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Introduction

Kashmiri is the principal language of the state of Kashmir, long disputed between India and Pakistan. In India it is one of the official languages recognized by the constitution. Though generally considered to belong to the Indic group of Indo-European languages, Kashmiri's exact affiliation is still uncertain, and it is thought by some to constitute a separate subgroup. Latest figures show about 3 million speakers.

Kashmiri is written in both the Devanagari (Hindi) and the Arabic script, each with additional diacritical marks for special sounds in the language. The former is generally used by Ilindus, the latter by Moslems. Moslem speakers of Kashmiri also tend to use many words of Persian and Arabic origin.

India, Pakistan.

Family: Indo-European
Subgroup: Indo-Iranian
Branch: Indic

Writing Sample

Translation

In the rasa circle, drunk with the wine of love, thousands of Gopis were absorbed in dancing. Holding one another's hand they shouted (repeating, Radha-Krishna! Radha-Krishna!)

Bhaktas like Narada, Sudama, Shuka, Dhruva, and Prahiada were there, mad with joy—their doubts dissolved, their minds having found the truth.

Trees, plants, stones opened their eyes and revealed the secrets of their innermost hearts. All in Gokal felt liberated (from bondage of earthly existence) with their grandfathers and great-grandfathers.

One Krishna was with each and every soul. The species of souls present there were so many that I cannot tell their number. Among them all Krishna alone is eternal, all else is subject to disappearance (to be eliminated as not true and real).

May you too, Paramananda, attain the goal! May such love continue to bless you all along! (Rejoice that) Radha as Sarasvati (Goddess of Poetry and Eloquence) has bestowed on you her grace.

PARMANAND, The Dance of the Gopis