Origin and name

 

According to mythological legend, the valley originally was a huge lake called "Satisar", (the land of Goddess Sati, consort of Lord Shiva) and its waters were blocked near Baramulla (ancient Varahmulla).The oldest existing book on Kashmir, “Nilmat Puran" (6th century) states that: “In the Satisar lived a demon called Jalodbhava, who tortured and devoured the people living near mountain slopes.” Hearing the suffering of the people, a great saint of our country, Kashayap by name, came to the rescue of the people here. After performing penance for a long time, the saint was blessed, and he was able to cut the mountain near Varahmulla, which blocked the water of the lake from flowing into the plains below. The lake was drained, the land appeared, and the demon was killed. The saint encouraged people from plains to settle in the valley. The people named the valley as Kashayap-Mar and Kashayap-Pura. The name Kashmir also implies land desiccated from water: "ka" (the water) and shimeera (to desiccate). The ancient Greeks called it "Kasperia" and the Chinese pilgrim Huen-Tsang who visited the valley around 631 A. D. called it Kashi-Mi-Lo". In modern times the people of Kashmir have shortened it into "Kasheer" in their tongue.

Geologists too agree with the fact that ten crores years ago, existed a huge lake called Satisar. According to them it was a devastating earthquake that broke open the mountain wall at Baramulla, and the water of the Satisar Lake flowed out leaving behind Valley of Kashmir.