Jesus In India — Page 108
108 J e s u s i n I n d i a Israelite origin. For example, the people of Alai Kohistan which is at a distance of two or three days’ journey from the district of Hazara, have called themselves Beni Israel from time immemorial. Similarly, there is another hilly tract in this region known as Kala Dakah, whose inhabitants also take pride in being of Israelite origin. Then in the Hazara district itself, there is a tribe which claims to belong to the house of Israel. Similarly, the inhabitants of the mountain range between Chillas and Kabul also call themselves Israelites. Dr. Bernier’s view about the people of Kashmir, which is based on the authority of some English scholars, and is expressed in the second part of his book Travels, is only too true. According to him, the Kashmiri people are the descendants of Israel; their dress, their features and some of their rituals conclusively point to the fact that they are undoubtedly of Israelite origin. 55 An Englishman, Forster by name, writes in his book that during his stay in Kashmir he felt as if he was living amidst a tribe of the Jews. 56 H. W. Bellews C. S. I. in his book The Races of Afghanistan, published by Thacker Spink & Co. Calcutta, states that the Afghans came from Syria. Nebuchadnezzar took them prisoner and settled them in Persia and Media, from whence at a later date they moved to the East and settled in the Ghor hills, where they were known as Beni Israel. In proof of this there is the prophecy of the Prophet Idris (Enoch), which says that the ten tribes of Israel who were taken prisoner, escaped from captivity and took refuge in the territory called Arsarah which appears to be another name of the area 55 See Appendix, extract 10. (Translator) 56 See Appendix, extract 11. (Translator)