Hindu and Buddhist heritage of Pakistan

The geographical area that now constitutes the modern Islamic Republic of Pakistan established in 1947 is a receptacle of momentous, Hindu and Buddhist, tangible and intangible cultural heritage from antiquity. Great centers of Hindu and Buddhist civilization culture emerged and flourished from ancient times in the region .
Whereas several factors contributed towards the demise of Buddhism in what is now Pakistan , some historians have credited the final blow to Buddhism came in the form of Muslim Invasion of India led by Muhammad Ghori and the religious conversions which later followed them. The area continued to be populated by a significant Hindu and Sikh population till 1947 with the formation of the Islamic republic Pakistan and dissolution of the British Indian Empire. The Partition of India displaced up to 12.5 million people in the former British Indian Empire, with estimates of loss of life varying from several hundred thousand to a million.
Tangible and intangible heritage
The religious and cultural heritage of the region possesses a rich legacy of physical artefacts and intangible attributes of Hindu and Buddhist (apart from Islamic) societies that have been inherited from past generations .Recognising the importance of tangible and intangible heritage the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs records
Social and cutural infuences
Enduring legacies include the joint family structures & households, caste or clan (biradari) system, arranged marriage, family pride, cuisine (mithai, rice, dal, spices). There are expectations of respect for elders. There are expectations of loyalty and obedience from progeny even when they are adults.
Farmers continue to use the Hindu calendar since it has a clear & consistent mapping to the seasons for planting, growing and harvesting.
Most Pakistanis are aware of concepts of karma, prasad, puja, Diwali, Holi, Ganga. A few educated liberal Pakistanis are aware of Ramayan and Mahabharat.
Antiquity
Much of the area in which Hinduism originated is now in Pakistan

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