# Kashmiri Hindus

Kashmiri Hindus are ethnic Kashmiris who practice Hinduism and are native to the Kashmir Valley of India. With respect to their contributions to Indian philosophy, Kashmiri Hindus developed the tradition of Kashmiri Shaivism. After their exodus from the Kashmir Valley in the wake of the Kashmir insurgency in the 1990s, most Kashmiri Hindus are now settled in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. The largest group of Kashmiri Hindus are the Kashmiri Pandits.

## History
### Ancient

During the reign of Ashoka (304–232 BCE), Kashmir became a part of the Maurya Empire and Buddhism was introduced in Kashmir. During this period, many stupas, some shrines dedicated to Shiva, and the city of Srinagari (Srinagar) were built. Kanishka (127–151 CE), an emperor of the Kushan Empire, conquered Kashmir and established the new city of Kanishkapur.

### Medieval

The Karkota dynasty (625–855 CE) ruled over the Kashmir and parts of northern Indian subcontinent and their rule saw political expansion, economic prosperity and emergence of Kashmir as a centre of culture and scholarship. Lalitaditya Muktapida (724–760 CE) was a powerful ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region in the Indian subcontinent. After the seventh century, significant developments took place in Kashmiri Hinduism. In the centuries that followed, Kashmir produced many poets, philosophers, and artists who contributed to Sanskrit literature and Hindu religion. Among notable scholars of this period was Vasugupta (c. 875–925 CE) who wrote the Shiva Sutras which laid the foundation for a monistic Shaiva system called Kashmir Shaivism.
After the dawn of the Lohara dynasty, Islam had penetrated into countries outside Kashmir and in the absence of support from Hindus, who were in the majority, Rinchana needed the support of the Kashmiri Muslims. Shah Mir's coup on Rinchana's successor secured Muslim rule and the rule of his dynasty in Kashmir.

## Demography

The largest community within the Kashmiri Hindus are the Kashmiri Pandits (Kashmiri Brahmins), who are divided into several gotras, such as the priests (gor or bhasha Bhatta), astrologers (Zutshi), and workers (Karkun).
The Wani are historically Banias, with subcastes, such as the Kesarwani. During the Mughal era, many Kesarwanis migrated to other parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
According to officials, 98,600 Kashmiri Hindus were issued domicile certificates of Jammu and Kashmir up to the end of June 2021. They further state, "90,430 domicile certificates were issued to displaced Kashmiri Pandits, while 2,340 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits were registered as fresh migrants. Of these, 8,170 individuals received the domicile certificate."
On 16 May 2020, Order 52 was issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (JK DMRRR) which states that: "Bonafide migrants and bonafide displaced persons who are not yet registered with the relief and rehabilitation commissioner (migrant), Jammu and Kashmir, can apply before the competent authority for registration for purpose of issuance of a domicile certificate only." This is as long as one of the necessary documents is provided. The timeframe for registration (and claiming domicile) of Kashmiri migrants and displaced persons was later extended for the final time up to 15 May 2022.

## Persecution

Under the rule of Sultan Sikander Butshikan in the 14th century CE, many Kashmiri Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam. They began to leave the valley in much greater numbers in the 1990s during the eruption of militancy following large scale militarization of Valley.

## Notable people

This is a list of notable Kashmiri Hindus.
* Piyare Lal Handoo, 6th Lok Sabha Member Anantnag
* Anupam Kher, Indian actor
* Bhai Almast, Udasi saint
* Bhai Balu Hasna, Udasi saint
* Kunal Khemu, Indian actor
* R N Kao, one of the founders and First Secretary of R&AW
* Krsna (rapper), Indian rapper
* Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India
* Mohit Raina, Indian actor
* Samay Raina, standup comedian and chess enthusiast
* Bhasha Sumbli, Indian actress
* Tika Lal Taploo, lawyer
* Motilal Nehru, lawyer and leader of Indian National Congress
* Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India
* P. N. Haksar, bureaucrat and diplomat
* Tej Bahadur Sapru, freedom fighter, lawyer, and politician
* Tapishwar Narain Raina, ninth Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army
* Sanjiv Bhatt, Indian Police Service officer of the Gujarat-cadre
* Ram Chandra Kak, Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1945-1947)
* Mohan Lal Zutshi, traveler, diplomat, and author, and an important player in the Great Game.
* Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Indian freedom fighter, diplomat and politician. She served as the 8th President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1953 to 1954, the first woman appointed to either post. She was also the 3rd Governor of Maharashtra from 1962 to 1964.