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Geologists believe that
about ten crore years have passed when Kashmir Valley which was
once a lake called Satisar, the lake of goddess Sati, came into
its present form.
For hundreds of million years Kashmir Valley remained under Tethya
sea andthe high sedimentary-rock hills seen in the valley now were
once under water. Geologists have come to believe that Kashmir
Valley was earlier affected by earthquakes. Once there was such a
devastating earthquake that it broke open the mountain wall at
Baramulla. and the water of the Satisar lake flowed out leaving
behind lacustrine mud on the margins of the mountains known as
karewas. Thus came into existance the oval but irregular Valley of
Kashmir. The karewas being in fact the remanants of this lake
confirm this view. The karewas are found mostly to the west of the
river Jhelum where these table-lands attain a height of about 380
meters above the level of the Valley. These karewas protrude
towards the east and look like tongue-shaped spurs with deep
ravines.
Ancient legends and popular traditions say that Samdimat Nagar,
capital of the kingdom of Sundra Sena, was submerged as a result
of an earthquake, and the water that filled the area formed the
Wular Lake, the largest fresh water lake in India. The oldest
igneous rocks are still found at Shankaracharya hill. When the
whole Valley of Kashmir was under waterthis hillock was the first
piece of dry land lying in the form of an igneous island.
Significance of its name -
Historians say that Kashmir was originally known as Kashyapmar or the abode of Kashyap Rishi.It is said that the Rishi
once went on a pilgrimage to Kashmir. When he reached Naukabandan
near Kaunsarnag via Rajouri, he killed Bahudev, the Giant of
Satisar, at the request of the people and let the water of the
lake flow out near Baramulla. The land, therefore, came to be
known as Kashyampar, which afterwards changed into Kashmar and
from Kashmar to Kashmir. But some historians are of the opinion
that when the people of Kash caste settled here permanently the
valley came to be known as Kashmir. Kashmir is known by many other
names also. The Greeks called it Kaspeiria, while thechinese named
it Shie-in or Kia-Shi-Lo.
Detailed Geography
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