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| JK gets woman ruler after 1000 yrs | | | Peerzada Ummer
Srinagar, Apr 4: As the 56-year-old Mehbooba Mufti becomes Jammu and Kashmir's new chief minister, it is after more than 1000 years that any woman becomes the ruler of the state.
Didda was a ruler of J&K from 958 AD to 1003 AD, first as a Regent for her son and various grandsons, and thereafter as sole ruler in her own right. Most knowledge relating to her is obtained from the Rajatarangini, a work written by Kalhana in the twelfth century. According to Rajatarangini, the oldest historical account of Kashmir written by Kalhana, Dida, the first women ruler of Kashmir, was the daughter of Simharaja, ruler of Lohara (now in J&K's Poonch district) and the grand-daughter of Bhima Shahi, a Hindu ruler of Kabul.
In 950 AD, she was married to king Ksemagupta, the ruler of Kashmir. So powerful was her influence over the king that he prefixed her name to his and rechristened himself as Di Ksemagupta. He issued coins in the same name.
Queen Didda ruled for 45 years until her death in 1003. She chose her nephew Samgramaraja as her successor, and the latter went on to defeat Mahmud of Ghazni in 1015.
Didda's more than 50 years at the helm, both as a ruler and the power behind the throne, gave her a larger-than-life persona. She faced recurrent political tumult in her reign, but upon her death, left behind a stable and a prosperous Kashmir. She was resourceful and wily and would utilise an array of political, diplomatic and military strategies to preempt, fend off and overcome her challenges.
According to historians, Didda's has been one of the longest reigns in the state. But she never had it smooth. She had to brave many a challenge and the invasions to last this long. She was a tough woman. It is now after more than 1000 years that a woman has again become the ruler of the state. A mother of two daughters, Mehbooba assumed an image of a fiery leader and won her first Assembly election as a Congress candidate from her home segment of Bijbehara.
She then played a key role in her father's victory as Congress candidate in Lok Sabha elections of 1998 when he defeated National Conference's Mohammad Yousuf Taing from south Kashmir. As Sayeed felt an urge to do something for return of peace to Kashmir, Mehbooba was by his side and the father-daughter duo floated their regional party - the PDP - in 1999.
They took along some leaders disgruntled with National Conference and many from Congress, a party where Sayeed spent most of his six-decade political career. From there, Mehbooba took on the responsibility of building the new party. At present, when there are numerous challenges confronting her, it remains to be seen how she would tackle them. Besides rebuilding the trust with New Delhi, Mehbooba has to keep her party flock together. Only the time is going to tell us all about her similarities with Dida the first woman ruler of Kashmir. |
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