Narratives of Identity : Folk Consciousness and Cultural Formation in Kashmir
Keywords:
Syncretic Culture, Mythology of Kashmir, Sufis of Kashmir, Folklore of Kashmir, Legends of KashmirAbstract
The socio-cultural past of the Valley of Kashmir includes folklore, mythological stories, oral history, and mixed-religion customs. Origin myths telling of the draining of the ancient lake, the stories about Sufi saints and apostates, have all contributed significantly to collective memory, sacred geography, and the everyday lives of Kashmiris. Folklore has much more than just an entertainment function in Kashmir; it provides social norms, environmental consciousness, and historical consciousness through symbolic frameworks. The objective of this study is to analyse in detail the role of folklore and myths, and other supernatural beliefs in forming Kashmiri social identity and sustaining Kashmiri culture; in addition, to identify where these traditions fit within larger social sciences and anthropological theories of myths, oral history, and sacred history developed by both Western and South Asian scholars in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is a qualitative and interpretive research study that conducts textual analysis of mythological sources, folk narratives, historical accounts, and secondary scholarly literature. Theories derived from structuralism, functionalism, and postcolonial cultural analysis are used to help analyse narrative patterns, symbolic motifs, and mixed-religion customs. Comparison is used as a technique to connect vernacular traditions to established folklore theories. Kashmiri landscapes and locations work to sanctify the landscape, give legitimacy to those who hold authority, and serve as repositories for community-based ethical values. The syncretic traditions of saints, shrines, rivers, and seasonal celebrations point to the integration of three religions: Hinduism, Islam, and indigenous belief systems, and provide evidence of a commonality of cultural expression between these groups--despite their differing political circumstances. Folklore and mythology do not simply represent the "leftovers" of a bygone era to the Kashmiri people; rather, they form the very foundation of a memory, identity, and resilience of the Kashmiri. Therefore, the study of folklore and mythology is relevant to understanding the behaviour and characteristics of the people of Kashmir, and how narrative, authority, religion, and the ecology of the Kashmir Valley are interrelated.
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