KASHMIRI PANDITS IN BHADERWAH

                                                            

                                                   ( Dussehra In Bhaderwah Photo D K Dogra )

KASHMIRI PANDITS IN BHADERWAH

 

Bhaderwah is a mountain valley town in Doda district within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Located approximately 80 km from Batote, the town occupies a high-altitude basin characterised by alpine meadows and dense coniferous forests. Like the Kashmir Valley, Bhaderwah has four distinct seasons: the snowy winter, pleasant spring with greenery and flowers, mild summers, and golden autumn when every leaf becomes a flower. The onset of spring coincides with the beginning of a vibrant festive period in the district. Among the region’s most significant religious events is the Kailash Yatra, an important Hindu pilgrimage that draws devotees from across northern India and contributes to the area’s ritual landscape.

Climatically, Bhaderwah offers relatively mild summers, with temperatures typically ranging between 18°C and 32°C, distinguishing it from the hotter plains of northern India. This temperate climate, combined with dramatic mountain scenery, positions the valley as a seasonal retreat.

Often referred to as “Chhota Kashmir” (Little Kashmir), Bhaderwah is noted for its striking natural beauty and composite cultural fabric shaped by diverse communities and long-standing traditions. Local fairs, seasonal festivals, and agrarian practices remain integral to public life, reflecting a dynamic interaction between ecology, belief, and social identity. In Bhaderwah, one finds Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiri-speaking Muslims, Gaddis, Thakkars, Wazirs, Dogras, Kotwals, Parihars, Chib Rajputs, Manhas Rajputs, Khatris, Mahajans, and Bhaderwahi-speaking locals of other tribes and castes living in peace and harmony. It may reasonably be described as a melting pot of cultures and civilisations. Bhaderwah has a high literacy rate across all communities. The Government Degree College was started in the town in 1955 during the rule of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad. The University of Jammu has its Campus in Bhaderwah.

Migration of Kashmiri Artisans

Recurring famines in Kashmir, especially the devastating famine of 1877–79, played a critical role in accelerating the migration of the Kashmiri Muslims. Starvation deaths, economic collapse, and lack of subsistence forced many artisan families to seek survival outside Kashmir. While heavy taxation on shawl production under successive regimes did contribute to hardships, it was not the primary driver. Rather, state patronage in Punjab (which included areas of the Western Himalayas), combined with famine-induced distress, made migration both attractive and necessary for Kashmiri Muslim artisans. The 19th-century migration of Kashmiri Muslim artisans—especially shawl weavers—to Punjab and the erstwhile Western Himalayan hilly states can largely be attributed to external invitation and opportunity. After conquering Kashmir in 1819, Maharaja Ranjit Singh actively encouraged skilled Kashmiri weavers to relocate to Punjab, particularly to Amritsar and Lahore, to establish and strengthen the shawl industry there. His policy aimed at harnessing their renowned craftsmanship for the prosperity of the Sikh Empire. Following the British annexation of Punjab in 1849, colonial authorities further supported the settlement of these artisans. The British sought closer supervision of production and easier access to export markets, providing relatively stable commercial conditions compared to the uncertainty of the Valley.

 Historically, Bhaderwah was an important town on the old Shawl Route of Kashmir. This route extended from Srinagar – Anantnag – Daksum – Kishtwar – Bhaderwah –Sarthal- Basohli – Chamba, and onward to the hilly kingdoms of the present-day Himachal Pradesh. During the nineteenth century, Kashmiri shawl weavers and craftsmen travelled along this route to Basohli, Jasrota, Nurpur, Chamba and the plains of Punjab adjoining the Western Himalayas. The Basohli area of Kathua district has had a long-standing relationship with Kashmir. The pashmina shawl industry continues to flourish in Basohli town to this day. Even the Rajas of Jasrota (Kathua) patronised Kashmiri craftsmen, particularly shawl-weavers.

Migration and Settlement of Kashmiri Pandits

The migration of Kashmiri Pandits followed a different trajectory. The Pandits largely moved out due to suppression during the Mughal and Afghan rule in the Kashmir valley. Pandits who migrated were often well versed in scriptures, astrology, Sanskrit, Persian, manuscript writing and religious miniature art.

According to the noted writer Bashir Bhadarwahi, Raja Partap Singh of the Pal dynasty visited Kashmir for education and subsequently invited several learned Pandit families to Bhaderwah. Appointed as Rajgurus (royal priests and advisers), these families were granted agricultural land by the ruling house. Patterns of landholding established during this period continued for generations and shaped the socio-economic standing of the community.

Bhaderwah also served as a transitional refuge for families moving further south into the hilly states across the Ravi River. The migration routes extended through Basohli into Chamba and adjoining territories. As a result, Kashmiri Pandit lineages of similar origin are found across the Ravi in various towns of the present-day Himachal Pradesh, preserving surnames, ritual practices, and elements of linguistic heritage tied to their ancestral homeland.

One distinguished lineage associated with this migration was the Raina family. From this family emerged renowned painters such as Shiv Raina, Nainsukh, Manaku, Nikka, Ranjha and many more who played a transformative role in the development of Pahari miniature art in the courts of Basohli, Guler, Jasrota, Nurpur, Chamba and many other hilly kingdoms. Their artistic achievements remain among the most significant cultural legacies of the Kashmiri diaspora in the western Himalayas.

Cultural Continuity and Social Integration

Over successive generations, the Kashmiri Pandits of Bhaderwah maintained their linguistic, ritual, and religious traditions while gradually assimilating elements of local Bhaderwahi culture. Interactions with neighbouring communities fostered a distinctive yet composite regional identity that balanced continuity with adaptation. The community became prominent in education, administration, scholarship, jurisprudence, literature, public service, and political leadership. Several families produced individuals who left a lasting imprint on the civic and intellectual life of Bhaderwah and beyond.

Key Families and Fields of Contribution

The Koul Family

The Koul family has been associated with scholarship, education, and public life.

Ruchir Kumar Koul, Mandal President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bhaderwah, was a prominent community leader whose assassination by jihadi terrorists in 1994 marked a significant moment in the town’s contemporary history. Professor Pritam Krishan Koul distinguished himself as a historian and author, notably through his scholarly work, Himalayan Principalities in Jammu, Kangra and Bhadarwah. Professor Shiv Kumar Koul and Mrs Krishna Koul contributed to education by establishing a senior secondary institution in Bhaderwah.

The Razdan Family

Faqir Chand Razdan was associated with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and served as President of the Sanatan Dharma Sabha in Bhaderwah. Manjit Razdan, an advocate and political leader linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party, has served in party leadership roles at the Union Territory level. He was also an independent director on the Board of Directors of State Trading Corporation. Professor Kameshwar Nath Razdan is recognised locally for fostering progressive intellectual engagement. Pushkar Nath Razdan served in the judicial services. Varinder Razdan served as President of Sanatan Dharm Sabha

The Mattoo Family

Sham Lal Mattoo and Maharaj Krishan Mattoo served as principals of educational institutions. Advocate Rishi Kumar Mattoo founded a higher secondary school in Udhampur. Lal Chand Sharma (Mattoo) ‘Amar’ earned recognition as a poet, and his son Chander Kant Sharma ‘Amardeep’ continued this literary and educational tradition.

Saraf Family

*Sanjay Saraf is presently the District General Secretary of the BJP in Doda.

The Rajguru Family

Traditionally associated with hereditary priestly functions, the Rajguru family maintained ceremonial responsibilities historically linked to offerings attributed to the Mughal emperor Akbar to the deity Vasuki Nag through Raja Nag Pal in 1580 AD. Dr Sanjeev Kaul, researcher in mushroom cultivation, belongs to this family.

The Zutshi Family

Daya Nand Zutshi served as Vice Principal of St. Xavier’s School, Delhi, before founding a travel enterprise in New Delhi and establishing Surya Hotel, one of Bhaderwah’s early modern hotels. The hotel is presently managed by his son, Ravi Zutshi.

The Saraf and Dhar Families

Members of these families have been active in public administration, political organisation, and social service at district and regional levels.

Conclusion

The Kashmiri Pandits of Bhaderwah constitute a historically rooted, culturally resilient, and socially influential community. Emerging from waves of migration shaped by political upheavals in Kashmir, they consolidated their presence as scholars, priests, landholders, educators, administrators, artists, and public leaders. Their legacy extended beyond Bhaderwah, forming part of a broader Himalayan narrative that linked the Kashmir Valley with the erstwhile hilly kingdoms across the Ravi River. Through sustained contributions to religion, education, scholarship, public service, literature, law, politics, and social life, the Kashmiri Pandits of Bhaderwah have played an enduring role in shaping the intellectual and cultural landscape of the place.

 (Avtar Mota)

PS

Apart from my personal visits to the place, I remain indebted to D. K. Dogra (author, photographer, prolific traveller, my esteemed friend, and former colleague in the bank) for providing specific details about the Kashmiri Pandit families of Bhaderwah. Without his support and assistance, this write-up would not have been possible.

 

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