Erstwhile Sudras of Kashmir

by confuzzled dude Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:41 am

"There is a common mistaken notion that among Kashmiri Hindus there was no caste system and all Hindus are Brahmins. That may be the situation as of now but historically Kashmir shared with rest of India the same kind of caste system with its grotesque customs and practices. This was the reason that most of the non-Brahmins initially opted for Buddhism during its heyday and Kashmir at one point of time, before the start of Christian era, was an important centre of Buddhist society. However, as in rest of India, Brahmin revivalism brought an end to Buddhist sway over the populace in general.

Brahmins dominated the religious scenario including the ruling hierarchy in the valley for several centuries. While on the positive side they made considerable contribution to the intellectual, philosophical and spiritual aspects of the society, on the negative side they strictly enforced hereditary caste discrimination and a narrow-minded exclusivism. This was one of the main reasons that made it easy for Islam to enter the valley in the first instance and take over the administration and eventually to convert the populace to that faith. Added to that an aggressive proselytization by Muslim missionaries with strong support of ruling community and several periods of forced conversion, almost the entire lot of non-Brahmins embraced the Islamic faith. Even some of the Brahmins were also forcibly converted, after their temples were desecrated and mosques built in their place. However, such was the strong hold of the caste system that even after conversion the Muslims retained the caste distinctions almost up to the present day and usually intermarriages and social contacts across the caste lines were a taboo. Thus the so called “Khandani” upper caste converts from Brahmins (Kauls, Rainas Bhats, Choudhrys, Sheikhs) and Rajputs (Dars, Mirs, Rathers, Maliks, Loans) would look down upon lower castes like Vaishs (Wanis) and Shudras comprising a host of menial surnames."

http://ikashmir.net/somshah/1.html

by truthbetold Sat Jul 05, 2014 7:48 pm

What is the point of posting this excerpt?

by confuzzled dude Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:56 pm

truthbetold wrote:What is the point of posting this excerpt?

Answering my own question as to why Hindus in Kashmir are generally referred as Pandits.

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Erstwhile Sudras of Kashmir

Erstwhile Sudras of Kashmir

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