Cashmere Kashir That Was

India is a land of communities, and Kashmiri Pandits are one of them. Though they are the original inhabitants of the Kashmir valley, famous the world over for its beauty and learning, they are living in their own country as refugees since 1989 due to religious persecution, ethnic cleansing and terrorism — their only fault lay in their religion, Hinduism. This book describes basically the life and times of the half-a-million people of this community living in peace and harmony with nature. It also delves into the march of the people from medieval times into the modern age and the impact of transport and communication technologies that opened a window for information flow into the valley cocooned for so long due to the high mountains all around. Customs and traditions are described in a changing scenario brought about by the introduction of the English language in the late 19th century.