Kashmiri Pundits: A Search for Identity or Identity Crisis with Special Reference to “Our Moon Has Blood Clots” by Rahul Pandita and “A Long Dream of Home” by Siddhartha Gigoo

Abstract

The nineties witnessed the mass exile of the Kashmiri Hindu Pundit community and Kashmir has virtually become this in-between debatable space, a no-man's land caught between the two-statist ideologies. Since then both the Kashmiris and Kashmiri pundits are in search for their identities. As Identity is the birthright of an individual. Everyone is born into this world with an identity or with multiple identities. Identity is also formed in due course of time. Hence, identity is both inherited and acquired. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize people's identity and allow them to preserve their distinct ethnic identity. Thus, this paper would analyze some of the factors leading to identity crisis and propose suggestions to resolve identity crisis among Kashmiries in general and in Kashmiri Pundits in particular. The paper will also analyse the Kashmir Conflict and exodus of pundits and its aftermath.