Life Of Kashmir

 

The word Kashmir was derived from the ancient Sanskrit language and was referred to as káśmīra. Kashmir is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range.

During the ancient and medieval periods, Kashmir was an important center for the development of a Hindu-Buddhist syncretism.

The Kashmir region lies between latitudes 32° and 36° N, and longitudes 74° and 80° E. It has an area of 68,000 sq mi (180,000 km2).Lower down in the Vale of Kashmir there are many freshwater lakes and large areas of swamplands which include Wular Lake, Dal Lake and Hokersar near Srinagar.

Jammu Division, excluding the upper parts of the Chenab Valley, features a humid subtropical climate. The Vale of Kashmir has a moderate climate.

The Astore Valley and some parts of Gilgit-Baltistan features a semi-Tibatan climate. While as the other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh have Tibetan climate which is considered as almost rainless climate.

Kashmir has a recorded forest area of 20,230 square kilometres (7,810 sq mi) along with some national parks and reserves.

In the newly-formed Union Territory of J&K, the central government is trying to formulate new rules that will give domicile rights to residents over land and in government jobs.

The economy was badly damaged by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake which, as of 8 October 2005, resulted in over 70,000 deaths in the Pakistani-administered territory of Azad Kashmir and around 1,500 deaths in the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Hindus were found mainly in Jammu, where they constituted a little less than 60% of the population. Among the Hindus of Jammu province, who numbered 626,177 (or 90.87% of the Hindu population of the princely state), the most important castes recorded in the census were "Brahmans (186,000), the Rajputs (167,000), the Khattris (48,000) and the Thakkars (93,000).

The Kashmiri Pandits, the only Hindus of the Kashmir valley, who had stably constituted approximately 4 to 5% of the population of the valley during Dogra rule (1846–1947), and 20% of whom had left the Kashmir valley by 1950,[104] began to leave in much greater numbers in the 1990s. 

People in Jammu speak Hindi, Punjabi and Dogri, the Kashmir Valley speaks Kashmiri and the sparsely inhabited Ladakh speaks Tibetan and Balti.

Kashmiri cuisine is the cuisine of the Kashmir Valley in the Indian subcontinent. Rice is the staple food of Kashmiris and has been so since ancient times. Meat along with rice, some vegetables and salad are prepared on special occasions like Eid.

The main daily staple food of the Muslims of Kashmir is plain cooked rice. They are typically not vegetarian, with very few exceptions. However they often eat vegetable curries, with meat being an expensive indulgence.

Apart from chicken, fish and game, Kashmiris use only mutton or goat's meat. Beef is consumed in towns and villages of Kashmir more so for its affordability.