The history of the Pandits of Kashmir goes back to the period when the Aryan Saraswat
Brahmans, who used to live on the banks of the Saraswati River, migrated to the Kashmir
Valley. With the passage of time they assumed the name Bhattas and now they are popularly
known as the Kashmiri Pandits. The Kashmiri Pandits, who formed a significant part of
Kashmir, were closely associated with its culture, customs and traditions.
The land of Kashmir was home to many. The first struggle for survival faced by the Kashmiri
Pandits was during the reign of Abhimanu. It was during the 14th century that Kashmir
came to contact with the Muslim invaders who took advantage of the weak administration
of the Lohra Dynasty and established their rule.
It is said that during 1089-1101 AD, Muslim Generals, who were employed by the then king,
began consolidating their roots as a community in Kashmir. The first direct assault to the
Kashmiri Pandits during 1252-1273 AD took place when they conspired against the King
and failed in their attempts to overthrow him. The King took action against them and
they faced much torture.
During 1301-1320 AD the rulers encouraged the influx of Muslims into the valley to counter
the supremacy of the Brahmans. Most of the rulers who came later tried to do away with
them. Some of them adopted methods similar to the infamous genocide of the Jews in Germany
during Hitler’s rule. These rulers tried to exterminate and eradicate all Hindus from Kashmir.
Ali Shah, who ruled Kashmir during 1413-1430 AD, adopted tyranny as his tool of administration.
His reign was carried out with killings, conversions and forced taxation on the Pandits. He forbade
ceremonies and enforced conversion on the Pandits. Fearing conversion, many killed themselves.
Many Pandits fled from their homes and found refuge in other places. This oppression of
the Pandits was one of the most terrible incidences of mass exodus.
Throughout this period, numerous Pandits were banned from attending religious prayers and
meetings in temples. However, when Sultan Zainul Abidin took over the rule of Kashmir,
he choose the tolerant path. He ensured that the Pandits' glory was resurrected and they
were given back all that they had lost. This was the phase of peace for the Pandits who
lived in their homeland without any threat.
In the following years, the Kashmiri Pandits suffered terribly under the rule of Shams-ud-Din
Iraqi and Musa Raina. The Pandits were stripped off their religious identity and their religious
scriptures were burnt. Those who opposed were slaughtered mercilessly. When Akbar the Mughal
came to power, he ruled with tolerance towards the Kashmiri Brahmins as well. His policies
towards the religious practices were lenient and all throughout his rule, Pandits were
respected and were given the freedom to perform their religious festivals and live secure lives.
The period between 1753-1819 was again a period of cruelty and anarchy. Afghan rule of this
period victimised the Pandits in the worse form. This was a period of genocide when thousands
of Kashmiri Pandits were killed. History provides instances of parents shaving off their daughters’
heads and cutting their nose so as to destroy their beauty and save them from disgrace.
Sikh rule in Kashmir was a period of relief for the Pandits after years of torture and
barbarism. By this time, a majority of the population had already converted to Islam
and most had left the State. Those who remained, claimed back their lost honour by rebuilding
their homes and temples in hope of starting afresh.
In 1846, during the Dogra rule, the Pandits were again targeted when their political,
religious and cultural freedom were curtailed. The communal disturbances of 1931 pushed many
Pandits towards migration. Their houses were looted, shops burnt, women and children abducted
and the whole community tortured.
In order to establish the dominance of one community in the region of Kashmir, the inhuman
acts against the Pandits, which had been prevailing since ancient times, turned brutal and barbaric
in what we can call the genocide of the Pandits. The Kashmiri Pandits, with a history of over
5000 years in Kashmir, were made victims once again in one of the ugliest chapters of Indian
history.In the year 1990, following threats against
all Hindus to leave Kashmir, there was widespread chaos in the area when the Pandits were targeted
and killed. People were shot in the open and anti- India slogans were raised. Temples and
houses were burnt down and there were explosions in various parts. Thousands were reported
dead. Those who survived the massacre fled to other parts of the country.
The extermination of the Pandits 25 years ago is perhaps the most tragic incident of
recent past and one that needs to be talked about more often. At present there are hardly
any Pandits living in Srinagar or any other part of the valley. Some of them live in refugee
camps in Jammu while a few live in Delhi and Mumbai.