The Chanpan Pal or Palial of Kashmir are shepherds who tend the flocks, of other people.
The Ladakhi are all engaged in agriculture. A loose-grained barley is their most common cereal ; it is cultivated up to 15,000 feet, and at 13,700 and 14,000 are villages depending on its cultivation. Wheat is grown up to 12,800 feet. Barley-meal is the common food, and Chang, a light beer, is their national drink. Their women share in the work of agriculture. Polyandry, except among the few richer people, is quite general. The elder brother's wife is common to all the brothers, and the children recognise all as father. The woman may also choose another husband from a different family.
The Kham-ba of the Kham country, far to the east of Lhassa, are found in the districts of Zanskar and Rupshu. They are professional beggars ; along with their wives and children they wander about some parts of India in the cold months, and to the higher parts of Ladakh in summer ; live in small tents, which they carry on goats.
Earthquakes are of not uncommon occurrence. In June 1828, the city of Srinuggur was shaken by an earthquake, which destroyed about 1200 houses and 1000 persons. For more than two months afterwards, lesser shocks were daily experienced.
The deodar is abundant, and is ktensively employed in the construction of housesNemples, and bridges. The forests also contain\ Pinus longifolia and P. excelsa, Abies Webbiana, walnut (the quality of the wood for gun-stocks and furni ture being little inferior to that of Britain), maple, poplar, willow, yew, and a species of juniper.
The oriental plane or Chunar (Platanus orientalis) is probably found nowhere more abundant or luxuriant than in Kashmir, though it is not in digenous. The absence of oaks, rhododendron, Andromeda, and Pinus Gerardina is remarkable. By order of the Moghul emperors, a grove of chunar and poplar was planted near every Kashmirian village ; these were protected by a heavy fine on every tree felled, but the Sikhs destroyed many of them. Fruit of all kinds abounds in Kashmir.
There are four varieties of walnut, one of which grows wild in the forest, and the others are culti vated. The former is very tiny, and the scanty kernel is encased in a thick shell. One of the horticultural species is very much superior to the others ; it is called Kaghuzee (from Kaghuz, paper), because the shell is as thin as paper, and can easily be broken by the hand. The superiority of this species is attributed to its having been originally engrafted, but though now raised from seed, it does not become deteriorated. The Kash mirian use the walnut as a dye for black and green colours ; the former, from the ripe fruit, is a fast or permanent dye, and the latter is furnished from the walnuts which fall to the ground while they are still green. The latter colour is not perma nent. From the kernel an oil is extracted, which is used, not only for burning in lamps, but also for culinary purposes. It is said also to be made the medium for extracting the perfume of the jasmine, the yellow rose, and the narcissus.
In Kashmir are two eminences which bear the name of Takht-i-Suliman ; one near Kashmir is called Sir-i-Sheo, or Siva's head, by the Hindus, but also Sankarachar ; and the hill on the opposite side of the city is called Hari Purbat, or the bill of Vishnu or Hari. On the latter hill is the fort of Kashmir.
Kashmir has been famed for its woven shawls, also for its painted ware (manakkash), and its embroidery (chikand).
Kashmir yields gold, iron, coal, storax, anti mony, borax, sal-ammoniac, sulphur, talc, marble, manganese, rock crystal.—Canninghani's Ancient Geography of India ; Captain Knight's Diary of a Pedestrian in Kashmir and 'Tibet; Drew's Northern Barrier ; Raja Taringini ; Calcutta Review, 1871 ; Prinsep's Antiquities; Mr. (Sir George) Campbell; Sir R. Montgomery's Report; Rennein Memoir; Dr. Thomson's Trs.; Asiatic Researches ; Vigne's Trs. ; Wilson's Glossary ; Baron Hugel's Trs.; Imp. Gaz.