This book departs from the conventional academic narration of the conflict situation in Jammu and Kashmir and expands the debate by shifting the focus from Kashmir to Jammu region. Generally, it is the response of Muslim-majority Kashmir region - particularly its contestation of the hegemonic and assimilative temperament of the Indian state - that captures the attention of researchers. The Hindu-majority Jammu region which is affected by the conflict in many ways remains in the shadows. This book seeks to address this crucial academic gap by locating the conflict in Jammu region. Besides explaining the 'Hindu reactionary' and 'ultra-nationalist' responses of some sections of Jammu's society, the book also foregrounds the genuine grievances of its people and their concerns within the dominant 'Kashmir-centric' discourse.

‘This is an extremely interesting and lucid book about marginalised communities in Jammu. It draws our attention to why the axes of everyday life rests on syncretistic models, where people are predisposed to co-existence and integration. The real fulcrum of the author's analyses rests on her preoccupation with scheduled castes and how they are implicated in traditional structures of hierarchy as wage labourers or artisans. She looks at the vitality of local communities to suggest that we cannot stereotype this hierarchy, as labelling must also take into account the volatility of class relations and upward mobility. Her analyses of border peoples, and what she calls ‘divided villages' rests on an emotive call to Peace with Pakistan, rather than a call to War. Her analyses of contemporary events and the politicisation of minorities is very sharply placed, as political forces work against plural ideologies and people's inherent need to live with one another. Not reducing it to compartmentalization, the author shows us that tenacity is the main spring of this heterogeneity, and the goal of justice, human rights and freedom.'

Susan Visvanathan - Jawaharlal Nehru University

‘A fascinating subtle analysis, from the ground up, of the socio-cultural diversity and the complex identity politics in a region of one of the world's hottest flashpoints, with its oversimplified antagonisms, ‘the Kashmir conflict'.'

Göran Therborn - University of Cambridge

‘A crucial intervention into the study of the Kashmir conflict, this book brings to light the much-needed views of the inhabitants of the neglected region of Jammu, particularly from the perspective of caste and class. A must-read for those interested in understanding the dynamics of this disputed region.'

Chitralekha Zutshi - College of William & Mary