51-554: Sapru , also spelled as Sipru or Saproo is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir , India. Kashmiri Pandit Ethnic language Kashmiri The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins ) are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from
102-611: A chance of being poisoned. The Sultan died on his bed on 5 May 1470 and was buried in the Mazar-e-Salatin in Srinagar on 12 May. Kashmir fell into several days of mourning after the demise of the Budshah. Zayn al-Abidin is acknowledged by scholars as a great ruler of Kashmir. Historian Mohibbul Hasan calls him the greatest of all the sultans of Kashmir, who provided half a century of "peace, prosperity and benevolent rule" to
153-490: A consequence of invasion so much as because of internal problems resulting from the weak rule and corruption endemic in the Hindu Lohara dynasty . Mohibbul Hasan describes this collapse as The Dãmaras (feudal chiefs) grew powerful, defied royal authority, and by their constant revolts plunged the country into confusion. Life and property were not safe, agriculture declined, and there were periods when trade came to
204-549: A force that conquered many regions of the Kashmir Valley. However, Zulju was probably not a Muslim. The actions of Sultan Sikandar Butshikan (1389–1413), the seventh Muslim ruler in Kashmir were also significant to the area. The Sultan has been referred to as an iconoclast because of his destruction of many non-Muslim religious symbols and the manner in which he forced the population to convert or flee. Many followers of
255-428: A land of Sun worship with shrines such as Martand Sun Temple established by Lalitaditya Muktapida . Sun worship is believed to have been brought into Kashmir by Kushan kings from Iran. Lalitaditya's predecessor, Ranaditya, is said to have built the first sun temple. Wanvun singing is an integral part of Kashmiri Pandit religious ceremonies. Harmukh is traditionally revered by Kashmiri Pandits and in 2009 there
306-517: A political party in Jammu and Kashmir, advocates for two Union Territories in Kashmir, one being Panun Kashmir for Kashmiri Hindus. According to the 1941 census, there were 78,800 Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir Valley. They were distributed into the two districts of Valley, the Baramulla district, where Hindus constituted 2.1 per cent of the population; 12,919 Hindus out of 612,428 total. and
357-436: A standstill. Socially and morally too the court and the country had sunk to the depths of degradations. The Brahmins had something to be particularly unhappy about during the reign of the last Lohara king, for Sūhadeva chose to include them in his system of onerous taxation, whereas previously they appear to have been exempted. Zulju, who was probably a Mongol from Turkistan , wreaked devastation in 1320, when he commanded
408-542: A survey in 2008 and 2009, said that 399 Kashmiri Pandits were killed by insurgents from 1990 to 2011 with 75% of them being killed during the first year of the Kashmiri insurgency. The exiled community had hoped to return after the situation improved. They have not done so because the situation in the Valley remains unstable and they fear a risk to their lives. As of October 2015, only 1 Kashmiri Pandit family returned to
459-417: A type of turban referred to as a shirahshata , while footwear consisted of leather shoes and boots, worn with socks. Some items were elaborate, such as the peacock shoes – known as mayuropanah – worn by followers of fashion, and steel-soled shoes adorned with floral designs, lubricated internally with beeswax . They also wear the mekhalā, which is a type of girdle . There are many references to
510-589: Is an unauthorised occupant or recipient of any usufruct of any immovable property of the migrant shall pay to the migrant such compensation for the period of unauthorised occupation and in such a manner as may be determined by the District Magistrate." Following the migration of the Kashmiri Pandit community, various socio-political organisations have sprung up to represent the cause of the displaced community. The most prominent among these are
561-556: The All India Kashmiri Samaj or AIKS, All India Kashmiri Pandit conference, Panun Kashmir & Kashmiri Samiti . These organisations are involved in rehabilitation of the community in the valley through peace negotiations, mobilisation of human rights groups and job creation for the Pandits. Panun Kashmir has made demands for a separate homeland for the community in the southern part of Kashmir. Ikkjutt Jammu ,
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#1732776277383612-461: The Anantnag district, where they were 7.84 per cent of the population. Scholar Christopher Snedden states that the Pandits made up about 6 per cent of the Kashmir Valley's population in 1947. By 1950, their population declined to 5 per cent as many Pandits moved to other parts of India due to the uncompensated land redistribution policy, the unsettled nature of Kashmir's accession to India and
663-594: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir noted that 808 Pandit families, comprising 3,445 people, were still living in the Valley and that financial and other incentives put in place to encourage others to return there had been unsuccessful. According to a J&K government report, 219 members of the community had been killed in the region between 1989 and 2004 but none thereafter. The local organisation of pandits in Kashmir , Kashmir Pandit Sangharsh Samiti after carrying out
714-554: The Indo-Islamic architecture . Zayn al-Abidin was succeeded as sultan by his son, Haji Khan, later known as Haider Shah . After Sultan of Kashmir Sikandar Shah defeated the chief of Ohind , Firuz, in the early part of his reign, Sikandar married his daughter Mira Khatun as a form of sovereignty. Ghiyath al-Din Shah Rukh Shahi Khan was born to them on 25 November 1395 (the eleventh day of Safar , 798 AH ) at
765-632: The Jammu Division of the State and the National Capital Region of India. Some emigrated to other countries entirely. By 2011, only an estimated 2,700-3,400 Pandits remained in the Kashmir Valley . According to Indian government, more than 60,000 families are registered as Kashmiri migrants including some Sikh and Muslim families. Most families were resettled in Jammu, NCR and other neighbouring states. Kashmir has also been
816-452: The Kashmir Valley , located within the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir . Kashmiri Pandits are Hindu Kashmiris native to the Kashmir Valley, and the only remaining Hindu Kashmiris after the large-scale of conversion of the Valley's population to Islam during the medieval times. Prompted by the growth of Islamic militancy in the valley, large numbers left in the exodus of
867-520: The 1990s. Other authors have suggested a higher figure for the exodus, ranging from the entire population of over 150,000, to 190,000 of a total Pandit population of 200,000, to a number as high as 800,000. The nature of the planned exodus has remain controversial, with the involvement of then Governor Jagmohan in organising a clandestine exodus been a subject of controversy. Many of the refugee Kashmiri Pandits have been living in abject conditions in refugee camps of Jammu. The government has reported on
918-532: The 1990s. Even so, small numbers remain. The Hindu caste system of the Kashmir region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka , around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the traditional lines of varna were blurred, with the exception of that for the Brahmins. Another notable feature of early Kashmiri society was the relative high regard in which women were held when compared to their position in other communities of
969-747: The Great , was the ninth sultan of the Kashmir Sultanate , ruling first from 1418 to 1419 and then from 1420 to 1470. He was famously called Budshah (Great King) by his subjects. The first 35 years of his reign are described by Jonaraja in the Rajatarangini Dvitiya , while the subsequent years are described by his pupil, Srivara , in the Rajatarangini Tritiya . The Sultan also composed poetry in Persian under
1020-649: The Kashmir valley since 1990 according to the Jammu & Kashmir government despite the financial assistance being given for rehabilitation. As of 2016, a total of 1,800 Kashmiri Pandit youths have returned to the valley since the announcing of Rs. 1,168-crore package in 2008 by the UPA government. There are zones set up with offices for relief. Many Orders, Circulars and recommendations have been issued for relief of Kashmiri Pandits. The Jammu And Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection And Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997, provides that "Any person who
1071-435: The Kashmiri language) which is one of the major festivals of Kashmiri Pandits. Navreh or the Kashmiri lunar new year is also an important Pandit festival. Kshemendra 's detailed records from the eleventh century describe many items of which the precise nature is unknown. It is clear that tunics known as kanchuka were worn long-sleeved by men and in both long- and half-sleeved versions by women. Caps were worn, as well as
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#17327762773831122-643: The Muslim faith, as well as becoming involved in the restoration of temples. He respected the learning of these Pandits, to whom he gave land as well as encouraging those who had left to return. He operated a meritocracy and both Brahmins and Buddhists were among his closest advisors. D.L. Sheth, the former director of the Center for the Study of Developing Societies in India (CSDS) , lists Indian communities that constituted
1173-640: The Probasi and the Bhadralok Bengalis ; the Parsis and the upper crusts of Muslim and Christian communities. According to P.K. Verma, "Education was a common thread that bound together this pan Indian elite" and almost all the members of these communities could read and write English and were educated beyond school. The Kashmiri Pandits had been a favoured section of the population of the valley during Dogra rule (1846–1947). 20 per cent of them left
1224-710: The Raja of Jammu, entered the Valley. Zayn al-Abidin marched against him through the Baramulla pass. Both the forces met at Uri but Ali Shah was defeated again. The fate of Ali Shah is uncertain: he may have died in captivity or have been put to death by Khokhar. Although fundamentally a peaceful man, Zayn al-Abidin was protective of his territory. He raised and led an army to stabilise the fractious areas of Ladakh and Baltistan which had originally been conquered by his grandfather, Shihabu'd-Din Shah , and then had become independent on his death until Sikander reasserted control. With
1275-411: The advice of his father-in-law to hold back until the Jammu army could join him. According to Srivara , Ali Shah was killed by Jasrat. However, later Persian chronicles state that he was able to escape from the battlefield. Zayn al-Abidin was then able to return to the capital city of Srinagar , where he was welcomed by his subjects. This however did not end the civil war as Ali Shah with the support from
1326-417: The arrival of Ali Shah on the throne, the territories had once again begun to assert their independence and Zayn al-Abidin recognised that they had an economic and strategic significance which entailed that they could not be allowed to secede. Similarly, he regained control of Ohind , the chief of which had been overcome by Sikander but had then announced independence during the period of rule by Ali Shah. He
1377-470: The community, as well as the legitimacy conferred upon them by association. The outcome of this shift both in population and in religion was that the Kashmir Valley became a predominantly Muslim region. It was during the 14th century that the Kashmiri Pandits likely split into their three subcastes: Guru/Bāchabat (priests), Jotish (astrologers), and Kārkun (who were historically mainly employed by
1428-715: The financial means to do so. 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. The Kashmiri Pandits have a tradition of consuming meat, including mutton and fish, but they obey restrictions laid down by the shastras of not eating the meat of forbidden animals such as beef and pork. Frederick J. Simoons says that according to some reports, Kashmiri Pandits also consume fish as part of their diet. The Kashmiri Pandits are divided into three subcastes: Guru/Bāchabat (priests), Jotish (astrologers), and Kārkun (who were historically mainly employed by
1479-749: The government). All three subcastes interdine and interteach, but only the Jotish and Kārkun subcastes intermarry. Kashmiri Hindus are Saraswat Brahmins and are known by the exonym Pandit . Kashmiri Hindus society reckons descent patrilineally. Certain property and titles may be inherited through the male line, but certain inheritances may accrue through the female line. Some prominent Kashmiri Pandit krams include: Zayn al-Abidin (sultan of Kashmir) Ghiyath al-Din Shah Rukh Shahi Khan ( Persian : غیاث الدین شاه رخ شاهی خان , romanized : Ghiyāth al-Dīn Shāh Rukh Shāhī Khān ; 25 November 1395 – 5 April 1470), commonly known as Zayn al-Abidin
1530-441: The government). The majority of Kashmiri Brahmins are Kārkuns, and this is likely due to the conversion of the majority of Kashmiris to Islam, which led to a decrease in demand for Hindu priests, which led most Kashmiri Brahmins to seek secular employment. Butshikan's heir, the devout Muslim Zain-ul-Abidin (1423–74), was tolerant of Hindus to the extent of sanctioning a return to Hinduism of those who had been forcibly converted to
1581-423: The latter being sent to him when he commented that an original gift of precious stones was of less interest to him than a gift of a learned nature would have been. During the last days of his reign, his three sons, Adam Khan, Haji Khan and Bahram Khan rebelled against him but he took energetic measures to crush them. He was succeeded by his son Haji Khan, who took the title of Haidar Khan. Zayn al-Abidin enforced
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1632-402: The males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed. Those who chose to the first of these were told to leave their women behind. The Kashmiri Muslims were instructed to identify Pandit homes so they could be systematically targeted for conversion or killing. According to a number of authors, approximately 100,000 of the total Kashmiri Pandit population of 140,000 left the valley during
1683-617: The middle class and were traditionally "Urban and professional " (following professions like doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, etc.) immediately after Independence in 1947. This list included the Kashmiri Pandits, the Nagar Brahmins from Gujarat; the South Indian Brahmins; the Punjabi Khatris , and Kayasthas from northern India; Chitpawans and CKPs ( Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus ) from Maharashtra;
1734-462: The new town of Naushahr, which is now part of Srinagar, to serve as his capital. The pièce de résistance of the new capital was a spectacular 50-room palace built out of wood. Mirza Haidar Dughlat described this palace as having 12 storeys, a dome made out of gold, and halls lined with glass. Besides Naushahr, Zayn al-Abidin founded at least three other towns: Zaynapur, Zaynagir, and Zaynakot. Zaynagir boasted an impressive palace of its own, which
1785-532: The peasants much needed tax relief. Zayn al-Abidin earned a name for himself for his policy of religious toleration and public welfare activities. He abolished Jaziya on the Hindus of Kashmir. Although he was a Muslim ruler, he banned the slaughter of cows. He extended liberal patronage to Sanskrit language and literature. He knew Persian , Sanskrit , and Tibetan. The Mahabharata and Kalhana's Rajatarangini were translated into Persian by his order. He
1836-487: The pen name of Qutb . Under half a century of Zayn al-Abidin's rule, Kashmir enjoyed a stable economy, which led to a commercial expansion. Diplomatic missions were sent to various countries, expanding trade and commerce. This increased the central markets in Srinagar and Anantnag . Education and culture , along with literary traditions like poetry, were extended in his reign. Kashmiri architecture found its way through
1887-400: The period. A historically contested region, Northern India was subject to attack from Turkic and Arab regimes from the eighth century onwards, but they generally ignored the mountain-circled Kashmir Valley in favour of easier pickings elsewhere. It was not until the fourteenth century that Muslim rule was finally established in the Valley and when this happened it did not occur primarily as
1938-485: The reclaimed island, which was dubbed Zaynalank. The only buildings commissioned by Zayn al-Abidin that still exist are the tomb of his mother, and the mosque and tomb of Madani. At the end of his career, the Sultan suffered from amnesia . He neglected his official duties and let the ministers do the paperwork. He also developed a persecution delusion as he abstained from the food given to him by his ministers, fearing
1989-473: The royal palace in Srinagar. On 30 December 1416 (on the day of Eid al-Adha ), Shahi Khan assassinated the rebellious Wazir of Sultan Ali Shah , Hamsabhatta, in the Eidgah . Ali Shah, who was glad at his fall, appointed Shahi Khan as his Wazir. Shahi Khan was given the charge of the sultanate, when his elder brother, Ali Shah, left on a pilgrimage to Mecca . It was at this time that Ali Shah gave Shahi Khan
2040-417: The system of responsibility of the village communities for local crimes. He regulated the price of the commodities. He stabilized the currency which had been debased during the reign of his predecessors. He was responsible for a large number of public works. He founded several new cities, built many bridges and dug many irrigation canals. He also prevented the local governors from exacting illegal taxes and gave
2091-696: The terrorist threats to Pandits still living in the Kashmir region. Some Hindus across India tried to help the Pandits. Bal Thackeray from Maharashtra got seats reserved in engineering colleges for the children of these Pandits. He was one of the first persons to help them after which Punjab also followed suit. In 2009 the Oregon Legislative Assembly passed a resolution to recognise 14 September 2007, as Martyrs Day to acknowledge ethnic cleansing and campaigns of terror inflicted on non-Muslim minorities of Jammu and Kashmir by terrorists seeking to establish an Islamic state . In 2010,
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2142-482: The threat of economic and social decline. In the 1981 census, the Kashmir Division had 124,078 Hindus, the majority of whom were Pandits. Scholar Alexander Evans estimates by 1990, there would have been 160,000–170,000 Pandits in the Kashmir Valley. Following the 1989 insurgency , a great majority of Pandits felt threatened and left the Kashmir Valley for other parts of India. A large number settled in
2193-497: The title of Zayn al-Abidin (ornament of worshippers). Although a religious man, Ali Shah was weak-willed and his desire to attain Mecca buckled under descriptions of the arduous journey ahead. He abandoned his pilgrimage when he arrived at the court of his father-in-law, the Raja of Jammu Bhim Dev, and raised an army consisting of soldiers from Jammu and Rajauri in order to regain his throne. The ancient texts vary regarding why it
2244-419: The traditional religions who did not convert to Islam instead migrated to other parts of India. The migrants included some Pandits, although it is possible that some of this community relocated for economic reasons as much as to escape the new rulers. Brahmins were at that time generally being offered grants of land in other areas by rulers seeking to utilise the traditionally high literacy and general education of
2295-489: The valley as a consequence of the 1950 land reforms, and by 1981 the Pandit population amounted to 5 per cent of the total. They began to leave in much greater numbers in the 1990s during the eruption of militancy, following persecution and threats by radical Islamists and militants. The events of 19 January 1990 were particularly vicious. On that day, mosques issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that
2346-442: The wearing of jewellery by both sexes, but a significant omission from them is any record of the dejihor worn on the ear by women today as a symbol of their being married. Kaw has speculated that this item of jewellery may not have existed at the time. The texts also refer to both sexes using cosmetics, and to the women adopting elaborate hairstyles. Men, too, might adopt stylish arrangements and wear flowers in their hair, if they had
2397-517: Was an attempt by them to revive pilgrimages to the site. The Mata Kheerbhawani temple shrine in Srinagar , considered one of the holiest Hindu shrines, saw the largest gathering of Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir valley in 2012. The shrine is located in Tullamulla village, 24 km from Srinagar in Ganderbal district. The Kashmiri Pandits festivals include Shivratri (or Herath in
2448-587: Was known for his religious tolerance. He called back the Hindus who left Kashmir during his father's reign. He allowed the Hindus to build their temples and follow the personal law according to the Dharmashastras . He stopped the killing of cows by means of poison and passed some regulations about eating beef. He re-introduced the grant of stipends to the learned Brahmans. Zayn al-Abidin undertook numerous construction projects during his reign, although only two or three of his buildings still exist. He founded
2499-450: Was on friendly terms with regard to the rulers of territories over which he inherited no historic control. The ancient records indicate that he gave and received presents to, and also exchanged embassies with, those who governed over Egypt, Gwalior , Mecca , Bengal , Sindh , Gujarat and elsewhere. Many of the gifts demonstrated the cultured nature of Zayn al-Abidin; they included works about music, manuscripts and people who were scholars,
2550-417: Was surrounded by a picturesque garden. This palace was probably destroyed during the later Shah Mir period. Zaynakot still exists as a village 4 km west of Srinagar. Another project Zayn al-Abidin undertook was the reclaiming of an island in the northeastern part of Wular Lake . The island had existed before, but by his time, it had become submerged. In 1443-4, he had a palace, mosque, and garden built on
2601-453: Was that Zayn al-Abidin relinquished his recently acquired status without a fight but there is no disagreement that this is in fact what happened. Retiring to Sialkot , Zayn al-Abidin sought the support of its ruler, Jasrat . Ali Shah became angered when this support was forthcoming and he rashly set out with his army to challenge Khokhar which resulted into a civil war . The forces met at Thanna and Jasrat routed his forces, who had ignored
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