AMPHIBIOUS KASHMIR - I

 

AMPHIBIOUS KASHMIR – I

BY WARVET

 

“Dulce Domum, Little Pinnafore, Beau –Site” – It’s a bloody Hattrick today!” I cursed. I and Mr Mr Shaukat were resting on the bench on Srinagar Bouleward – The most beautiful road of India. It circumabulates the Dal lake in Srinagar. “I trust Kashmiris to regularly enrich my vocabulary with the names they give to their business ventures” I continued.

“Umm I think you will have to thank the Brits themselves for these names” opined Mr Shaukat the wizard (He is a wise senior citizen who is not only highly educated but a storehouse of all knowledge Kashmir. “What do you mean sir?” I inquired as I sensed some vital information coming my way.

“My dear friend, I don’t think you know the origin of house boats. Jammu and Kashmir was the largest princely state in British India. The Maharaja had maximum sovereignty and was authorised 21 Gun salute, the highest amongst the princes in India. He had a well equipped Army. The state extended till Gilgit Baltistan, included Ladakh and also encompassed whole of PoK. He was wary of British as he had seen them usurping so many native states. Although Europeans visited Kashmir in large numbers as tourists to beat the brutal heat of India and to enjoy the sylvan surroundings, the Maharaja had banned them from purchasing any land. There has been a community of boatmen called Hanjis in Kashmir since old times. These people monopolised all boating activity in Jhelum. Mind it, those days Kashmir was a purely riverine state with all trade and transport dependent on Jhelum. Boats of all sizes were plying men and material from Baramulla till Anatnag. Large boats called Doonga were also ownned by the Hanjis and these boats had proper rooms for habitation. The British being an adventurous people and lovers of rivers, hired Doongas for long durations to live and travel through the valley”.

A rich and enterprising Hindu – Pundit Narain Joo (alias Naav Narain) first built houseboats that he rented to the British. Slowly, large number of these boats were built by British and their partners and were in great demand by the foreigners. At independence, the British left and gave away these boats at throwaway prices to their staff – mostly Hanjis. The original names of these houseboats, given by the British and Europeans survive and keep adding to your vocabulary” Disclosed the wizard.

"But the British could have hired houses"

"Good point. Actually I forgot to mention that foreighners were not allowed to stay for more than 2 months ata stretch in Kashmir. Naav Narayan found a loophole. There was no such embargo on staying in houseboats. Thats how the houseboats became the only option for foreighners" revealed the Wizard.

“Umm that’s cool” Said I “Now, may I request your honour to give me meaning of these three?”

 ‘Dulce Domum’ means – ‘Home Sweet Home’ and ‘Beau- site’ means ‘Beautiful site’ disclosed the wizard.

What about ‘Little Pinna Fore’?

“Oh! it means the small apron or bib we put on the baby so he does’nt spoil his dress. It’s a strange name and must be having some story behind its origin” he said.

He also disclosed that day how, the Maharaja had engaged a British Engineer to build the Chhatabbal barrage downstream of Srinagar that raised the level of river during the lean winter months to keep the river deep enough for navigation. Intricate locks were used for boats to be raised from lower levels to higher. Maharaja had impressive boats rowed by upto 50 oarsmen for ceremonial occasions when impressive ‘Deryavi Juloos’  or river processions were held on important occasions like birth of a prince or accession to throne. River  processions were organised for viceroys and later for Indian Prime Minister for public to display their fidelity. The barrage is now de funct and the river full of silt so that it now is higher than the city!! And only the ‘Bund’ keeps it from flooding the surroundings. During incessant rains in summer, every few decades the river overflows its banks inundating the valley. Recent 2014 floods were the most devastating and destroyed so much including priceless books and artefacts in the state library and museum in addition to hundreds of crores of property. After one such devastating flood in 1893, the Maharaja had got the spill channel constructed to divert the water from river upstream of Srinagar to the Wular lake. The 40 km canal is a life saver even today but needs to be kept free of silt and vegetation to be fully effective.

The houseboats used to be all in the river. None were allowed in the lake. Permits were issued on payment by river transport department for

their entry into the lake for specific number of days. After independence, the houseboats slowly shifted to the lake for better business. Now there are around 1000 of them with rights on the lake. A typical houseboat with 4-5 guest rooms will cost more than Rs 2 Crore to be built today that too in case so much Devdar timber can be procured. No new permits are issued.

By this time, we had crossed Nehru park, past the Floating Post office when I observed a beautiful Houseboat opposite us. “Saun Souci” was its name and I looked at Showkat inquiringly. “Oh you have not heard of the palace of Feredrick the Great of Prussia? ‘Away from Worries’ or ‘Carefree” is what it means” said the Wizard.

Umm, I would have loved to call the house I someday build by that name only if it were not such a mouthful!!

 

…….. To be continued