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Our background in the context of religion

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Hey guys,
I am opening another thread regarding the history of pakistan prior to it's creation and advent of islam in this area. So before the advent of islam what was the religion in the present day Pakisran ?starting from gilgit baltistan to karachi. @Joe Shearer @Kaptaan @Talwar e Pakistan @Sher Shah Awan@dsr478

Asalamu Alaikum

It has always been a mixed region in terms of religion, even now many of the people of Pakistan follow different versions of Islam.

Historically speaking, Hinduism and Buddhism were the dominant religions in the region prior to Islam. The Rig Veda (oldest text in Hinduism) is believed to have been composed in Pakistani Punjab, and Pakistan has the 5th largest Hindu population in the world. The Indo-Aryans from Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia who invented Hinduism also migrated and settled in Pakistan first, before expanding to the rest of the sub-continent. In fact, Pakistanis are also some of the most closely related people to the Indo-Aryans throughout South Asia (as displayed by a higher frequency of the Eurasian component). The religion of Hinduism itself also appears to have influences from Indus Valley culture prior to the Aryan migrations as well. Pakistan has also produced some powerful Hindu rulers and dynasites, such as Porus, the Hindu Shahis and the Karkotas. Some also consider the Gujara Pratiharas to have had ancestry from Pakistani Punjab.

Screenshot_2018-04-11-15-35-59-1.png


You will also find many pieces of historical Buddhist art across Pakistan, such as the Kanishka stupa (Kanishka was a Buddhist ruler from Peshawar), the Rock of Hunza, Takht-i-Bahi, etc. Some of the most powerful Buddhist rulers came from Pakistan, such as Kanishka and Menander. Ashoka may have also had ancestry from KPK as per one theory.
 
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Asalamu Alaikum

It has always been a mixed region in terms of religion, even now many of the people of Pakistan follow different versions of Islam.

Historically speaking, Hinduism and Buddhism were the dominant religions in the region prior to Islam. The Rig Veda (oldest text in Hinduism) is believed to have been composed in Pakistani Punjab, and Pakistan has the 5th largest Hindu population in the world. The Indo-Aryans from Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia who invented Hinduism also migrated and settled in Pakistan first, before expanding to the rest of the sub-continent. The religion of Hinduism itself also appears to have influences from Indus Valley culture prior to the Aryan migrations as well. Pakistan has also produced some powerful Hindu rulers and dynasites, such as Porus, the Hindu Shahis and the Karkotas. Some also consider the Gujara Pratiharas to have had ancestry from Pakistani Punjab.

You will also find many pieces of historical Buddhist art across Pakistan, such as the Kanishka stupa (Kanishka was a Buddhist ruler from Peshawar), the Rock of Hunza, Takht-i-Bahi, etc. Some of the most powerful Buddhist rulers came from Pakistan, such as Kanishka and Menander. Ashoka may have also had ancestry from KPK as per one theory.
Walaikum Salam
In gandhara civilization which comprised of present day upper and central K.P.K and parts of afghamistan, buddism was the dominant religion (kindly correct me if i am wrong) and ashoka went to norhern area of kpk in mansehra and also wrote something on rocks which could still be not read by the local people but can not be said that whether or not his ancestry was from kpk based on this event. Plus sindh was a hub of hinduism and is still the province with most hindu population in pakistan. I basically wanted to specify that how according to areas religion differed in present day pakistan because today we can see various ways of islam being practised and it is thought that religions prior to islam has shaped such way of practising.

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Walaikum Salam
In gandhara civilization which comprised of present day upper and central K.P.K and parts of afghamistan, buddism was the dominant religion (kindly correct me if i am wrong) and ashoka went to norhern area of kpk in mansehra and also wrote something on rocks which could still be not read by the local people but can not be said that whether or not his ancestry was from kpk based on this event. Plus sindh was a hub of hinduism and is still the province with most hindu population in pakistan. I basically wanted to specify that how according to areas religion differed in present day pakistan because today we can see various ways of islam being practised and it is thought that religions prior to islam has shaped such way of practising.

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Ashoka's potential KPK ancestry is based on the fact that he is descended from Chandragupta Maurya, who himself is theorised to have had KPK ancestry.

In terms of a province by province distribution, this gets tricky and I'm not too informed. I know Buddhism dominated Gilgit Baltistan, KPK and northern Punjab, but I am unsure about the rest of the region.
 
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Ashoka's potential KPK ancestry is based on the fact that he is descended from Chandragupta Maurya, who himself is theorised to have had KPK ancestry.

In terms of a province by province distribution, this gets tricky and I'm not too informed. I know Buddhism dominated Gilgit Baltistan, KPK and northern Punjab, but I am unsure about the rest of the region.
How can historic afghani and central asian invent hinduism if dominant religion of that time was buddism and chandra gupta maurya was born in patalia modern day patna so again how he had kpk ancestry
 
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How can historic afghani and central asian invent hinduism if dominant religion of that time was buddism and chandra gupta maurya was born in patalia modern day patna so again how he had kpk ancestry

This was thousands of years ago bro, Buddhism wasn't even a thing when Hinduism came around.

Chandragupta Maurya may have had KPK ancestry, this is hypothesised by his name Maurya potentially being derived from Meros, which was the name of an ancient people who inhabitated KPK at the time.
 
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This was thousands of years ago bro, Buddhism wasn't even a thing when Hinduism came around.

Chandragupta Maurya may have had KPK ancestry, this is hypothesised by his name Maurya potentially being derived from Meros, which was the name of an ancient people who inhabitated KPK at the time.
Fine brother
 
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Hey guys,
I am opening another thread regarding the history of pakistan prior to it's creation and advent of islam in this area. So before the advent of islam what was the religion in the present day Pakisran ?starting from gilgit baltistan to karachi. @Joe Shearer @Kaptaan @Talwar e Pakistan @Sher Shah Awan@dsr478
Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir was dominated by the Tibetan Bon Religion, Buddhism and folk religions (which still exist to this day).

KPK was dominated by Greco-Buddhism and Bactrian Zoroastrianism. There are some remains of Zoroastrian temples which were converted to Buddhist temples.

Northern Punjab was dominated by primarily folk religions and ancestor worship(which still maintains a footprint today); with some areas being influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. The people were hostile to the Hindu caste system.

South Punjab was dominated by primarily folk religions and ancestor worship with direct influence from Zoroastrianism. The largest city of South Punjab, Multan, had a massive sun temple dedicated to the Persian worship of Mithra.

Sindh was dominated by folk religions, nature worship (which still maintains a footprint) and Buddhism. Many tribes such as the Jatts were hostile to the Caste System and hence were persecuted by the Brahman Dynasty which took over after the murder of the Buddhist King.

Balochistan was most likely dominated by isolated and local religions influenced by Zoroastrianism.

Historically speaking, Hinduism and Buddhism were the dominant religions in the region prior to Islam. The Rig Veda (oldest text in Hinduism) is believed to have been composed in Pakistani Punjab, and Pakistan has the 5th largest Hindu population in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_folk_religion

You're over-exaggerating historic Hinduism in pre-Islamic Pakistan. Hinduism was not even an organized religion back, neither did anyone consider themselves to be Hindu or follow a Hindu religion.

We know from Vedic texts that people from modern-day Pakistan were definitely not Hindu. They ate meat, buried their dead and were hostile to the caste system - hence why they are always negatively portrayed in Vedic texts except when it came to their martial prowess.

Here are some quotes from their texts.

“who will save us from our mortal enemies in the Sapta Sindhu?”

“that (region) where these five rivers, emerging from the mountains flow, this Aratta (country) is called Balhika where the Arya should not stay even for two days”.

"I remember from the days of my youth that a slaughter-ground for kine and a space for storing intoxicating spirits always distinguish the entrances of the abodes of the (Vahika) kings. On some very secret mission I had to live among the Vahikas. In consequence of such residence the conduct of these people is well known to me. There is a town of the name of Sakala (modern day Sialkote), a river of the name of Apaga, and a clan of the Vahikas known by the name of the Jarttikas. The practices of these people are very censurable. They drink the liquor called Gauda, and eat fried barley with it. They also eat beef with garlic. They also eat cakes of flour mixed with meat, and boiled rice that is bought from others. Of righteous practices they have none. (8,44)"


Pakistan has also produced some powerful Hindu rulers and dynasites, such as Porus, the Hindu Shahis and the Karkotas.
There is no evidence that Porus followed Hinduism, since he was of Punjab - it's very unlikely that he did. Karkotas was mostly based off in Eastern Kashmir and Northern India and the Hindu Shahis only enjoyed alternating and loose control over parts of KPK.
 
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Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir was dominated by the Tibetan Bon Religion, Buddhism and folk religions (which still exist to this day).

KPK was dominated by Greco-Buddhism and Bactrian Zoroastrianism. There are some remains of Zoroastrian temples which were converted to Buddhist temples.

Northern Punjab was dominated by primarily folk religions and ancestor worship(which still maintains a footprint today); with some areas being influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. The people were hostile to the Hindu caste system.

South Punjab was dominated by primarily folk religions and ancestor worship with direct influence from Zoroastrianism. The largest city of South Punjab, Multan, had a massive sun temple dedicated to the Persian worship of Mithra.

Sindh was dominated by folk religions, nature worship (which still maintains a footprint) and Buddhism. Many tribes such as the Jatts were hostile to the Caste System and hence were persecuted by the Brahman Dynasty which took over after the murder of the Buddhist King.

Balochistan was most likely dominated by isolated and local religions influenced by Zoroastrianism.


You're over-exaggerating historic Hinduism in pre-Islamic Pakistan. Hinduism was not even an organized religion back, neither did anyone consider themselves to be Hindu or follow a Hindu religion.

We know from Vedic texts that people from modern-day Pakistan were definitely not Hindu. They ate meat, buried their dead and were hostile to the caste system - hence why they are always negatively portrayed in Vedic texts except when it came to their martial prowess.

Here are some quotes from their texts.

“who will save us from our mortal enemies in the Sapta Sindhu?”

“that (region) where these five rivers, emerging from the mountains flow, this Aratta (country) is called Balhika where the Arya should not stay even for two days”.

"I remember from the days of my youth that a slaughter-ground for kine and a space for storing intoxicating spirits always distinguish the entrances of the abodes of the (Vahika) kings. On some very secret mission I had to live among the Vahikas. In consequence of such residence the conduct of these people is well known to me. There is a town of the name of Sakala (modern day Sialkote), a river of the name of Apaga, and a clan of the Vahikas known by the name of the Jarttikas. The practices of these people are very censurable. They drink the liquor called Gauda, and eat fried barley with it. They also eat beef with garlic. They also eat cakes of flour mixed with meat, and boiled rice that is bought from others. Of righteous practices they have none. (8,44)"

Asalamu Alaikum

You are right, Hinduism is just an amalgamation of different folk religions across South Asia.

They followed a rather unorthodox version of Hinduism, perhaps a better term would be to call it an early Vedic religion.
 
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Hey guys,
I am opening another thread regarding the history of pakistan prior to it's creation and advent of islam in this area. So before the advent of islam what was the religion in the present day Pakisran ?starting from gilgit baltistan to karachi. @Joe Shearer @Kaptaan @Talwar e Pakistan @Sher Shah Awan@dsr478
IVC had a religion that is yet to be determined, once this culture subsided for whatever reason, Indra was worshiped then subsequently Buddhism and in some parts Zoroastrianism.Kudos
 
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So like aitezaz ahsan says in indus saga our country was always different from india and our cultures existed from always
 
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