Kishtwaris

Kishtwaris are an ethnolinguistic group inhabiting the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Language
The Kishtwari language, also called Kishtwari, is their primary language. It is a Northern Indo-Aryan language classified as either a dialect of Kashmiri or an intermediate language between Kashmiri and Western Pahari languages. Kishtwari shares similarities with Kashmiri due to a common origin but has also been influenced by neighboring Pahari languages, resulting in a distinct character. Kishtwari is also considered a tonal language.

Religion
The Kishtwaris are a religiously diverse community. According to the 2011 census, Islam is the dominant religion, followed by Hinduism. Smaller populations adhere to Sikhism, Christianity, and Buddhism.

History
The Kishtwar region has a rich history of cultural exchange. Traditionally, the area was primarily inhabited by ancestors of the Kishtwaris. Over time, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, people from Kashmir and other adjoining areas migrated to Kishtwar, adding to the cultural richness of the region. Today, the Kishtwaris represent a blend of ethnicities.