Nature in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Times

François Bernier and Nature in Kashmir: Belonging in Paradise?

Pascale Barthe

Abstract

This close reading of François Bernier’s Kashmir letters focuses on the description and allegoric significance of the legendary Himalayan valley. Traveling with Aurangzeb and his court in the 1660s, Bernier describes the natural environment that leads to and defines Kashmir. The valley, however, was not only known for its cool temperatures and unparalleled beauty; it was also intrinsically imbued with religious and political meaning for the Mughals, and by extension for the French traveler. This study shows that Bernier was aware of the entanglement of nature, religion, polity, and empire in Kashmir. It demonstrates that the nature Bernier encountered ...