Srinagar is the largest and capital of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. While not the largest, it is one of the biggest cities in India without a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dry fruits. It is also the headquarters of Srinagar district.
History
Present day Srinagar has been known by different names. The city was founded by the King Pravarasena II over 2,000 years ago, named it Parvasenpur, and the city of Srinagar has a long history, dating back at least to the 3rd century BC. The city was then a part of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires of the Indian subcontinent. Ashoka introduced Buddhism to the Kashmir valley, and the adjoining regions around the city became a centre of Buddhism. In the 1st century, the region was under the control of Kushans and several rulers of this dynasty strengthened the Buddhist tradition. Vikramaditya (of Ujjain) and his successors probably ruled the regions just before the city fell to the control of the Huns in the 6th century, and Mihirkula was the most dreaded ruler of the city and the valley.
The Independent Hindu and the Buddhist rule of Srinagar lasted until the 14th century; some of the notable independent rulers were Lalitaditya, Avantiverman and Sangrama Deva when the Kashmir valley, including the city, came under the control of the several Muslim rulers, including the Mughals. It was also the capital during the reign of Yusuf Shah Chak, an Independent Kashmiri ruler who was tricked by Akbar when he failed to conquer Kashmir by force. Yusuf Shah Chak remains buried in Bihar in India. Akbar established The Indian Mughal rule in Srinagar and Kashmir valley. Kashmir has never been independent ever since the advent of the Mughal rule and been passed from one occupier to another since then.With the disintegration of the Mughal Empire after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, infiltrations to the valley from the Pashtun tribes increased, and the Durrani Empire ruled the city for several decades. Raja Ranjit Singh in the year 1814 annexed a major part of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, to his kingdom, and the city came under the influence of the Sikhs. In 1846, the Treaty of Lahore was signed between the Sikh rulers and the British in Lahore. The treaty, inter alia, provided British de-facto suzerainty over the Kashmir Valley, and installed Gulab Singh as an independent and sovereign ruler of the region. Srinagar became part of his kingdom and remained until 1947 as one of the several princely states in British India
After India and Pakistan's independence from Britain, certain tribes from mountainous region of west Kashmir, at the instigation of Pakistan and with the collusion allied Pushtun tribals, entered the Kashmir valley to capture it. India responded by sending in troops to the Kashmir valley. While the Pushtuns gained control of the majority of Srinagar they were not able to secure Srinagar Airport. This allowed India to air lift in supplies, including heavy weapons, and were able to control the city and its surroundings and pushed out the Pushtuns. In view of further attacks by armed forces and the possibility that his kingdom, including the city of Srinagar, might fall into the hand of Pakistan, Hari Singh signed an agreement in late 1947 with the Government of India partly in order to gain political refuge, which ensured legal and binding accession to India under certain preconditions which were later ignored by successive Indian governments.The Government of India, immediately air-lifted Indian troops to Srinagar, and defiance of the city was further strengthened against further attacks. Meanwhile, the matter was escalated to the United Nations and a cease fire was imposed under its authority. These events resulted in the division of the state into an Indian administered region and a Pakistani administered region.
