Persian, the official language of Kashmir until the late 19th century, played an important role in the religious, social and political life of Kashmiris. It continues to influence various political dynamics of the region.
The murderous terrorist attack in Mumbai at the end of November brought the religious and political fault-lines on the Indian subcontinent sharply back into the public eye. Their background, however, reaches back to the days of British colonial rule, as the historian Jörg Fisch shows