'Through the Ages': ICHR to hold exhibition on J&K, Ladakh
The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is planning an exhibition showcasing the history of Jammu and Kashmir and its links to ancient India, the Hindustan Times reported. The exhibition "Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh Through the Ages" will highlight the historical background to dispel the alleged myth that the region was isolated from the rest of the country before 1947.
Why does this story matter?
The exhibition would be the first of its kind since 2019, when the central government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special rights to erstwhile J&K. The ICHR, on the other hand, is a captive body of the Government of India's Education Ministry. It has been supporting historians and scholars through various cultural and literary events, financial assistance, and fellowships.
True narrative of Kashmir misrepresented: ICHR Chairperson Raghuvendra Tanwar
About the rationale behind the exhibition, ICHR Chairperson Raghuvendra Tanwar said, "The true narrative of Kashmir has been misrepresented by foreign scholars and some of our friends and colleagues in India as well." He argued that most people see Kashmir as how it has evolved after 1947, whereas India's civilization extends back thousands of years, with Kashmir being an integral part of it.
ICHR chief says exhibition will not look at J&K politically
Moreover, the exhibition will not look at J&K in a political sense but in a cultural, historical, and literary sense, Tanwar added. The exhibition would likely look at scriptures, architecture, trade commerce, the Harappan civilization, and how sages walked across Kashmir, the ICHR chief added. The council was planning to take help from 2000-year-old scripts like Rajatarangini, which has several references to the region.
Exhibition project will complete by end of this year: Tanwar
According to Tanwar, the proposed exhibition will cover different themes of J&K, from prehistoric linkages and the evolution of social structures to Brahmanical literature and trade interactions. The organization also plans to engage artists from across the country to start working on the exhibition and create legends and visuals. The council is likely to complete the project by the end of this year.
