Languages and Literature of Azad Kashmir – Voices of a Living Heritage

A Land of Language and Expression

In the picturesque region of Azad Kashmir, a land of breathtaking valleys and snow-tipped peaks, language and literature form the very soul of identity. Beneath the natural splendour of its mountains lies an equally captivating world of words, stories and poetry — traditions that have carried faith, wisdom and culture through centuries.

This article explores the languages spoken in Azad Kashmir, including Kashmiri, Urdu and Pahari, and delves into the region’s rich literary heritage, from lyrical poetry to oral folklore. Together, they reveal how the people of Azad Kashmir express their love for their land, their resilience, and their faith through words that echo across generations.

“When a Kashmiri speaks or sings, it’s not just language — it’s legacy,” says Abdul Basit, Trustee of Kashmir Welfare Foundation. “Every verse and every story connects us back to our roots.”

Languages of Azad Kashmir – Voices of Diversity

Azad Kashmir is home to a remarkable linguistic diversity, reflecting its historical crossroads between Central Asia, Persia, and South Asia. Language in Kashmir is more than communication — it’s identity, belonging, and poetry woven together.

Kashmiri – The Heartbeat of the Valley

The most widely spoken and culturally significant language in Azad Kashmir is Kashmiri. Belonging to the Dardic branch of the Indo-Aryan family, it carries centuries of oral history and spiritual expression.

Kashmiri has a melodious rhythm, making it ideal for poetry and song. Its vocabulary is rich with Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit influences, mirroring the diverse history of the region. For centuries, it has served not only as a medium of communication but also as a reflection of Kashmiri soul and spirituality.

Shina Language — Voice of the Northern Valleys

Shina is one of the ancient tongues of the northern Himalayas. It is spoken mainly in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan and Kohistan regions, while smaller Shina-speaking communities live in the Gurez and Dras valleys of Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Unlike Kashmiri, which developed a rich literary tradition, Shina remains primarily an oral language, carried through storytelling, songs, and daily speech. There is no single standardized script, though modern speakers sometimes adapt Perso-Arabic or Roman alphabets for writing.

The vocabulary of Shina has grown over time, absorbing words from Urdu, Standard Punjabi, English, Arabic, and Persian — a reflection of its close cultural and religious connections with neighbouring regions.

Closely related to other Indo-Aryan languages such as Punjabi and Sindhi, Shina stands as a linguistic bridge between the plains of South Asia and the mountain cultures of the Karakoram. Its rhythm and tone echo the landscapes it comes from — vast, resilient, and full of untold stories.

Gojri (Gujari) Language — Voice of the Gujjar Heritage

Gojri is a language spoken across Jammu and Kashmir and extending through northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. A member of the Central Indo-Aryan family, Gojri is considered a variety of many northern languages, reflecting the pastoral roots and migrations of the communities that travelled throughout central Asia through centuries.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Gojri holds a special place — it is the third most widely spoken language after Kashmiri and Dogri, and has been officially recognised in the Sixth Schedule of the region’s constitution. This recognition marks a major step in preserving a language that carries deep cultural and nomadic traditions.

While Gojri is spoken in many regions, its strongest presence remains in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Azad Kashmir, as well as parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The language continues to gain prominence, with recent legislative recognition in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and ongoing efforts to include it in educational and media platforms.

Linguistically, Gojri shares features with Punjabi, Haryanvi, and Dogri, creating a bridge between the plains and mountain dialects of the northern subcontinent. It remains a living link to the Kashmir identity — a language of resilience, tradition, and movement, echoing through valleys and highland pastures.

Urdu – The Language of Unity and Literature

Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, holds a prominent place in Azad Kashmir. It serves as a lingua franca, uniting speakers of different regional dialects. Urdu’s elegance and literary tradition have made it central to education, media, and religious expression across the region.

Many of Azad Kashmir’s poets and scholars have contributed to Urdu literature, using it to express themes of love, struggle, and divine devotion. Urdu also connects Kashmiris to the broader Islamic and South Asian literary worlds.

Pahari (Sometimes known as Mirpuri) – The Voice of the Southern Valleys

Pahari, spoken primarily in the southern districts of Azad Kashmir — including Kotli, Mirpur, and Bhimber — is another pillar of the region’s linguistic heritage. It belongs to the Indo-Aryan family and contains several dialects, each with unique phonetic beauty.

Pahari is not a single uniform language but a cluster of closely related dialects spoken across the hilly regions of Azad Kashmir. Though the differences between them are subtle, even within the Mirpur District, several variations exist. A speaker from Dadyal may sound slightly different from someone in Mirpur City or Kotli, yet those familiar with the language can easily recognise these local distinctions.

The name Pahari itself means “of the mountains,” reflecting its origin in the highlands and valleys of the region.

Often spoken in homes and marketplaces, Pahari embodies simplicity and warmth. Its oral tradition of songs and proverbs continues to thrive, preserving community wisdom in a language passed from elder to child.

Pothowari / Pothwari

Pothwari, on the other hand, is spoken across the Pothohar Plateau of northern Punjab in Pakistan — the vast plain stretching between the Indus and Jhelum Rivers. The language carries strong Pahari influences, while also drawing from Urdu and Punjabi, making it a bridge between the mountain and plain cultures.

In essence, while Pahari echoes the voices of Kashmir’s hills, Pothwari resonates from the open plains of Punjab — two sister languages sharing roots, rhythm, and history, yet shaped by the landscapes they call home.

Near to the most southern parks of Azad Kashmir, Pothwari is also frequently spoke.

The Literary Heritage of Azad Kashmir

Beyond the major languages of Kashmir — such as Kashmiri, Pahari, Gojri, and Shina — the region is also home to several lesser-spoken tongues, including Dogri, Hindko, and a range of tribal dialects.

These languages often exist within isolated valleys and nomadic communities, carried through oral tradition rather than formal education or writing. Many of them are known only within families or small villages, serving as living relics of ancestral culture.

While they are not widely spoken today, they remain an essential part of Kashmir’s linguistic heritage, linking modern communities to their tribal and pastoral roots. Preserving these voices — even through memory, poetry, and story — ensures that the full spectrum of Kashmir’s identity is never lost.

Azad Kashmir’s literary heritage is a vibrant blend of poetry, folk tales, and oral storytelling — each shaped by nature, faith, and history. Literature here is not confined to books; it lives in songs sung by shepherds, verses recited in gatherings, and stories shared under starlit skies.

✒️ Poetry – The Song of the Valley

Poetry is the lifeblood of Kashmiri expression. For centuries, poets have transformed the natural beauty and spiritual depth of their homeland into timeless verse. The ancient Sufis that travelled to Kashmir for the spread of Islam also used poetry as their form of expression and teaching.

The Kashmiri Tradition

The works of poets like Mahjoor, Abdul Ahad Azad, and Habib Jalib remain landmarks of cultural pride. Their verses often combine love for the land with reflections on struggle, faith, and hope.

Kashmiri poetry is known for its romantic and mystical tones. It celebrates mountains and rivers, but also the resilience of its people. Mahjoor’s famous lines — “Walo ha baghawan’o nav baharuk shaan paida kar” (“Come, O gardener, bring back the splendour of spring”) — remain a call for renewal and peace.

The Urdu Influence

Urdu poetry also flourished in Azad Kashmir, enriched by Persian metaphors and Sufi imagery. Local poets used Urdu as a bridge between Kashmiri identity and the wider Muslim world. Their ghazals and nazms express longing, loss, and divine love — universal emotions rooted in local landscapes.

“Our poetry reminds us that beauty and pain coexist — just like our mountains and rivers,” says Muhib Ali, Cultural Development Coordinator, Kashmir Welfare Foundation.

🌾 Folk Tales and Oral Traditions – The Storytellers of the Valley

Before written literature, Azad Kashmir’s wisdom lived through oral traditions — stories, songs, and parables shared across generations.

Tales of Love, Heroism, and Faith

These folk tales often feature brave heroes, wise elders, and pious figures who overcome adversity through courage and trust in Allah ﷻ. Themes of love, morality, sacrifice, and patience are central.

Among the most cherished tales are stories of Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, and Noor Jahan, retold in Kashmiri and Pahari dialects with local twists. Each story carries moral lessons, serving both as entertainment and ethical guidance.

Even today, elders in villages gather, sitting on traditional charpaiis reciting poetry and telling stories. We have a whole article on charpaii’s too that you may want to check out here.

Oral Performance as Preservation

Oral storytelling remains alive in villages during festivals, weddings, and winter nights. Often accompanied by rabab music or the rhythmic beat of a dhol, these performances are collective experiences — moments when the community breathes together through story and song.

The oral heritage of Azad Kashmir is not only a record of the past but also a living art, reminding its people of who they are and what they value. Take the Saif Ul Malook as a primary example, poetry written by the renowned Kashmiri Sufi, Mian Muhammad Baksh.

Education, Expression and Modern Literature

With increasing literacy and access to technology, Azad Kashmir has seen a new wave of writers and poets. Schools and universities encourage students to write in Urdu and Kashmiri, keeping linguistic identity alive.

Local newspapers, cultural journals, and digital platforms now feature emerging voices who explore themes like migration, faith, and the environment — blending traditional inspiration with modern awareness.

The growth of literary societies and cultural events has also given space for young poets to share their work publicly, keeping poetry as vibrant as ever in the modern age.

Supporting the Preservation of Language and Culture

Language is more than words — it is the memory of a people. As globalisation spreads, there is an urgent need to preserve and promote the languages and literature of Azad Kashmir before they fade from daily life.

The Kashmir Welfare Foundation plays a vital role in this mission through its Cultural Heritage Programmes, supporting education, literacy and local creative projects.

Your support helps:

• Fund language preservation workshops and folk documentation projects
• Provide resources for schools promoting Urdu and Kashmiri literature
• Support local poets and storytellers through cultural events
• Digitise oral traditions for future generations

👉 Donate Now to Preserve Kashmir’s Literary Heritage

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“When we preserve our language, we protect our faith, our dignity, and our story,” says Abdul Basit. “Every word we save is a bridge between generations.”

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Words that Bind a People

The languages and literature of Azad Kashmir are not merely communication tools; they are vessels of memory, emotion, and spirituality. Each dialect, poem, and story carries the rhythm of a people who have lived with grace, hardship, and hope in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes.

From the romantic verses of Kashmiri poets to the moral depth of Pahari folk tales, Azad Kashmir’s literary tradition is a living library of its collective soul.

To read, listen, or speak in these languages is to take part in a centuries-old dialogue — between people and nature, faith and love, memory and resilience.

Let us honour and protect these voices — not only as part of our heritage but as a reminder that language is where identity lives, and where culture survives.

Don’t forget to check out our traditional charpaii article here.