''Kashmiriyat'' (also spelled as ''Kashmiriat'') is the centuries-old indigenous tradition of communal harmony and religious
syncretism in the
Kashmir Valley in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n-administered
union territory of
Jammu and Kashmir. Emerging around the 16th century, it is characterised by religious and cultural harmony,
patriotism and pride for their mountainous homeland of
Kashmir.
Kashmiriyat exemplifies the joint Hindu-Muslim culture, festivals, language, cuisine and clothing in the Kashmir Valley.
In the spirit of Kashmiriyat, festivals of Hinduism and Islam are celebrated by adherents of both faiths.
Kashmiriyat, with the
Hindu-Muslim unity it encourages, was promoted by Kashmiri sultan
Zain-ul-Abidin
, spouse =
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, house = Shah Mir dynasty
, father = Sikandar Shah Miri
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, birth_date = 25 November 1395
, birth_place = Kashmir, Shah ...
; the story of the Kashmiri mystic
Lal Ded (also called Lalleswari), in which her body turned into a mound of flowers that was buried by both Hindus and Muslims, serves as an emblem of Kashmiriyat that keeps it alive today.
In recent 2007 poll conducted by the
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) is an Indian research institute for the social sciences and humanities. It was founded in 1963 by Rajni Kothari and is largely funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research Govt ...
in New Delhi, 84 percent of people in
Srinagar want to see the return of
Kashmiri Pandits. A 2001 MORI survey of popular opinion in the then-state of
Jammu and Kashmir, including the
Kashmir Valley, found 92% respondents opposed to the state being divided on the basis of religion or ethnicity. However, scholar
Christopher Snedden
Christopher Snedden is an Australian political scientist and author. He has studied and published on the long-running Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan. In his book, ''The Untold Story of the People of Azad Kashmir'' (2012), he proposed ...
states that the concept of Kashmiriyat has been 'romanticised' and Kashmiriyat could not prevent antipathy and rivalry between the
Kashmiri Pandit
The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) 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, a mountainous region l ...
s and the
Kashmiri Muslims.
Origins
The disputed territory of Kashmir enjoys significant ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. The region has historically been an important centre for
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
.
Islam made inroads in medieval times, and
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
also spread to the region under the rule of the
Sikh Empire
The Sikh Empire was a state originating in the Indian subcontinent, formed under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who established an empire based in the Punjab. The empire existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahor ...
in the 18th and 19th centuries. Kashmir has a significant place in the
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
and history of Hinduism and Buddhism. The region is home to many legendary Hindu and Buddhist monuments and institutions. The
Hazratbal shrine houses a relic that is believed to be the hair of
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
, the prophet of Islam. In his journeys seeking religious enlightenment,
Guru Nanak
Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...
travelled to Kashmir. Kashmiris believe that the ideas of ''Kashmiriyat'' the rule of Sultan
Zain ul Abedin, who gave equal protection, importance and patronage to Kashmir's different religious communities.
The tale of the Kashmiri mystic
Lal Ded, whose body is said to have turned into a mound of flowers that was buried by both Hindus and Muslims, is an ancient emblem of the spirit of Kashmiriyat.
Philosophy
Kashmir's existence is characterised by its insular Himalayan geography, harsh winter climate and isolation in economic and political terms. The region has also seen political turmoil and foreign invasions. ''Kashmiriyat'' is believed to be an expression of solidarity, resilience and patriotism regardless of religious differences.
It is believed to embody an ethos of harmony and a determination of survival of the people and their heritage. To many Kashmiris, ''Kashmiriyat'' demanded religious and social harmony and brotherhood. It has been strongly influenced by
Kashmir Shaivism,
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
and
Sufism, carrying a long-standing conviction that any and every religion will lead to the same divine goal.
Kashmir was also influenced by the Mughal emperor
Akbar's genesis of a syncretic philosophy of ''
Din-i-Illahi'', which emphasized the blending of Hindu and Muslim ideals and values. Works in the Kashmiri language, art, culture and literature strongly expound and emphasize ''Kashmiriyat'' as a way of life.
However, the impact and importance of ''Kashmiriyat'' has been concentrated in the
Kashmir Valley only, which is the real historical Kashmir. The farther regions of
Gilgit,
Baltistan,
Jammu
Jammu is the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi, the city of Jammu, with an area of ...
and
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu ...
have not been influenced by this philosophy, as these regions are not Kashmiri in terms of culture, language or ethnicity.
Notable examples
Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs celebrate the annual
Sufi festival of
urs
Urs (from ''‘Urs'') or ''Urus'' (literal meaning wedding), is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint, usually held at the saint's dargah (shrine or tomb). In most Sufi orders such as Naqshbandiyyah, Suhrawardiyya, Chishtiyya, Qadiriyya, etc ...
together in the Indian union territory of
Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmiri Muslim carpet weavers have designed carpets that feature the Hindu deities
Durga,
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
and
Saraswati
Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati.
The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...
.
Every year on 16 July, the Jwalamukhi Fair is held in the city of
Khrew
Khrew or Khreuh is a town under municipal committee in Pulwama district in the Indian States and territories of India, union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It comes under Tehsil Pampore and District Pulwama o ...
, which hosts the
Jwala Ji Mandir, and is attended by Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims.
During the celebration of
Eid, it is common for Hindus to wish their Muslim neighbours, a practice that Pran Koul states exemplified the "culture of Kashmiriyat in full".
Modern challenges
The culture and ethos of ''Kashmiriyat'' was greatly eroded at the onset of the
Kashmir conflict
The Kashmir conflict is a territorial conflict over the Kashmir region, primarily between India and Pakistan, with China playing a third-party role. The conflict started after the partition of India in 1947 as both India and Pakistan claimed ...
, when the region was claimed by
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
and
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and its territory divided during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. In the political debate on sovereignty over Kashmir, some interpret ''Kashmiriyat'' as
nationalism
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
and an expression for political independence from both Pakistan and India. The onset of
militancy in Kashmir from 1989 has led to the exodus of almost all Hindus from Kashmir and violent attacks against the remaining communities of Hindus and Sikhs, further eroding the fabric of ''Kashmiriyat''.
Amidst the wider dispute between India and Pakistan. Conscious efforts to revive ''Kashmiriyat'' have been made by various communities of Muslims and Hindus through united opposition to violence in the state.
Efforts to promote ''Kashmiriyat'' through cultural activities, social programmes and literature have increased throughout Jammu and Kashmir and amongst expatriate Kashmiri communities.
See also
*
Composite nationalism
Composite nationalism ( Hindustani: ''mushtareka wataniyat'' or ''muttahidah qaumiyat'') is a concept that argues that the Indian nation is made of up people of diverse cultures, castes, communities, and faiths. The idea teaches that "nationali ...
*
Punjabiyat, a similar tradition of multi-religious unity in the neighbouring Punjab region
*
Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb
''Ganga–Jamuni Tehzeeb'' ( Hindustani for ''Ganges–Yamuna Culture''), also spelled as ''Ganga-Jamni Tehzeeb'' or just Hindustani Tehzeeb, is the high culture that arose in the Yamuna-Gangetic plains of northern India, the Hindustan region ...
*
Hindu–Muslim unity
*
Phool Walon Ki Sair
References
Further reading
Farooq Abdullah defines ‘Kashmiriat’; 24 March 2009; The Hindu, India's National Newspaper*
External links
KashmiriatSpirit of ''Kashmiriat''
{{Jammu and Kashmir freedom movement
Indian philosophy
Indian culture
Culture of Kashmir
Religion in Jammu and Kashmir
Hinduism and Islam