A Mission in Kashmir

A Mission in Kashmir is an attempt at a new way of writing on Kashmir. It critically examines sources and tries to use news discoveries to contest mainstream ideas on the accession, the raiders and the role of Pakistani regulars in the debacle. Especially remarkable is the sensitivity reflected in the later part of the book, about the absence of Kashmiri Muslim voices in the representation of events in Kashmir.

The importance of the book lies in its detailed, meticulous, and objective discussion of the events of 1947, which adds much to our knowledge about the causes and mechanics of the tribal invasion and serves to remove some of the confusion surrounding the political situation in Kashmir.

The fact that the book explains this situation using the stories and memories of people who experienced this attack makes it all the more compelling. The violence described in the book against Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians alike, by the men in the tribal lashkar, adds a significant chapter to the historiography of the independence and partition of India, from which Kashmir is usually absent.

**Contents and Sample Pages**