Effects of Migration on the Health of Kashmiri Pandits

Abstract

Kashmiri Pandits (KPs), the Hindu community from the state of Jammu & Kashmir of India, are distinct from rest of the Hindu community of India. They have their own customs and rituals that broadly differ from the customs that are prevalent in the Hindu community. The community has its own language, social customs and a rich cuisine. The community had to migrate in the late 1980’s due to the onset of conflict in the state. They had to live in refugee camps in Jammu where the sanitation facilities were minimal. It caused a lot of health issues among the migrants. The change in the geographical environment led to the KPs suffers with skin diseases. There was a major difference between the climatic conditions of Jammu and the valley. Valley being cold and Jammu warm. The current study focuses on the health conditions of Kashmiri Pandits after migration.