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BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
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![]() Kashmiri Pandits (Brief Culture & Political History) Dr. Shiban K.Kachru ![]() |
Excerpts from reviews |
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![]() T. N. Madan. Emeritus Professor (Sociology) and former Director, Institute of Economic Growth (University of Delhi). ‘The painstaking research and quotes from various authorities make the book not only interesting but also authoritative and objective.’ B. N. Safaya I.A.S. ‘[The book] is absorbing as a running commentary of the long and bizarre drama in Kashmir beginning with the story of Satisar and concluding with the extirpation of the Pandits. Notably the author has made good use of relevant and apposite sources for each chapter. That lends credibility to his assertions… Sources used for the contents of the work are admirable and, to a large extent, very authentic… The author deserves appreciation for stating candidly the oppression and suppression of religious minority of Pandits happening throughout the annals of mediaeval history of Kashmir. ’ Dr. K. N. Pandita. Former Professor of Persian. Daily Excelsior, Jammu. ‘The author’s contribution offers a new perspective to the history of Kashmir in general and that of the Pandits in particular. We should all be proud of it.’ Pran Kaul. Structural Engineer (Stanford University, U.S.A.) ‘A great effort by a professional; passionate and nostalgic.’ Dr. M.L. Madan. Former Deputy Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. pp. 340. Price Rs.495. Available on net from Pothi.com or directly from the author: 8-2-589/11B, Road No.8, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034. E-mail: shiban.kachru@gmail.com |
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![]() Publisher: Pothi.com- Mudranik Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Number of Pages: 340 ASIN: B00AWLAYWQ Binding: Paperback Language: English Available at: http://pothi.com/pothi/book/dr-shiban-k-kachru-kashmiri-pandits-brief-culture-political-history |
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About the Book |
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Kashmiri Pandits have been, time and again; persecuted and brutalized by religious zealots who ruled the Valley, reducing the community which was once in the majority to a small minority. The last exodus of Pandits has torn their social fabric, and today they are scattered all over India and abroad, totally alienated from their roots. The book gives the reader a glimpse into the political history and thousands of year old culture of the community.
The chapter on culture includes: the religious practices of Kashmiri Pandits, their language, literature, character, ceremonial marriage rituals and rites associated with birth and death with their significance. The questions ‘will the Kashmiri Pandits return to the Valley?’ and ‘will the Kashmiri Pandit community survive?’ are discussed in detail in the appendix. The book fulfils the need for a concise political history and culture of the Kashmiri Pandits in a simple, understandable language without getting bogged down by details. |
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Author's Note |
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The Kashmiri Hindus are called Pandits – “the learned ones.” Ironically, this title was given to them by one of the foreign Muslim rulers who, barring very few exceptions, destroyed their religion and cultural values.
Throughout the history of Kashmir, Pandits have faced enormous difficulties. They have been persecuted and brutalized, time and again, by several religious zealots who ruled the valley. The periods of peace and prosperity in between have been infrequent. The community which was once in the majority has been reduced to a small minority and finally evicted from the valley. Pandits are Shaivite Brahmans. They have kept their faith under the most unfavourable circumstances. At times, they had to pay a heavy price for it. In the past, there have been occasions when the community had been on the verge of extinction. With their intelligence, adaptability and an inborn instinct for survival, they have bounced back and endured the most difficult periods of history. The last exodus of the Pandits from the valley has been a great blow to them. The whole community has been shattered. Today, they are scattered all over the country and some of them are still living in refugee camps at Jammu. As in the past, they have survived the ordeal under the most trying conditions. The younger generation of Pandits is totally alienated from its roots. Living in so many states in India, they are exposed to different cultures. Many of them were born outside the valley, and some of them have not even seen the place. The older generation is so traumatized that most of them have no wish to go back to the land of their ancestors. I strongly believe that any community, without the knowledge of its culture or history, is unlikely to survive. When I was young, my mother would scare me by saying that “khokhu” would come if I left my meal unfinished. I would ask her who“khokhu” was?; she had no answer. Similarly, when I enquired why was she wearing dejihor? Or what was the significance of the sacred thread? I would be given vague answers simply because she herself did not know them. Meaningless words lose their significance eventually. After having read P.N.K.Bamzai’s Culture and Political History of Kashmir and Dr. R.K.Parmu’s A History of Muslim Rule in Kashmir, I felt that there was a need for a concise history of the Pandits and their culture without getting bogged down by details. ![]() I am not a historian, and I do not claim this work to be a product of intense research. I have tried to compile the history of Kashmir with particular reference to the Pandits. Those rulers or events, which have not played a significant role in the history of the community, have been mentioned in passing. The chapter six (After 1947) has been adapted from my book: The Tragedy of Kashmir. The aim of writing this book is to give the reader, particularly the younger generation of the Pandits, a glimpse of the political history of the Kashmiri Pandit community and their age-old culture. If it succeeds in doing so, it will have served its purpose. |
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About the Author |
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![]() He worked as a general surgeon in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. For the last twelve years, he has been practicing in Hyderabad, India. He is married to a doctor of medicine and has two sons, both residing in the US. |
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