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ISSN 2063-5346
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PARADISE LOST: STORIES OF LOSS OF HOME AND IDENTITY IN SELECT EXILE NARRATIVES OF KASHMIRI PANDIT AUTHORS

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Ms. C.G. Akhila, Dr. Ranjana Das Sarkhel
ยป doi: 10.31838/ecb/2023.12.s1-B.149

Abstract

The Kashmiri Pandit community has been living in exile for more than 30 years now since their genocide in 1989. Their religious persecution has led to the loss of their homeland and identity. Unfortunately, the land known as the paradise of India has become a distant dream for its very own Kashmiri Pandit community, which has a chronicled history of over 5,000 years. It seems like Paradise Lost for the community โ€“ permanently exiled from paradise like Adam and Eve. While the entire country and the world can visit Kashmir as tourists to admire its beauty, it is ironic that the Kashmiri Pandit community is still forced to live in exile. Though the pain of losing their homes is the most excruciating for the community, they have lost so much more. Their genocide has also led to the loss of their identity, as with the loss of Kashmir, an integral part of their identity has been lost forever. Then there is the loss of loved ones, culture and language, which has been happening over time. As for the subsequent generation of Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmir is a dream that they live through the eyes of their parents and grandparents. They have never visited it but have kept it alive in their family stories. And this denial of their right to return and reclaim their homeland and heritage is not only their biggest loss but also the gravest of injustices for them. There are many emerging authors from the community who have written extensively about their multi-faceted loss while living in exile, and this paper attempts to examine the same.

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