1. Khanqah-I Maula/ Maha Kali temple: In 1922 a major dispute between Kashmiri Panidt & Muslim community occurred near the ghat of Khanqah-I Maula shrine. Since the start of Dogra rule, a part of the ghat was also serving as the temple of Kali & one of the stones of the

2. embankment wall used to be worshipped by Pandits with sindur (vermillion) applied on it. Apparently, at some point in 1922 the Pandits started applying sindur on nearby stones- enlarging the temple, resulting in conflict with the caretakers of the Khanqah.

3. The Muslims of the city asked the Pandits to remove the vermillion mark form the ‘encroached stones’, which was refused by the Pandits. Consequently, Muslims started a legal case but nothing happened. Apparently, the Muslim ‘appeal’ was simply ignored. In the ensuing tension,

4. open fights between the two communities took place. Consequently, the Pandits also approached the court and the Sarkar appointed a team of officials who visited the ghat along with city elite from both Pandit & Muslim community.

5. Based on the site visit, it was decided that the Pandits would remove the ‘sindur’ mark from the additional stones & return back to older established traditions. The sindur would be applied on the original temple stone measuring 5.5 ft x 5 ft. Also, the floating bathrooms on

6. the Jhelum would be restored to their original position & the Muslims would remove a signboard near the ghat. The order was signed by Governor Kashmir & witnessed by the community elders from both the communities.

7. From the Muslims: Asad ul Lah vakil, Ghulam Mohyi Din Kawoosa, Khawja Saad ud Din Shawl, Khawja Hassan Shah, Moulvi Ahmad-ul Lah Hamdani, Ghulam Mohyi Din Gangoo, Mufti Zia-Ud Din & Ghulam Rasool witnessed the agreement.

8. From the Pandits: Razdan shb, Pandit Nand Lal, Pandit Chander Vakil (?) Pandit Srikant Dar, were witnesses. Details as recorded by Mufti Muhammad Shah Saadat in Tarikh-I Kashmir (roznama) regarding File no: J-93-1924-81 dated 22-5-09.

9. Thus a potential communal flash point was ‘sorted out’. But, still the history of early 20th century Kashmir, continued to be dominated by disputes between the two communities regarding ownership of historical places.

10. Some ‘disputes’ were managed & some lingered on, at least in the community memory, such is history.
(All archival images sourced from internet).

*Pandit