belonging to him and his nobles, and the air was spiced
with the perfumes of the millions of roses and musk
p an ts grown for "attar.” His beautiful wife, too,
planned and built and further beautified the valley,
leaving in far-distant districts evidences of her taste
and energetic invention in the countless groves and
graceful fountains.
Not content with beautifying his domains, his
successor, Shah Jehan, governed his people well through
clever subordinates, who upheld his power by finally
subduing the Chaks, and also engendered good feeling
by treating the people with consideration and reducing
various vexatious imposts. Less amiable was Aurung-
zeb, whose short visit to the valley remained impressed
on the memories of the people by reason of its terrible
consequences, as the relentless persecution of the
Brahmins.
Under later emperors the central authority of Delhi
was much weakened, and the provincial governors
including the Subah of Kashmir, became virtually independent,
and used their power to worry their “ misfor-
tu n ate ” people, till in 1751 these fell from the fryino-
pan mto the fire, and became subject to Pathan rule
the worst they had yet known.
The Shahani Durani period shows no relieving point,
and squeezed by rapacious governors, tortured by cruel
kings, persecuted for their religion, and forced to witness
the destruction of beautiful memories left from happier
times, the lot of the wretched Kashmirians was unenviable
Eventually, considering any change must be
for the better, they invited Ran jit Singh, the great Sikh
leader, the Lion of the Punjab, to turn out their ruler.
The work was accomplished and the price paid, but a
worthless Mussulman, Muhamad Azim Khan, being left
in power, he neglected to pay tribute, hoarded
treasure, and gave himself up to the delights of
torturing Hindus. Ranjit Singh was again appealed to.
This time he came in person with his army, accompanied
by the Rajah of Jammu and Poonch, also a Sikh, and
the governor fled before him. Moti Ram was left in
possession, and did much towards the pacification and
improvement of the people, but he was succeeded by less
able and energetic men, and famine and sickness ravaged
the land. Finally, Mian Singh, a fine soldier, was sent,
and governed wisely and well. In 1843 the country was
disturbed by the turbulent tribe known as the Bombas,
an alien people, their leader having been entrapped
and imprisoned. They rose, raided, and plundered.
The Jammu Rajah, Gulab Singh, sought to intervene,
and appointed a Mahomedan governor. Then for a time
anarchy prevailed, but finally the country, having been
ceded to British Government as part of the indemnity
claimed from the Sikhs, we decided to hand it over to
Jammu. The Mahomedan governor then objected, and
it was not till a British army had made its appearance
that the country finally and absolutely passed into
Hindu hands, the Maharajah Gulab Singh being of
Dogra race.
Here I will put in a short explanation of the word
“ Dogra,” which will leave most people, so far as understanding
it goes, very much where they began, for the
vagueness of Indian terms is only to be equalled by the
assurance with, which they ^ aye used! Dogra was
originally applied to the people dwelling between
Siroensar and Mansar—two lakes—and they claimed
Rajput origin. Now there are many castes and many
sects among these people. To one and all the term