ISHS Acta Horticulturae 850: III International Symposium on Saffron: Forthcoming Challenges in Cultivation, Research and Economics
FORTHCOMING CHALLENGES FOR IMPROVING SAFFRON FARMING SYSTEMS IN KASHMIR |
| Author: | F.A. Nehvi |
| Keywords: | farming system, future challenges, Kashmir, saffron |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.850.48 |
| Abstract:
Saffron cultivation in Kashmir was introduced by the Central Asian immigrants around the 1st century B.C. as saffron was known as “Bahukam” in ancient Sanskrit literature (Amarakosara, 11.6.124). Bahalikam is a derivative of Bahalike, the sanskritized version of Greek Bactria, presently called Balakh. Kashmir became so much famous for the saffron cultivation that alongside Bahalikam, saffron also became known after the name of Kashmir as Kashmirajam in the ancient Indian Sanskrit literature (Amarakosa). In the much celebrated ancient clustery of Kashmir, Rajatarangini, Kalhana includes Kashmiri saffron among those special attributes of Kashmir which according to them “could not be available even in the paradise”. According to Abul Fazl, the famous court historian of Akbar there was twelve thousand bighas under saffron cultivation at Pampore. According to Jehangir (Tuzuki Jehangir), the yearly produce of saffron was about 500 Hindustani maunds, and to quote him, “it is not known whether such a huge quantity is grown anywhere in the world”. Traditional Kashmiri and Chinese accounts date its arrival anywhere between 900-2500 years back. Meanwhile, historians studying ancient Persian records date the arrival of saffron corms to stock new gardens and parks or to the Persian invasion and colonization of Kashmir. | |
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