Kashmiri Hindus: The Road to Extinction

During the dark and bitterly cold night of January 19, 1990, thousands of terrified Hindu families in the Kashmir Valley faced three grim alternatives—Raliv, galiv, ya chaliv (convert, die, or flee)—broadcast from mosque loudspeakers. Their ancestors had been hounded with the same options—many of their ancestors had converted, some were killed, and many others had fled. Now, it was their turn.

The January 1990 ultimatum to Hindus did not occur in a vacuum. In the prior year, terrorist activity abetted by Pakistan had gained momentum. Some prominent Hindus had been killed brazenly; the writ of terrorist organizations ran far and wide. The administrative machinery had become dysfunctional, and fear and uncertainty were in the air.

From January 20, 1990, Kashmiri Hindus, who were under five percent of the population, fled in droves to Jammu and beyond in whatever way they could muster. An estimated 150,000 Hindus left Kashmir. Most hoped to return. They never did. Perhaps, they never will.

The 1990 Hindu exodus was the last of multiple exoduses that began in the fourteenth century with the advent of Islam in Kashmir.

Islam grew in Kashmir, by both volition and coercion, under the Mir Dynasty (1339-1561), the first Muslim dynasty of Kashmir. Its barbaric Sikander Shah launched a convert-or-die crusade, levied Jizya, and destroyed Hindu and Buddhist icons and institutions. According to Hindu folklore, during his rule, only 11 Hindu families were left in Kashmir. Ironically, his son Zain-ul-Abidin, the most tolerant Muslim ruler of Kashmir, invited Hindus who had fled to return. He abolished Jizya, helped rebuild Hindu institutions, and permitted forcibly converted Hindus to adopt their original faith.

After Zain-ul-Abidin, the persecution of Hindus in Kashmir continued, was reversed by Akbar, and increased significantly under Aurangzeb.

From 1820 to 1947, Kashmir was ruled first by Sikhs and then under British suzerainty by Dogra Hindus from Jammu. During this time, the Kashmiri Hindu minority flourished. Not just because of their religion, but because they were the most educated and learned section of Kashmiri society. After a long time, Hindus had stopped migrating from Kashmir.

After India’s independence, Kashmiri Hindus migrated slowly but steadily because educational and employment opportunities started drying up for them. For instance, up to 90% of the top 25 students in the university exam for admission to the local engineering and medical college would typically be Hindus. But only a few of them would get accepted to these colleges. I am one of those who did not get accepted to the local Regional Engineering College because of religious discrimination.

In historical accounts of coercion against Kashmiri Hindus, there is no instance of them having risen in self-defense. They caved or fled. With limited transportation options in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, it was hard to leave Kashmir, surrounded by tall mountain ranges, but some still did. In 1990, migrating from Kashmir was easy; it was preferable over the fear of potential death or pressure to convert that might have come with staying back. No wonder that this time, almost all Hindus left Kashmir.

So, why did Kashmiri Hindus not stand up for themselves? It was probably difficult to retaliate because typically powerful rulers spearheaded their persecution. But the more likely reason is that Kashmiri Hindus are docile. The more they didn’t stand up to persecution, the more docile they became over time.

Many, including some Kashmiri Hindus, lament that the events of 1990 destroyed Kashmiryat —the syncretic tradition that ensured communal harmony in Kashmiri society. Kashmiryat is hogwash. Pure fantasy. Kashmiri Hindus survived in Kashmir because they were meek and timid. They lived at the mercy of Muslims and not as equals.

Communal riots in India most often involve two rioting groups. There are no communal riots in neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh. There is violence against Hindus in these countries; however, there is no retaliation by them—this exemplifies Hindus in Kashmir.

Kashmiri Hindus bought their peace at any cost, including surrendering their self-respect. Growing up, I recall my father had forbidden me to discuss anything related to religion outside of the home or pick up a fight with a Muslim and told me to walk away if I got bullied by a Muslim.

Most Kashmiri Hindus have a strong bond with Kashmir, despite their harrowing experience. Even after three decades, not all Kashmiris who fled have established normal livelihoods. Some are still living in refugee camps in Jammu. It is, however, hard for Kashmiri Hindus to shake off the pull of their native land, more so because Kashmir is a breathtakingly beautiful land. They lovingly call it maej Kashir (Mother Kashmir).

There are some positive aspects to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. First, they can now hold their heads high in their daily lives. Second, Hindus from rural Kashmir settled in cities where they have reaped the benefits of urbanization. Third, Bal Thackeray secured reservations for Kashmiri Hindu applicants in professional colleges in Maharashtra. Many other states followed suit. Bal Thackeray’s initiative launched thousands of Kashmiri young men and women into rewarding professional careers. Finally, the migration of Kashmiris and their impending cultural extinction provide valuable sociopolitcal lessons.

Because Kashmir remained relatively insulated from the rest of India due to its natural barriers, the Kashmiri subculture is distinctive in the array of Indian subcultures. Over the years, many Kashmiris Hindus had migrated, but a critical mass of Hindus in Kashmir sustained their culture. Those who migrated had familial ties with Kashmir and visited Kashmir for prospective matrimonial alliances for their children. Now, with only a couple of thousand Hindus remaining in Kashmir and the rest dispersed all over India, the ethnic identity of Kashmiri Hindus will fall apart.

Some Kashmiri Hindus are distraught that over the coming decades, their subculture will die. They are pained that the world is more concerned about conserving the spotted owl than preserving a distinctive culture. But that is how it is.

The world is a slow and steady melting pot. A pot in which ethnic cultures will gradually melt away. Even if Kashmiri Hindus had not migrated en masse, they would have someday ceased to exist as a distinct ethnic entity. That would have been gradual, not a painful premature death. However, there is some consolation. Kashmiri culture in its Islamic form might last its normal course. Meanwhile, Kashmiri Hindus will become a footnote in history books.