Kashmir
| [[]] map of Kashmir | |
| Capitals | Parvasenpur |
| Head of State | His Royal Highness ??? |
| Head of Government | ??? |
| Demonym | Kashmiri |
| Religions | |
| Official | Hinduism |
| Other | Buddhism Islam |
| Languages | |
| Official | Kashmiri |
| Other | Nepali |
| Founding | |
| Independence | |
| Area | 15,948 km² mi² |
| Population | 3,134,000 |
| Ethnicities | % % % % |
| Currency | 1 Himalayan Rupee (Rs) = 20 sukaa (s) = 240 paisa (p) |
| Time zone | UTC +6:00 |
| Telephone Code | KSH |
| Registration | |
| Aviation | KSH |
| Amateur radio | KSH |
| Radio prefix | KSH |
| Organizations | Himalayan Confederacy |
| Sports | |
| Official | ??? |
| Other | ??? |
History
Text in bold print indicates PoD.
Pre-Islam
Kashmir was one of the major centers of Sanskrit scholarship. According to the Mahabharata, the Kambojas ruled Kashmir during the epic period with a republican system of government from the capital city of Rajapura. Later, the Panchalas established their sway and their king Pravarasena II founded the city of Parvasenpur. Asoka, the great ruler of the Mauryan Empire introduced Buddhism to the region. The new religion co-existed peacefully with the dominant Hindu culture.
Kashmir became an important seat of Buddhist learning, dominated by the Sarvastivadan school. Monks from eastern and central Asia visited the kingdom. In the late fourth century A.D., the famous Kuchanese monk Kumarajiva, born to an Indian noble family, studied Dirghagama and Madhyagama in Kashmir under the great scholar Bandhudatta. He later became a prolific translator who helped introduce Buddhism to China. Vimalaksa, a Sarvastivadan Buddhist monk, travelled from Kashmir to Kucha and there instructed Kumarajiva in the Vinayapitaka.
Muslim rule
The Abbasid Caliphate, during their stay in Persia, expanded into Afghanopakistan and northern India, but the new religion had little impact on the mass of the people and remained the religion of the ruling elite only.
In 1339, Shams-ud-Din Shah Mir became the ruler of Kashmir and the founder of the Shah Miri dynasty. He came from Swat, a tribal territory on the borders of Afghanistan. Until his death in 1342, he played a notable role in the political history of the valley.
Shah Mir was succeeded by his eldest son Jamshid, but he was deposed by his brother Ali Sher five months later. Ali Sher ascended the throne assuming the royal name Alauddin.
The Muslim rulers lived in relative harmony with their Hindu and Buddhist subjects, due partly to the similarity of the Sufi way of life of the rulers to Rishi tradition of the Kashmiri Hinduss. This led to a syncretic culture where Hindus and Muslims revered the same local saints and prayed at the same shrines.
Several Kashmiri rulers, such as Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, were tolerant of the religions of their subjects. However, several were intolerant, of whom Sultan Sikandar Butshikan (1389-1413) and his (former Brahmin) minister Saif ud-Din were the worst. Historians have recorded many of the atrocities carried out in his persecution of the Hindus and Buddhists. He even went so far as to proscribe the residence of anyone other than a Muslim in Kashmir.
Sikh rule
In 1780, after the death of Ranjit Deo, the Raja of Jammu, the Kingdom of Jammu (to the south of the Kashmir Valley) was captured by the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh of Lahore and became a tributary to the Sikh R.S. until 1846. In 1819, the Kashmir Valley had conquereded by the armies of Ranjit Singh . Ranjit Deo's grandnephew, Gulab Singh, subsequently sought service at the court of Ranjit Singh, distinguished himself in later campaigns, especially the annexation of the Kashmir Valley by the Sikh army in 1819, ending a thousand years of Muslim rule. For his services, he was created the first Mahararaja of Jammu in 1820. With the help of his officer, Zorawar Singh, Gulab Singh soon captured Kashmire, Ladakh and Baltistan.
Toponymy
Government
Provinces (anchal)
| Province | Capital | Area | Population | Prefectures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustang | Jomsom | 3,573 km² | 29,545 (2001) | 15 | slightly larger than *here's* Luxemburg |
| Dolpa | Dunai | 7,889 km² | (2001) | 19 | about the size of *here's* Slovenia |
| Manang | Chame | 2,246 km² | 9,587 (2001) | 14 | slightly smaller than *here's* Isle of Majorca |
- Thus, the total area of the rajadom is 13,708 km², about the size of *here's* Montenegro.
- The 15 Mustang prefectures are Chhonkup, Lomanthan, Chhoser, Chanang, Sukkang, Dhami, Chhusang, Kagbeni, Jhong, Muktinath, Marpha, Tukuche, Kowang, Junjo, and Lete.
- The 14 Manang prefectures are Fu, Nar, Thoche, Tanki Manang, Khangsar, Bhraka, Nyawal, Gyasu, Manang, Pisang, Chame, Tachi Bogarcchap, Thoche, Dharapani.
- The 19 Dolpa prefectures are Bhijar, Saddang, Tinje, Phoksundo, Dho,Chhenka, Mukot, Sakartana, Dunai, Lawan, Raha, Tripunakot, Likhu, Pahada, Lohai, Kalika, Narku, Rimi, Sarmi.
Geography
Borders
Lo is bordered by on the:
North: Tibet
West: Nepal (Mugu, Jumla)
Southwest: Nepal (Jajarkot)
South: Nepal (Rukum, Myagdi, Kaski)
Southeast: Nepal (Lamjung)
East: Nepal (Gorkha)
The Rajahdom of Lo is contiguous with *here's* Nepali districts of Mustang, Dolpo, and Manang.
Climate
Economy
Demographics
Culture
National symbols
- National mammal 1: Kashmiri stag (Cervus elaphus hodgsoni)
- National mammal 2: Wikipedia: ()
- National bird: Lanceolated jay (Garrulus lanceolatus]
- National flower: Common rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
- National tree: birch (Betulus utilis)
- The hoist half of the flag is white, the color of the snows on the sacred Himalayas, which symbolizes the secular tradition of the Rajadom. The auspicious Parasol in the blue color of peace symbolizes His Majesty the King, whose noble actions enhance the Rajadom. Hence, it symbolizes that His Majesty is protector of the people of the Rajadom and the upholder of the secular foundations of the Rajadom.
- The fly half of the flag is maroon, the color of the robes of the monks and symbolizes the spiritual tradition. The golden dharma wheel, with the gankyil in the center, symbolizes the flourishing of the Buddhist teachings in the Rajadom.
- The pale wavy green symbolizes the Gandaki River that flows through the Rajadom.
- The lung ta (wind horse) flies from fly to hoist symbolizing that the Buddhist tradition infuses the government of the Rajadom.
- National emblem:
- Per pale white and maroon, a pale wavy vert, on the dexter an auspicious parasol azure, on the sinister the Wheel of Dharma or; on a chief vert a wind horse courant to the dexter.
- For supporters, on the dexter a sand fox and on the sinister a musk deer, all proper.
- For a crest, a vajra or rising out of a lotus white.
- National aviation roundel: a circle divided in half, white and red, a green stripe down the center.
- National instrument: Wikipedia:
Lotian holidays
(Dates in italics are postponed)
| Date | Name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 February | Losar | New Year | |
| 21 February | The King's Birthday | ||
| 28 February | Chotrul Duchen | Butter Lamp Festival (2010 only) | |
| 21 March | The King's Birthday | Father's Day | |
| 27 May | Suga Dawa Duchen | The Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana (2010 only) | |
| 21 June | Guru Rinpoche's Birthday | ||
| 15 July | Chokhor Duchen | The Buddha's First Sermon (2010 only) | |
| 24 August | Ulambana | Ancestor Day (2010 only) | |
| 23 September | Thri-bab | Blessed Rainy Day (2010 only) | |
| 17 October | Dashain | Victory of the Goddess Durga (2010 only) | |
| 29 October | Lhabab Duchen | The Buddha's Descent to Earth (2010 only)) | |
| 6 November | The King's Coronation |
