Kashmiriyat refers to the distinctive cultural ethos of Kashmir, shaped over centuries by the interaction of different religious and social traditions. It finds expression in language, poetry, customs, art, hospitality and shared traditions. Associated with figures such as Lal Ded and Nund Rishi, it reflects a history in which communities influenced one another while retaining their identities. More than a slogan, Kashmiriyat represents a shared cultural inheritance rooted in coexistence and mutual respect.
Kashmiriyat is not confined to history or religious traditions but can be found in the everyday culture of Kashmir. The Kashmiri language carries the influence of centuries of cultural exchange, while poetry, food, music, dress and traditional crafts continue to reflect this shared heritage. The 2011 Census recorded Kashmiri as a major mother tongue in Kashmir, highlighting the important place of language in the region’s cultural identity. Traditional crafts offer another window into this heritage. The government’s economic census recorded nearly 55,000 handicraft and handloom establishments in Kashmir, covering work such as pashmina, walnut wood carving, paper handcrafts and embroidery. Behind these numbers are generations of artisans who have learned skills through families and local communities.
A shawl, a carved piece of walnut wood or a finely decorated paper handcraft is therefore more than a finished product, as it carries techniques, aesthetic traditions and memories that have travelled across generations. The same sense of continuity can be seen in everyday social practices. The warmth of Kashmiri hospitality, the sharing of traditional food, the use of local expressions and the celebration of cultural occasions all contribute to a common sense of belonging. These practices may appear ordinary, but they are often the strongest carriers of cultural memory. Kashmiriyat, therefore, is not something preserved only in books or historic sites. It survives through people and their daily lives. When a language is spoken, a craft is taught to a young apprentice, a traditional recipe is passed down, or an old song is remembered, a small part of Kashmir’s composite cultural heritage continues to live.
Festivals and their celebration offer one of the clearest ways to understand Kashmiriyat because they bring religious traditions into everyday social life. Eid, Herath (Kashmiri Shivratri), Navreh, Kheer Bhawani Mela and the Urs of Sufi saints are associated with different communities, yet they have often created opportunities for neighbours to exchange greetings, food and goodwill. The Kheer Bhawani Mela, held annually at the Ragnya Devi temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal, is one of the most significant religious gatherings for Kashmiri Pandits. The festival is traditionally observed on Jyeshtha Ashtami, drawing devotees from different parts of India. The participation and support of local residents also reflect the enduring social bonds associated with Kashmir’s composite cultural heritage. The same spirit can be seen around Sufi shrines, where Urs gatherings have historically attracted people beyond the immediate faith communities. Herath, the Kashmiri name for Maha Shivratri and Navreh, the Kashmiri New Year, have long held an important place in Kashmiri Pandit culture.
Traditionally, Herath was observed through prayers, household rituals and festive meals, while Navreh marked the beginning of the new year with family gatherings and festive foods. These occasions also created opportunities for neighbours from different religions to exchange greetings in a festive spirit. Eid, similarly, was often marked by gestures of warmth that extended beyond the Muslim community. In many Kashmiri families, Pandit neighbours and friends would visit Muslim households to offer greetings and sweets, while kheer and other festive foods would be shared in return. During Diwali, Muslim neighbours would likewise visit Hindu families, exchange greetings and become part of the celebrations. Such
customs varied from place to place and family to family, but they reflect the everyday social bonds that gave Kashmiriyat a practical meaning. The festivals remained religiously distinct, yet the act of visiting one another, sharing food and exchanging good wishes created a sense of belonging that crossed community lines.
The story of Kashmir’s composite culture cannot be told without the Rishi and Sufi traditions. Islam began taking root in Kashmir from the 14th century, brought through contacts with Central Asia and the wider Islamic world. Alongside the spread of Islam, Sufi teachers emphasised devotion, humility, love of God and service to humanity. Their teachings found expression through shrines, poetry and spiritual gatherings. At around the same time, Kashmir’s indigenous spiritual traditions gave rise to the Rishi movement, associated most strongly with Nund Rishi (1377–1440). The Rishis emphasised simplicity, renunciation, compassion and a close connection with ordinary people. Although Rishi and Sufi traditions had distinct religious origins, they developed within the same social landscape. Their emphasis on spiritual discipline, humility and care for others created points of cultural contact. Over generations, this interaction became an important part of Kashmir’s shared cultural memory, helping shape what is now often described as Kashmiriyat.
Kashmiriyat has survived because it was never limited to one book, one shrine or one generation. It grew slowly through the lives of ordinary people who lived alongside one another, exchanged ideas and carried traditions forward. The stories of Lal Ded and Nund Rishi are reminders of how deeply different strands of Kashmir’s spiritual history became connected. Their words continued to be remembered because they spoke to people in a language they understood and about questions that remained meaningful beyond their own time. Today, the challenge is not simply to remember this history, but to understand what made it endure. Traditions remain alive when they are practised, shared and passed on rather than treated only as symbols of the past. Kashmiriyat, in that sense, is less a fixed idea and more a way of remembering Kashmir’s shared cultural journey. Its strength lies in bringing people together while respecting their differences.
N