Dr Haroon Rashid | University of Kashmir, Srinagar, J&K, India (original) (raw)

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Papers by Dr Haroon Rashid

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi., 2024

Sage, 2022

The discourse on Kashmiriyat (or Kasheryut) was majorly invoked in the late twentieth-century Kas... more The discourse on Kashmiriyat (or Kasheryut) was majorly invoked in the late twentieth-century Kashmir by diverse, often conflicting, ideological strands to legitimize their respective political positioning in the context of post-1947 political stirrings in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the discourse has remained shrouded in ambiguity owing to the multiple, disparate meanings and connotations attached to it. More commonly the term has been understood to imply a syncretic culture of Kashmir devoid of religious fundamentalism and exclusion. So far as the historicity of Kashmiriyat is concerned, the existing scholarly writings on the discourse have tried to locate its origins in the medieval times when the interaction and subsequent synthesis occurred between Hinduism and Islam in Kashmir; a mystic manifestation, Rishism, is often referred as the best example of this ideational formation. However, the paper attempts to argue that while the idea of Kashmiriyat as syncretic culture of Kashmir devoid of religious fundamentalism holds ground, it cannot be clearly steered away from a particular religious affiliation altogether. Secondly, this paper challenges the existing historicity and ideational trajectory of Kashmiriyat and instead attempts to trace its genealogy to Kashmir's ancient past.

Routledge, 2022

Among the various writings on Kashmir, Shahla Hussain's Kashmir in the Aftermath of Partition is ... more Among the various writings on Kashmir, Shahla Hussain's Kashmir in the Aftermath of Partition is potentially the first historically grounded academic work on post-partition Kashmir. Most writings on this period are predominantly by political scientists, social anthropologists, or journalists with diverse ideological orientations. At the heart of the book lies the multiple meanings of azaadi or freedom as it emerged across various historical epochs; the book thus brings to the fore the local voices of Kashmir. Hussain highlights that these voices are not one but many and are deeply fragmented; however, they have most often come together to echo a singular voice of the Kashmiris independent of the two nations that seek authority and control over this region. In the first chapter of the book, Hussain reflects on the different meanings of pre-partition Kashmir, which informs us about the changing connotation of the word 'freedom' among Kashmiris, ranging from social-economic to political independence. She explains that during Mughal, Afghan and Sikh rules, Kashmiris always wished freedom from exorbitant taxation, injustice, social discrimination, and other oppressive measures. However, the miseries of Kashmiris, especially the Muslims who were in the majority, were intensified by the communal attitude of Dogra rulers. Consequently, the Kashmiri Muslims saw political freedom as the only alternative to change their destiny. This chapter also throws light on the communal governance, policies, and attitude of Dogra rulers visa -vis the Muslim majority-something that triggered severe dissent from the Muslims and started a movement to uproot the Dogra rule. The first chapter also highlights the failure of the national conference's secular claim, i.e., a wish to include people from all communities in its fold. However, the conference failed to maintain its secular character when it opposed the introduction of Devanagari script. The chapter ends with a Pakistan-sponsored tribal raid and Kashmir's subsequent signing of a temporary instrument of accession with India in 1947. The second chapter of the book starts with the post-partition history of Kashmir and talks about the social and economic disaster brought to Kashmir by the partition. The author discusses the dismal condition of Kashmiris on both sides of the ceasefire line, especially how Kashmiris living in Pakistan administered Kashmir wrote letters to friends in India administered Kashmir about their deteriorated conditions and harsh treatment. Disaster was brought to Kashmir's economy due to the closure of the Jhelum-Valley Road. The road had earlier led Kashmir's trade with regions in west Punjab such as Rawalpindi and other overlying areas. Trade and commerce were thus highly affected by the road closure. The closure of the Jhelum-Valley Road and the subsequent economic crisis led to Kashmir's economic dependence on Indian aid. This dependence eventually created a situation for the Kashmir nationalist government to think about Kashmir's integration with the Indian state. This chapter also highlights the changing vision of Sheikh Abdullah about the political future of Kashmir from an integrated Indian Kashmir to independent Kashmir. Following his assumption of power, Sheikh Abdullah was a firm advocate of Kashmir's better future with a secular India and suppressed all the voices that countered Kashmir's integration to India; however, the chapter argues, the failure of Indian secularism and the concomitant subjugation of Kashmiri Muslims and the unwillingness of the Indian state to provide autonomy to Kashmir led Abdullah to rethink the calls for Independent Kashmir leading to his arrest in 1953. The third chapter deals with the history of Kashmir post-Abdullah's arrest in 1953. In this chapter, the author underscores how all political regimes followed by Sheikh's arrest were SOUTH ASIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Book Reviews by Dr Haroon Rashid

Sage, 2022

This book is written with an endeavor to deconstruct the existing discourse that the Indian civil... more This book is written with an endeavor to deconstruct the existing discourse that the Indian civilization is non-violent in nature. Author puts table over to this discourse by arguing that Indian civilization since its beginning till present was/is actually violent, but that violence has never been considered a violence as it was perpetuated for the maintenance of Dharma. The author in all the eight chapters of the book substantiates her argument over the violent nature of Indian civilization with the help of many historical events which happened right from the ancient to the post-independent India. The first chapter of the book My Son's Inheritance is about the story of Bharmall's self-immolation for the cause of cow protection in the area of Kathu Shyamji in Rajasthan. The reason behind his selfimmolation, as highlighted by the author, was actually a religious fervour, introduced in the region by Krishna-oriented Puśti Marg cult of Vallabhacharya. The author highlights that before the advent of the cult in the area of Kathu Shyamji, the cattle had only an economic value and provided a livelihood to people such as traders, skinners, tanners, butchers and leather workers. But with the penetration of the cult, the cattle became sacred and their protection a sacred duty, as the hero (Krishna) of the cult was himself the protector of cattle. Now in this whole scenario of the sacred mission of cattle protection, it was the Muslim butchers who became the enemy. Thus, the sacrifice of life by Bharmall was the begging of emotional and religious attachment to cattle, especially cows, which otherwise was missing before the advent of the cult. The second chapter discusses the Aryan discourse of nineteenth-century India. In this chapter, the author puts light on how in nineteenth-century India, colonial scholars with the help of Aryan theory generated a common ancestry (Aryan) and common homeland (Central Asia) for Britishers and Indian Divija (Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas).This Aryan theory was also subscribed to by the Indian reformers who began to believe that Aryans were the real founders of Indian civilization, which was subsequently degraded by Dravidas, Adivasis, Muslims and Christians. Thus, in order to revive the true values of the Aryan civilization, many social reformers began to work for its revival. Among these reformers, the author has comprehensively discussed Swami Dayanand Saraswati and his nineteenth-century ad Arya Samaj. The third and fourth chapters of the book are entirely dedicated to the Arya Samaj's cow protection movement and its impact. In these chapters, the author has initially highlighted how the Arya Samaj's cow protection movement of 1882 was so appealing and powerful that it emerged as the only successful tool that united the diverse Hindu castes to the common cause of cow protection, otherwise divided by their diverse methods to reach to the ultimate reality (God). These chapters also throw light on how this cow protection movement played a significant role in creating the 'Muslim other' who eats beef, hence destroying the age-old plural ethos of India and giving birth to the community antagonism. The author has also thrown light on the issue of how the Arya Samaj's forged community for cow protection began

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi., 2024

Sage, 2022

The discourse on Kashmiriyat (or Kasheryut) was majorly invoked in the late twentieth-century Kas... more The discourse on Kashmiriyat (or Kasheryut) was majorly invoked in the late twentieth-century Kashmir by diverse, often conflicting, ideological strands to legitimize their respective political positioning in the context of post-1947 political stirrings in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the discourse has remained shrouded in ambiguity owing to the multiple, disparate meanings and connotations attached to it. More commonly the term has been understood to imply a syncretic culture of Kashmir devoid of religious fundamentalism and exclusion. So far as the historicity of Kashmiriyat is concerned, the existing scholarly writings on the discourse have tried to locate its origins in the medieval times when the interaction and subsequent synthesis occurred between Hinduism and Islam in Kashmir; a mystic manifestation, Rishism, is often referred as the best example of this ideational formation. However, the paper attempts to argue that while the idea of Kashmiriyat as syncretic culture of Kashmir devoid of religious fundamentalism holds ground, it cannot be clearly steered away from a particular religious affiliation altogether. Secondly, this paper challenges the existing historicity and ideational trajectory of Kashmiriyat and instead attempts to trace its genealogy to Kashmir's ancient past.

Routledge, 2022

Among the various writings on Kashmir, Shahla Hussain's Kashmir in the Aftermath of Partition is ... more Among the various writings on Kashmir, Shahla Hussain's Kashmir in the Aftermath of Partition is potentially the first historically grounded academic work on post-partition Kashmir. Most writings on this period are predominantly by political scientists, social anthropologists, or journalists with diverse ideological orientations. At the heart of the book lies the multiple meanings of azaadi or freedom as it emerged across various historical epochs; the book thus brings to the fore the local voices of Kashmir. Hussain highlights that these voices are not one but many and are deeply fragmented; however, they have most often come together to echo a singular voice of the Kashmiris independent of the two nations that seek authority and control over this region. In the first chapter of the book, Hussain reflects on the different meanings of pre-partition Kashmir, which informs us about the changing connotation of the word 'freedom' among Kashmiris, ranging from social-economic to political independence. She explains that during Mughal, Afghan and Sikh rules, Kashmiris always wished freedom from exorbitant taxation, injustice, social discrimination, and other oppressive measures. However, the miseries of Kashmiris, especially the Muslims who were in the majority, were intensified by the communal attitude of Dogra rulers. Consequently, the Kashmiri Muslims saw political freedom as the only alternative to change their destiny. This chapter also throws light on the communal governance, policies, and attitude of Dogra rulers visa -vis the Muslim majority-something that triggered severe dissent from the Muslims and started a movement to uproot the Dogra rule. The first chapter also highlights the failure of the national conference's secular claim, i.e., a wish to include people from all communities in its fold. However, the conference failed to maintain its secular character when it opposed the introduction of Devanagari script. The chapter ends with a Pakistan-sponsored tribal raid and Kashmir's subsequent signing of a temporary instrument of accession with India in 1947. The second chapter of the book starts with the post-partition history of Kashmir and talks about the social and economic disaster brought to Kashmir by the partition. The author discusses the dismal condition of Kashmiris on both sides of the ceasefire line, especially how Kashmiris living in Pakistan administered Kashmir wrote letters to friends in India administered Kashmir about their deteriorated conditions and harsh treatment. Disaster was brought to Kashmir's economy due to the closure of the Jhelum-Valley Road. The road had earlier led Kashmir's trade with regions in west Punjab such as Rawalpindi and other overlying areas. Trade and commerce were thus highly affected by the road closure. The closure of the Jhelum-Valley Road and the subsequent economic crisis led to Kashmir's economic dependence on Indian aid. This dependence eventually created a situation for the Kashmir nationalist government to think about Kashmir's integration with the Indian state. This chapter also highlights the changing vision of Sheikh Abdullah about the political future of Kashmir from an integrated Indian Kashmir to independent Kashmir. Following his assumption of power, Sheikh Abdullah was a firm advocate of Kashmir's better future with a secular India and suppressed all the voices that countered Kashmir's integration to India; however, the chapter argues, the failure of Indian secularism and the concomitant subjugation of Kashmiri Muslims and the unwillingness of the Indian state to provide autonomy to Kashmir led Abdullah to rethink the calls for Independent Kashmir leading to his arrest in 1953. The third chapter deals with the history of Kashmir post-Abdullah's arrest in 1953. In this chapter, the author underscores how all political regimes followed by Sheikh's arrest were SOUTH ASIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Sage, 2022

This book is written with an endeavor to deconstruct the existing discourse that the Indian civil... more This book is written with an endeavor to deconstruct the existing discourse that the Indian civilization is non-violent in nature. Author puts table over to this discourse by arguing that Indian civilization since its beginning till present was/is actually violent, but that violence has never been considered a violence as it was perpetuated for the maintenance of Dharma. The author in all the eight chapters of the book substantiates her argument over the violent nature of Indian civilization with the help of many historical events which happened right from the ancient to the post-independent India. The first chapter of the book My Son's Inheritance is about the story of Bharmall's self-immolation for the cause of cow protection in the area of Kathu Shyamji in Rajasthan. The reason behind his selfimmolation, as highlighted by the author, was actually a religious fervour, introduced in the region by Krishna-oriented Puśti Marg cult of Vallabhacharya. The author highlights that before the advent of the cult in the area of Kathu Shyamji, the cattle had only an economic value and provided a livelihood to people such as traders, skinners, tanners, butchers and leather workers. But with the penetration of the cult, the cattle became sacred and their protection a sacred duty, as the hero (Krishna) of the cult was himself the protector of cattle. Now in this whole scenario of the sacred mission of cattle protection, it was the Muslim butchers who became the enemy. Thus, the sacrifice of life by Bharmall was the begging of emotional and religious attachment to cattle, especially cows, which otherwise was missing before the advent of the cult. The second chapter discusses the Aryan discourse of nineteenth-century India. In this chapter, the author puts light on how in nineteenth-century India, colonial scholars with the help of Aryan theory generated a common ancestry (Aryan) and common homeland (Central Asia) for Britishers and Indian Divija (Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas).This Aryan theory was also subscribed to by the Indian reformers who began to believe that Aryans were the real founders of Indian civilization, which was subsequently degraded by Dravidas, Adivasis, Muslims and Christians. Thus, in order to revive the true values of the Aryan civilization, many social reformers began to work for its revival. Among these reformers, the author has comprehensively discussed Swami Dayanand Saraswati and his nineteenth-century ad Arya Samaj. The third and fourth chapters of the book are entirely dedicated to the Arya Samaj's cow protection movement and its impact. In these chapters, the author has initially highlighted how the Arya Samaj's cow protection movement of 1882 was so appealing and powerful that it emerged as the only successful tool that united the diverse Hindu castes to the common cause of cow protection, otherwise divided by their diverse methods to reach to the ultimate reality (God). These chapters also throw light on how this cow protection movement played a significant role in creating the 'Muslim other' who eats beef, hence destroying the age-old plural ethos of India and giving birth to the community antagonism. The author has also thrown light on the issue of how the Arya Samaj's forged community for cow protection began