The ‘Gujjars’ who are settled in Kashmir are not originally from Kashmir. It is believed that Gujjars’ were basically rajputs who have migrated for various reasons from Kathiawad region of Gujarat (via Rajasthan) and Hazara district of North Western Frontier Province to Jammu and Kashmir. As of 2001, the Gurjars and the Bakarwals in Jammu and Kashmir were classified as Scheduled Tribes. According to the 2001 Census of India, Gujjar is the most populous scheduled tribe in J&K, having a population of 763,806. Gujjars’ form a sizable section of population and are settled in various parts of Jammu And Kashmir State. These include Poonch. Rajouri, Jammu, Kellar, Tangdar, Karna, Gurez, Shopian Duksum,Pahalgam and Uri. ‘Gojri’, the language of the ‘Gujjars’ of Kashmir closely resembles to that of Hazara and Swat. Gujjars living in different areas speak several other dialects which are mutually intelligible. Hence these cultural characteristics along with the language intelligibility strengthen the view that all ‘Gujjars’ belong to a common ethnic group. ‘Gojri’ is the identity of the ‘Gujjars’ which separates them from other people and makes them ethnically different. It is a classified language and is mentioned in census. Gojri has enough literature; there are numerous books on religious and other cultural ailments like folklores, stories, incidents etc. So in a way or so Gujjars have somehow maintained their prevalence and continued to be a unique community with their own social, cultural and linguistic identities. Apart from their indigenous language (Gojri also known as Gojir bu’l) Gujjars are also proficient in other languages as well and hence show multi - lingualism. They are proficient in Kashmiri, Pahari, Bakarwali and Urdu. This multi-lingual nature is due to the language contact they have. Gujjars also code- switch and code-mix while conversing with different people. Gujjars have passed on their language to the younger generation and even their children have cent percent proficiency in ‘Gojri’ but they show a valorized attitude towards their mother tongue because somehow they feel inferior while using this language and prefer Kashmiri/Urdu while communicating with outsiders. So, the total usage of different languages by ‘Gujjar’ speakers is made as per the following approximate proportions.
The ‘Gujjars’ who are settled in Kashmir are not originally from Kashmir. It is believed that Gujjars’ were basically rajputs who have migrated for various reasons from Kathiawad region of Gujarat (via Rajasthan) and Hazara district of North Western Frontier Province to Jammu and Kashmir. As of 2001, the Gurjars and the Bakarwals in Jammu and Kashmir were classified as Scheduled Tribes. According to the 2001 Census of India, Gujjar is the most populous scheduled tribe in J&K, having a population of 763,806. Gujjars’ form a sizable section of population and are settled in various parts of Jammu And Kashmir State. These include Poonch. Rajouri, Jammu, Kellar, Tangdar, Karna, Gurez, Shopian Duksum,Pahalgam and Uri. ‘Gojri’, the language of the ‘Gujjars’ of Kashmir closely resembles to that of Hazara and Swat. Gujjars living in different areas speak several other dialects which are mutually intelligible. Hence these cultural characteristics along with the language intelligibility strengthen the view that all ‘Gujjars’ belong to a common ethnic group. ‘Gojri’ is the identity of the ‘Gujjars’ which separates them from other people and makes them ethnically different. It is a classified language and is mentioned in census. Gojri has enough literature; there are numerous books on religious and other cultural ailments like folklores, stories, incidents etc. So in a way or so Gujjars have somehow maintained their prevalence and continued to be a unique community with their own social, cultural and linguistic identities. Apart from their indigenous language (Gojri also known as Gojir bu’l) Gujjars are also proficient in other languages as well and hence show multi - lingualism. They are proficient in Kashmiri, Pahari, Bakarwali and Urdu. This multi-lingual nature is due to the language contact they have. Gujjars also code- switch and code-mix while conversing with different people. Gujjars have passed on their language to the younger generation and even their children have cent percent proficiency in ‘Gojri’ but they show a valorized attitude towards their mother tongue because somehow they feel inferior while using this language and prefer Kashmiri/Urdu while communicating with outsiders. So, the total usage of different languages by ‘Gujjar’ speakers is made as per the following approximate proportions.