Museum of Kashmir

Muhammad Faysal
  • 5.0 (2)
  • HISTORY

Kashmir. The first that comes into your mind is probably war, Cashmere Goats, or even the most excellent Led Zeppelin song. But Kashmir is actually about its people. The Museum of Kashmir is a movement against forgetting. We document and preserve the people's memory and oral history.

Episodes

  1. 3. Sultanat: Sufi Saints and Game of Thrones

    02/15/2025

    3. Sultanat: Sufi Saints and Game of Thrones

    In this episode, we explore Kashmir’s transformation after the arrival of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani and the spread of Islam. Discover how Sufi masters rose to power, shaping both spiritual and political landscapes as rulers sought legitimacy from religious scholars. We also dive into the turbulent 16th century, marked by the fall of Budshah’s rule, foreign interventions, civil wars, and the fierce power struggle among the Chak rulers—a real-life game of thrones in Kashmir’s history. 🎙️ Guest: Dr. Zubair Khalid PhD, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU Expert on the Kashmiri Sultanate, Islam, Sufism, and the region’s material and intellectual history. 2:28: How to read medieval history of Kashmir11:30: Frameworks of history around Kashmir's Sultanat period.23:45: The impact of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani and other Muslim scholars28:40: The role of Sayyids and Shaykh Hamza Makhdoom35:03: Shams-ud-din Araki vs Hamza Makhdoom47:00: The arrival of Mirza Haider Dughlat53:59: Chak Game of Thrones1:02:04: Did Sufis invite Mughals into Kashmir?1:12:18: The Mughal Rule brief1:16:35: Sultanat Top 5 Follow us on Instagram

    1h 21m
  2. 2. Sultanat: Lal Ded - The Great Mystic (1320–1392)

    08/12/2024

    2. Sultanat: Lal Ded - The Great Mystic (1320–1392)

    Lala Ded or Lalleshwari or Lala Arifa, Kashmir's iconic mystic poet. In this episode, we explore her profound connection with Sufi saints, her fearless battle against caste and religious hierarchies, and the enduring impact of her vakhs. We also uncover the politics of translating her work during the Dogra Empire. Discover the true essence of Lal Ded, a figure who transcended religious boundaries and continues to inspire generations. Guests: Shakir Mir Kashmiri Journalist who works on history, law and human rights. Dean Accardi Assistant Professor at the Connecticut College, United States, Dean is a historian of religion and politics in Kashmir. His research highlights how historical and religious narratives constantly reconstruct the past to serve socio-political agendas in the present. Through this research, he aims to reexamine notions of mutually exclusive religions, hybridity, and syncretism as well as how regulation of bodily practices is used to shape ideas of gender, piety, authority, and sovereignty amidst political oppression. You can find more info and a glossary of terms used in the podcast on our Substack

    1h 5m
  3. 1. Sultanat: King Zain ul Abidin (Budshah) 1420-1470

    03/20/2024

    1. Sultanat: King Zain ul Abidin (Budshah) 1420-1470

    Welcome to the Museum of Kashmir podcast with Muhammad Faysal We start our new podcast series, 'Sultanat' which does a deep dive into the medieval era of Kashmir. In our premiere episode, we explore the reign of the illustrious King Zain ul Abidin from the 15th century. We are joined by Sameer Hamdani, a distinguished Kashmiri historian and Design Director at INTACH J&K. His expertise lies in Islamic religious architecture in South Asia. He has authored the insightful books “The Syncretic Traditions of Islamic Religious Architecture of Kashmir (Early 14th ‐ 18th Century)” and “Shi’ism in Kashmir: A History of Sunni‐Shia Rivalry and Reconciliation,” where he explores the rich tapestry of Kashmir’s Shia population and their historical narratives. Shakir Mir is a seasoned journalist hailing from Srinagar, with a keen focus on politics, conflict, and history. His work has been featured in various Indian and international publications, providing critical insights into the socio-political dynamics of the region. Subscribe and share with your friends.

    57 min
  4. Avraad-e-Fatiha (Hazratbal)

    11/04/2023

    Avraad-e-Fatiha (Hazratbal)

    This prayer has been recited every morning in Kashmir for over 500 years. Yes, every single morning and in almost all mosques of Kashmir. This prayer was constituted by Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, a Persian Muslim preacher who came to Kashmir in the 14th century. As hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris embraced Islam, he devised this prayer which was performed after every dawn prayer in mosques. Many historians suggest that it was to fulfil the spiritual need as well as a means for local Muslims to remember and recite Quranic prayers.

    25 min
  5. Architecture, Islam and Kashmir

    08/01/2023

    Architecture, Islam and Kashmir

    Islam, architecture and Kashmir are great indicators of the region's history. We take a look at the essential Kashmiri history; from the origins of Islam in Kashmir to the politics of empire and also the history of Shias in Kashmir. Our guest is Sameer Hamdani. He is the Design Director at INTACH Kashmir, whose primary area of research is in the field of Islamic religious architecture in South Asia. He has widely written on the Muslim material culture of Kashmir. The Syncretic Traditions of Islamic Religious Architecture of Kashmir (Early 14th ‐ 18th Century) and Shi’ism in Kashmir: A history of Sunni‐Shia rivalry and reconciliation. The language is in Kashmiri, Urdu and English. 0:00 - Uniqueness of Kashmir 1:42 - The First Muslims of Kashmir 4:45 - Syncretism of Kashmir's Architecture 11:19 - The Story of Jamia Masjid 14:08 - The Case of Pathar Masjid 15:30 - Khanqah - e - Nurbakhsiya 16:28 - Koh -e- Suleyman 18:07 - Koh -e- Maran 20:00 - Evolution of Khanqah 23:48 - Mullah Akhund Mosque 26:50 - The Mughal Invasion 28:20 - Architecture as Power 31:30 - The Shia Kashmir 34:50 - The Kashmiri Shias of Lahore 38:07 - The Persecution of Kashmiri Shias 39:10 - The Shia-Sunni Unity 44:38 - The Aali Masjid

    46 min

  6. 04/25/2021 · BONUS

    Chahal-i-Asrar | Mīr Sayyīd Alī Hamādanī

    This is a verse attributed to Mīr Sayyīd Alī Hamādanī, the Kubrāwiyyā saint from Hamadān who came to Kashmir during the 14th century. After fighting with the Turco-Mongol emperor Timur, he along with his followers visited the country three times and stayed for certain periods in which they not only spread the message of Islam but also established industries that continue to thrive to this day. These Persian verses are part of the Chahal Asrar (the forty secrets) which are written in the Ghazal form. It is believed that one night Hamādanī visited and recited these Ghazals in the houses of his followers. Later in the morning, his followers collected these Ghazals. Since that time, and until now, Chahal Asrar is recited by Kashmiris during Maulood - the day when the Prophet of Islam was born and in other religious occasions. This audio clip was provided by Mahoor Shaw and one of the people reciting in this clip is Molvi Muhammad Yasin Shah - the Muezzin of Kashmir's Grand Mosque Jamia Masjid for over 60 years.

    18 min

  7. 01/21/2021

    Red Square: Magarmal Bagh

    Magarmal Bagh is a small neighbourhood nestled between the busy city centre of Srinagar - Lal Chowk and Batamaloo. It's hidden behind the recently built flyover and the cacophony of the city centre. It has been a witness to some tumultuous events in Kashmir's history over the century. One of them being the Magarmal Bagh Massacre that occurred on 19th of January, 1991 when Indian forces fired upon civilians in its market. At least 16 people were killed and scores were injured. As part of our Red Square series, we speak to one of the survivors of the massacre.  Music: Cello Duet No. 1by Chief Boima is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License. Cocaine Lovin' Orange County Kidsby Die Elektrischen is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

    13 min

  8. 05/09/2020

    Storytelling in Kashmir ft. Onaiza Drabu

    Why is it important to document oral traditions in Kashmir? In this episode we are going to talk about history and importance of storytelling in the region. It also throws light on how storytelling is tied to our cultural identity. The guest this week is Onaiza Drabu who is an anthropologist, writer and an ethnographer.

    21 min

  9. TRAILER

    Museum of Kashmir (Trailer)

    Museum of Kashmir

    28 sec

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Kashmir. The first that comes into your mind is probably war, Cashmere Goats, or even the most excellent Led Zeppelin song. But Kashmir is actually about its people. The Museum of Kashmir is a movement against forgetting. We document and preserve the people's memory and oral history.

Information

  • Creator
    Muhammad Faysal
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Muhammad Faysal
  • Show Website
    Museum of Kashmir