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Nature has lavishly endowed Kashmir with certain distinctive favours
which hardly find a parallel in any alpine land of the world. Set in the
womb of the Himalayas and gifted with beautiful and inspiring natural scenery,
it emerged as a highly advanced seat of learning from very early times,
taking its place along with the famous Universities of Taksasila and Nalanda.
Ramparts of high mountains and seclusion of the land helped her top reserve
the life and conditions of early times which it is rather difficult to
resuscitate in regard to other such mountainous regions. To the poets like
Bilhana and others it was Sardadesh, the land of goddess Sarda;
and it was even believed that goddess Saraswati actually lived here and
hence the Sardapitha was also known as Sripeetha for conferring sarvajna
degrees. The cultural heritage of Kashmir is, therefore, very rich and
derives its inspiration and strength both from her natural environs and
the rich literature and literary traditions alike.
Reproduced from: Tantricism
in Kashmir by Acharya Dina Nath Shastri, Koshur Samachar, July
1996
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