Kashmir
Syncretism and Shared Sanctity: An Anthropological Study of the Reshmol Sahib Shrine in Anantnag, Kashmir
Hindu-Muslim coexistence, Kashmir, Reshmol Sahib shrine, shared sacred spaces, Sufi shrine anthropology, Syncretism, Urs festivalBy: RASHID AHMAD RATHER – This anthropological study examines the Reshmol Sahib shrine in Anantnag, South Kashmir, as a site of shared worship for Hindus and Muslims. The shrine is dedicated to Hazrat Baba Hyder Reshi, a Sufi saint of the Kashmiri Reshi order. During the annual six-day Urs festival, devotees from both communities participate…
From Paddy to Pasture: Chiranbal’s Gujjar-Bakkarwals and the Cash-for-Grazing Revolution
By: RASHID AHMAD RATHER – This paper examines how traditional grazing arrangements in Chiranbal, Kashmir, have shifted from barter to cash payments. By analyzing contracts from 2015to 2023 and conducting ethnographic fieldwork, we document that Gujjar-Bakkarwal herders now receive ₹150–200 per sheep per month, replacing historical exchanges of wool and ghee. The study shows that…
The Wanwun: Folk Music as Social Commentary in Contemporary Kashmir
By: RASHID AHMAD RATHER – This study examines a Kashmiri folk song tradition called Wanwun. Wanwun are songs sung by women, usually during joyful occasions such as weddings. However, these songs are not just for entertainment. We analyzed modern Wanwun songs to uncover their hidden meanings. We found that people use these songs to express…
Tribal education in Kashmir: overcoming socio-cultural barriers to inclusive learning
By: MANSOOR AHMAD, ANEESA SHAFI – The educational remoteness of Scheduled Tribes (STs) is still a major issue in many countries, especially in India. This study provides an insightful examination of the educational disadvantage of the Scheduled Tribes in the particular setting of Kashmir, India. The study examines socio-economic, cultural and political aspects of the…
Symbolic Inequalities in Marriage Ceremonies among the Muslims of Kashmir: Situating Social Class
By: MOHMAD SALEEM JAHANGIR, SHAMEEM AHAMAD GANAYEE – Marriage is a universal social institution and is embedded in our social fabric in such a way that we don’t have a second thought about not marrying, especially among the social actors of a religious family. Researchers, here in the field of marriage only focused on the…
Changing Trends of Muslim Marriage in Contemporary Kashmir: A Sociological Study
By: JAN KHUSHBOO, HUSSAIN MANZOOR – Marriage is one of the universal social institution but it’s very difficult process to live together forever when their culture and mindset is different. But over the past several decades lot of changes has been taken place in Muslim marriage in Kashmir. The objective of the research is to…