KASHMIR VALLEYS 75 



the hot weather came on I felt I was entitled to the 

 pilgrim's reward, whatever that may be, when I 

 achieved it. The Brahmin in charge, a kindly-faced old 

 man, with a shrewd look of worldly wisdom in his keen 

 eyes, would never take any gift, but generally gave me 

 a flower or two from the offerings brought by the 

 faithful a rose and some marigolds. He pointed out 

 to me an inscription on one of the pillars supporting 

 the roof, and standing behind the central platform, 

 with the great Sivaite emblem encircled by a serpent. 

 The writing is Persian, and I believe sets forth that a 

 Soukar, a certain Haji Hushti, raised the idol, but the 

 dates are uncertain, and a portion of the inscription is 

 hidden under the floor. Kashmir is a land of tolerance ; 

 the real feeling of the people is Hindu, and they practise 

 its precepts of brotherly forbearance and silent 

 endurance. The spirit of a race cannot be changed, 

 though their form of worship is altered by royal edict, 

 and in spite of nominally being Mussulman, in practice 

 the " faith of the prophet " has lost most of its usual 

 characteristics. There is a very real and living sub- 

 stratum of Naga worship, and this influences followers 

 of both creeds. Buddhists have entirely disappeared 

 from the country, leaving scarce a trace of their 

 existence. The Sikhs are a very inconsiderable body, 

 so that the inhabitants of the valley are divided between 

 the two great creeds, some ninety-five per cent, being 

 Mahomedans, the rest Hindus. They share their holy 

 places and sacred springs very amicably. The Maho- 

 medans refrain from killing kine, and the Hindus halal,* 

 such birds and beasts as they may eat. Possibly the 



* No Mahometan may eat meat that has not had the invocation to the 

 prophet said over it before life was extinct. 



