In this talk, the speaker briefly narrates the history of Kashmir from the ancient to the modern period. He speaks about the hoary tradition of eminent Kashmiri sages and intellectuals from Patanjali (the author of Yogasutras) to Abhinavagupta (the “sage of sages”) who was a foremost proponent of Kashmir Shaivism.

By narrating this history of Kashmir, the speaker tells us how Kashmir represents the intellectual and spiritual attainments of Indian civilization. Being home to the Sharda peeth which is the Sakti peeth of learning, Kashmir is an integral part of Hindu culture and civilization. So, there is no historical basis of “Kashmiri separatism” since we do not find anything in Kashmiri identity that is “separate” from the Indian civilizational identity.

The speaker then describes the modern transition of Kashmir from the land of Rishi Kashyap to the land of Kafirs, a transition which began with the advent of Islam in the 14th century. On the whole, the speaker emphasizes that the contemporary problem of Kashmir is not an economic problem but a religious problem and this has remained so since the 14th century. The speaker says that unless we address this reality, the problem cannot be solved. Among other things, the speaker discuses the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Kashmir through the 1980s leading unto the famous exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990.

In this talk, the speaker deconstructs the narrative of Islamic separatists. For instance, the speaker tells us that the supposed right of “self-determination” is purely based on the principle of Islamic separatism and the principle of Dar-ul-Islam. Similarly, the separatists’ demand for “democracy” is nothing but the demand for the implementation of the rule of Shariat. Finally, the speaker suggests that one of the ways in which the Indian government can confront the problem of Kashmir is by redressing the demographic imbalance in the state and by resettling Hindus in the Kashmir valley.

For related Indic Talks and Indic Courses, see
https://india.cisindus.org/indic-stud...
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