Dr Muhammad Maroof Shah

Modern historiography is based on very different presuppositions or world-view as compared to traditional/medieval historiography. They are almost incomparable. Modern man is predisposed to believe in the autonomy of Nature and refuses on principle to see it as a symbol of something else, as ayat of God, as demanding an explanation in terms of hierarchy of existence, as having anything to do with teleology and he thus refuses to acknowledge any metaphysical significance of the universe. Even many modern theologians concede this. The medieval world view is condemned for its credulity towards the notions of miracles, fairies, djinns, spirits, magic, angels etc. Modern rationalism rejects suprasensible and suprarational phenomena on a priori grounds. Premodern man could not write history objectively according to these modernist rationalist historians because he believed in miracles, “myths” and “legends” connected with supernatural happenings or performances of saints or miracle workers

Increasing degradation in the value base of Kashmir culture is reflected in its different institutions and customs. The present paper focuses on the institution of marriage and customs associated with it, especially in Muslim community of our Valley, and highlights the divergence between traditional form and present day artificiality, mannerism and corruption of the same. It points towards capitalism as the key culprit in the process of degradation that has converted a great institution that strengthened relationships into a meaningless system of rituals that not only drain our economy but also reflect our moral and spiritual lassitude. The paper also addresses the cause of increasing divorce rate and failure of the great institution in its traditional sense in present day Kashmir. A need to revive the traditional basis of our cultural practices by a critique of existing institutionalized form is emphasized. What is culture and why is culture so important? What are our sacrosanct

Marriages can be made simpler. Nothing is easier than this. Just one step to be taken and that can be taken so easily. A step which will not invite narazgi of any particular person, friend or relative. A step that eliminates all customs which are morally, religiously, socially and economically unwholesome. A step which everyone can take, even the weak willed. We take much harsher steps   when it comes to our small interests. We can take a quarrel with the whole village to safeguard the merit of a candidate for this or that post, say RT post. A small step that many have taken and many take. It is the decision to invite none of our relatives or friends to our marriages, a decision not to make a party out of simple issue of transporting a girl from one home to another. We can even go in homely clothes or ask the parents of the bride to drop her at groom’s home as was the tradition of our forefathers, our aslaf . Guest control, control on variety of dishes and many other extravaganza is