There was a time when people would speak of Kashmiriyat with romanticism. Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits were said to have a united brotherhood and shared culture, which distinguished the Valley. For many years, the term “Kashmiriyat” was used as a label, a tactful way to refer to a group of people who used to coexist peacefully. To be honest that notion fell apart a long time ago. Kashmiriyat is not what we now have. What we now have is either nostalgia or guilt and neither is meaningful in the absence of justice.
Let’s quit deceiving ourselves. When Kashmiriyat was most put to the test, it failed. When Islamic extremism and separatism supported by Pakistan seized the control of Kashmir in 1989 and the years that followed, it was more than just a political movement. An whole population was violently purged. Islamist rioters drove away almost the entire Kashmiri Pandit community. They had no protection. No warning was given to them. Not even mourning was done for them. Their neighbours remained silent. Rioters occupied the houses of the Kashmiri Pandits and desecrated temples. Kashmiri Pandits lost their culture and the entire Valley remained silent despite the fact that it happened in full view.
So, where was Kashmiriyat? The simple fact is that the expulsion of the Pandits killed the concept of Kashmiriyat. And it wasn’t only a humanitarian catastrophe that ensued. It was a wound to civilization. In this situation, its not the two parties that were hurt. It was the Kashmiri Pandits that were hurt. They worked for the government, were artists, teachers and priests. They were exiled within their own nation, despite being the intellectual and spiritual center of Kashmir.
No one has been held responsible for their exile to this day. Not one. And those who shout about terrorists and stone-pelters,’ human rights are silent on one of the biggest genocide that took place in independent India. What is this form of secularism? Is this really justice? Nevertheless, they are the same individuals that advocate for the revival of Kashmiriyat. However, if you don’t accept how something died, how can you bring it back to life?
Additionally, let’s clarify what Kashmiriyat was and wasn’t. It was never intended as a justification for minimizing nationalism. The goal was never to maintain harmony by weakening our sense of civilization. The culture, ideas and spirit of Kalhana, Abhinavagupta, and Lal Ded’s Kashmir were all proudly Indian. It was the home of spiritual discourse, Sanskrit study and Shaivism. That Kashmir existed for a very long time before extremism crossed its boundaries. However, subsequent events attempted to obliterate that recollection. It attempted to Islamize a land that had long stood for plurality based on Indian principles rather than some imported ideology.
Because of this, raising the national flag at Lal Chowk today is more than simply a symbolic gesture. A space that was lost to fear is being reclaimed. Separatists and those who support them created the impression that India was occupying Kashmir for many years. Now, however, things are different. The Indian flag is being proudly raised in the open for the first time in decades, rather than behind bunkers. This is important. The fact that Kashmir is proudly and completely Indian must be unavoidable before Kashmiriyat can even be considered. In spirit as well as in land.
Let’s be honest, too. Things were made worse by the political muddle that ruled the state for many years. In Srinagar, politicians who represented nationalism in Delhi would adopt a separatist stance. That period of time has over. Ambiguity is no longer an option. If you love Kashmir, you can’t ignore the Pandit exodus. You cannot support terrorists and still identify as a Democrat. Between India and Pakistan, there is no middle ground. Complete adherence to the Indian Constitution is the first step in any “Kashmir solution.”
There is no need for further soft talk in Kashmir. Nor does it require more sham peace. Clarity is what it really needs. People continued to ignore the truth for many years. They made an effort to please everyone. They addressed people with risky beliefs in a kind manner. The actual issues were never resolved as a result. This type of misunderstanding allowed hatred and separatism to flourish. Some leaders continued to play both sides while the general populace suffered. Never should that occur again.
Kashmir now need a fresh approach. A cultural and civilizational renaissance is required. This entails returning to the core values of Kashmir, which were education, contemplation, harmony, and customs. Not division, not fear, nor false pride. However, the top cannot make this change. Not from high-level meetings or expensive offices. The ground, where actual people reside, must be the starting point.
Let’s talk about what needs to happen
First, the Kashmiri Pandits’ return is more than just a news story. Surely it’s a mission. Not in token plots or isolated gated settlements, but in complete dignity. If a Pandit family is going to return to the Valley, they must be welcomed with open hearts. If a temple is going to be rebuilt, it must be done with respect and support from the people around it. They have to go back to their cities and villages as the legitimate heirs to their land, not as strangers or exiles. Infrastructure, complete cultural freedom, and security must be provided by the local government. More significantly, though, society as a whole has to accept them with respect rather than sympathy.
Second, the whole truth needs to be shared with Kashmir’s younger generation. Not the censored versions propagated by separatists. Today’s youngsters have no idea what transpired in 1990. They learn about the acts of security forces, but they never learn about the threats that occur at night, the cries for Pandits to flee or perish, or the mosques’ explicit support for Pakistan. This ignorance is harmful. Education must become more truthful. The complete tale must be taught in schools. Spaces for speaking the truth, not playing victim, must be established in colleges.
Third, Kashmir has to start its cultural reset. Stop spreading the myth that tradition and spirituality are outdated. Before extremist Islam, the Valley had a rich spiritual past. Why is Abhinavagupta not being taught in schools? Why do schools not teach Lalleshwari’s poetry? Why does Shaivism not exist in its own birthplace’s public life? In order to revive Kashmiriyat, the roots must be restored rather than obscured by foreign philosophies.
Fourth, Let’s cease considering the peace to be fragile. Since the state is now in control, it is steady. Since Article 370 has been repealed, the state is stable. Due to the removal of the special status that shielded separatist sentiment, Kashmir is stable. This was no coincidence. It was the outcome of political determination to take action that previous administrations were too scared to do. The legislation was not the only thing altered by the ruling. The Valley’s course was altered. The administration prioritized national interest before vote-bank calculations for once. And it was successful.
Fifth, and most urgently, we require a new generation of Kashmiri leaders. Not The faces of dynastic families that earned millions as the Valley burned. Leaders who make it obvious that soft separatism has no place are what we need. Victimhood is not the language of Vikas. Those who oppose bandh calls and will instead open schools. No plan is more significant than this political change. We shall revert to the previous cycle if we do not have it.
Kashmir is more than a state. It serves as the gateway to the northern region of Bharat, which is spiritual and civilized. We can no longer let it float in the confusion’s breezes. A vision of national unity, cultural pride and civilizational regeneration must guide the future. We must resist emotional blackmail and misleading narratives in order to achieve this.
Neutrality is not appropriate at this time. It’s time to make a decision. Do we wish to bring back Kashmir’s authentic, Indian-based spirit? Or do we want to continue acting as though symbolic gestures and slogans are sufficient?
If Kashmiriyat is to have any significance once more, it must start with the truth. Not selective truth. Not comfortable truth. But the whole, harsh and honest truth. And justice must follow from that reality. And a new Kashmir, one that is Indian not only in geography but also in every house, school, and spirit, must result from that justice.
Kashmir doesn’t require historical healing. What was taken away has to be restored. Being brave is the only way to go forward, not being neutral. Through transparency, not through concessions. Not with tenderness, but with character and power. The Kashmiriyat is still alive. However, it won’t come back by itself. We must fight for it with the spirit of India, truth and justice rather than with bullets.
