KASHMIRI PANDITS
The Sanskrit word Pandita means a learned man. Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. Although Generally known as Kashmiri Pandits, they refer to themselves as Bhatta or Batta, which is the Prakrit word for “great scholars.” There are no historical records of Pandits having come to Kashmir from elsewhere, though many lay observers have speculated about possible Jewish, Greek, or Persian origins.
They belong to the Pancha (five) Gauda Brahmana groups from the Kashmir Valley, a mountainous region located within the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Among Brahmans, they are identified as Saraswats. The two most commonly offered interpretations of this appellation are Brahmans who live west of the subterranean river Saraswati; or Brahmans who are devotees of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning. They are the only remaining Hindu community native to Kashmir. As Brahmins, the Kashmiri Pandits lives are dominated by their religion of Hinduism. They prefer marriage within their own group. Families arrange marriages with the consent of young people. Some Pandits are strict vegetarians while others eat meat except for beef.
The Brahmin Kashmiri Pandits consider themselves to be devout Hindus. They are followers of the ancient religion of India, Hinduism. Kashmiri Pandits are chiefly followers of Shiva, the destroyer god. Their favorite goddess is Kheer Bhawani. The spring of Kheer Bhawani at the mouth of Sind Valley in Jammu and Kashmir is considered one of their most important and sacred places. Their branch of Shiva worship is known as Kashmir Shaivism. The primary tenet of Kashmir Shaivism is that the individual soul is one with the universal. Jammu and Kashmir has also been a land of Sun worship with shrines such as Martand Temple.
Pilgrimage sites Harmukh is traditionally revered by Kashmiri Pandits. The Mata Kheerbhawani temple shrine in Srinagar considered one of the holiest Hindu shrines. The shrine is located in Tullamulla village, 24 km from Srinagar in the Ganderbal district. Henzae is an ancient traditional form of singing practised by Kashmiri Pandits at their festivals. It appears to have archaic features that suggest it is the oldest form of Kashmiri folk singing. As on date, many Brahmin Kashmiri Pandits have left their ancestral homes for other parts of India. Many have settled in the capital New Delhi and in the nearby states of Jammu. Unfortunately many are living in refugee camps hoping to find a permanent place to live.
