Kashmir is ,historically and culturally, one of the oldest regions of the Indian sub-continent .It sustained ,in many ways ,the inclusive culture of the country in religious, social ,aesthetic, spiritual and knowledge contexts. Kashmir’s geographic spread includes not only the Valley but also Jammu, Ladakh and Gilgit that adds diversity, depth and colour to its mosaic and religious plurality. The diverse areas of Kashmir reflect the multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic India. Known for its natural beauty, its lakes, glaciers, mountains ,valleys, forests and flora, Kashmir has attracted all types of people-travellers and pilgrims, discoverers and adventurers, saints, teachers and philosophers, religious zealots and crusaders, artists and litterateurs and above all conquerors and aggressors. It is an ancient name and ,Aurel Stein observed ,”continued name can be traced back to more than twenty three centuries.”

 

The Hindus of Kashmir - Kashmir Pandits and the Muslim majority had for centuries been seeped in the unique phenomenon of the Valley – the spirit of Kashmiriyat. It embodied the harmony and peace between the two communities in their everyday life. It was Kashmiriyat that had been responsible for the unique co-existence of the two communities into one peaceful society. It is this cultural ethos, this spirit, which is the people’s Kashmiriyat- this is their history, their culture and their tradition.

 

Kashmir has been the highest learning centre of Sanskrit and Persian languages as the Indo- Aryanic civilization has originated and flourished here. Nilmatpurana and Pandit Kalhan’s  Rajatarangini are the oldest books on Kashmir history.

 

Since 1989 Kashmir became the target of a campaign of militancy by all sides in the conflict. Eventually more than 400,000 Kashmiri Hindus were forced out of the Kashmir Valley through a genocidal campaign unleashed by the militants, only just a few thousand remaining in the Valley. Displaced Kashmiri Hindus now  live in cities throughout India and also over 350,000 Kashmiri Hindus live as refugees in camps in squalid conditions  in Jammu and Delhi.

 

Thousands of lives have been lost due to the intensified insurgency. It is hard to determine the total number of casualties. According to a report by the Indian Government of India in the year 2000, 31,000  civilians had lost their lives that included Indian security forces , Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri militants. Human rights groups and local NGOs put the total figure at more than 84,00 in 2005 The state wide statistics of the killings ,when seen alongside religious lines ,discount of the fact that the militants were targeting only members of the minority community. The Muslim community experienced their own sorrows as they, too, became the innocent targets of terrorists.  The scourge of terrorism and militancy is all encompassing. It does not discriminate between the people of Kashmir on the basis of their caste ,creed or religion. The killings have decreased but not ceased. However, since the ceasefire has come into action there has been a significant decline in cross- border terrorism The opening of border at three check –points in 2005 by India to allow access to relief camps for earthquake survivors from the Pakistan side was immensely welcomed internationally. Confidence building measures or the open border initiative should be pursued with greater vigour to take the peace process forward and  create opportunities for India and Pakistan to engage in positive and productive dialogue .It is vital that that measures are taken for the unification of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and Gilgit which is not only fair but judicious. The elimination of terrorists from these areas  can induce the state’s largest religious minority to return to homes in their 5000-year old homeland. Kashmiri Hindus are the original, indigenous people of the Kashmir valley. Under Article 370 of Indian constitution ,residents of Jammu and Kashmir State get special privileges within the State .Kashmiri Hindus have lost such privileges as they were forced to leave their homeland due to continuous terrorists attacks.  These privileges and rights should be restored back to this displaced minority. In the past twenty years the efforts of unsettled artists, writers, singers have been seriously limited due to the insurgency and the rich cultural heritage is in decline. Hindu places of worship have been burnt ,vandalized and damaged. The temples and cultural institutions in the valley must be preserved and protected. The preservation of thousands of years of Kashmiri Hindu history, culture, tradition and works of art need to be nurtured. Creating cultural centres for protection of valuable manuscripts, sculptures, architecture and books will restore Kashmiri Hindus confidence in returning to their homeland. There has been a complete lack of prosecution of terrorists and militants ,including those who openly admitted to the killing of Kashmiri Hindus. Such terrorists should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

 

 

 

The way forward for the Kashmir dispute would be :-