Kashmir has existed as a major artistic and intellectual center since the early centuries of the Common Era. The Kashmir Valley was a destination for both Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims and several esoteric strains of the two faiths, including Tantrism and Vajrayana Buddhism, were practiced throughout the region. Although most early Kashmiri kings were Hindus, they patronized Buddhist monasteries. Some rulers were great patrons of the arts and funded the development of music, dance, and poetry, as well as religious and secular architecture.

The Kashmiri poet and historian Kalhana has provided us with an account of twelfth-century Kashmir in the Rajatarangini, his chronicle of kingship. Through Kalhana's narrative, we know that Muslims were settled in Kashmir and had positions in the Hindu royal court from at least the eleventh century. Islamic dynasties ruled over the region from the fourteenth century to the nineteenth century. During the Islamic period, Kashmir's artistic traditions in textiles, painting, and book production were given a great boost as artistic needs shifted to accommodate the new tastes and visual traditions of the Islamic rulers. The sculptures, paintings, textiles, metalwork, and other decorative arts featured in this exhibition are a living testament to the cosmopolitan nature of Kashmiri society and the peaceful co-existence of multiple religious faiths.

A selection of works from The Arts of Kashmir exhibition, which is on view between October 3, 2007 and January 6, 2008 at Asia Society, New York, are showcased on this website.