Kashmiri Pandit
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| Castes of India | |
| Kashmiri Pandits | |
| Classification | Brahmin |
| Subdivisions | - |
| Significant populations in | Jammu and other parts of Northern India |
| Languages | Kashmiri |
| Religions | Hinduism |
Original Kashmiri Pandit (Hindi: कश्मीरी पण्डित) refers to a person who belongs to a sect of Hindu Pandits who originate from the Kashmir region. They have been living there continuously for centuries prior to the existence of Islam. They have a recorded history in Kashmir for thousands of years and have also been mentioned in the Mahabharata. Many experts now speculate that the Aryans originated in Kashmir.
During the == Plight of Kashmiri Pandits Today ==
Thousands of displaced Kashmiri Pandits live in refugee camps even today. Their status has been described as "Refugees in their own country," and they remain the only internally displaced group within India to remain in refugee tents. Indian government statistics show that there were 55,476 registered Kashmiri Pandit families living in Jammu, 34,088 in Delhi, and 19,338 in other states receiving government support. Government-managed camps housed 5,778 families in Delhi and Jammu. The government provided monthly cash relief of $70 (Rs 3,000) and basic dry rations to the 14,869 families in Jammu. In Delhi, authorities provided $75 (Rs 3,200) to 4,100 families.8
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[edit] Kashmiri Pandit Culture
Kashmiri Pandits have made significant contributions to Indian thought and science. Abhinavagupta, Kalhana have been stalwarts in the fields of, philosophy and history respectively. Kashmir figures prominently in sanskrit poet Kalidasa's compositions but it is not known conclusively whether he hailed from that ethnicity or region. The birth place of Charaka one of the founders of ayurveda and Indian medice in general is also considered to be in Kashmir .Many Sanskritic scholars and poets(i.e. Bilhana, Mahimbhatta, Ksemraja, Vasugupta, Anandvardhana, Ksemendra) were Kashmiris. Women pandits were normally called "Panditain."
[edit] Religion
Kashmir's association with Hinduism is very old. The very name Kashmir is said to be derived from Kashyapa, one of the seven Saptarishis in Hindu mythology. Most Kashmiri Pandits are devout Shaivites, however many Kashmiri Pandit families who had migrated into other Indian territories have been ardent vaishnavites as well. Kashmir is home to some of the holiest shrines in Hinduism like Amarnath, Kheer bhawani, Shrine of Sharda, Shankaracharya Mandir, Hari Parbat, Zeethyar etc. A lot of these shrines were destroyed during and after the mass exodus of the pandits.[citation needed] others however are vaishnavites
[edit] Kashmiri Pandit family names
The most common family names among Kashmiri Pandits include: Aga, Atal, Bandhu, Bhan, Bagati, Bahadur, Bhat (with a single 't'), Butt, Bambroo, Bindroo, Budki (Burki), Channa, Chowdhary, Chakoo (Chaku), Dhar (Dar), Dass (Das), Dassi, Dembi, Dulloo, Fotedar, Ganju (Ganjoo), Ganhar, Garyali, Gigoo, Gurkha, Kaw, Gurtu, Hak, Haksar, Handoo, Hangal, Hangoo, Hoon, Hukku, Jaju, Jalali, Jotshi, Kachru (Kachroo), Kak, Kakapuri, Kar, Kappu, Katju, Kaul (Koul), Kaw, Kemmu, Khar/Kher, Karwani, Kasid, Khashu, Khandhar/Khandhari, Khazanchi, kharoo, Khosa, Kitchlu (Kitchlew), Kokru, Kukiloo, Kunzru, Langar, Lakhi, Langoo, Malla, Markande, Mantoo, Mehrishi, Munshi, Muthoo, Misri, Muttoo, Pattu, Pattu, Mattoo, Mattu, Mujoo, Mukoo, Nagu, Nath, Natu, Nehru, Ogra, Pandit, Pandita, Panjabi, Parimoo, Pattu, Potins, Qasba, Raina, Rawal, Ruggu, Rayu, Razdan, Reu, Saul, Sadhoo/Sadhu, Sahib, Sapru/Saproo, Seru, Shah, Sharga, shishoo, Shivpuri, Shrunglu, Shunglu, Sopori, Soral, Sukhia, Suri, Tufchi, Tangnu, Trisal, Thusoo, Thotha, Tankha, Tiku/Tickoo/Tikku/Tikoo, Toshkhani/Toshakhani, Turki, Vuthoo, Wakhlu, Walli, Wanchoo/Wanchu, Wantoo/Wantu, Warikoo, Wattal, Wattoo, Yaksh, Zalpuri, Zarabi, Zaroo and Zutshi. Some Kashmiri Pandits use last names which are actually titles conferred upon them by kings such as Bahadur. There are also instances of several Kashmiri Pandit families changing their names to avoid being identified and persecuted. Most of these surnames of Kashmiri Pandits relate to the place, occupation or title. For example a person belonging to Sopore became Sopori or Khazanchi (Arabic for treasurer), or Sharga (Arabic related to law), etc. however the only accurate representation of the Kashmiri Brahmins can be from their origin from Rishis. The Kashmiri Brahmins are divided into 199 exogamous sections (gotras) the members of which profess to be descended from the Rishi or inspired saint whose name the gotra bears.
[edit] Prominent Kashmiri Pandits
Grandson of Pt. Bhawani Prasad Razdan. Pt. Narain Dass Raina, Inventor, Kashmir Houseboat, father of Swami Lakshman Joo (Kashmir Shaivism), grandfather of Dr. Maharaj Krishan Raina (Indian Paper Manufacturing guru), also ancestor of Diwan Anand Kumar (Vice Chancellor of Undivided Punjab University) and Tapishwar Narain Raina (Chief of Indian Army staff and Diplomat.
[edit] Forced Migration from the Valley of Kashmir
Kashmiri Pandits have suffered crimes amounting to ethnic cleansing from the Kashmir Valley, coinciding with the onset of the Kashmiri separatist movement in 1990.6 Roughly 12000[citation needed] were killed since insurgency began in Kashmir, and 200,000 have been displaced, though some sources claim that more than four to five thousand Kashmiri Pandits were killed and more than Five hundred thousand were made homeless in the initial violence. Indian sources claim that nearly 500,000 internally displaced families of Kashmiri Hindu live in the National capital region, though this number contradicts Kashmiri Hindu estimates that 300,000 people have been forced into exile. (Delhi)8 US Rep Frank Pallone had referred to the Kashmiri Pandit movement as ethnic cleansing during his speech to the House of Representatives.6.
While most Kashmiri Hindu intellectuals vehemently deny, some Muslims have alleged the Muslim neighbors tried to save the Pandits from militants. However, many Kashmiri Hindus in refugee camps have said that their own Muslims neighbors turned against them and forced them to migrate. It's possible that both of these statements are true. Hindus probably were forced to flee by the militants, and in other instances, they were forced out by their own Muslim neighbors. In some instances, the Indian Army trucks were used to transport the Pandits to refugee camps which have led to some Muslim allegations that the Indian Army asked the Hindus to leave the valley. The army has denied this and said that the transportation was provided because the Pandits were hapless and had no other means to move to safety.
[edit] See also
- Panun Kashmir
- Brahmins
- Tulmul
- Khrew
- Hari Parbat
- Sharada Peeth
- List of topics on the land and the people of “Jammu and Kashmir”
- Zanskar-Kashmiri Pandit Music
[edit] References
3 A. http://www.ikashmir.net/crown/culture.html 3 B. Kalhaṇa, Râjatarañgiṇî, Eng. trans. M.A. Stein. 2 vols. London, 1900.
4. Ronald M. Davidson, Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002), 70.
- "Our records indicate that Brahmans crisscrossed northern India during most of the period in question, emigrating from Madhyadesa, Bengal, Magadha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kashmir, and other locales at various times to seek employment in regions such as Madhya Pradesh, the Deccan, and preeminently, Orissa."
5. Mohibbul Hasan, Kashmir Under the Sultans (Srinagar: Ali Mohammad & Sons, 1974), 28-95.
- In case a Muslim bias is suspected, Mohibbul Hasan was a Professor and Head of the Department of History, Kashmir University, Srinagar.
6. Spread of Islam in Kashmir,
Kashmir Pandits: Problem Prospects And Future by Dr. Ajay Chungroo,
Gairoo Kaa Akeyla Shiv Dr. Rajiv Kumar
7. http://www.house.gov/list/press/nj06_pallone/pr_aug24_india_letter.html
8. Statement by US Congressman Joe Wilson
9. Kashmiri Pandits still in camps after 15 years
10. Muhammad Qãsim : Tãrîkh-i-Firishta
11. [1]
12. US Department of State Country Report: India (2006)
[edit] External links
- Kashmir Herald - A Web Opinion/News Journal on Kashmir
- Shehjar e-journal of Kashmiri Pandits
- [http://www.kashmirforum.org/ A personal Journey and a Political Memoir, USA
- Kashmiri Overseas Association, Inc. (KOA), USA
- Kashmir Group
- Kashmiri-Pandit.org
- Kashmir-information.com
- Indo-American Kashmir Forum -- A U.S. based political advocacy group for the Kashmiri Pandits
- Kashmir News Network
- Panun Kashmir: A Homeland for Kashmiri Pandits
- Music from Kashmir, India
- Kashmir Overseas Association of Canada
- Video Documentary detailing the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits by Ashok Pandit
- Video Documentary on RefugeeCamps of Kashmiri Hindus by Deepak Ganju
