Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir by Mridu Rai

Author:Mridu Rai
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9788178244112
Publisher: Permanent Black
Published: 2012-12-04T00:00:00+00:00

The Subjects of the State: Separate and Unequal

Accompanying the new emphasis on the Dogra rulers making themselves more representative of their people, Pratap Singh's reign also saw the attempt to popularize a 'national anthem'. Composed in 1911 by a certain C.J. Burnow, it was played as a substitute for the 'general salute' to receive the maharaja on public occasions. Embarrassingly, a full two years later, in 1913, the officials of the state were still struggling to make it recognizable to the state's subjects.164 In addition to these efforts, a new coat of arms was devised for the state, modified considerably from the one designed for it by the British for the purposes of the Imperial Assemblage of 1877. In response to a query by the Resident in 1911, the chief minister of the state explained the various components of the coat of arms thus:

The sun at the top of the hills designates the solar descent of the Ruling family of the Jammu and Kashmir state. The three peaks of mountains represent the three peaks of the hills in Jammu Province below one of which is the sacred place of Trikuta Bhagwati, the family Goddess of the Jammu Ruling family. Next, below the mountains, there was a representation of a saffron flower designating Kashmir. Below the flower is the State shield showing four rivers that flow in this State . . . On both sides of the shield stand the figures of Dogra soldiers representing the Kashmir Army. The soldiers are connected by two bows one mentioning the name of the present Ruler . . . Pratap Singh and the other the Motto of the family . . . which means that heroism on the battle-field is commendable.165

It is quite remarkable how the association of the state with the religion of the ruler was still quite evident in this emblematic representation of it. In fact, although Pratap Singh had declared in 1885 that he would treat all his subjects 'without any distinction of race or rank, creed or colour', this was by no means to suggest that either the ruler or the ruled would lose their religious affiliations.

The emergence of a collective body of subjects but with clearly demarcated religious identities was reiterated in the increasingly public celebration offestivals patronized by the Hindu ruling house. As rulers more representative of their subjects, the Dogras provided occasions for the participation of all Kashmiris in their public rituals, such as the celebration of Ankut, the harvest festival. Although this was an agricultural festivity without any specific religious association, in point of fact it was inaugurated with the carrying in procession of the idol of Shri Gadadharji from his temple to a marble terrace, where a military guard of honour waited. Here religious ceremonies were performed in the presence of all the civil and military officers of the state. The chanting of Vedic hymns coupled with the 'touching notes of the national anthem . . . duly impressed upon the people the gorgeousness and

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