Srinagar, Oct. 7 -- I stepped out of the Shri Pratap Singh Museum on Srinagar's Jhelum riverfront and stopped in my tracks at the sight of a large iron object resting on a rusted trolley.

The metal was pitted and corroded, almost like bones, and bits of trash had collected inside, as if the city had simply thrown it aside.

At first, it looked like an old, forgotten barge left to rot. Then a tarnished plaque caught my eye. I had to lean in to read it: "Presented by H.M. Queen Victoria to H.H. Shree Maharaja Ranbir Singh Ji Bahadar."

I could hardly believe it. Back home, I scoured archives and sources online. It was indeed the royal steam boat, a gift from Queen Victoria to Maharaja Ranbir Singh, who ruled Jammu and Kashmir from 1857 to ...