Travels In Kashmir: A Popular History Of Its People, Places And Crafts

This is the story of Kashmir as it appears in travel literature and historical writings from ancient times to the twentieth century. The first chapter provides an informal history of Kashmir—from Kalhana’s twelfth-century account which includes myths and legends, to Mughal descriptions in the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir, and Aurangzeb, to Kashmir under the British. The second chapter pieces together engaging accounts of Kashmir from travellers’ tales and eccentric reports which bring the place alive while providing a picture of changing perceptions. The third chapter describes British life in Kashmir from the accounts of men and women who lived, ruled, preached in, or passed through the region. The last chapter describes arts, crafts, and artisans—shawl-weaving, carpets, papier mâché. Brigid Keenan is a sharp and sympathetic observer with an eye for the amusing and the poignant. Her book has long been loved by tourists, travellers, and readers of travel writing.