Which is the highest caste in Kashmir?

The largest community within the Kashmiri Hindus are the Kashmiri Pandits (Kashmiri Brahmins), who are divided into several gotras, such as the priests (gor or bhasha Bhatta), astrologers (Zutshi), and workers (Karkun). The majority of Kashmiris who belong to the Kshatriya varna use the surname Gourtra.

Is Kashmiri Pandit vegetarian?

The Kashmiri Pandits are one of the few Brahmin communities in India who are non-vegetarians, besides Bengali and Goan Brahmins. Mutton takes the lead on the table and it appears in some form at every meal. “A lot of meat dishes are prepared to keep warm when temperatures dip.

What is the caste of Kashmiri Pandit?

Kashmiri Pandit. The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) are a Saraswat Brahmin community from the Kashmir Valley, a mountainous region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits are the original inhabitants of the Kashmir Valley and are the only remaining Kashmiri Hindu community native to Kashmir.

Who are the Kashmiri Brahmins?

Kashmiri Pandits or Kashmiri Brahmins are Hindus. A highly literate community, they were disproportionately represented in the Kashmir bureaucracy as well as in the teaching, legal, and medical professions, prompting resentment among other communities in the Valley, especially Muslims, who comprise over 95 percent of the population.

Will Kashmiri Pandits ever return to Kashmir Valley?

However, 30 years after they were forced to flee their homes, the safe and dignified return of Pandits to the Kashmir Valley remains a distant dream. Kashmiri Pandits or Kashmiri Brahmins are Hindus.

What is the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus?

The Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus, also known as the Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, refers to the emigration of Hindus out of the Kashmir Valley.