At the time of independence in 1947, British India had almost 565 princely states, constituting 23% of the total population and covering nearly 40% of its area. These states varied greatly in size and population. The biggest in population was Hyderabad with a population of over 16 million, while Jammu & Kashmir was the largest in area at 218,685 km², slightly bigger than Hyderabad but with a far smaller population of 4 million. The smallest 200 states had an area of less than 25 km² each.
These states were autonomous in many respects but not fully sovereign states and were part of British India under a subsidiary alliance. According to the Indian Independence Act, the princely rulers were given the choice to either accede to India or Pakistan, but were expected to take into consideration the geography of the state and ascertain the wishes of its people. All of them joined India or Pakistan more or less without much trouble, except three states, which were Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, and Junagadh.
The subject of this post is Jammu and Kashmir, the state that caused most of the trouble and laid the foundations of a conflict that is still raging among three countries with full force. It all started due to some ambiguities in the principle of the accession of states and also in the unclear policies of India and Pakistan related to princely states. I am sure had they decided the future of states in clear terms, this conflict could have been avoided. Both the Muslim League and the All India Congress should have agreed to a clear and well-defined formula about the accession of states to either of the two countries. Perhaps this ambiguity was deliberate on both sides, as both were trying to draw maximum advantage out of the situation.
The Maharaja of J&K, Hari Singh, failed to make up his mind and take a clear decision about the future of his state. This delay created a lot of tensions within and outside the state. Rising communal tensions in Punjab were affecting the environment inside the state as well. The Muslims in the western districts were agitating against the government, and Poonch was in open rebellion by August 1947. Major disturbances broke out in the Jammu area when the RSS and Akalis organized a mass attack on the Muslims, and a very large number of people were killed, variously estimated between 20,000 and 100,000. The die was now cast, and soon, on 24 October, people in Poonch declared independence and formed the Azad Kashmir Government. Meanwhile, Pakistan, a country in transition, with armed forces in the process of reorganization and short of all kinds of arms, ammunition, and equipment, used tribal lashkars to tilt the situation to its own advantage. The lashkars started pouring into J&K on 22 October and quickly captured large areas. By 26 October, they had reached Baramulla, just 30 km from Srinagar, the key to the Kashmir Valley. At this point, Hari Singh finally decided to join India, and the next day India started airlifting its troops to Srinagar airfield and other spots in the state. A large part of the state was liberated, but fighting continued throughout 1948, and India regained large areas, including important towns like Rajouri, Nowshera, and Kargil. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jammu and Kashmir was a big state and divided into three main administrative regions, all having overwhelming or clear Muslim majority, as the tables and maps would explain.
State
Of Jammu & Kashmir |
||||||||
|
Area |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Sikhs |
% |
Total |
218,685 |
4,021,616 |
3,101,247 |
77.11 |
809,165 |
20.12 |
63,137 |
1.57 |
Jammu Province – Districts |
|||||||||
No |
District |
Area
K2 |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Sikhs |
% |
1 |
Jammu |
2,969 |
431,362 |
170,789 |
39.59 |
248,173 |
57.53 |
9,151 |
2.12 |
2 |
Kathua |
2,648 |
177,672 |
45,214 |
25.45 |
131,823 |
74.19 |
431 |
0.24 |
3 |
Udhampur |
13,125 |
294,217 |
128,327 |
43.62 |
164,820 |
56.02 |
445 |
0.15 |
4 |
Reasi |
4,631 |
257,903 |
175,539 |
68.06 |
80,725 |
31.30 |
1,541 |
0.60 |
5 |
Mirpur |
4,212 |
386,655 |
310,880 |
80.40 |
63,576 |
16.44 |
12,111 |
3.13 |
6 |
Chenani Jagir |
246 |
11,796 |
2,205 |
18.69 |
9,581 |
81.22 |
10 |
0.08 |
7 |
Poonch Jagir |
4,212 |
421,828 |
382,722 |
90.73 |
24,137 |
5.72 |
12,111 |
2.87 |
Total |
32,044 |
1,981,433 |
1,215,676 |
61.35 |
722,835 |
36.48 |
35,800 |
1.81 |
Kashmir Province – Districts |
|||||||||
No |
District |
Area
K2 |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Sikhs |
% |
1 |
Baramulla |
8,587 |
612,428 |
590,936 |
96.49 |
12,919 |
2.11 |
8,458 |
1.38 |
2 |
Anantnag |
7,585 |
851,606 |
778,684 |
91.44 |
66,815 |
7.85 |
5,654 |
0.66 |
3 |
Muzaffarabad |
6,234 |
264,671 |
245,858 |
92.89 |
5,846 |
2.21 |
12,922 |
4.88 |
Total |
22,106 |
1,728,705 |
1,615,478 |
93.45 |
85,580 |
4.95 |
27,034 |
1.56 |
Frontier Districts |
|||||||||
No |
District |
Area
K2 |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Budh. |
% |
1 |
Ladakh |
118,472 |
195,431 |
154,492 |
79.05 |
455 |
0.23 |
40,164 |
20.55 |
2 |
Astore |
4,225 |
17,026 |
16,878 |
99.13 |
113 |
0.66 |
30 |
0.18 |
3 |
Gilgit (Leased ) |
3,832 |
22,495 |
22,296 |
99.12 |
108 |
0.48 |
70 |
0.31 |
4 |
Gilgit Agency |
38,005 |
76,526 |
76,427 |
99.87 |
74 |
0.10 |
21 |
0.03 |
Total |
164,534 |
311,478 |
270,093 |
86.71 |
750 |
0.24 |
303 |
0.10 |
To provide more detailed picture tables and maps are
given below to show the population distribution in tehsils. Due to the unavailability
of the map of Kashmir showing the boundaries of tehsils, I could make a map of Jammu Province only. This map is based on the
Census Atlas of 1971. The Kashmir region has gone under more drastic changes,
so I could not make a tehsil map of Kashmir Province. Anyway, Jammu with a more
diverse population is more important to our study. Kashmir in all districts and
tehsils is overwhelmingly Muslim.
Jammu Province |
|||||||||
No |
District |
Area |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Sikhs |
% |
1 |
Jammu |
2,969 |
431,362 |
170,789 |
39.59 |
248,173 |
57.53 |
9,151 |
2.12 |
Jammu |
896 |
155,541 |
56,344 |
36.22 |
94,094 |
60.49 |
2,974 |
1.91 |
|
Samba |
847 |
90,464 |
35,883 |
39.67 |
52,479 |
58.01 |
1,966 |
2.17 |
|
Ranbirsinghpura |
406 |
96,958 |
45,949 |
47.39 |
46,725 |
48.19 |
3,478 |
3.59 |
|
Akhnur |
821 |
88,821 |
32,613 |
36.72 |
55,325 |
62.29 |
733 |
0.83 |
|
2 |
Kathua |
2,648 |
177,672 |
45,214 |
25.45 |
131,823 |
74.19 |
431 |
0.24 |
Kathua |
580 |
47,378 |
17,038 |
35.96 |
30,131 |
63.60 |
70 |
0.15 |
|
Jasmergarh |
479 |
58,376 |
16,122 |
27.62 |
41,887 |
71.75 |
347 |
0.59 |
|
Basohli |
1,615 |
70,624 |
12,054 |
17.07 |
58,511 |
82.85 |
14 |
0.02 |
|
3 |
Udhampur |
13,126 |
382,577 |
216,825 |
56.67 |
164,790 |
43.07 |
445 |
0.12 |
Udhampur |
992 |
53,028 |
11,178 |
21.08 |
41,549 |
78.35 |
166 |
0.31 |
|
Kishtwar |
7,821 |
60,484 |
35,320 |
58.40 |
24,931 |
41.22 |
123 |
0.20 |
|
Ramban |
1,522 |
75,802 |
53,670 |
70.80 |
22,018 |
29.05 |
47 |
0.06 |
|
Ramnagar |
1,359 |
60,074 |
7,750 |
12.90 |
52,260 |
86.99 |
32 |
0.05 |
|
Bhadarwah |
1,432 |
133,189 |
108,907 |
81.77 |
24,032 |
18.04 |
77 |
0.06 |
|
4 |
Reasi |
4,632 |
257,903 |
175,539 |
68.06 |
80,725 |
31.30 |
1,541 |
0.60 |
Reasi |
2,545 |
117,059 |
64,144 |
54.80 |
52,501 |
44.85 |
316 |
0.27 |
|
Rajouri |
2,087 |
140,844 |
111,395 |
79.09 |
28,224 |
20.04 |
1,225 |
0.87 |
|
5 |
Mirpur |
4,212 |
386,655 |
310,880 |
80.40 |
63,576 |
16.44 |
12,111 |
3.13 |
Kotli |
1,486 |
111,047 |
101,239 |
91.17 |
8,391 |
7.56 |
1,417 |
1.28 |
|
Mirpur |
919 |
113,203 |
104,361 |
92.19 |
6,529 |
5.77 |
2,225 |
1.97 |
|
Bhimbar |
1,807 |
162,415 |
105,280 |
64.82 |
48,666 |
29.96 |
8,469 |
5.21 |
|
6 |
Chenani Jagir |
246 |
11,796 |
2,205 |
18.69 |
9,581 |
81.22 |
10 |
0.08 |
7 |
Poonch Jagir |
4,212 |
421,828 |
382,722 |
90.73 |
24,137 |
5.72 |
14,877 |
3.53 |
Bagh |
831 |
101,091 |
91,892 |
90.90 |
1,148 |
1.14 |
8,051 |
7.96 |
|
Sadhnuti |
901 |
108,226 |
90,125 |
83.27 |
13,800 |
12.75 |
4,301 |
3.97 |
|
Haveli |
1,240 |
110,733 |
103,198 |
93.20 |
5,198 |
4.69 |
2,334 |
2.11 |
|
Mendhar |
1,240 |
101,689 |
97,507 |
95.89 |
3,991 |
3.92 |
191 |
0.19 |
|
Total |
32,045 |
1,981,433 |
1,215,676 |
61.35 |
722,835 |
36.48 |
35,800 |
1.81 |
Kashmir
Province |
|||||||||
No |
District |
Area |
Population |
Muslims |
% |
Hindus |
% |
Sikhs |
% |
1 |
Baramulla |
5,587 |
612,428 |
590,936 |
96.49 |
12,919 |
2.11 |
8,458 |
1.38 |
Handwara |
2,796 |
274,582 |
265,594 |
96.73 |
5,497 |
2.00 |
3,473 |
1.26 |
|
Baramulla |
1,527 |
162,902 |
155,135 |
95.23 |
5,051 |
3.10 |
2,630 |
1.61 |
|
Badgam |
1,263 |
174,581 |
169,847 |
97.29 |
2,371 |
1.36 |
2,355 |
1.35 |
|
2 |
Anantnag |
7,285 |
851,606 |
778,684 |
91.44 |
6,6815 |
7.85 |
5,654 |
0.66 |
Khas Tehsil |
1,923 |
333,828 |
285,185 |
85.43 |
46,432 |
13.91 |
1,819 |
0.54 |
|
Pulwama |
1,162 |
156,528 |
149,752 |
95.67 |
4,287 |
2.74 |
2,487 |
1.59 |
|
Kulgam |
1,522 |
157,374 |
150,637 |
95.72 |
6,450 |
4.10 |
283 |
0.18 |
|
Anantnag |
3,677 |
203,821 |
193,110 |
94.74 |
9,646 |
4.73 |
1,065 |
0.52 |
|
3 |
Muzaffarabad |
6,234 |
264,671 |
245,858 |
92.89 |
5,846 |
2.21 |
12,922 |
4.88 |
Muzaffarabad |
1,413 |
125,585 |
112,768 |
89.79 |
3,963 |
3.16 |
8,810 |
7.02 |
|
Uri |
1,346 |
80,223 |
75,111 |
93.63 |
1,494 |
1.86 |
3,617 |
4.51 |
|
Karnah |
3,474 |
34,463 |
33,579 |
97.43 |
389 |
1.13 |
495 |
1.44 |
|
Total |
19,106 |
1,728,705 |
1,615,478 |
93.40 |
85,580 |
2.49 |
27,034 |
1.58 |
It was very difficult for Congress, its followers, and the Hindu masses at large to accept the decision of partition. However, they accepted the decision to divide Mother India and lose almost one-fourth of its landmass to Pakistan, and did not resist it beyond a certain point, obviously in the larger interest of the whole region. But as far as the issue of Kashmir is concerned, they are using all means in their power to keep this region and its hapless population under their control. That is indeed a little puzzling. As I mentioned earlier, both parties should have agreed to a clear formula regarding the accession of the princely states before independence to avoid this tragic mess.
I would have advocated the same formula that was applied in the neighboring Punjab. That would have given the two Hindu-majority districts of Jammu and Kathua to India, as well as two tehsils of Udhampur district (Udhampur and Ramnagar) and the Chenani jagir as well. Even some areas in the southeast of Ladakh, adjoining Himachal Pradesh, could have been given to India. That should have satisfied both parties and saved 1.5 billion people from a very dangerous and extremely damaging conflict. But that was not to be, and now we can look to the future without much optimism.
You are most welcome to add any more information or point out any mistakes in the data or maps.
Doha - Qatar
June 20, 2020.
128 - Demographics of North West Frontier Province According to the Census of 1941
130 - The Disputed States II: Hyderabad State (Demographics 1941)
You shown wrong population for ladakh, buddhists are shown as 182 people, and the percentages don't add up
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing out this mistake. I have corrected it.
DeleteHello Sir,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the information. I think the data for Ladakh District is wrong as it shows only 182 Buddhists in Ladakh District. Also there is no data for Srinagar District and City in your blog.
Thank you again.
Dear Rishi Sahib,
DeleteThank you for your appreciation and drawing my attention to a mistake. I have corrected the data about Ladakh. At that time I think Srinagar was part of Anantnag district and as tehsil was named as Khas Tehsil. So you can check that data for Srinagar under these two captions. You are right I have not given the data for cities and towns. I shall try to include that as well. Regards.
Dear Mr. Tariq,
DeleteThank you for the correction. I did not know that Srinagar was a part of Anantnag distrct.
Your Sincerely,
Rishi
Dear Mr. Tariq,
ReplyDeletePandit Jawaharlal Nehru knew the geographical and strategic importance of Jammu & Kashmir. That is why he was so adamant on the state being a part of India.
But Jinnah also is responsible for the situation. In November 1947, Mountabtten went to Pakistan to offer to hold a plebiscite in all the disputed princely states of Junagarh, J&K and Hyderabad. Jinnah refused the offer by saying that he can't agree to a plebiscite in Hyderabad because the state did not want to accede to both India and Pakistan and should remain an independent country. Jinnah believed that 'Kashmir will fall into Pakistan's lap like a ripe fruit' and in this process he lost both Hyderabad and Kashmir.
After this failed meeting, the war continued and by the end of 1948, India had captured the whole of Kashmir valley and Pandit Nehru declared ceasefire. He was determined to maintain the status-quo. Hence ceasefire line has not changed an inch after December 31, 1948.
Hi sir. Do you have the break down of Ladakh wisarat, i was interested in knowing whether Leh & Zanskar had Buddhists in majority even then or was it all a muslim majority area?
ReplyDeleteSorry I do not have further details.
DeleteLADAKH WAZARAT,According to 1941 census:
DeleteLadakh: Total=36307;Muslims=4086(11.25%)
Kargil: Total=52853;Muslims=44410(84.02%)
Baltistan: Total=106271;Muslims=105996(99.74%)
Overall it is a very informative article about the princely state of jammu and kashmir, like your other posts. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteBut I found some mistakes in it, like:
1. In your map of kashmir division's tehsils, you have totalled its area to 44000 km. Which is wrong.
2. In your maps, you have misplaced baramulla and anantnag. Plz correct it.
One more thing, how did you make these maps?
Sir, you made 2 mistakes. Total Sikh population in Kashmir division was 27,034 and you have written 54,068. Also in Jammu division Sikh population was 38,566 not 35,800. Otherwise Love your Work.
ReplyDeleteDear Kanwar Raj sahib. Thank you for pointing out this mistake. I have corrected the figures.
DeleteSir the sum total of population data of tehsils of Udhampur district is wrong. Kindly recheck it.
ReplyDeleteDear Salah uddin, Thank you for pointing out this typing mistake. I have corrected it. Regards.
Delete