With the transformation of political power in Kashmir 1339 A.D. the temples and cultural symbols of Hindu style came under severe Muslim onslaught. The Muslim rulers steeped in Islamic orientation with commitments to the forcible expansion of Islam desecrated, plundered and despoiled the temples and shrines manifesting the character of Hindu faith and thought.

 

 

As amply supported by historical evidences Kashmir with its protracted history dating back to antiquity has been a Buddhist, Vaishnavite and Shaivite seat and as such has witnessed amazing levels of cultural growth and flowering with their visible imprint on viharas, chaityas and temples dotting every inch of Kashmir soil. As has been the common practice with Muslims a concerted campaign of bigotry was generated with the state apparatus in the lead role to defile and destroy temples and other cultural expressions of Hindus fascistically declaring them as un-Islamic thereby sealing any intellectual effort to probe their aesthetics and cultural value.

 

 

The destructive campaign as a result of religious Repossessions and paranoia has continued with no relent with a priori objective of dismantling and annihilating a cultural ethos suffused with the ingredients of tolerance, assimilation and wider vision of understanding. With narrow perspectives in view and hate syndrome as a motivating factor no efforts have been spared to scatter the bacilli of iconoclasm to establish Muslim cultural domination coupled with obscurantism giving rise to an ethos antithetical to the ideals of harmony, coexistence and peace.

 

 

 

 

The Muslim onslaught on temples and Hindu culture symbols touched a new watermark in the wake of Muslim terrorism sweeping the valley during 90s. Heinous crimes were committed in grabbing, desecrating, demolishing and setting ablaze the Hindu places of worship. Alarm bells were tolled when hundreds of temples and shrines in the district of Anantnag were razed to the ground, their properties looted and pillaged. The lawless elements under patronage of the political class were in the process of proliferating their base on ground for giving Kashmir from the political organisation of India.

 

 

The Martand date-lined 26th July, 1985 carried an article by P.N. Bhat who had observed, "Kashmiri Pandit community stands on the cross-road of historic with all evil forces poised against it. Not a single day passes without a report from some village, town or mohalla in the city regarding an assault here or theft of an idol there. Land grab of the community has become the order of the day.

 

 

There is a planned conspiracy to harass this unfortunate community by patronised anti-social elements who have, it seems, earned the anticipatory clemency of ruling parties since 1947. The photographs of gods and goddesses worshipped by Kashmir Pandits were destroyed in Islamic fashion. The assets of the temple were looted as booty. The formality of contacting the police was carefully observed and as usual no notice was taken of the acts of vandalism indulged in by the vicious Muslim elements.

 

Prof. M.L. Kokiloo was a scholar of Sanskrit and an expert on Kashmir Shaivism. He had personal achievements both in the fields of learning and spirituality. He belonged to the legendary family of Kokiloos who have made positive contributions to the culture and tradition of Kashmiri Pandits. His house at Banamohalla was burnt by Muslim marauders. He had nearly three thousand books including some rare manuscripts of immense cultural value which were looted and burnt. He regreted the loss of a book " Shivaratri Puja Paddhati" which dilated on the worship of lord Shiva on the festival of Shivaratri.

 

He equally mourned the loss of "Jwala Puja Paddhati" which as a manuscript was written by an unmarried daughter of the family with a deep spiritual bent. The Kokiloos have been an epicentre of the Kashmiri Pandit learning and scholarship. An ancestor of the family has authored a work on Sanskrit grammar which even stein has made a mention of. He possessed rare manuscripts of the works of Kashmir Shaivism and all versions of Rajtaranginis.

 

Scholars like ML Kokiloo were not only experts in their particular fields but were also the preservers of Hindu cultural and traditional heritage in the valley. They felt that they were custodians of their past cultural heritage-the illuminating treatises on the stupendous Shaiva philosophy and other great works on literature, art, music, grammar, and medicine-works which have excited the wonder of an admiring world and wherever they went they carried these treasures with themselves.

 

Kashmir as is universally recognised vitas a pivotal centre of Sanskrit learning and erudition and as such had been a locus of attraction for a galaxy of scholars and savants with urges to satiate their thirst for knowledge and up-date their learning levels and scales.

 

Swami Nand lalji as a spiritualist of great standing with acceptability among large sections of Muslims had established an ashram (hermitage) at Tikar in north of Kashmir. The Muslim storm-troopers burnt it to ashes with absolute vengeance. The total assets of the hermitage were lost in the devastating fire. The law-enforcing agencies allowed law to be torn to tatters and shreds. The arsonists with established records in loot, murder and arson were never chased captured and put on trial.