Kashmiri Hindus

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Kashmiri Hindus
Ancient Temple-Hari Parbat-2.JPG
Hari Parbat Temple in Jammu and Kashmir.
Languages
Sacred language
Sanskrit

Ethnic language
Kashmiri

Other languages
Hindi, Urdu, English
Religion
Majority
Kashmir Shaivism
Minority
Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism
Related ethnic groups
Kashmiri people, Kashmiri Muslims

Kashmiri Hindus are ethnic Kashmiris who practice Hinduism and are native to the Kashmir Valley of India. [1] With respect to their contributions to Indian philosophy, Kashmiri Hindus developed the tradition of Kashmiri Shaivism. [2] After their exodus from the Kashmir Valley in the wake of the Kashmir insurgency in the 1990s, most Kashmiri Hindus are now settled in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. The largest group of Kashmiri Hindus are the Kashmiri Pandits.

Contents

History

Ancient

During the reign of Ashoka (304–232 BCE), Kashmir became a part of the Maurya Empire and Buddhism was introduced in Kashmir. During this period, many stupas, some shrines dedicated to Shiva, and the city of Srinagari (Srinagar) were built. Kanishka (127–151 CE), an emperor of the Kushan Empire, conquered Kashmir and established the new city of Kanishkapur. [3]

Medieval

The Karkota dynasty (625–855 CE) ruled over the Kashmir and parts of northern Indian subcontinent and their rule saw political expansion, economic prosperity and emergence of Kashmir as a centre of culture and scholarship. [4] [5] Lalitaditya Muktapida (724–760 CE) was a powerful ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region in the Indian subcontinent. After the seventh century, significant developments took place in Kashmiri Hinduism. In the centuries that followed, Kashmir produced many poets, philosophers, and artists who contributed to Sanskrit literature and Hindu religion. Among notable scholars of this period was Vasugupta (c. 875–925 CE) who wrote the Shiva Sutras which laid the foundation for a monistic Shaiva system called Kashmir Shaivism. [6]

After the dawn of the Lohara dynasty, Islam had penetrated into countries outside Kashmir and in the absence of support from Hindus, who were in the majority, Rinchana needed the support of the Kashmiri Muslims. Shah Mir's coup on Rinchana's successor secured Muslim rule and the rule of his dynasty in Kashmir. [7]

Demography

The largest community within the Kashmiri Hindus are the Kashmiri Pandits (Kashmiri Brahmins), [8] [9] who are divided into several gotras, [10] such as the priests (gor or bhasha Bhatta), astrologers (Zutshi), and workers (Karkun). [11]

The Wani are historically Banias, with subcastes, such as the Kesarwani. [12] During the Mughal era, many Kesarwanis migrated to other parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. [13]

According to officials, 98,600 Kashmiri Hindus were issued domicile certificates of Jammu and Kashmir up to the end of June 2021. They further state, "90,430 domicile certificates were issued to displaced Kashmiri Pandits, while 2,340 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits were registered as fresh migrants. Of these, 8,170 individuals received the domicile certificate." [14]

On 16 May 2020, Order 52 was issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (JK DMRRR) which states that: "Bonafide migrants and bonafide displaced persons who are not yet registered with the relief and rehabilitation commissioner (migrant), Jammu and Kashmir, can apply before the competent authority for registration for purpose of issuance of a domicile certificate only." This is as long as one of the necessary documents is provided. The timeframe for registration (and claiming domicile) of Kashmiri migrants and displaced persons was later extended for the final time up to 15 May 2022. [15]

Persecution

Under the rule of Sultan Sikander Butshikan in the 14th century CE, many Kashmiri Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam. [16] [17] They began to leave the valley in much greater numbers in the 1990s during the eruption of militancy following large scale militarization of Valley.

Notable people

This is a list of notable Kashmiri Hindus.

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Kashmir</span>

The history of Kashmir is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent in South Asia with influences from the surrounding regions of Central, and East Asia. Historically, Kashmir referred to only the Kashmir Valley of the western Himalayas. Today, it denotes a larger area that includes the Indian-administered union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, the Pakistan-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmiri Pandits</span> Hindu community native to the Kashmir Valley

The Kashmiri Pandits are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from the Kashmir Valley, located within the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits are Hindu Kashmiris native to the Kashmir Valley, and the only remaining Hindu Kashmiris after the large-scale conversion of the Valley's population to Islam during medieval times. Prompted by the growth of Islamic militancy in the valley, large numbers left in the exodus of the 1990s. Even so, small numbers remain.

Bhat is a Brahmin and Muslim surname in the Indian subcontinent. Bhat and Bhatt are shortened renditions of Brahmabhatta or Bhatta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Munshi</span> Indian title for a teacher

Munshi is a Persian word, originally used for a contractor, writer, or secretary, and later used in Mughal India for native language teachers, teachers of various subjects, especially administrative principles, religious texts, science, and philosophy and were also secretaries and translators employed by Europeans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmiris</span> Ethnolinguistic group native to the Kashmir Valley

Kashmiris are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group speaking the Kashmiri language and originating from the Kashmir Valley, which is today located in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Dhar is an Indian surname. It is commonly found among the Hindu Bengali Kayastha and Baniks including Subarnabanik community in Bengal region. Dhar or Dar is also used by some Kashmiri and Punjabi-Kashmiri clans and communities native to the Kashmir Valley and Punjab, and common today among Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panun Kashmir</span> Proposed union territory of India

Panun Kashmir is a proposed union territory of India in the Kashmir Valley, which is intended to be a homeland for Kashmiri Hindus. The demand arose after the Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in 1990. The vision of the homeland was elucidated in the Margdarshan Resolution of 1991. Panun Kashmir is also the name of an eponymously named organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmiri Muslims</span> Ethnic Kashmiris who practice Islam in the Kashmir Valley

Kashmiri Muslims are ethnic Kashmiris who practice Islam and are native to the Kashmir Valley of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The majority of Kashmiri Muslims are Sunni, while Shias form a minority. They refer to themselves as "Koshur" in the Kashmiri language.

The Kesarwani, also known as Kesarvani, Keshri or Kesri, are sub Bania caste found in India. They originated in the Kashmir region and are now found in other parts of northern India, to which they migrated during the Mughal era. Kesar refers to saffron, which they traded, and Wani refers to the Kashmiri caste to which they belong.

Sapru, also spelled as Sipru or Saproo is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Haksar is a Kashmiri Pandit surname and clan. They are native to the Kashmir Valley within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and they have a long tradition of Indian administrative service based on fluency in a link language - Persian under the Mughals and English under the British. In light of this fact, the Haksar family historically became a prominent administrative family in other parts of India, namely in Indore and Gwalior.

The Kashmiri diaspora refers to Kashmiris who have migrated out of the Kashmir into other areas and countries, and their descendants.

Zutshi is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname, originating from the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, administered by India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus</span> Exodus of Hindus from the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s

The Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus, or Pandits, is their early-1990 migration, or flight, from the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley in Indian-administered Kashmir following rising violence in an insurgency. Of a total Pandit population of 120,000–140,000 some 90,000–100,000 left the valley or felt compelled to leave by the middle of 1990, by which time about 30–80 of them are said to have been killed by militants.

Wani/Vani is a surname of a caste found throughout India and Pakistan, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra. Both Wain and Wani/Vani are acceptable pronunciations.

Razdan is a Kashmiri kshatrya surname and clan that refers to the royal or aristocratic bloodline of old Kashmir, mostly attributed to the warriors of the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. They are Solar dynasty from the Kashmir Valley, belonging to the larger community of Suryavanshi and are widely known for their allegiance to Lord Shiva.

Handoo, also spelled as Handu, is a Kashmiri Pandit surname native to the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is commonly found among Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims. Handoo or Hyondu in Kashmiri, is an upper-caste. This surname descent from someone named Handoo or Hēnḍay.

Qazi is a Kashmiri Pandit clan or surname, native to the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

References

  1. ↑ Ling, Huping (2008). Emerging Voices: Experiences of Underrepresented Asian Americans. Rutgers University Press. p. 126. ISBN   9780813543420. Kashmiri Muslims represent the majority population in Kashmir Valley, while Kashmiri Hindus represent a small but significant minority community.
  2. ↑ Snedden, Christopher (15 September 2015). Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris. Hurst. p. 39. ISBN   9781849046220.
  3. ↑ Chatterjee, Suhas (1998). Indian Civilization and Culture. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN   978-81-7533-083-2.
  4. ↑ Larson, Gerald James (2007). "Nagas, Monks, Tantrics and Poets". In Pal, Pratapaditya; Ames, Frank (eds.). The arts of Kashmir. Asia Society ; 5 Continents. pp. 36–37.
  5. ↑ Witzel, Michael (2016). "Kashmiri Brahmins under the Karkota, Utpala and Lohara Dynasties, 625-1101 CE". In Franco, Eli; Ratié, Isabelle (eds.). Around Abhinavagupta: Aspects of the Intellectual History of Kashmir from the Ninth to the Eleventh Century. Leipziger Studien zu Kultur und Geschichte Süd- und Zentralasiens. Münster, Germany. pp. 609–643. ISBN   978-3-643-90697-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ↑ Art, Los Angeles County Museum of; Pal, Pratapaditya (1 January 1986). Indian Sculpture: Circa 500 B.C.-A.D. 700. University of California Press. pp.  51. ISBN   978-0-520-06477-5.
  7. ↑ Unesco (1 January 1998). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. UNESCO. pp.  306. ISBN   978-92-3-103467-1.
  8. ↑ Mufti, Gulzar (24 September 2013). Kashmir in Sickness and in Health. Partridge Publishing. p. 121. ISBN   9781482809985. Hindus of the Kashmir Valley, known as Pandits, are mostly upper caste Brahmins.
  9. ↑ Kachru, Onkar (1998). Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh. Atlantic Publishers. p. 75. ISBN   9788185495514. Taking into account decennial growth rates and migration patterns, the 1981 census data suggests that there would have been 161,000 Hindus, most of them Kashmiri Pandits, in the valley in 1991.
  10. ↑ South Asian Language Review, Volumes 3-4. Creative Publishers. 1993. p. 64. 'Kashmiri Brahmins are said to have originally belonged to only six gotras, -By intermarriage with other Brahmins the number of gotras multiplied to 199' ( Koul 1924).
  11. ↑ Nagano, Yasuhiko; Ikari, Yasuke (1993). From Vedic Altar to Village Shrine: Towards an Interface Between Indology and Anthropology. National Museum of Ethnology. p. 186. Retrieved 29 September 2017. The Hindus belong with few exceptions to the Brahman caste and are known as 'Pandits', while in other parts of India they are generally called 'Kashmiri Pandits'. These Kashmiri Brahmans are divided into three subcastes consisting, namely, of priests (gor or bhasha Bhatta), astrologers (jyotishi), and workers (karkun).
  12. ↑ Rajghatta, Chidanand (28 August 2019). "View: Most Pakistanis are actually Indians". The Economic Times . Retrieved 22 September 2019. The Indic influence extends across caste and clan. The last name of Burhan Wani, the slain jihadist now deified by separatists, is derived from the Hindu bania caste, and it further devolved into specific subcastes depending on what they traded in — for instance, those who trade in saffron became Kesarwani.
  13. ↑ Singh, K.S. (1998). India's Communities, Volume 5. Oxford University Press. p. 1663. ISBN   9780195633542. A community sometimes referred to as Kesarwani, they are reported from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, they provide histories of migration and origin which are somewhat similar. In Bihar, the Kesarwani or Kesri Bania believe that their community name indicates their original occupation of trade in kesar (saffron). They were originally the inhabitants of Kashmir who migrated to different parts of India during Mughal rule.
  14. ↑ "J&K: Over 98k Kashmiri Migrants Issued Domicile Certificates till End of June". News18. PTI. 13 August 2021.
  15. ↑ Registration of bonafide Migrants or displaced persons for the purpose of issuance of domicile certificate - regarding Govt Order No:52-JK (DMRRR) of 2020 . Govt of Jammu and Kashmir Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Civil Secretariat Jammu (DMRRR). 16 May 2020.
  16. ↑ Kaw, Maharaj Krishen (2001). Kashmiri Pandits. APH Publishing. pp. 25–26. ISBN   9788176482363. Then came the fanatical and tyrannical rule of Sultan Sikander, the iconoclast (1398-1420 CE) who let loose a sort of hell against the non-Muslims through forced conversions and widespread destruction of their religious shrines all over the Valley. Possibly, by this time, the lower Hindu castes had got converted to Islam with the help of passionate zeal of the Islamic missionaries moving freely among the socially backward and rigid Hindu caste hierarchies already shaken by the spread of the Buddhist creed when Kashmir was from a considerable period one of the staunchest centres of the anti-caste movement of the Buddhist cult.
  17. ↑ Khan, Ghulam Hassan (1973). The Kashmiri Mussulman. p. 41. This community prior to their conversion was divided amongst the Brahmin, Kshatria, Vaish, and Shudr castes.
  18. 1 2 Thomas-Symonds, Nicklaus (30 July 2010). Attlee: A Life in Politics. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 182. ISBN   978-0-85771-066-6.
  19. ↑ Singh, Kuldeep (2 December 1998). "Obituary: P.N. Haksar". www.independent.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  20. ↑ Mohan Kumar (1981). Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru: a political biography. Vipul Prakashan. Retrieved 25 March 2007. Even now there are many distinguished scholars of Persian among the Kashmiri Brahmins in India. Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and Raja Narendranath to mention two of them.
  21. ↑ "Kashmiri Pandit soldiers to the fore". Hindustan Times. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  22. ↑ @sanjivbhatt (14 April 2018). "985204040500957185" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 March 2022– via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Dean, Riaz (2019). Mapping The Great Game: Explorers, Spies & Maps in Nineteenth-century Asia. Oxford: Casemate (UK). pp. 41, 57. ISBN   978-1-61200-814-1.
  24. ↑ "Genocide of Hindus in Kashmir". Suruchi Prakashan. 1991.
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