KASHMIR, krish-ine, or CASHMERE. A native State of India under British control, situ ated in the extreme northwestern part of the Em pire, and bounded on the north by East Turkes tan, on the east by Tibet, on the south by the Punjab. and on the west by the Punjab and Dardistan, British India (Map: India, C 2). The State is crossed by the Western Himalaya and Karakorum ranges, running with their numerous lateral ranges on either side of the valley of the Upper Indus, which occupies the centre of the country. The valleys, which are celebrated in literature for their scenery, have a minimum ele vation of .5000 feet, and the mountains tower to a great height, passing 28.000 feet in Mount Godwin-Austen. The climate is dry, and in winter severe: but notwithstanding this and the high altitude, the soil, when irrigated. yields good crops of wheat and other cereals, while fruit is abun dant; the mountain slopes afford good pasturage for cattle and goats. The Kashmir gnat's wool is in great demand. The chief manufactures are shawls, saddlery, perfumes. and arms. and there is an extensive transit trade, as well as large exports of butter. The population of Kash mir in 1900 was 2.543.952, consisting, mainly of Kashmirians, with a number of Mongolians in the eastern districts. The capital is Srinagar (q.v.).
Kashmir was an independent monarchy until 1586. when it was conquered by Akhar and an nexed to the Mogul Empire. It was taken by the Afghans in 1752, and annexed by the Sikhs in 1819. In 1846 the Sikh Maharaja. Ghulab
Singh. placed himself under British protection, in return for which he was confirmed in the pos session of the country.
The Kashmirians (or Kashmiris) are by lan guage of Aryan stock. Physically they are of the white race. although in some regions much mixed with Mongolian blood. especially in the outlying territories of Ladakh, Baltistan, etc., where the Baltis speak a Tibetan tongue and the Pakhpuluk a Turkish dialect. The Baltis, Ladakhis, etc., seem to he a smaller and less strongly developed race than the Kashmirians proper, who have a large admixture of Sikh blood. The inhabitants are largely Moham medans. The Hindu religionists are about half as numerous, while the people of Ladakh are mainly Buddhists. Kashmir has exerted con siderable cultural influence upon Tibet, and not a little physical influence also. Kashmirian folk literature is rich in tales and proverbs, many of which have been published in Knowles, Dictionary of Kashniiri Proverbs and A..:ayings (London, 18S5). and Folk-Talcs from Kashmir (ib., 1888). Ethnological and anthropological information of value will be found in the follow ing works: Bellew, Kashmir and Kashgar (Lon don, 1875) ; Wakefield, The Happy Valley: Sketehes of Kashmir and the Kashmiris (ib., 1870); Hellwald, Centralasien (2t1 ed.. Leipzig, 1880). An older work by Ilti,gel, Kasehmir end des Reich der Sick (Stuttgart. 1840-48), con tains much interesting information.