The Evolution of Kashmir's Capitals : A Historical Timeline

Introduction 

As its capitals changed over the centuries, Kashmir has been an intriguing place where faith, power, and construction methods have changed as well. From mythological beginnings to proof of contemporary governance, every change in the central authority represented a significant shift in culture and politics. The capitals of Kashmir were never merely cities; they were also centers of spirituality, symbols of dynastic ambition, and symbols of willpower. 

In the journey, we can see how rulers, religions, and reforms together helped to shape a region of India that has more historical layers than anywhere else. The story of Kashmir capitals does not just involve political geography; it represents a civilization that is constantly transforming itself while retaining its everlasting beauty and identity to give rise to one extraordinary tale after another.

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Ancient foundations (3rd c. BCE – 6th c. CE)

 3rd c. BCE—Srinagari (Pandrethan): Kalhana’s Rajatarangini places an early capital by the name of Srinagari in the vicinity of present-day Pandrethan, associated by tradition with Aśoka. The memory of the site survives with the very name "Puranadhisthana" ("old capital"). 

6th c. CE—Parvarapura (near Hari Parbat): King Pravarasena II established a new capital near the hillock of Kohi Maran (Hari Parbat), effectively the nucleus of modern Srinagar, while the older name of "Srinagari" remained in use.

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Early medieval pivots (7th–9th centuries)

8th century- Parihaspora: Lalitaditya Muktapida of the Karkota dynasty built Parihaspura and for a brief time used it as a royal seat, even while Srinagara continued as a parallel center. (Stein's translation of Kalhana and later studies note its function as a capital site.)

Late 8th century -  Jayapida, the grandson of Lalitaditya, founded a new capital city called Jayapura, which is now located in Inderkote, Bandipora district. An ambitious leader, Jayapida actively participated in military campaigns with the goal of duplicating his grandfather's achievements. Despite its brief existence, his capital marks an important stage of administrative decentralization in the later Karkota period. This shift draws attention to the valley's shifting power structures.  

9th century- Avantipora/Viswasara: The Utpala king Avantivarman (r. 855-883) moved the court to Avantipora (Viswasara), whose temple ruins (Avantiswami/Avantishwara) still sporadically mark the landscape with a sense of monumentality and time.

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Late 9th-early 10th century - Shankerpora (Pattan) : The son of Avantivarman, Sankaravarman (r. 883–902 CE), founded Sankarapura, which is now Pattan, in a strategic location between Srinagar and Baramulla. Renowned for his military skills, Sankaravarman represented the consolidation and ultimate downfall of Utpala power with his capital.

Sultanate consolidation (14th–16th centuries)

Late 13th and early 14th centuries - Alauddinpora: Sultan Alaud ud Din established his seat close to the Khanqah Maula neighborhood of old Srinagar, also known as Alauddinpora, during the early stages of the Shah Mir dynasty. Early Muslim rule in Kashmir was consolidated at this location.

Midway through the 14th century, Sultan Shihab-ud-Din temporarily relocated his capital to Shihabuddinpora, also known as Shadipora, which is located where the Jhelum and Sindh rivers converge. Its location provided control over upper valley trade routes in addition to defense.

Late 14th century — Qutubuddinpora (Nowhatta): Sultan Qutub-ud-Din founded Qutubuddinpora in the present-day Nowhatta district of Srinagar. The city's close proximity to Aali Kadal and its dense urban design reflected the period's insecurity and its transformation into a fortified political center.

15th century - Nowshera : Under Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin (Budshah), the capital, which is situated north of the old city, flourished. His reign brought about peace, religious tolerance, and the blending of Persian and Kashmiri arts. Certain documents also refer to Sikandarpora as a royal quarter at the time.

Mughal integration (1586–1752)

The territory of Kashmir was successively swallowed by the Mughal Empire into a province and Srinagar translated for both the administrative office and the imperial retreat.

Naagar Nagar (Hari Parbat/Nigeen Belt), Akbar's capital (1586 CE):

After annexing Kashmir in 1586 CE, the Mughal Emperor Akbar made Naagar Nagar his new administrative center on the hillsides between Dal Lake and Nigeen, near Hari Parbat. 

This Mughal foundation, which included gardens, causeways, and a fort, established an imperial order that influenced Srinagar's subsequent urban development. The site remained an important center of power during the Mughal era, indicating Kashmir's assimilation into the greater imperial structure.

Afghan-Sikh interlude (18th to mid-19th centuries):

Late 18th Century - Sherghari Fort : In the late eighteenth century, Afghan governors used the Sherghari Fort complex on the right bank of the Jhelum as their administrative hub. The fort endured during times of transition during early Dogra rule.

The Sikh Empire's annexation (1819) 

The Sikh Interlude and the Treaty of Amritsar: Between 1819 and 1846, Lahore gained control after Ranjit Singh's Sikh conquest ended Afghan dominance. In 1846, the territory was given to Maharaja Gulab Singh as part of the Treaty of Amritsar, creating the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dogra state & the “Darbar Move” (1846–1947)

To provide some degree of general explanation, the Amritsar Treaty signed in 1846 saw Kashmir transferred to Gulab Singh, who created a princely state by the name of Jammu and Kashmir. The political map of the state was thereby firmly juxtaposed between the Jammu plains and the Kashmir Valley. 

A biannual move between the summer capital of Srinagar and the winter one of Jammu was firstly established in about 1872 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh. This move would, to a certain extent, act as a bridging mechanism for climate, topography, and regional interests. This popular practice ran under the name of the Darbar Move.

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Modern India: Dual Capitals in Practice (1952 – 2019)

1947–48 — Palladium Cinema: Sheikh Abdullah’s government temporarily used Palladium Cinema in Lal Chowk as its temporary headquarters during the tribal invasion and emergency. This demonstrates the crisis-resilient nature of governance.

1950s — New Secretariat: With the construction of the New Secretariat complex near Amira Kadal, Prime Minister Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad modernized the state administration.

An arrangement for season assignments survived into independence after 1952 and was inscribed into Jammu Kashmir history and public memory as a symbol and tool of regional equilibrio.

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Reorganisation and today (2019–present)

The Parliamentary Act of October 31, 2019, reorganised the erstwhile state into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The dual-capital convention (Srinagar/Jammu) continued to administer J&K. 

2021-2025: The Darbar Move was paused and then revived. Due to issues with digitization and costs, Jammu and Kashmir temporarily halted the Darbar Move. However, in October 2025, the new government brought it back, highlighting how it preserves representation and unity between the two capitals.

Quick timeline (at-a-glance)

Conclusion

From the riverine beginnings of Srinagari to the Dogra era Darbar Move, capital-making in the Valley has always amalgamated climatic considerations with commercial and political calculus. Even today, the twin-capital arrangement facilitates an administrative presence in both Valley and Plain, shaping how  citizens experience governance season to season. 

Understanding this arc of history in Jammu and Kashmir portrays why debates over location and movement of the secretariat are never merely logistic-they are questions of belonging, balance, and the living memory of place.