Kashmiri people
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| Muhammad Iqbal • • Mohan Lal • Mahjoor • | |||||||||
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Kashmiri |
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Other Dardic peoples |
The Kashmiri people (Kashmiri: , کٲشُر Koshur) are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language. Kashmiri is "a Northwestern Dardic language of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian subfamily of the Indo-European language family."[8] which is also known as Koshur.
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[edit] History
Originally, the Kashmiris were mostly Hindus or Buddhist. Islam was introduced by Sufi saints from Central Asia, Hazrat Bulbul Shah of Anatolia and Hazrat Shah Hamadan of Hamadan, being the most prominent of them. Prince Rinchin of Ladakh, a Buddhist who was living in Jammu & Kashmir at the time came under the influence of Saint Bulbul Shah and converted to Islam. Later on, after the defeat of the Hindu ruler Suhadeva or suhadave [red giant] by Dulchu, Rinchin became King of Jammu & Kashmir and adopted the name Malik Saduruddin after converting. The Islamic influence on the Kashmiri population resulted in Islamic conversions. A majority of Kashmiri Pandits converted to Islam and became Muslims during the reign of Alamgir Aurangzeb. However, there are still communities of Hindus and Sikhs living in the Kashmir Valley, the former being known as Kashmiri Pandits.
[edit] Conversion to Islam
Islam had swayed over vast territories around Kashmir, and the new faith had made its entry gradually into Kashmir. By the 14th century, Islam gradually became the dominant religion in Kashmir Valley, starting with the conversion in 1323 of Rincana, the first king of a new dynasty from Ladakh, at the hands of the famous saint, Bulbul Shah. After conversion to Islam He named Himself as MALIK SADUR-UD-DIN .The First ever Muslim Ruler of Kashmir. He was subsequently liquidated by the Kashmiris. The majority of the Brahmins of Kashmir (Pandits) converted into Islam and a few from Afghanistan and Iran also settled in Kashmir and vice-versa. Many of these people retain their identity. The Muslims and Hindus of Kashmir lived in relative harmony as under the Sufi (Islam) and Reshi (Hindu) tradition of Kashmir. Other Kashmiri rulers such as Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, were tolerant of all religions in a manner comparable to Akbar. In the late 18th century during the reign of Emperor Alamgir, many converted to Islam. Today, many people are Muslims, although some (Kashmiri Pandits) still practice Hinduism.[9]
[edit] Migration
[edit] Drought of 1800
During 1800, a massive drought swept across Kashmir, which caused many in the region to migrate out of the Kashmir Valley, and south of the Jehlum River into what the Punjab region.[10][11] Those who migrated entered mainly into agriculture, and by the 1820s, after the drought passed, many of the Kashmiri immigrants returned to the Kashmir Valley. Some, however, remained in Punjab as they had settled comfortably. Some chose to continue migrating southwards, eventually settling in the old city of Lahore mainly at Delhi gate and Bhatti gate.[12]
[edit] Culture
The social structure is based on the extended family. However the wider kinship network of biraderi and how it impacts on relations and mobilization is equally important. The extended family is of fundamental importance as a unit of decision making and with respect to the relations of its members with wider society. The institution of biraderi*mdash;which loosely means brotherhood—provides a useful collective framework for promoting mutual well-being. This is achieved through help and co-operation in social, economic and political spheres and it reinforces a sense of belonging and collective self-assurance.[13]
[edit] Languages
Those who reside in the Kashmir Valley speak Koshur which is classified as part of the Dardic sub-group of the Indo-Aryan languages. These people include the Kashmiri Pandits and the Kashmiri Muslims, all of whom reside only in the Valley, which is the correct term for the original ancient Kashmir. The word "Koshur" means Kashmiri in the Koshur Kashmiri language. The other tribes of Jammu and Kashmir do not speak in this language and are different from the kashmiri people in terms of language, culture and cuisine.
[edit] Ethnic variation as shown by linguistics
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The population living in the Kashmir Valley is Dardic speaking. They are different in culture, language and ethnic origin from the peoples of Azad Kashmir. The people living in Ladakh are primarily Buddhist and of Tibetan origins.
[edit] References
- ^ Abstract of speakers’ strength of languages and mother tongues – 2001, Census of India (retrieved 14 May 2008)
- ^ Ethnologue report for Kashmiri language, Ethnologue (retrieved 11 May 2010)
- ^ http://www.yespakistan.com/kashmir/kashmirdemographicdata.asp
- ^ http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/1170952.pdf
- ^ a b c "Kashmiri: A language of India". Ethnologue. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kas. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- ^ http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/insights/insight20010101a.html
- ^ "Safety fears for Kashmir's Sikhs". BBC News. 21 March 2000. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/685479.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ UCLA Languages Project: Kashmirihttp://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=198&menu=004
- ^ A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and Northwest Provinces, compiled by H.A. Rose, Vol II, Page 98
- ^ A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province. Nirmal Publishers and Distributors. http://books.google.com/books?id=LPsvytmN3mUC&pg=PA479&dq=malik+kashmir+caste&hl=en&ei=OPjxTISOA4GC8gb92eThDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=malik%20kashmir%20caste&f=false. Retrieved 2007–03–25. "The most important Kashmiri element in the Punjab is found in the cities of Ludhiana and Amritsar, which still contain large colonies of weavers, employed in weaving carpets and finer fabrics."
- ^ Kashmiris’ contribution to Ludhianvi culture. The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030724/ldh1.htm. Retrieved 2007–03–25. "In fact, the Ludhiana hosiery industry owes its origin to Kashmiris. According to the Ludhiana District Gazetteer, during a devastating famine in the 19th century a number of Kashmiris migrated to Ludhiana. They are known world over for their handicraft skills. They started weaving woollen fabric here. Slowly the trade got popular and Ludhiana started to be identified with hosiery only."
- ^ http://www.sam.gov.tr/perceptions/Volume9/June-August2004/hilali.pdf
- ^ Diasporic Communities and Identity Formation:
[edit] Further reading
- Kashmir Return of Democracy By Yodhishter Kahul, Yudhistar ed Kahol
- The Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Hopes of Peace By Šumit Ganguly
[edit] See also
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