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‘Paradise on Earth’. There couldn’t have been a better name for the mesmerizing state of Jammu & Kashmir; I mean the now union territory. The beauty of Kashmir can only be understood by experiencing it with your own eyes. And it’s also so interesting that, just like the paradise, Kashmir too is a mysterious place. So, let’s take a tour of some hidden mysteries around the place.
Kashmir was a Lake
Not many people are aware of the fact that the state of lakes was once a lake in itself. A gradual collision that created the Pir Panjal and the Zanskar ranges in the Himalayas, between which the valley of Kashmir lies today. The historical manuscript suggests the valley was Kashmir to be a lake in itself until Kashyap Rishi, an ancient saint, drained the water and the beautiful valley emerged. The valley, hence, was named after the Rishi as Kashmir. Now, while some textbooks suggest the story to be true, there are also some theories around lord Vishnu (Kashyap’s grandfather) to help him with that. Yet, the actual truth remains a mystery.
Changing colours of Kund in Kheer Bhawani
One of the most important and special places for the Kashmiri pandits of the world is the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla district of Srinagar, J&K. While the temple has it’s sentimental and religious value amongst the devotees of the goddess Bhavani, it also has been said to have some magical powers. The holy kund in the temple is said to change its color every time before a natural or manmade disaster strikes the state. From pink, to blue, from white to black, the colour of the holy water changes on its own, predicting the future. It is said that the water of the holy kund turned red at the time of the Kargil War while it turned black at the time of the floods in Kashmir. Such claims have been made for years now and have the trust of numerous people, of various regions. While these were never proven or backed-up by a scientific reasoning, the mystery of the holy kund remains unsolved till date.
Mysteries of the Unmarked Graves
It was during an inquiry by the police investigation team of the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) that 2,730 bodies were found dumped into unmarked graves in four districts of the state. While thousands of people have gone missing in the state in the last 2 decades, the graves are often addressed to be as of the missing ones. People living near the area claim to have seen men in uniform, burring the unknown bodies, some of which are drenched in blood with bullet marks or broken legs. While a lot has been said about the graves, the identity of the ones buried remain a mystery till date.
