Kashmir is a wide and vast valley between Mid Himalayan Mountains and looks like a square or a parallelogram in shape. According to KhawajaAzam, from the Eastern to the Western boundary it measures about 40 farsak (1 farsak = 18000 feet or 2.5 miles) in length and from the South to the North there is a difference of 7-8 farsaks. As per the European surveys, the Srinagar city is at an altitude of 5200 feet. The surrounding mountains which encompass it like a fort vary from 8000-17000 feet in altitude. Due to its location, Kashmir experiences snowfall for one-third of the year. The tall and towering mountains whose height exceeds 3000 ft are perennially snow-covered up to the height of 1300 ft the snow often melts.
Origin of Kashmir as per Hindu Researchers
The author of Nilamatgpurana narrates that in the ancient past, Kashmir was a vast lake engulfed by tall and towering mountains. The lake was full of transparent waters, due to the melting of snow, which after flowed through streams stored in the lake. There was no outlet for the drainage of the lake water, as the valley was closed from all sides. In those times, the peak of the Harmukh Mountains was the abode of Mata Sati alias Parvati. She used to visit the mountains of Kousarnag on a boat. The lake was called Satisar, as in the Sanskrit language “Sar” stands for the lake. In those times; a demon called Jalodev, who was strong, horrific, and brave, used to live in the lake. The demon used to worship Brahma, earnestly and ardently in his early stages of life and he was gifted with the power of overpowering any attacker in the waters of the lake. Later on, the demon used to live in Satisar and was confined to the peaks of mountains and in this way, he took a toll on the creatures and was responsible for the death and destruction of mankind.
Once the grandson of Brahma, Kashapraksher, after visiting the various parts of the world, arrived at Satisar, and on seeing the mighty mountains, and the fresh breeze of air, he shouted with excitement that if there is heaven anywhere on the earth, it is here i.e. Kashmir.
Around the lake, he was surprised to see no trace of the human population. He came to know about the tyranny and destruction of Jalodev from an old man. He constructed a temple at Nowbavdan which lies in the middle of Kousarnag and in the vicinity of Hirapora. He offered his prayers for one thousand years and during that period he prayed for the death and destruction of the demon. His prayers were answered; Brahma deputed Bhishan and Mahesher to kill the demon. All the three saints were fighting against the demon for a long period but were not successful to finish him. Whenever the demon was overpowered by the saints he hid underwater, since the lake was his hideout and the blessing of Brahma his security. At last, Bhishan was successful in draining water through an outlet that he made with an instrument called Sudarshan Chakkar near Baramulla. The hard rock’s disintegrated and the water level of the lake receded, but the demon hid under the lacustrine deposits. Both Bhishan and Mahesher left for their settlements but soon Jaladev resorted to his old follies and water again came to ooze out from his place of hiding which covered the surface of the lake. Kashapraksher again offered his prayers for the destruction of the demon. Soon Myna (Haer, in Kashmiri) a piece of rock from Summer mountain in his beak was flying and dropped the same on the sport, where the devil used to rest, resulting in the death of the demon and water stopped oozing out. The piece of that mountain is nowadays called Hari Parbhat and the Goddess Sharika is supposed to be there. On a particular day of the year, the Hindus congregate for prayers.
