Kashmiris Living and Working in India
Pashmina
shawls, papier-mache ornaments, carved elephants, and silk carpets. Kashmiri
goods are in great abundance in the streets of India. But why is it that these
crafts proliferate outside of their home region? The conflict in Kashmir has
created unrest and violence, which has impeded normal activity in the region.
The United States, along with many European countries, recommends that
travelers avoid the Jammu & Kashmir region due to high levels of violence
and militancy. Warnings like this severely diminish the tourism industry on
which so many individuals rely. Many Kashmiri merchants migrate to India to
take advantage of their tourism market. These individuals face discrimination,
homesickness, and uncertainty about the future.
The Conflict
Kashmir,
a Himalayan valley region, is bordered by Pakistan, India, and
China. Conflict over control of the region arose following the
independence and partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. India, a
predominantly Hindu nation separated with Muslim-dominated Pakistan over
religions differences. The two countries agreed that princely states would
have the option of choosing whether to become a part of Pakistan or
India. The princely state of Kashmir was ruled by a Hindu prince, but the
majority of the population was Muslim. Conflicted, Maharaja Hari Singh
signed a Standstill Agreement with the two nations. When Singh failed to
make a decision later in the year, Pakistan attacked the state, intending to
frighten Kashmir into accession. Instead, Singh sought military assistance
from India and agreed to join the Indian Union as a semiautonomous state.
Indian troops entered Kashmir to eliminate the Pakistani military
presence. A UN cease-fire in 1949 brought the fighting to a stop, but the
region's alliance was divided between the two nations.[1]
Today,
Pakistan controls the northern and western areas of Kashmir. The Kashmir
Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh are under Indian jurisdiction. Both nations
refuse to recognize the other's claim to ownership. The UN Security
Council recommends a plebiscite to determine the will of the Kashmiri
people. India is against this option, arguing that plebiscite will occur
only when Pakistani forces leave the region. Pakistan counters that India
is ignoring the will of the people.[2]
On
July 2, 1972, the Simla Accord was signed. The two nations agreed to
respect the cease-fire line, and to solve the dispute through negotiations.
Since then, Kashmir has been a center for political and social unrest.
Corruption, violence, and human rights violations characterized the 1980s and
1990s. In 1990, a religious separatist movement involving mass killings of
Kashmiri Hindus prompted the forced migration of 100,000 to 300,000 out of the
valley.[3]
On the other side, the Indian military trained local forces, leading to
merciless human rights abuses against supporters of Pakistan. Clearly,
both parties are guilty of unnecessary violence and unforgivable human rights
violations.[4]
As a people, the Kashmiris have endured much pain and instability. While many
have fled to seek safety and security, they maintain urgency for the
reestablishment of a peaceful homeland.
Kashmiris
Working in India
Of
a total of 13 million, .4 million Kashmiris are living abroad.[5]
Why do they leave? For many, the decision to live abroad is bolstered by
economic stagnancy in Kashmir. While Kashmiris travel to various places,
India and Pakistan are the most common destinations.[6]
Due to undocumented travel, the actual numbers of Kashmiris in India is
impossible to determine. Most Kashmiri migrants today are
male. Kashmiri society follows a patriarchal model, allocating the role of
breadwinner to men. As a result, most of the individuals who leave Kashmir
are males, seeking economic support for their families. Many young men
leave to study in Indian universities. But most often, men depart to seek
work. Decline in tourism due to the conflict in Kashmir has hurt many
businesses. India's tourism market is appealing because it is close to
home, so time commitments can be variable. Some vendors choose to visit popular
tourist destinations during peak seasons, and then return to Kashmir for the
rest of the year. [7] Most of the merchants I encountered stay for
several years at a time before returning home to visit. Most individuals
that I spoke with considered their stay temporary, but this is rarely the
case. Though many merchants intend to return to Kashmir, lack of economic opportunity
keeps them in India.
While
merchants can make substantial profits they also face many obstacles as
strangers to the land. Most notably, Kashmiri vendors often feel restless
and miss the comforts of home. They face the difficulty of adjusting to new
environments with different customs, foods, and languages. Kashmir has great
diversity of language, but these languages tend to be understood only in the
northern regions of India. Many Kashmiris establish shops in southern tourist
destinations such as Goa, Kerala, and Karnataka. These regions have their
own languages, not at all similar to those of the north.
During my
time in India, I spoke to a Kashmiri merchant who had been living in Kerala for
three years. He had not learned the local language, Malayalam, and felt
much more confidant speaking English with the locals.
In
many cases, Kashmiri migrants also represent a religions minority. At the
start of the conflict in 1947, 77% of the Kashmir region was Muslim, and 20%
Hindu.[8]
By the 1990s, religious separatism resulted in the death of thousands of Hindus. Those
that survived were forced to migrate out of the area.[9]
Today, Muslims represent more than 90% of the total population.[10]
India is a pluralistic society that is generally characteristic of religious
tolerance. Still, Hinduism is the religious majority of the
nation. As such, many Muslim Kashmiris will be religious minorities in
their new locations. Kashmiris are thus exposed to ethnic and religious
stereotyping and discrimination.[11] The
shock of a new environment can be lessened by family connections in
India. Still, it is evident that many men would have stayed with their
families in Kashmir if not for economic need.
The Indian
Tourism Market
"In
my travels through India, I saw Kashmir emporiums almost everywhere I went,
even in small places like Kulu and Manali. Kashmiri merchants are doing a
flourishing business everywhere in India and the Kashmiri economy seems to be
more integrated with India's than ever before."[12]
This
statement reflects my own experience as well. Kashmiri shops can be found
in virtually every tourist city in India. The Kashmiri market is not
limited to international visitors; substantial business is derived from Indian
tourists traveling domestically as well. During my travels around India, I
encountered Kashmiri sellers in such prominent tourist locations as Delhi,
Mumbai, Jaipur, Goa, Kerala, Hampi, and the Ajanta Caves. There were also
Kashmiri merchants in my university town of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is not a
typical tourist destination, but it is home to a large population of
Indians. Clearly, Kashmiri crafts have obtained considerable popularity.
Textiles
and craftwork are the most popular Kashmiri items. Silk and wool carpets from
Kashmir are distinguished for their handmade knottings. The more knots per
square inch, the greater the carpet's value. Pashmina shawls have also
gained a reputation as high quality textiles. Spun from ibex hair, pure
pashmina is remarkably soft. Less expensive woolen shawls are popular for
their detailed embroidery work and warm colors.
Small detailed
crafts are also featured in Kashmiri shops. Papier-mache objects,
including small animals, boxes, and incense holders are characteristic
items. Designs are often floral, and many feature gold accenting. Wooden
carvings of elephants and other animals are common as well. In addition to
detailed artistry, Kashmiri merchants sometimes sell foodstuffs, including walnuts,
almonds, honey, and saffron. Though Kashmiri businesses often flourish,
life is not always easy as a migrant to India.
Facing
Discrimination and Ethnic Tension
While
Kashmiris living in India may avoid the dangers of their home country, they face
discrimination and vulnerability in their new locales. Pressure has
increased in India following an incident in December of 2001 when alleged
Islamic terrorists attacked the New Delhi Parliament complex. Since the
event, all Kashmiris are subject to suspicion.[13] Police
target Kashmiris for searches, sometimes leading to unwarranted detainment or
solicitation of bribes. Twenty-three year old Afshan Gul laments,
"They don't just search you, they rip off your dignity too."[14]
Unfortunately, the risk of ethnic discrimination is the price many Kashmiris
pay to attain economic security.
Common
victims of ethnic discrimination are college students, who suffer the wrath of
their nationalist peers. One particularly awful event took place at
Ghousia Engineering College, Ramnagran in Bangalore. In 2007, a large
group of Bihari students reportedly targeted a small number of Kashmiris and
beat them. The attacked students reported the incident at a nearby police
station, and were withheld for 15 days. Apparently, the officers feared
that the Kashmiri students were involved in terrorist activities. By all
accounts, the Bihari students went unpunished by the school for their
actions. Additionally, some Bihari students are urging the college to
expel all Kashmiri students on the basis that they are likely terrorists.[15]
Many
Kashmiris also have trouble finding work outside of the tourism trade. Abrar
Ahmad Dewani, a 24 year old computer student, was rejected by potential
employees because of his ethnicity. One interviewer told Dewani,
"Kashmiris are terrorists". Another remarked that he was
"very scared of Kashmiris". News reports and popular media
consistently portray Kashmiri militants, creating a stereotype that all people
from the region are violent. Still, many young professionals and goods
merchants feel they have "no choice but to leave Kashmir". A
lack of job opportunities in Kashmir forces men to cope with regular suspicion
and stereotyping.[16]
Reflections
from Kashmiri Merchants
Despite
the negative encounters that sometimes occur, Kashmiri shop merchants are
generally upbeat, ready to talk and laugh. In my conversations with
Kashmiri merchants, I have learned about life histories, favorite foods,
snoring roommates, and where to get the best cup of chai. The feature of
these conversations, however, was Kashmir. The Kashmiri merchants with
whom I spoke extensively spent a great deal of time expounding Kashmir's beauty
and wonder. While I'm sure that Kashmiris would love an increase in
tourism, these men weren't just giving me a sales pitch. I could see that they
felt strongly for their homeland. The men described in great detail the
sky blue lakes, lush gardens, and picture perfect mountain
landscapes. "Beautiful in any season," they say, which I now
believe after hearing it myriad times. They would reminiscence for long
periods, only stopping briefly to haggle prices with other customers. Just
by listening to the stories, you would never guess that the country was
experiencing internal division and oppressive militarization. When
specifically questioned about the war, the men's tones became more
solemn. The pain that this conflict has brought to their families upsets them.
Many of the younger men had lost family members, often their fathers, to
war. India offers these men the opportunity to avoid combat and the threat
of death. A 23 year old student living in India interviewed for the
Washington Post bemoaned, "In Kashmir, there is always the threat of the
gun-the army's or the militants'. I wanted to escape the climate of fear
and violence."[17]
Many
of the young men I spoke with had newly arrived to India. They could still
taste their mother's gushtaba (mutton balls in curd) and the thought of being
away from Kashmir for several years was difficult to fathom. These men
found India to be not nearly as beautiful, with less tasty food and less
friendly inhabitants. For many, the move to a large city like New Delhi or
Mumbai was likely one of the most troubling changes. Any large city is
bound to be less beautiful than an uncrowded town in the valley of
Kashmir. Even so, the sellers I met recognized the economic prospects that
India offers. Unfortunately, many Kashmiris feel disillusioned by the
oppressive military force and lack of development that has characterized
Kashmir under Indian authority. Kashmir has been relatively isolated and
the Indian public has demonized its people, making it hard for Kashmiri
migrants to reflect fondly on their new home.[18]
Mac: A
Case Study
Mac is one of the young Kashmiri men that I met while in New Delhi. When I
first met Mac, he was wearing a tight, Emporio Armani t-shirt and looked at me
with characteristically Kashmiri beautiful round eyes. He walked over to
me as I examined pashmina in his two-story shop downtown. "Are you
from America?" He asked.
"Yes" I responded. Then on autopilot I recited the information
that I had become accustomed to sharing. I am staying in India for six months
to study at the University of Hyderabad. Unmarried. I like it here. The food is
good. This interrogation was somewhat different from most others I'd
experienced in Delhi. Like me, Mac was a foreigner. Mac had arrived in Delhi
only three months before I met him. Through family connections, he had acquired
a job at a well-established Kashmiri goods shop in Connaught Place, the central
shopping area of downtown New Delhi. Kashmir was fresh on his mind, and he
talked with me for a total of two hours over the course of two visits.
At
the age of ten, Mac lost his father. That he chose to tell me this after only
fifteen minutes reveals the impact of the loss. While most men who had lost
their fathers had warfare to blame, the death of Mac's father was a tragic
accident. He had been harvesting a walnut tree, when he shockingly fell to his
death. Mac's family suffered greatly as a result of the loss. Their grief was
intensified since they no longer had the economic security established by their
father. Extended family provided support, but his childhood and adolescence
were undoubtedly difficult times.
Mac views his
move to India as an opportunity to improve his life. He has great aspirations
for the future. He plans to go to college in order to be a wealthy man. More
pressing in his mind is his desire for a wife. This came up multiple times
during our conversation. In fact, it was mentioned within the first few minutes
that we spoke. When Mac learned that I was from America he asked,
"Chicago?"
"No," I said, sorry to disappoint him. "California."
He
proceeded to explain that he once met a girl from Chicago (in fact only two
months before). He instantly fell in love and had hoped to marry her.
Unfortunately for Mac, the girl had a boyfriend, ruining his chance for
marriage. Still, he had plans to visit her in Chicago some day.
Mac showed me a
few of the items in the store, papier-mache ducks, spices, carved wooden
elephants, and beautiful scarves. Through these items, he described Kashmir to
me. Ducks float across the gorgeous lakes alongside incredible houseboats,
rented out for the night. His mother used this spice (mace) when she made
curries. Mac misses Kashmiri cuisine. Meat dishes are typical, meals not so
common in predominantly Hindu areas with high vegetarian populations.
Ultimately,
I derived that Mac misses Kashmir, but did not see himself returning
permanently, at least not as long as the situation remains unchanged. For now,
India offers greater prospects. Mac's older brother had also moved to India to
work. I met his brother several months later in a Kashmiri shop in Hyderabad
where I was staying. Both brothers were young and hopeful. They missed each
other immensely and were excited to have their pictures taken so that they
could email them to one another "No matter where we Kashmiris go in the
world, we will always belong to our homeland. Those displaced don't need
charity, they need a home and a land in the same place where their ancestors
breathed their last."[19]
Outlook for the
Future
Kashmiris
working in India dream that their nation will be restored to peace. This
would create a stable environment for their families, and reinvigorate the
tourism industry enabling them to return home. Many of the Kashmiris
working in India were not alive prior to the conflict, but family members have
described the harmony that once existed. Ideally, many Kashmiris hope for
independence. Since neither Pakistan nor India likes this conclusion, it
is unlikely to occur.
A 2005 study conducted by Synovate India, a
market research agency, gives an idea of popular sentiment. Kashmiri
Muslims living in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Hyderabad were polled.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents believed that the Line of Control that
divides Jammu and Kashmir between Indian and Pakistani control should be made
permanent. The study also reveals that among these respondents, a majority
felt that the border should be "soft" allowing for movement between
the regions. These results show that most people are reasonable in their
hopes for the future of Jammu & Kashmir.
So
what can be drawn from this humanistic study of Kashmiris living in India? Most
importantly, Kashmiris are not alone in their struggles. The information I have
unearthed applies, in many ways, to other migrant communities around the world.
Palestinians, Tibetans, Bosnians, Sudanese, and many others continue to feel
the pain and lack of belonging associated with displacement. It is important to
be sensitive to the human struggles of migration. The grief, dangers, and fears
of communities in conflict do not disappear upon migration.
Notes
[1] Patricia
Gossman, "Behind the Kashmir Conflict," Human Rights Watch, 1999.
[2] Kalpana
Sharma, "The Candid Kashmir," 15 September 2002, The Hindu Online
Edition, 28 May 2008
<http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/09/15/stories/2002091500100200.htm>.
[3] Patricia
Gossman, 1999.
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Rama
Lakshmi, "Kashmiri Students in India Face Discrimination," The
Washington Post 18 June 2003.
[7] Dost
Mittar, Adam Smith's Invisible Hand and Kashmir, 9 October 2003, 28 May
2008 <http://www.chowk.com/articles/6641>.
[8] Patricia
Gossman, 1999
[9] Patricial
Gossman, 1999
[10] Rama Lakshmi,
2003
[11] Rama Lakshmi,
2003; Hassan Zainagiree, "Kashmiris harrassed and haunted in
India," 2007, Greater Kashmir Online Edition, GK Communications, 28
May 2008http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=20_4_2007&ItemID=2&cat=11.
[12] Dost Mittar,
2003
[13] Hassan
Zainagiree, 2007
[14] Rama Lakshmi,
2003
[15] Hassan
Zainagiree, 2007
[16] Rama Lakshmi,
2003
[17] Ibid
[18] SNi, The
Conflict in Kashmir, 14 1 2002, 28 May 2008
<http://www.sibelle.info/oped8.htm>.
[19] SNi, 2008
Works
Cited
Gossman, Patricia. Behind the Kashmir Conflict. Asia
Division, Human Rights Watch,
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/kashmir/summary.htm, 1999.
Lakshmi, Rama. "Kashmiri Students in India Face
Discrimination." The Washington Post, June 18, 2003.
Mittar, Dost. Adam Smith's Invisible Hand and Kashmir.
October 9, 2003. http://www.chowk.com/articles/6641 (accessed May 28, 2008).
Sharma, Kalpana. "The Candid Kashmir." The
Hindu Online Edition. September 15, 2002.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/09/15/stories/2002091500100200.htm (accessed
May 28, 2008).
SNi. The Conflict in Kashmir. 1 14, 2002.
http://www.sibelle.info/oped8.htm (accessed May 28, 2008).
Zainagiree, Hassan. "Kashmiris harrassed and haunted in
India." Greater Kashmir Online Edition. GK Communications. 2007.
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=20_4_2007&ItemID=2&cat=11
(accessed May 28, 2008).