Origins of Pahari

Though historically under represented in mainstream narratives, archaeological sites in Kashmir, like Neolithic pit dwellings at Burzahom and Gufkral reveal transitions from hunter-gatherer to agricultural lifestyles, mirroring Pahari tribal evolution. More than two hundred stone horsemen sculptures linked to the Hephthalites (White Huns) and later Dogra-Pahari warriors were found at these sites. At another archaeological site Bomai Rock Shelter, engravings depicting hunting scenes, possibly reflecting early Pahari subsistence patterns have been seen.

These sites describe on Pahari material culture, settlement patterns, burial sites and petroglyphs to highlight the early life ways of Pahari tribe. Evidences of their rich material history have been found during these archaeological survey, including: settlement patterns, tools, sacred markers, rock art which contribute to a layered understanding of Pahari heritage.

In the heart of the Himalayas & Pir Panjal, where clouds kiss pine covered peaks and rivers carve poetry on stone, lived people on the highlands, the Paharis. This highlander tribe found their abode at the foothills of mountain ranges and their history whispers tales of resilience and strength. The history of this tribe is very ancient, right from the Vedic period and finds its roots all along the mountain ranges in northern India. This tribal group in India was further enriched back in 3rd Millennium BCE, when waves of Indo-Aryan migrants journeyed from Central Asia into India. These stream of resilient settlers found their calling in the highlands, spreading across Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and as far as Nepal. The Pahari heartland has seen rise and fall of many empires, from the Indus Valley to Alexander the Great’s invasion (326 BCE), from the Taxila Empire to the Mauryans, Kushans, Mughals, Sikhs and British. Each left behind footprints in stone temples, linguistic rhythms, prayer flags and customs still breathing in the hills. According to scholars like Grierson, the Pahari descend from the ancient Khasa tribes, now known as Khakas, who trekked from Eastern Europe, lingered in Eastern Iran, then entered in Subcontinent and spread all over in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and continued through Himachal, Uttarakhand and extend till Nepal. Along the mighty Himalayan spine, they split into three dialect zones Western Pahari (Himachal Pradesh & Jammu), Central Pahari (Garhwal & Kumaon) and Eastern Pahari (Nepal). Migrated Pahari genetics are associated with Neolithic Iranian farmers (7000 BCE), Indo-European steppe migrants (2000–1500 BCE), Mongoloid and Tibeto-Burman groups and have left their imprint on Pahari DNA. Communities like the Dogras, Rajputs, Kinnauris and Ladakhis carry this rich heritage in their blood and beliefs.

Rooted in the ethos of the Vedic and post-Vedic traditions, Pahari communities share cultural continuities with the Indus Valley Civilization, the Vedic Civilization and Mahajanapada period. Oral epics, animism and sacred geography of the hills reveal layered connections to the Shramanic traditions of Buddhism and Jainism, as well as early Shaiva and Shakta cults. Many Pahari regions hold local Devi traditions (Hadimba in Manali or Nanda Devi in Garhwal), signifying continuity from ancient fertility goddess cults of the Indus Valley and Shakta traditions of early India. From the scenic valleys of Pir panjal to the pine-clad slopes of Shamshabari of North Kashmir, they have nurtured a civilization deeply rooted in India’s spiritual traditions, embodying the ethos of Sanatan Sanskriti. Their ways reflect profound ties with the early Shaiva, Vaishnava and Nāga cults, alongside surya worship.

The Paharis 3000 year journey from the pages of the Mahabharata to modern constitutional frameworks epitomizes resilience. Kalhana’s 12th century Rajatarangini (River of Kings) documented the lives of Kashmir’s hill communities. The Mahabharata and Puranas further immortalize these “valiant hill-dwellers,” celebrating their harmony with nature and martial spirit. The Nilamata Purana, a 6th-century Kashmiri text, offers vivid glimpses into their rituals, festivals and agrarian traditions. In addition to the ancient Indian Paharis, ethnically the Paharis reflect a confluence of Indo-Aryan, Dardic and Central Asian influences.

Perched 6,000 feet above sea level in the northwest of Kashmir, the Karnah Valley lies between the Shamshabari and Karanu ranges, where Gujjars, Bakarwals, Paharis and Sikhs coexist. Accessible only by navigating the treacherous Nastachun Pass (10,000 feet), this land is split by the Kishanganga River at its heart. The Shamshabari range stands at an altitude of 12,000 feet remains snow-covered for most of the year, with glaciers that feed the Batmoji River, a vital water source for the Karnah region.

Karnah was once a Satsar, a primordial lake mirroring Kashmir’s ancient geography. Villages like Tangdhar and Dildar slept beneath its waters, while Zarla, now a wind swept plateau, thrived as a prosperous hilltop heaven. Raja Karan, the valley’s mythic founder, sculpted civilization from wilderness. He split the Aaridal Ridge, unleashing floods that birthed the Kishanganga and etched Karnah’s destiny into stone.

In 1846, Maharaja Ranjit Singh crowned Teethwal as valley’s administrative capital, however, the 1947 tribal invasions severed Karnah’s northern limbs at Shardha, Lipah, Ashkot leaving them marooned across the LoC. Teethwal’s bustling crumbled to ashes and Tangdhar rose as the new tehsil capital.

Sharda Peeth, nestled in the tranquil village of Shardi (Muzaffarabad), stands at the sacred confluence of the Kishanganga, Madhumati and Sargun rivers. Revered as the divine seat of Goddess Saraswati worshipped here as Sharda, the goddess of wisdom it was once among the foremost centre of learning in ancient India. Built in majestic red sandstone and classic Kashmiri style, its towering 20 feet walls and 16 feet pillars were documented in the 19th century by British archaeologist Aurel Stein. It flourished as a university that attracted seekers from Nepal, Tibet, Japan and beyond. The Sharda script born here became a powerful tool for spreading Buddhist philosophy across the Himalayan world.

The roots of Sharda Peeth reach back to pre-Ashokan times, when the Pahari speaking communities linked to great minds like Chanakya and rulers like Chandragupta Maurya emerged as its cultural stewards. Karnah Valley served as a vital gateway between Kashmir and Sharda Peeth. Until 1947 partition, pilgrims and scholars passed through this corridor to worship goddess Sharda. Sharda Peeth is a living symbol of devotion, learning and the spiritual soul of Paharis.

For the ancient Pahari tribes, mountains, rivers, forests and animals were living sacred beings, honoured through rituals, festivals and oral traditions that connected communities to the cosmic order. The Pahari tribes have lived for centuries as custodians of a deep ecological wisdom, one that sees no boundary between humans, animals and the divine. One clear example of nature worship (Animism) among the Pahari tribe is their veneration of the Kishan Ganga River. “Parbat sab da hai, sirf mandir ya masjid da nahin.” The mountain belongs to all it is not just the temples or the mosques.

Every element of nature was imbued with spirit, trees were elders, animals were kin and mountains were living deities. For the ancient Pahari tribes of the Pir Panjal earth was revered as Matrikas (divine mother), rivers cherished as bodes of local deities or ancestral spirits and animals regarded as fellow kin’s

The Pahari tribe of the Pir Panjal region in Jammu and Kashmir has undergone multiple religious conversions over centuries, evolving from early animistic beliefs to diverse spiritual systems including Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Hinduism, Sikhism and eventually Islam. Rooted in an ancient worldview that revered natural elements such as mountains, rivers, forests and animals, the Pahari people originally practiced a form of animism, where nature was seen as alive and sacred. This deep ecological spirituality shaped their rituals, oral traditions and sacred landscapes.

With the spread of Shaivism and Vaishnavism in the Himalayan region during early medieval times, many Pahari communities began integrating Hindu deities like Shiva and Vishnu into their belief systems, often blending them with their indigenous cosmologies. Hinduism, as a broader sociocultural force, brought temple worship and new ritual practices, but remained syncretic in form. Later, with Sikh incursions and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries, some segments of the Pahari population adopted Sikh tenets, especially in areas of political or economic exchange with Sikh kingdoms.

The Pahari tribe of the Pir Panjal region in Jammu and Kashmir embodies a deeply rooted interfaith ethos, shaped by centuries of coexistence among diverse religious traditions including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and indigenous belief systems. Despite religious transitions and external influences, the Paharis have nurtured a culture of brotherhood, mutual respect and harmony, where temples, mosques, gurdwaras and shrines often transcend rigid sectarian and religious boundaries. Shared sacred spaces, joint participation in cultural ceremonies and a common reverence for the natural landscape reflect their inclusive worldview.

This intercommunal fabric stands as a living testament to the tribe’s syncretic identity and peaceful coexistence, offering a powerful model of pluralism in the Himalayan context. The final and most widespread religious transition occurred with the gradual conversion to Islam, influenced by Sufi saints, regional rulers and trade routes connecting Kashmir to Central Asia. This shift was not abrupt but layered, preserving many earlier animistic and Hindu elements in folk practices, shrine worship (ziyarats) and seasonal rituals. The Islam practiced by Pahari Muslims today often reflects this syncretic past, where the memory of sacred mountains, rivers and forests continues to shape their spiritual landscape.