History and Archaeology of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

In this MPhil thesis, I accumulate and analyse all relevant information available about History and archaeology of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from literary sources. The aim is to construct a historical sketch of Azad Jammu and Kashmir combined with a literary survey of the archaeological heritage of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Azad Jammu and Kashmir comprises mostly of ancient Karnaha, Darvabhisara and Daardah; the regions make up the northwestern, western and southwestern outer hills of Kashmir. They are surrounded by Takshasila (Taxila) from south-west, Urasha or Urasa (Hazara) from west and north-west, Darda (Dard land) from north, the Vale of Kashmir from east and Takka Desa (Central Punjab), Gorjara (Gujrat) and Sakala or Shalakotta (Sialkot) from south and south-east respectively. No written history of the area exists before the Sikh Period. What little we know is either through historical accounts known as Rjataranginis written in Kashmir Valley or through lines or two here and there in travel accounts or historical texts. The present research is the first attempt to outline and analyse the history of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and to catalogue its archaeological heritage.