When most people hear the word racism, they usually think of discrimination based on skin colour—a problem often associated with Western societies.
Yet in Kashmir, racism wears a subtler, paradoxical face. Outsiders—whether foreign tourists, students, or travellers—are welcomed with warmth and respect, reflecting the Valley’s long-standing tradition of hospitality. Yet, within Kashmiri society itself, invisible barriers quietly persist—not of skin, but of region, ethnicity, community, language, and class. These barriers shape social hierarchies and influence human interactions.
This paradox is not merely social; it is moral and philosophical, reflecting the tension between empathy for strangers and blind attachment to narrow identities at home.
The Sacred Tradition of Hospitality
Hospitality in Kashmir is not a mere gesture; it is a moral imperative. A stranger is never simply a guest—they are considered sacred. As the Kashmiri proverb goes, “Mehmān chu khuda sind tārfi”—“A guest is a gift from God.”
Many visitors recount being welcomed with extraordinary warmth: a shopkeeper offering chai, a passerby guiding them through winding alleys, or neighbours insisting they share a meal. These interactions reflect the Valley’s highest ideals—respect, generosity, and human dignity. Hospitality here is not transactional; it reflects an ethical worldview that elevates humanity above prejudice.
Yet, this ethic of welcome is selectively applied. While strangers are revered, fellow Kashmiris are sometimes judged harshly for the circumstances of their birth—their village, community, or economic status.
The Invisible Divides: Regional, Ethnic, and Class Prejudice
1. Regional Stereotypes: Maraaz, Kamraaz, and Shehr-e-Khaas
Kashmiris have historically drawn invisible lines between regions:
Maraaz (South Kashmir): People are stereotyped as simple or naive; rural dialects are markers of inferiority.
Kamraaz (North Kashmir): Northerners are labelled shrewd or cunning—sometimes admired for cleverness, yet subtly distrusted.
Srinagar (Shehr-e-Khaas): City dwellers are seen as proud or arrogant; “urban ways” are often derided in rural imagination.
These divisions reveal a human tendency to define “us” and “them,” even among people bound by shared history and culture. Philosophically, they reflect a moral failing: the inability to see dignity as intrinsic rather than conditional on proximity, birth, or wealth.
2. Ethnic and Caste-Like Prejudice: Gujjars, Bakarwals, and the Weight of History
The Gujjar and Bakarwal communities, pastoral and deeply connected to the land, face persistent marginalization. Despite essential contributions—livestock care, dairy, and forest knowledge—they are often dismissed as backward or uncivilized.
This discrimination is historical and systemic. The weaponization of identity—calling someone “Gujjar” as an insult—transforms a neutral marker of heritage into a tool of exclusion, shaping perception, opportunity, and dignity. According to a study by Dr. Israr Ahmed and Jameel Ahmed of Aligarh Muslim University (2015), the literacy rate among the Gujjar community is 31.65% and among the Bakarwal community 22.51%, while the overall literacy rate in Jammu and Kashmir is 55.52%. These low literacy rates contribute to economic hardship and social vulnerability.
A tragic real-life example illustrates the consequences: in 2017, Suraiya, a Gujjar woman from Kupwara, was denied care at Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar. Medical neglect, justified with slurs like “Amis Chu Fakh yiwan, yim chi Gujjir” (They smell foul, they are Gujjar)” forced her to give birth on the road, resulting in the death of her newborn. Such incidents reveal the ethical deficit in the community—the failure to see all humans as deserving care and compassion.
Social media amplifies these prejudices today. Anonymous posts spread slurs, stereotypes, and even incitements to violence. Muzaffar Choudhary, a member of the Gujjar community, notes:
“Even in the 21st century, society continues to propagate discrimination through hurtful language. No one should be judged or belittled based on caste, community, or background.”
3. Class and Status Prejudice
Even among those of the same ethnic background, wealth determines social respect. A man named Ghulam Rasool Bhat, if wealthy, is addressed as “Bhat Saeb” (Sir Bhat); if poor, he may be mockingly called “Lasa.” Academic studies confirm that disparities in education and social mobility are directly tied to socio-economic conditions, creating a clear class-based stratification system.
In Kashmir, as elsewhere, dignity is often commoditized, assigned according to material possession rather than intrinsic worth. Philosophically, this reflects the tension between human equality and social hierarchy, a conflict as old as civilization itself.
4. Language and Dialect Prejudice
Even the way someone speaks can mark them as different. People from rural areas or certain regions are sometimes teased for accents or dialects. A boy from South Kashmir, speaking in his native tone, may be quietly laughed at, made to feel less capable or worldly.
Over time, such judgments can make people self-conscious, hiding their natural speech and feeling ashamed of their roots. These micro-prejudices quietly shape self-perception and social opportunity.
5. Communal Wounds: The Pandit Exodus
The 1990 migration of Kashmiri Pandits remains one of the Valley’s most painful chapters. For Pandits, it was displacement and fear; for Muslims, it was the anguish of seeing a shared community unravel. Estimates show that between 60,000 to 100,000 Pandits were forced to leave the Valley during the peak of the insurgency.
Today, subtle mistrust still lingers. As a local elder observed:
“We shared homes and neighbourhoods once, now memories divide us more than the mountains.”
This is a lesson in the fragility of social cohesion: trauma, fear, and historical memory perpetuate prejudice and inhibit empathy.
Understanding the Paradox: Warmth for Strangers, Coldness at Home
Why do Kashmiris treat outsiders with warmth yet judge their own so harshly?
Hospitality values: Guests are sacred, deserving reverence.
Historical divides: Regional, ethnic, and social hierarchies have persisted for centuries.
Psychological comfort: It is easier to empathize outward than confront inward prejudice.
Shared suffering: Kashmiris empathize with strangers’ hardships, yet inward biases often remain unnoticed or rationalized.
This paradox is not mere inconsistency; it mirrors human psychology. It reflects the struggle between the moral imperative to recognize shared humanity and the instinct to protect social identity.
The Wisdom of Kashmir’s Sufi Saints
Kashmir’s Sufi heritage teaches that true spirituality is inseparable from justice, compassion, and respect for all human beings. Saints like Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali, Lal Ded, and Shams Tabrez emphasized that social hierarchies, caste distinctions, and prejudice are illusions of the ego, not reflections of divine order.
Lal Ded, through her profound verses, urged people to look beyond outward labels—rich or poor, city or village, tribe or caste—and recognize the shared humanity within every individual. Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali warned against pride and discrimination, teaching that moral decay arises when humans measure worth by wealth, status, or birth, instead of virtue and righteousness.
Sufi teachings also emphasize inner reflection. Societal prejudices mirror the unexamined biases in one’s own heart. Only through self-awareness, empathy, and active compassion can these invisible barriers dissolve. In essence, the sufi path is a practical guide for social harmony, urging practitioners to see beyond superficial distinctions and treating every human being as sacred.
Islam, Ethics, and the Call for Universal Dignity
Racism and social prejudice flourish where narrow-mindedness dominates. Islam explicitly condemns such discrimination, emphasizing righteousness as the true measure of honor:
“O mankind! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Qur’an, 49:13)
This verse makes clear that diversity is not a flaw but a divine intention—our differences are meant for knowing one another, not dividing.
The Qur’an further reminds us that human dignity is not selective:
"And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference." (Qur’an, 17:70)
Every human being carries honor by birthright, bestowed directly by Allah, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, or wealth. And justice, the ethical foundation of Islam, must never bend before bias:
"O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do." (Qur’an, 4:135)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ embodied these principles. In his Farewell Sermon, he declared:
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. A white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white, except by piety and good action.”
This was not just theory but practice. When Abu Dharr (RA) once mocked Bilal (RA) by referring to his mother’s race, the Prophet ﷺ corrected him firmly:
“You are a man in whom there is still ignorance.” (Sahih Muslim)
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The believers are like a single body; when one part of it aches, the whole body suffers with sleeplessness and fever.” (Sahih Muslim)
Kashmir’s Sufi heritage echoes these teachings. Its saints celebrated hospitality, inclusion, and ethical living, offering a spiritual blueprint to transcend narrow divisions. Both Islam and Sufism converge on one timeless truth: dignity and compassion must be unconditional, for only then can society flourish.
The Way Forward: Toward a Truly Inclusive Kashmir
The spirit of Kashmiriyat—unity, dignity, and respect—is alive for outsiders. The challenge is to extend it inward:
• Respect Gujjar and Bakarwal identity, valuing their culture, heritage, and contributions as citizens, not just as tribes.
• Break regional stereotypes: Maraaz, Kamraaz, and Shehr-e-Khaas should not define worth.
• Stop tying respect to wealth or social status; recognize intrinsic human dignity.
• Heal communal wounds through honesty, dialogue, and reflection, acknowledging the pain of the Pandit exodus.
• Teach children empathy, inclusion, and equality from an early age.
True Kashmiriyat is lived when every guest—and every fellow Kashmiri—is treated with the same dignity and respect, reflecting the moral heart of the Valley.
Only when this principle guides both outward and inward relations can Kashmir truly become a paradise—not only of mountains and rivers, but of hearts and minds—a society where dignity, justice, and human empathy are universal, not conditional.