RESURRECTION OF KASHMIRIYAT– NEED OF THE HOUR

During the Partition of the country, when riots were starting all across India, Kashmir seemed to be a peaceful place, urging Mahatma Gandhi to say that if he saw any ray of hope, it was in Kashmir.Kashmiriyat is a term rooted with deep motions, harmony, a sense of equilibrium, hospitality, non-violence, mutual accommodation, good will, and love that people of Kashmir have for each other. A tradition which flourished due to the mutual efforts towards coexisting peacefully, embraced by both the religions. This is a concept being promoted by the State which shows that Hindus and Muslims have been living happily for a long time, coexisting despite divergent views and religious beliefs in the valley of Kashmir. When the Mughals first entered the valley of Kashmir, Emperor Akbar was positively surprised at the harmony between the Hindus and Muslims with which they lived amicably. Zain-ul-Abideen, Bud Shah, the great king who ruled for fifty years, never discriminated between the Hindus and Muslims.Today, the term Kashmiriyat is widely accepted in the discourse of Kashmir, It normally signifies the sociocultural Kashmiri identity which is indigenously secular. The people of Kashmir stitched together by their very own Kashmiri language, celebrate their culture and collective identity, ‘Kashmiriyat’, which transcends the religious boundaries, further strengthening the bedrock of exquisite bond between both the sects.The disputed land of Kashmir enjoys significant ethnic, cultural diversity. The region has historically been an important centre for Hindus and Buddhists. Islam slowly made inroads in medieval times and Sikhism also spread to the region under the rule of the Sikh Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. In Kashmir, the Hazratbal shrine houses a relic that is believed to be the heir of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. It is also said that Guru Nanak also travelled to Kashmir in his journey of seeking religious enlightenment. Hence giving Kashmir, a significant place in the mythology and history of all four religions and slowly transcending into Sufism.Kashmiriyat is believed to embody an ethos of harmony and a determination of survival of the people and their heritage. The social domination along with unsteady economic order in the Kashmir Valley created room for Sufism, which appeared as a reaction of the spirit, against the letter, by preaching the beacon of love, compassion, humanity and an ideology where caste hierarchy & individual’s financial status did not matter. Kashmiriyat has been strongly influenced by Kashmir Shaivism, Buddhism and Sufism, carrying a firm conviction that any and every religion will lead to the same divine goal.This way of life was further influenced by philosophies and traditions st by the Mughal emperor Akbar in his genesis of a syncretic philosophy – Din-I-Illahi, which emphasised the blending of Hindu and Muslim ideals and values, the spirit and central principles of which were adapted from Sufism.Kashmiriyat was affirmed by Kashmiri sultan Zain Ul Abidin. The Kashmiri mystical story Lal Ded (also called Laleswari), in which her body turned into a mound of flowers and was buried by people of all religions together and serves as the emblem of Kashmiriyat that keeps it alive today.Another emblem is seen in the JwalaMukhi mela hosted by Jwala Mukhi Mandir, located in Khrew, Jammu and Kashmir, attended and jointly celebrated with full enthusiasm by all the religions, keeping the essence of Kashmiriyat alive. All the religions come together and celebrate the annual Sufi festival of urs together in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslim carpet weavers have meticulously designed carpets that feature the Hindu deities Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and other godly motifs.In the spirit of Kashmiriyat festivals of Hinduism and Islam are celebrated by the followers of both the faiths.The Kashmiri collective identity has been lost since the onset of extremism and gun culture in the Valley, and the term Kashmiriyat has ultimately lost it’s meaning and charm. While, not everything should be considered to be a lost cause and in order to rein still Kashmiri culture to withstand the test of time, a different approach needs to be taken. It should be binded by literature and music to foster a sense of pride in the Kashmiri heritage, launching initiatives for preserving and restoring Sufi shrines and emphasising on wearing the traditional attire. These are a few steps that could be taken towards the revival of Kashmiriyat.The narrative might be slipping today but Kashmir needs a softer approach as rightly addressed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ‘Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat’ that touched something in the Kashmiri spirit.Tolerance, compassion and empathy are some words that describe Kashmiriyat.inthe truest sense…

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