Srinagar is situated in the Kashmir Valley, on the banks of the Jhelum River. The city of Srinagar was founded by King Pravarasena II over 2,000 years ago. The city is of the 3rd century B.C. when it was a part of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires of the Indian subcontinent. Ashoka introduced Buddhism into the Kashmir valley, and the adjoining regions around the city became a centre of Buddhism. In the 1st century BC, the region was under the control of Kushans and several rulers of this dynasty strengthened the Buddhist tradition. After this many rulers ruled this region including Vikramaditya (of Ujjain) and his successors and the Hun ruler Mihirkula during 6th century.
During the 14th century the Kashmir valley came under the control of the several Muslim rulers, including the Mughals. Srinagar became the capital during the reign of Yusuf Shah Chak who was tricked by Akbar when he failed to conquer Kashmir by force. Yusuf Shah Chak was then buried in Bihar and Akbar established the Mughal rule in Srinagar and Kashmir valley. In 1707 after the downfall of Mughal Empire due to the death of Aurangzeb, infiltrations into the valley of Kashmir began. The Pashtun tribes entered and kept increasing, and the Durrani Empire ruled the city for several decades.
In 1814 Raja Ranjit Singh ruled a major part of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, and the city came under the influence of the Sikhs. In 1846, under the treaty Gulab Singh was made the independent and sovereign ruler of the region by the British. Srinagar became part of his kingdom but remained only until 1947 as one of the several princely states of undivided India. After, independence, in 1947 many Muslim tribes mostly the Pashtuns entered the valley. They were actively supported by elements of the Pakistani forces. They came to the valley to help the large number of local Muslim majority of Srinagar and the whole of Kashmir to gain independence from the Hindu Dogra Ruler.
This event was termed as the Indo-Pak war of 1947 and was the first war between India and Pakistan. While the Pakistan Army gained control of the majority of Srinagar it was not able to secure Srinagar Airport. This in turn enabled India to air lift the Indian Army along with all the heavy weapons and they were able to capture the city and its surroundings. Due to the fear of infiltration by armed forces and the fear of the possibility of his kingdom, including the city of Srinagar falling into civil war, Hari Singh signed a covenant in late 1947 with the Government of India.
According to the covenant Jammu and Kashmir was integrated into the newly formed Republic of India, conditioned on having a plebiscite after the conflict had ended. The Government of India immediately air-lifted Indian troops to Srinagar, and the city was prevented by the Indian Army. But in the meanwhile, the matter had already been escalated to the United Nations, and a cease fire was imposed under its authority, resulting into certain parts of Hari Singh's kingdom going into Pakistan's hands, which is now called the Azad Kashmir state under Pakistani administration.
The city of Srinagar has thereafter remained administered by India. Various historians, especially British Alaister Lamb, says that no such agreement was signed by the maharaja. The current status is that India and Pakistan have never been able to solve the problem of Kashmir which is still a disputed territory. Pakistan all these years have tried many times to capture Kashmir through infiltrations and terrorism but ended up loosing.
During the 14th century the Kashmir valley came under the control of the several Muslim rulers, including the Mughals. Srinagar became the capital during the reign of Yusuf Shah Chak who was tricked by Akbar when he failed to conquer Kashmir by force. Yusuf Shah Chak was then buried in Bihar and Akbar established the Mughal rule in Srinagar and Kashmir valley. In 1707 after the downfall of Mughal Empire due to the death of Aurangzeb, infiltrations into the valley of Kashmir began. The Pashtun tribes entered and kept increasing, and the Durrani Empire ruled the city for several decades. In 1814 Raja Ranjit Singh ruled a major part of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, and the city came under the influence of the Sikhs. In 1846, under the treaty Gulab Singh was made the independent and sovereign ruler of the region by the British. Srinagar became part of his kingdom but remained only until 1947 as one of the several princely states of undivided India. After, independence, in 1947 many Muslim tribes mostly the Pashtuns entered the valley. They were actively supported by elements of the Pakistani forces. They came to the valley to help the large number of local Muslim majority of Srinagar and the whole of Kashmir to gain independence from the Hindu Dogra Ruler. This event was termed as the Indo-Pak war of 1947 and was the first war between India and Pakistan. While the Pakistan Army gained control of the majority of Srinagar it was not able to secure Srinagar Airport. This in turn enabled India to air lift the Indian Army along with all the heavy weapons and they were able to capture the city and its surroundings. Due to the fear of infiltration by armed forces and the fear of the possibility of his kingdom, including the city of Srinagar falling into civil war, Hari Singh signed a covenant in late 1947 with the Government of India.According to the covenant Jammu and Kashmir was integrated into the newly formed Republic of India, conditioned on having a plebiscite after the conflict had ended. The Government of India immediately air-lifted Indian troops to Srinagar, and the city was prevented by the Indian Army. But in the meanwhile, the matter had already been escalated to the United Nations, and a cease fire was imposed under its authority, resulting into certain parts of Hari Singh's kingdom going into Pakistan's hands, which is now called the Azad Kashmir state under Pakistani administration.The city of Srinagar has thereafter remained administered by India. Various historians, especially British Alaister Lamb, says that no such agreement was signed by the maharaja. The current status is that India and Pakistan have never been able to solve the problem of Kashmir which is still a disputed territory. Pakistan all these years have tried many times to capture Kashmir through infiltrations and terrorism but ended up loosing.
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