Early History and Culture of Kashmir (An Old and Rare Book)

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WHILE ENGAGED IN preparing a catalogue of the coins lying with the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, as its James Prinsep Research Fellow during the years 1948-50, I took up writing a dissertation on the early history of Kashmir. The work which won for me a doctorate degree of the University of Calcutta, was published after necessary alterations in 1957 under the title Early History and Culture of Kashmir. The present volume is its second edition in which new materials brought out by subsequent research have been incorporated.

The period covered in this work extends from the earliest times to A.D. 1338, when the valley passed into the hands of a Muslim adventurer, known as Shahmera. Opening with an account of the features of the land's geography and population, this volume goes on to trace the political, social, cultural and economic developments that took place in course of Kashmir's chequered history. All available sources, archaeological and literary have been marshalled after careful sifting. I tried to make this study of ancient Kashmir thorough and systematic. My line of enquiry, it is gratifying to note, has been followed by many a scholar who stepped into the field later on and chose to rely heavily on the evidence unearthed by me.

DR. S. C. RAY'S History of Kashmir is an outstanding piece of research on a very important region of India. From at least the third century B.C. Kashmir played a very important part in Indian historical developments. Situated on the borders of Central Asia and always in close contact with the steppe civilisations of Turkestan, it became early in its history, the organised base from which Indian civilisation penetrated into the vast territories lying between China and the Caspian. Notably in the great work of spreading Buddhism, and Sanskrit literature on which Mahayana Buddhism was based, the part played by Kashmir was decisive. The conversion of inter- mediate kingdom of Kuchi seems to have been the work of Kashmirian scholars. We know from the life of Kumarajiva that it was customary for youngmen of Kuchi to be sent to Kashmir for higher learning. Through Kuchi and Khotan the influence of Kashmirian scholars spread to China and in the list of learned monks from India preserved in the records of China, those from Kashmir hold a high place.

**Contents and Sample Pages**