Revisiting the overlooked tragedy of Kashmiri Pandits

13th July is a significant date in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, observed officially for decades as Martyrs’ Day.

- BAIRAJ CHAWALGAMI

While the dominant state narrative associated this day with the 1931 uprising against the Dogra rule, a deeply overlooked and painful chapter remains the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits-an ancient community indigenous to the Kashmir Valley. For the Kashmiri Pandit community, July 13th carries different connotations rooted in a long history of persecution, discrimination, and systemic erasure. In recent years, voices from the community have started reclaiming this date as a day to remember their own martyrs-those who lost their lives not just in 1931 but in waves of violence and targeted killings, particularly during the 1989-1990 insurgency when their exodus from the Valley began. The identity and memory of Kashmiri Pandits are deeply intertwined with the soil of Kashmir. For thousands of years, they were not just residents of the Valley but custodians of its culture, knowledge, and traditions. Yet, their historical suffering is often relegated to footnotes. The community remembers various periods of upheaval-the 14th-century forced conversions, the atrocities during Afghan rule in the 18th century, and more recently, the terrifying night of January 19, 1990, which marked the start of a mass exodus from their homeland. However, July 13th represents a deeper civilizational wound for them. On this date in 1931, while the Kashmiri Muslims rose up against the autocracy of the Dogras, the uprising soon turned into communal rioting in parts of the Valley. Kashmiri Pandits bore the brunt of mob attacks, with looting and violence specifically targeting their homes, shops, and temples.