Following is the satire academic debate between two indian from two different academic background ,the purpose of this satire is purely academic and discuss the supremacist narrative of Rahul Padita published by Pradeep Magazine [PRADEEP MAGAZINE,THE HINDU [DEBATE],8 FEB.
Shidharth A Pandita :- Kashmiri Pandits are real Sarasvat Aborigines of Kashmir,rest of all came from outside Kashmir ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Dear Panditji , yes I have gone through critical analysis of your narrative by a secular India based magazine“PRADEEP MAGAZINE,THE HINDU [DEBATE],8 FEB “” which quoted Rahul Pandita’s book ; I too grew up listening to,and is now being reinforced with greater conviction, that there is no place [ in Kashmir] for anyone other than a PURE enlightened Brahmin self “.
In the words of Pradeep Magazine ,the Rahul Pandit’s narrative ,like the” Tunnel Vision Perspective” ,recognise only Kashmiri Brahmins as the rightful inhabitants of Kashmir and muslim as usurpers who ,through forcible conversion ,reduced them to minority and eventually chased them out .
Dear Pandit Ji as long as this avowedly narrative is your religious belief only then, being a secular Kashmiri I respect it , but the moment you try to get political mileage out of it and instigate secular Indian against Kashmiri muslim suggesting that since Pandits are only “Aborigines” of Kashmir so no else has right to live here then I will take a strong exception academically .
I will prove to you that Kashmiri Pandits are not Aboriginals of Kashmir they came from outside Kashmir and settled here in late 9th century much later then kashmiri Buddhist and Muslim .
Shidharth A Pandita :-Well your counter narrative too is a religious beliefs ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- No, I will prove kashmiri Pandits are not Aboriginals from your own Pandit historian ,Vedic scriptures,Trika scriptures and scientific researchers from world renowned universities like Oxford University and Indian universities .
Let me begin then : This political narrative of “only Aborigines “ has to be critically analysed under few sub-heading like Sarasvat Brahmins,Exonym Pandit, Satisar, Kashyapa-Morr,Kashyapa Reshi,Sanskrit language.
1) Sarasvat Brahmins :- You will hardly see a kashmiri Pandit who will boost of himself with pride that he belong to antique ,highest order of Brahmins that is Sarasvat Brahmin. Siddharth Panditji you too claim to be Sarasvat Brahmin but Sarasvat Brahmins are from Vindhayas (North Western areas of India like MP, UP, Gujrat ,Bihar and from Karnataka)
The Sarasvats are a sub-group of Hindu Brahmins of India who trace their ancestry to the banks of the Sarasvati River.
Proof :-According to your own Shiavite Historian Kashmiri Pandits are not Aboriginal of Kashmir .
(i) Proof : In Kalhana’s Rajatarangini (12th century CE), the Sarasvats are mentioned as one of the five Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities residing to the north of the Vindhyas that is Madhya Pradesh ,Chattisgarh,Uttar Pradesh ,Bihar and Gujrat .
Citation:D. ShyamBabu and Ravindra,(Caste in life : Experiencing Inequalities pp.168 )
So it’s clear that Kashmiri Pandits are actually from “VINDHYAS”
(ii) Proof :- According to the various definitions mentioned in the older texts, the Vindhyas extend up to Godavari in the south and Ganges in the North. Citation : Kalidasa, HH Wilson (1843) The Mega Dutta or Cloud messenger p. 19–20.
(iii) Proof from Kashmiri Pandit anthropologist: Triloki Nath Madan Kashmiri says about his ancestors “Kashmiri Brahmins to the Sarasvat division of North India Brahmins (Family and Kinship,pp.16)
(iv) Proof from Ramayana :-
Shidharth A Pandita :- Can you quote anything from my Hindu scriptures in order to prove your clam ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :-According to Ramayana : Kashmiri Pandit claiming to Sarasvat Brahmins are Aboriginal of Karnataka. Valmiki’s Ramayana describes Vindhya as being situated to the south of Kishkindha (Ramayana IV-46. 17), which is identified with a part of the present-day Karnataka.
(iv) Proof : Scientific studies shows Kashmiri Pandits are not Aboriginals :
According to Edward Balfour (1885). The Encyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, Commercial Industrial, and Scientific: Products of the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures. Bernard Quaritch. pp. 1017–1018.
“ Today, the definition of the Vindhyas is primarily restricted to the Central Indian escarpments, hills and highlands located to the north of the Narmada River.”Thus proved that Kashmiri Pandit Conmunity came from adjoining area of Narmada River. Western end of the Vindhya range is located in the state of Gujarat, near the state’s border with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
GEAR CHANGE
Shidharth A Pandita :- All Kashmiri pandits don’t claim to be Sarasvat Brahmin ,We call ourself Pandits ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Exonym “PANDIT “ was given to you by Mughal who occupied Kashmir. Let me quote your leader and authority on Kashmir history Pandit Jai lal Kilam, A HISTORY OF KASHMIRI PANDIT ,PP.53
DURING KING MOHAMMAD SHAH ERA ,COURTIER JAI RAM BHAN PERSUADED JAI RAM BHAN TO ISSUE A ROYAL DECREE DESIGNATING KASHMIRI BRAHMINS AS “KASHMIRI PANDITS”
MEHRA : Similarly word MEHRA (short form of Maharaja) became synonymous with PANDIT ,as obligation Muslim of Kashmir were supposed to call them MEHRA emphasising they are maharaja, the king.
Reason why Kashmiri Brahmins Always demarcate themselves from India and Indian civilization:-
Reason for adopting exonym to distinguish themselves from Indian Brahmins and at the same satisfy their ego of belonging to an exceptional and the highest caste among all caste of Hindus of India. Kashmiri pandits retained and cherished this “EXCLUSIVIST IDENTITY “ all through the centuries when Kashmir passed through foreign muslim ,sikh and hindu rule. However ,by merging the community’s identity with the rest of hindu now ,their self claimed leadership wants to tap sentiments and support of masses of India exactly on the same pattern of extremist Pan-Islamist seek global empowerment for their anti-islam misinterpreted narrative that “ONLY MUSLIM ARE SUPPOSED TO RULE THE WORLD’’ . Micheal Witzel while quoting Rajtarangni 1.82 ,in his treaties on Kashmiri Brahmins says””Nilmatapurana which seeks a relation with Mahabharata but keeps the country apart from India proper “
It must be noted here that neither Kalhana mention Rama in Rajtarangni nor did Kashmir took part in Mahabharata.
Al-Biruni in “Tarikh-i-Hind Vol 1 PP.206” says “From the beginning of Kashmiri mythological history ,there is sign of Kashmiri preoccupation with their ethnicity and separate existence from rest of the continent which the kashmiris pertsued throughout most of their history “” (Rajtarangni 4.344 Sqq)
Shidharth A Pandita :- See we Brahmins have 5000 year old recorded history on rituals, sacrifices and culture written in Rajtarangni and other Indian history texts?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Your claim is rejected by historians “According to Abraham Eraly, “Brahmin as a Varna hardly had any presence in historical records before the Gupta Empire era” (3rd century to 6th century CE), and “no Brahmin, no sacrifice, no ritualistic act of any kind ever, even once, is referred to in any Indian text” dated to be from the first century CE or before
When we actually encounter history, such as in Rajatarangini or in the Gopala Vamsavali of Nepal, the texts do not deal with Brahmins in great detail. Michael Witzel (1993) Toward a History of the Brahmins, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 113, No. 2, pages 264–268.
Shidharth A Pandita :- Can you deny we Hindus were first rulers of Kashmir?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Dear your own historian Kalhana denied it that Hindus were first ruler let me quote you RAJTARANGNI volume 1 page 264-68 : Gonada-1 was the first king of Kashmir .He was killed by the army Hindu Deity “Lord Krishna” and his son Damodara was also killed by Krishna’s army.
Now question arises,were he (Gonada) be a Brahmin Hindu as suggested by pandits why he rebelled against his own diety, infact it proves he was not Hindu at all and moreover even Rajtarangni don’t have any account on Rama and Yudhishtra
“SATISAR”and “KASHYAP MORR “ and Kashypa Propaganda
Shidharth A Pandita :- See the land of Kashmir was occupied by a vast lake for six Manvantaras. Since the beginning of the Kalpa even Word Kashmir comes “KASHYAP MORR”” which means ““HOME OF KASHYAPA”” and Kashyap was a brahmin ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- KASHMIR WAS NEVER A SATISAR AS PER OXFORD UNIVERSITY AND KASHMIRIPANDIT AUTHORITY HISTORIAN : – Most of Kashmiri Pandit think tanks on Indian media often put forward two narratives to back their claim of being aboriginals and discrediting others as foreigners. Let us examine both of their argument and judge them on scientific and historical scales.
- i) PROOF :- Pandit historian have rejected this fallacy , P. N. K. Bamzai, ) ”History of Kashmir. Vol 1 page 55 “Man ever saw Satisar is not possible to say yet””.
- ii) PROOF :- Let me quote university of Oxford scholar oxford university geologist Richard Dixon Oldham studied lakes of Kashmir in 1903 to find out whether the claim of Satisar by Rajtarangni was correct or not – he came to conclusion that ” I studied Kerawas ( lake deposits) they are Fluviatile which means it founded near river or that they are formed by river, they are not lacustrine origin ( formed at bottom of lake) therefore he said according to his study it is not possible that Kashmir was entirely covered by water in any point in time.
KASHYAPA : This mythological Character KASHYAPA which never existed except in fantasy has been often quoted by Pan-Hindutva forces to claim Kashmir only belongs to Hindus like their counter part Pan-Islamists claim that Kashmir belong to only muslim by misquoting , misplacing, misinterpreting concept of “IQAMAT-E-DEEN”.I am bound my conscious to write academic counter narrative on this Panislamic version in my next articles to reiterate our own Sufi-Reshi culture called Kashmiriyat which accommodates all irrespective of colour,creed or religion.
- i) PROOF :- I will try put a brief introduction of this mythological figure and let you decide using logical rationale and scientific temperament whether this mythological figure Kashyapa.
According to Rajtarangni which often quotes Nilmata Purana and other historical literature – Kasyapa Reshi who is also named Tarksya, had four wives — Vinata[Suparna], Kadru, Patangi and Yamini.
A)Patangi and Vinata gave birth to birds, B) Yaminigave birth to locusts and C) Kadru gave birth to Snakes. On the face of it ,does it seems to be a normal family where a human can birth to snakes , birds ,and locusts.
Scientific and logical refutation : Panditji ,are you suggesting me a human being can give birth to birds, snakes and locusts.This fantasy will not be accepted by Hollywood as well .
Shidharth A Pandita :- See dear our belief is Kashypa Reshi was a Brahmin and his progeny were Nagas were original inhabitants of the Kashmir, Nagas lived with Pisacas and descendants of Manu.?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Even if we accept Kashyapa Reshi for sake of argument was a Brahmin and his progeny Nagas should have been following same religion , but according to Rajtarangni BOOK 5 ,VERSE 206, “Nagas had no set religion or philosophy “. Nilmata is ambiguous in so far as their form is concerned.
- Stien while translating ,BOOK 1,VERSE 31 says”Nagas and Pisacas were possibly not human”.
Shidharth A Pandita :- Kashmiris were doing idol worship since beginning , that is we find images of idol and icons ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :-UNESCO,The Neolithic settlement of Burzohoma ,2014 :- In different places of the world, we find an image or an icon worshipped by people of that area at one point in time, in Burzohoma we find no such icon or image “ .Burzahoma Neolithic sites were found by UNESCO IN 1939 and later on extensively evacuated by Archaeological survey of India in1960 bought to light a fourth fold sequence of culture :Neolithic, Megalithic , and early historical ranging from 10200 BC to 4500 BC no image or an icon to be worshipped was found.
While the Burzohoma Neolithic settlement does not give any clue about the faith of its people ,it clearly shows that they buried died ,which is not in line with Vedic instruction or Trika instruction that Kashmiri pandits subscribe to.Infact it is in line of instruction given in monotheistic religion of jews,Christians and muslim.
Shidharth A Pandita :- Do you know sankrit of our Brahmin ancestors cherish the status of “MOTHERHOOD”of Kashmiri language in which majority of Kashmiris speak including you ?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Pandit ji , your own historian refutes that claim.
- i) Proof : Pandit.N.Pushup and K.Warikoo , Jammu,Kashmir and Ladakh pp.33 vehemently denies this. Professor George Gierson denies Sanskrit the motherhood of Kashmiri language .
- ii) There are many account in Rajtarangni where in Kalhana ridicules the Hindu king for speaking in native kashmiri language and for not accepting Sanskrit as official language of court .
Shidharth A Pandita :- What is your idea of Kashmir then?
Dr.Eshraf Zainulabideen :- Zainulabideen : Kashmir belong to kashmiris irrespective of religion,creed,colour and language .Our state don’t have any religion although it allows its inhabitants to practice and propagate it without thrusting and compulsion .
Disclaimer: Academic Satire is between two fictitious characters representing two different narrative on same issue and is not associated with any person, community, political party or religion.
NOTE : THIS SATIRE IS AN ACADEMIC AND APOLITICAL DISCOURSE BETWEEN TWO IDEALOGIES AND RESOURCE PERSON IS READY TO BE CORRECTED ACADEMICALLY .
Resource person can be reached at : zainlala69@yahoo.com
