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A Mission in Kashmir
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 14, 2020
The ‘Sacking of Baramulla’ by the Pakistan aided tribal Lashkar in the autumn of 1947 is a powerful story that has been recited by India on various international forums for staking it’s claims to Kashmir. A mission to Kashmir provides a heavily-researched, insightful, non-partisan view on the genesis of Kashmir crisis from the vantage point of the Christian Mission in Baramulla. It is in the author’s own words ‘an irony that even when talking about terror in Kashmir, the Kashmiris who suffered had to relinquish centre stage to outsiders’. The book revolves around one date, the 27th of October 1947, the day the Lashkar attacked Baramulla and also incidentally the day when Kashmir acceded to India. Andrew Whitehead detracts from a superfluous writing associated with non-fictitious political works, and seamlessly binds anecdotes and excerpts from memoirs, autobiographies and interviews making the book a delectable read.
November 16, 2014
Andrew Whitehead was the BBC correspondent in Delhi for many years, Therefore his books are likely to be non-partisan, extensively researched and based on facts, not mere hearsay. This book is primarily an account of the Pakistan backed tribal attack of 1947 and the ensuing battle between the Indian Army and the Pakistani jihadis. He doesnt take any sides in telling the story..as it most happens in History when you change the facts to suit the wider polemical narrative.
He offers a no holds barred account of the carnage in Baramulla where the jihadis resorted to widespread loot,murder,rapes and sacrilege and didnt even spare Muslims of whom they were supposedly helping from tyranny. He painstakingly captures the threads of the Carnage that was wreaked upon the beautiful valley by the terror of Pathans,closely monitored by Pakistan army.
The book is filled with anecdotes which make it a delightful read for anyone who wants to know about the Kashmir conflict. A gem is that the Pakistani plan to engage the tribesmen to fight on their behalf was so much riddled with bad planning, jealously and indiscipline that on the purported day of attack the commanding officer, Khurshid Anwar was nowhere to be found. He was found to be honeymooning with his wife instead, in Peshawar. In my opinion, a vivid and empathetic potrayal of the war.
He offers a no holds barred account of the carnage in Baramulla where the jihadis resorted to widespread loot,murder,rapes and sacrilege and didnt even spare Muslims of whom they were supposedly helping from tyranny. He painstakingly captures the threads of the Carnage that was wreaked upon the beautiful valley by the terror of Pathans,closely monitored by Pakistan army.
The book is filled with anecdotes which make it a delightful read for anyone who wants to know about the Kashmir conflict. A gem is that the Pakistani plan to engage the tribesmen to fight on their behalf was so much riddled with bad planning, jealously and indiscipline that on the purported day of attack the commanding officer, Khurshid Anwar was nowhere to be found. He was found to be honeymooning with his wife instead, in Peshawar. In my opinion, a vivid and empathetic potrayal of the war.
August 24, 2020
A very good book to start with. Well researched with short chapters makes it fast paced given the insights and brilliantly rendered account of the Kashmir issue.
Kashmir issue here is not about the army's presence or the separatists. It's about the early and the very first dispute. More precisely, it's on the tribal invasion of Kashmir.
Though it might appear as a book revolving around the attack on Baramulla mission, author has successfully tried to give a full picture of the invasion, accession to India and the local politics.
One chapter that discusses the stories made ie the books, novels written on this invasion looks out of place and pace. I would recommend it though. Just for getting educating on the chronology of j&k signing to India.
Kashmir issue here is not about the army's presence or the separatists. It's about the early and the very first dispute. More precisely, it's on the tribal invasion of Kashmir.
Though it might appear as a book revolving around the attack on Baramulla mission, author has successfully tried to give a full picture of the invasion, accession to India and the local politics.
One chapter that discusses the stories made ie the books, novels written on this invasion looks out of place and pace. I would recommend it though. Just for getting educating on the chronology of j&k signing to India.
August 14, 2017
This book unveils the truth of tribal invasion in Kashmir. Whitehead had done an excellent field work and obtained an account of baramula church incident through an eyewitness. A must read to understand the period of 1947-48 of kashmir.
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April 14, 2025A gripping story of a conflict, a region and a town - good cultural reference
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March 31, 2010basically the buk revolves around the date 27 oct 1947...and the ransack of christian mission in baramulla, some points are exaggerated thogh,hower the buk shud be read for its detiled accont of the origins of kashmir conflict..and for ofourse the letter of accesion by maharaja of kashnir to indian govt.,the intresting thing about the buk is its take on how india delayed the arrival for its gain...
January 3, 2013
This book explains the source of the problem in detail , but doesnot give much detail about current issues as it is restricted to only 2 pages also it is not clear
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews