Paddar has an extensive cultural history.
Religion The majority of Padderi belong to the Hindu community, but their traditions and rituals are very different from mainstream Hinduism. They follow a unique Shiva-Shakti tradition which is similar to
Kashmir Shaivism. They worship the nature and its sacred elements, e.g Zehryun devta or Megh raj, who is the god of Clouds and snow (Lord Indra), or Jwala mata, the god of fire, warmth and prosperity.
Nāgas i.e snake gods, are also an object of worship. Temples of various Nag devtas, or Serpent Gods, are still visible, and adorned with wood carvings of snakes of all kinds. The goddesss
Parvati, i.e Shakti, is worshipped in different forms, such as Kali, Chandi, Sheetla devi, etc. Different festivals are organized for their local dieties, during which customary dances and rituals are performed. They use dhoons and beinch (flute) to play ragad of devi-devtas. In every household, three important ceremonies are held for every individual: Bishtyan (
Yagyopavit) irrespective of their castes,
Byah (Marriage), and last rites.
Castes and Community The traditional life in the region is centered on community, religion and agriculture. Community plays an important role in the life of every individual, from every small family function to festivals. Unlike other regions of North India, the
caste system is somewhat weak in the Paddar Valley. It is said that the Kashmir valley was primarily inhabited by
Brahmins, but in time they adopted agriculture and warfare and became ancestors of the present-day Rana or Thakur community. Due to this, there is no difference in the culture, practices and rituals of Brahmins and Thakurs. It is quite unique to the region that every individual irrespective of their caste still performs the
Yagyopavit ceremony and follows brahminical rituals. This is why the Thakur community of this region is quite distinctive from the
Rajputs. An important theory about the origin of this culture is that once, the Kashmir valley was inhabited mostly by the Nagas and the Pishacha tribes, but that after the advent of
Vedic culture, they left the region. The pishachas are the ancestors of the present day Shina and Batli tribes; while the Nagas, who were worshipped serpents, migrated south of Kashmir i.e in the present-day
Chenab Valley. Today still, various serpent gods are worshipped there. Naga deities like the Vasuki nag, Kausar nag, or Shesh nag, which are some of the primary deities of the region, trace their origin from Kashmir valley.
Music and dance Due to isolation from the rest of the world, the region has special and unique dance forms that developed gradually. Local songs are called gheet. Sugil is a unique form of singing in which the words are sung slowly; the word is also generally used to describe an event. The most famous dance form of the region is kharzath. It is similar to the Kud dance of the
Jammu region, which is performed on special occasions and in temples. Gurhey is a dance performed by women. They sing songs while holding each others' hand, and move slowly by matching footsteps. It is similar to Kashmir's rauf dance.
Clothing In order to adapt to the cold and harsh climate of the region, residents wear woolen garments all year round. The women wear
shalwar kameez inside, and cover it with a light but heat-insulating woolen shawl called a
chador, which is draped in a unique manner. Women also wear special caps called zuji on their heads, which resemble the caps worn by
Kalash tribes in Chitral areas. In older times, they additionally used to wear heavy silver jewellery, which included head jewellery, big ear rings and nose pins, and heavy silver necklaces. The men wear a loose long
kurta-like tunic called a kamïr, or kamri, with a lower
churidar which is tight at the bottom but loose above the knees. They often wear a piece of wool for a belt, called a mazerad. == Demographics ==