In older days, Bacha Naghma involved pedophilia. Usually, abducted boys were castrated and turned into Eunuchs.They were made to dance sensually for the pleasure of pederasts.They were also employed for sex.This "tradition" was brought to Kashmir during the Mughal and Afghan rule
Even the words "Bacha" and "Naghma" are not of either Kashmiri or Sanskrit origin. They are of Perso Arabic origin. Bacha is Perso-Arabic for "child" and Naghma is Arabic for "shake".
Kashmir has a very rich historical record spanning all the way to Nilamata Purana and enriched by the accounts of Kalhana describing minutest details.I have not found an evidence of anything similar to Bacha Naghma anywhere in Pre Shahmiri records. Feel free to prove me wrong
In his book "Kashmiri Shaivism", historian MG Chitkara writes that Bacha Nagma was brought to Kashmir from Afghanistan where a similar dance form known as Bacha Bazi exists even today
Bacha Bazi was extremely popular among Turks of Central Asia who were northern neighbors of Kashmiris and Afghans
But the Russians abolished this practice in Central Asia when they conquered this land. Snippet taken from the book "The Pamirs" by Charles Adolphus Murray. P. 308
But the Russians abolished this practice in Central Asia when they conquered this land. Snippet taken from the book "The Pamirs" by Charles Adolphus Murray. P. 308
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