Kashmiri (Muslim traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 25 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Bat 793,000
Dar 521,000
Mir 425,000
Shaikh 341,000
Wain 339,000
Ganai 271,000
Lon 271,000
Malik 219,000
Rathor 183,000
Tantrei 96,000

Introduction / History

The Kashmiri live in Jammu and Kashmir in northwestern India. Kashmir is a breathtaking region located in the western Himalayan Mountains. Unfortunately, this is a highly disputed area. It has been a battleground between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the India and Pakistan in 1947.

When India and Pakistan were divided, Jammu and Kashmir was given the choice of siding with either of the two countries. Since the ruling class was Hindu, they sided with India. However, most of the people were Muslims and felt more alliance to Pakistan. Today, parts of Jammu and Kashmir are controlled by India, parts by Pakistan, and parts by China; and fierce fighting continues among the three.

More than ninety percent of Jammu and Kashmir is mountainous. It includes the Karakorum Range, which contains K2, the second highest peak in the world. Most of the region is under snow and glaciers all year due to its extreme elevation.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Kashmiri primarily live in rural regions, only about one-fifth live in cities. They are descendants of Indo-Aryan immigrants and are generally tall, fair skinned, and have features like the people of Central Asia.

Most of the Kashmiri are peasant farmers. They raise rice, wheat, maize, barley, lentils, and fruits such as apples, peaches, and apricots. The lakes of Jammu and Kashmir supply many fish and water chestnuts. Sheep, goats, and yaks are raised at higher elevations. These flocks produce cashmere, a rich wool that is also very popular in the West. The men primarily tend to the farms, and the women usually stay home and tend to the household chores.

Because most Kashmiri villages lie in such remote areas, festival celebrations and pilgrimages to shrines are times for uniting the communities. The villagers enjoy gathering around a fire and sharing folk tales or ballads. They also enjoy music and dancing. Cricket and soccer have become some of their favorite sports.

Extended families commonly live together. Their house styles vary with the elevation. In mountainous areas where there is much snow, the roofs are triangular and steep. Houses in the rural valley regions often have storage areas for grain, fodder, fuel, wood, leaves, charcoal, and dried dung. All of these materials are necessary when winter conditions become severe. The homes are usually built out of stone, brick, thatch, and timber.

The Kashmiri are very hospitable people and enjoy entertaining guests over tea. Their diet is similar to that of other Indians. Wood, dung, and kerosene are the main sources of fuel for cooking.

In addition to farming, many of the Kashmiri are skilled crafters of wood furniture, wool carpets, and sweaters. Industrial development is limited in Jammu and Kashmir, but the large number of timber forests and rivers are used for producing hydro-electric power. Tourism is also an important industry, although it has declined in recent years because of the violence in the region.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Kashmiri are devout Sunni Muslims, who follow a strict code of conduct. Their civilization has been heavily influenced by Muslim mystics and Persian culture. Only a small minority are Hindus.

Kashmiri Muslims are convinced the Bible is wrong when it contradicts the Koran. Those who convert to Christianity are viewed as immoral, degenerate people; Christians in this region are often persecuted. Many Kashmiri have heard of Jesus Christ, but view him merely as a prophet and teacher.


What Are Their Needs?

Today, there are few Kashmiri believers. The Islamic stronghold over them will only be broken down through prayer. These precious people who live in a highly volatile area of the world need to meet the Prince of Peace.


Prayer Points

Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through intercession.
Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to missions agencies focusing on the Kashmiri.
Pray that the God will give Kashmiri believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
Ask God to deliver the Christians in Jammu and Kashmir from persecution.
Pray for the effectiveness of the Jesus film among the Kashmiri.
Ask God to soften Kashmiri hearts towards the Gospel of Christ.
Pray that God will give these precious people a revelation of who Jesus truly is: their Lord and Christ.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a strong and growing Kashmiri Church for the glory of His name!


Scripture Prayers for the Kashmiri (Muslim traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

The Waiting World - The Kashmiri

Source:  The Waiting World      Download

People Name General Kashmiri (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Kashmiri (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation kash-MEER-ee
Alternate Names Kashmiri-Punjabi; Keshur; Khoja; Mansoori; Mansoori Muslim; Shia Imami Ismaili; कश्मीरी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 7,556,000
Population all Countries 8,891,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 151
PeopleID3 12558
ROP3 Code 104709
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Muslim - other
People Group Kashmiri (Muslim traditions)
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 25 (only 15 largest shown)
  Bat 793,000
  Dar 521,000
  Mir 425,000
  Shaikh 341,000
  Wain 339,000
  Ganai 271,000
  Lon 271,000
  Malik 219,000
  Rathor 183,000
  Tantrei 96,000
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 32
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Jammu and Kashmir
7,501,000
Delhi
21,000
Ladakh
6,000
Punjab
4,600
Uttar Pradesh
4,500
Maharashtra
3,600
Haryana
2,900
Himachal Pradesh
2,700
Uttarakhand
2,600
Rajasthan
1,900
Chandigarh
1,100
Madhya Pradesh
1,000
West Bengal
500
Gujarat
400
Tamil Nadu
300
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 32  (only 20 largest shown)
  Jammu and Kashmir 7,501,000
  Delhi 21,000
  Ladakh 6,000
  Punjab 4,600
  Uttar Pradesh 4,500
  Maharashtra 3,600
  Haryana 2,900
  Himachal Pradesh 2,700
  Uttarakhand 2,600
  Rajasthan 1,900
  Chandigarh 1,100
  Madhya Pradesh 1,000
  West Bengal 500
  Gujarat 400
  Tamil Nadu 300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kashmiri (5,158,000 speakers)
Language Code kas   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Urdu
928,000
Gujari
368,000
Dogri
52,000
Balti
44,000
Bhadrawahi
41,000
Pashto, Northern
40,000
Purig
26,000
Shina
22,000
Khah
14,000
Khowar
14,000
Hindi
5,300
Hindko, Northern
1,000
Punjabi, Eastern
800
Kohistani, Indus
200
Chambeali
200
Primary Language Kashmiri (5,158,000 speakers)
Language Code kas   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Urdu 928,000
  Gujari 368,000
  Dogri 52,000
  Balti 44,000
  Bhadrawahi 41,000
  Pashto, Northern 40,000
  Purig 26,000
  Shina 22,000
  Khah 14,000
  Khowar 14,000
  Hindi 5,300
  Hindko, Northern 1,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 800
  Kohistani, Indus 200
  Chambeali 200
People Groups Speaking Kashmiri
Photo Source Muaz Asim - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source The Waiting World
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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