KASHMIR & KASHMIRIYAT
Kashmir is the North western part of Indian subcontinent. It is bounded by the Uygur autonomous region of Xinjiang to the northeast & TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region) to the east. To the West & North West of Kashmir lie Pakistan & Afghanistan and to the South lie the states of Punjab & Himachal Pradesh. It is believed that an ascetic named Kashyapa reclaimed the geographical area that we know as Kashmir from a vast lake. That land was called „Kashyapamar‟ and later evolved to be known as Kashmir.
The religious history of the people of Kashmir is diverse and is the main reason why there are people of all religious identities in Kashmir today. Buddhism was introduced in Kashmir by Maurayan emperor Ashoka in third century BC. In the period from ninth century to twelfth century AD, Kashmir became a prominent hub of Hindu culture. It was ruled by Hindu kings till 1346, when the region came under Muslim rule. Kashmir was annexed to the rising Sikh empire in 1819 and then to the Dogra Kingdom of Jammu in 1846. The treaties of Lahore &Amritsar at the termination of first Sikh war in 1846, loosely defined a region to the East of Indus and West of Ravi and Maharaja Gulab Singh the Dogra ruler of Jammu was made the ruler of the region. This region can be loosely termed as Kashmir.
The rule of the Dogra kings in the Kashmir remained under the tutelage of the British till 1947 after which Kashmir saw a period of violence and turmoil leading to its partition. Thereafter Kashmir was the centre stage of numerous conflicts between India and Pakistan. The rise of militancy and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley to the Jammu region and other parts of the country are important events in the modern history of Kashmir.
„Kashmiriyat‟ is the century‟s old tradition of Kashmir of harmony & amalgamation of different religious, cultures & schools of thought. Kashmiryat is the expression of solidarity, resilience & patriotism regardless of religious differences. Kashmiriyat is the spirit that all religions will lead to the same divine goal. It is influenced by Shaivism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Sufism and also by Mughal emperor Akbar‟s philosophical religion, Din-i-Ilahi. Kashmiriyat signifies religious, cultural & social harmony amongst all the people living in Kashmir, irrespective of religion, culture & caste. It is a secular concept which believes in universal brotherhood.
There are notable examples of Kashmiriyat is ancient and modern history of Kashmir. Muslims, Hindus & Sikhs celebrate the annual Sufi festival of „Urs‟ together in Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslim carpet weavers have intricately weaved carpets with the pictures of Hindu gods & goddesses. Every year thousands of Kashmiri Hindus & Muslims celebrate the Jwalamukhi fair in Khrew where Jwala Ji Mandir is situated. Diwali and Eid are celebrated in equal fervour in Kashmir by Hindus & Muslims. In the book, „Kashmir‟s untold story Declassified‟ authors Iqbal Chand Malhotra & Maroof Raza mention that Kashmiriyat involved respecting all religious traditions & celebrating each other‟s festivals. In the 1400s, both beef and pork were dropped from Kashmiri diet.
Kashmiriyat suffered its biggest setback when the Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the valley and seek asylum in Jammu and other parts of the country. The rise of ISI sponsored militancy in the valley and radicalization of Kashmiri youth further deteriorated the spirit of religious harmony and tolerance. The rise of fundamentalism and violence over the years and the stone pelting incidents of the last few years had almost sounded the death knoll for Kashmiriyat. Chitralekha Zutshi, an acclaimed author & professor of History in William & Mary University, Virginia states “Kashmiriyat is now a bygone term, whispered in elegiac tones in some liberal living rooms or perhaps an odd classroom, accompanied by nostalgia for the good old days when peace and harmony prevailed.”
The cynics and the pessimists have every right on their views on Kashmiriyat but then famous American comedian Stephen Colbert famously said, “Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the furthest thing from it.”Kashmiriyat as a spirit of unique cultural identity is akin to the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, our national animal. It is special, unique, beautiful and majestic and deserves every bit of preservation initiatives that is being undertaken to revive its dwindling numbers. The efforts being put in have borne fruit and in last two decade and the Tiger numbers have increased substantially. Similarly, Kashmiriyat requires nurturing and prevention in these times of uncertainty and volatility. Kashmiriyat can be revived by sincere efforts by the government, cultural and civic organisations, police and military and also the religious leaders of all communities. The abrogation of article 370 has changed the dynamics in the valley and there is a sentiment of distrust & scepticism in the Muslim majority areas of the valley. The benefits or losses of the abrogation of article 370 to the various communities in the valley can be ascertained in a few years but abrogation & its impact on geopolitics of the state should only bring together the two majority religious communities of the state. There is a definite requirement of a „whole of the nation‟ approach to address this issue. The civil society has a definite role to play and the administration must include them in the process. Dialogue and discussions with members of the civil society and religious preachers will yield results.
There are no short term solutions to long drawn problems. „Kashmiriyat‟ can be revived if the administration engages constructively with the educational institutions and madarsas and also the religious leaders of all communities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spelt out in his visit to the valley -“Jamuriyat, Insaniyat, and Kasmiriyat” -there are essential. This is the land that gave birth to Sufism, which taught us to bring everyone together.” Kashmir must embrace Kashmiriyat and that in the way fwd to everlasting peace & prosperity.
