Kashmiryat a new cliché was added to the political lexicon of Kashmir in early nineties of the past century. This word that sounds alien to etymology of Kashmir language found some ready takers in the government and made it a part of Kashmir’s political discourse. Some made it look as sub-nationalism and some projected it as syncretism of Sufism and Shaivism. Many used it as one word substitution for Kashmir identity and many others preferred to use it as a synonym for Reshi tradition of Kashmir. In their enthusiasm some have been making efforts to project great missionaries like Mir Syed Ali Hamadni who played pioneering role in the spread of Islam and bringing socio-economic revolution in Kashmir as a hermits. The book based on papers presented by the author in various Seminars is not an in-depth study into Kashmir identity but it provides a perspectives that would help in understanding the sociopolitical dimensions of what is termed as Kashmir identity. The book also provides slits to peep through at the cultural and literary traditions of Kashmir that have waxed emperors and soldiers lyrical. The book also provides an insight into the urges and aspiration of people of this fabulous land. It also provides an understanding into economic potentialities of this land that has given the sub-continent like Pandit Jawaherlal Nehru a scholar like Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri, a poet like Iqbal and Politician like Pandit Jawaherlal Nehru. It also opens windows to look into a various facets of changes that occurred in Kashmir after the advent of Islam and that gave Kashmir an identity of its own. The book also looks into the literary and culture heritage of Kashmir.
