198 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [April, 1910. 



Kashmir 



demons. At the approach of spring the Brahman was pushed 



bank 



Men 



astonished to find 



man safe and sound 



They 



heard with much amazement the wonderful experiences of the 

 Brahman and about the book he had come in possession of. They 

 showed his book to their Chief, named Daryadeva. Daryadeva 

 ordered the people to act according to the instructions contained 

 in the book, which they did, and thereby enjoyed complete 

 immunity from the oppressions of demons and from the incle- 



Kashmir 



round. 



was in Kashmir 



established form of government and many great and good kings 

 reigned in it. One of these kings was Parasrama, the extirpator 

 of the Kshatraya race. Some say that Rama, the hero of 



ana. conquered Kashmir 



times. 



are four springs on a hill at Baramulla which are called 



Rama-kund, Sita-kund, Lakshman-kund and Hunuman 



In olden times there used 



In the 



Milyal 



more 



Iptured 



the throne of Rama. Lalitadity a , who ruled from 697 to 

 734 A.D., unearthed a temple at Shira-wardan on the door of 

 which was an inscription to the effect that it had been built by 

 Rama and his brother Lakshman. Running fronj the Kajinag 

 range to the low-lying land near the Jhelum is a long low spur 

 where there are two cut stones of octagonal section which stand 

 over four feet out of the ground. The inhabitants of this place 

 have a legend that these two stones are the arrows shot by Rama 

 and his brother Lakshman. 



In course of time the population increased and several 

 villages were peopled. The headman of each village became 

 nominal ruler of his village. As the time advanced more villages 

 sprang up, and then there were more than one village under a 

 headman. These headmen, in order to be safe and defend 

 themselves from one another's attacks, built fortresses on 

 elevated spots, and these were named Kots. And each Kot 

 was under a Kot Raja. Some names of these Kots are known 

 up to the present time, such as Indarkot, Zainakot, Shirakot, 

 Sudrakot, Dadarkot, Butakot, etc. The chiefs of these Kots 

 were called Sanz. For a very long period there was this form 

 of Kotaraj government in Kashmir. Afterwards some Kota 

 Rajas subdued others and there was constant warfare between 

 them. The conqueror used to sack the villages of the subdued 

 Rajas. At last some Rajas, who had lost their Kots, went to the 

 Raja of Jammu and entreated him to come over to take Kashmir 





