extremely interesting reading.

[Vik · Rating 3 out of 5]

good read

[Mukund Tibrewal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kashmir has always been beautiful , blessed and fragile at the same time. This arouses intrigue in any person who wants to know about the valley.
This book satisfies this intrigue to a good extent.

It highlights rich history of Kashmir starting from Ashoka to almost the end of 20th century. Its covers religious transformation of region over centuries , development of kingdoms and region encounters with neighbouring rulers.

Its also touches on lives of Sheikh Nuruddin(Nund Rishi) & Lal Ded , who are the building blocks of Kashmiriyat culture.

To satisfy the inclination of readers who want to understand complexities of Kashmir accession to India to beginning of militancy in 1980s , author has covered all major events involving great personalities like Nehru , Abdullah , Patel , Bakshi and Indira Gandhi in good detail. However , author sometimes seemed biased towards Nehruvian thinking , which is not strange given his political affiliation at that time.

Summing up , book is wonderful and lucid read , it is a good starting point for a outsider to know about Kashmir polity.

[Manas Shukla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrative flows at a good pace. At times the details bog you down, but not enough to drop the project all together. One does feel Mr Akbar's romanticism with the utopia of Kashmiriyat and his near servile devotion to Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah. It gives you enough glimpses of the idealism which so defined modern Indian intellectual space since independence. His yearning for what could have been seems to be the leitmotif of this work, which undoubtedly came in the years when his loyalties lay with the grand old party. But not for an instant can we attach any degree of incincerity to the sentiment and power of conviction which he has managed to lend his prose. If you can seive the facts from ideology and appreciate the two for what they are, it makes for a very good read.

[William Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kashmir - Behind the Vale is undoubtedly decently researched, resting on quoting primary sources at nearly every occasion. However, I found the book a pain to read. Whilst it is commonly reductive to apply grand narratives to history, at least even pseudo-themes are often essential to impose upon the complexity of history to bring the reader along with you through heavy detail. Akbar's rendition of Kashmiri history is certainly fact-dense; facts are jumped through with chapters almost sectioned into key moments, but the listing of names, statements, conflicts, and sometimes unnuanced Hindi-Islam interactions pulled my out of the book despite the interest of the history. If you're new to Kashmiri history (like me), this isn't the work for you.

[Chatgemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well researched, cogent, engagingly written book about a region, a conflict that has remained unsolved for so long. The only shortfall - fall of Sheikh Abdullah in the eyes of Nehru is explained very inadequately whereas it was the greatest tragedy of modern India that could have created a long lasting peace in one of the most beautiful natural regions of the world. Except for this flaw, it is really a masterpiece.

[Ashok Kumar Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A basic tract to understand the history and present of Kashmir. Not good for academic understanding but very useful for a general one. One of the first books one should read to start his kashmir research.

[Ejaz Gul · Rating 3 out of 5]

MJ Akbar is one prolific writer and first part of this book is like reading poetry. Other than the writing style the author argues that in favor of Kashmiriyat and composite culture. A good read if you want to see the Post 1947 Kashmir problem and politics from the lens of an Indian.

[Raman · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the finest account on Kashmir history. MJ Akbar brings into life the finest details in a very beautiful manner. A must read for all who really wants to know about history of Kashmir.

[Arindam Sarkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's great history of kashmir.ancient India

[Aditya Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book. Gives a proper understanding of why is Kashmir burning the way it is and what truly is Kashmiriyat

[Munish Handa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute “un put downable” if there can be such a word
MJA has carved the distant past, past and near past history in such an engrossing manner ...

[Gaurav Khosla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best narrative on Kashmir I have read so far. Objective, crisp

[Jeff Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, eloquent, and fair-minded this is a chronicle of missed opportunities, duplicitous behavior, and ineptitudes, well-intentioned and otherwise. It is also a book that ended a quarter century too early. For, Akbar starts at the literal beginning of the history of Kashmir but ends at the beginning of troubles in early 1990. A lot has happened since then, though many might say that it is much of the same. Regardless, if ever a book needed updating, this is it.

Regardless of the reasons for the current cycles of violence (including most recently in July 2016 where I happened to be spend 5 days 'under curfew' before finally slipping away in the dark hours), Akbar goes a long way to explaining the general trends and strands of communalism (for me, just another word for tribalism, whether religious, ethnic, or both) and secularism in this beautiful but benighted land. One thing that comes clear is that despite Pakistan's best (worst?) attempts the majority of the Kashmiri people consider themselves to be first and foremost Kashmiriyats and not Islamic (or Sikh or Hindu). Or, at least that was the case when the book was first published.

[Shireesh Pareek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great work on a very sensitive subject i.e. Kashmir. Mr. Akbar has covered most of the things worth knowing about the valley, how it got her name,who all tried to rule her and failed,who ruled her in the true sense, spiritual leaders of the valley, pre Independence political environment, post Independence political environment, rise of her most loved leader Mr. Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah,his life and times,his role before during and after partition of India, role of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the accession of Kashmir,article 370, rise of Mr. Farooq Abdullah,rise of militants in the valley, exodus of kashmiri pandits from the valley and many other things that one needs to know in order to understand the Kashmir problem in a better way.
The book is divided into three sections comprising of 19 chapters and a little shy of 300 pages. The writing of Mr. M. J. Akbar is awesome with references to letters and documents throwing light on things which common people don't know about the hot favourite Kashmir issue.
Highly recommended for people who wanna know anything about the decades long Kashmir issue.

[Suresh Kakkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its one of the few books which help you have a detailed insight into the kashmir issue. I wouldn't say that this book is enough to wholly comprehend the matter but surely a short in the arm for those going deep into Kashmir.

[Mandar Deokar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellently narrated by Mr. M. J. Akbar. I did not find a single line where I feel he is exaggerating. Very reasonable book that every Indian should read to clear their point of view towards Kashmir and Kashmir conflict. I was living those decades (especially 1947-1985) since last 3 months.

[Sonali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Highly recommended...

[Bhupinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant description of Kashmir right from its inception till now..must read for all those who want to know everything about Kashmir problem..

[Muzamil Hussain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise but comprehensive political history of Kashmir.