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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Kashmiri
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Inhabitant of or native to the states of
Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed territory
divided between India and Pakistan. There are
approximately 6 million Kashmiris, 4 million
of whom live on the Indian side of the
cease-fire line. Kashmiri is also an
Indo-European language that the orthodox
write using a Sarada script. Although
Kashmir's ruling families are Hindu, the
majority of the population is Muslim. Among
them live Hindu Brahmins, called pandit, who
perform religious services and are involved
in teaching and administration. The workers,
or karkum, are often wealthier than the
priestly class. In the Vale of Kashmir, the
majority of Muslims are farmers, cultivating
rice, wheat, and other crops. There is also a
Punjabi-speaking Sikh minority, while on the
borders of the Vale there are Muslim Gujars,
who have an affinity with the Hindu Dogra. In
Ladakh to the north, there are Buddhist
peoples who have much in common with
Tibetans. Kashmir had been under the sway of
Hindu India for many centuries when Muslim
rule was established by the 14th century.
Moghul rule began in the 16th century but was
brought to a halt by the Afghan invasion of
1753. This was followed by a period of Sikh
overlordship.