Jesus' connection with India through the “Wise men from the east.”

“During the unaccounted-for years of Jesus' life—the Scripture remains silent about him from approximately ages fourteen to thirty—he journeyed to India, probably traveling the well-established trade route that linked the Mediterranean with China and India. His own God-realization, reawakened and reinforced in the company of the masters and the spiritual environs of India, provided a background of the universality of truth from which he could preach a simple, open message comprehensible to the masses of his native country, yet with underlying meanings that would be appreciated in generations to come as the infancy of man's mind would mature in understanding.

The adoration of the Wise Men is far more significant than merely another scene of pageantry recognizing the holy birth. It was the defining stamp of God placed on the life of Jesus that would in future characterize his mission and message—a reminder that Jesus was born in the Orient, an Oriental Christ; and that his teachings bore the influence of the Eastern culture and customs. There is a very strong tradition in India, authoritatively known amongst high metaphysicians in tales well told and written in ancient manuscripts, that the wise men of the East who made their way to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem were, in fact, great sages of India.

Not only did the Indian masters come to Jesus, but he reciprocated their visit. During the unaccounted-for years of Jesus' life—the Scripture remains silent about him from approximately ages fourteen to thirty—he journeyed to India, probably traveling the well-established trade route that linked the Mediterranean with China and India. His own God-realization, reawakened and reinforced in the company of the masters and the spiritual environs of India, provided a background of the universality of truth from which he could preach a simple, open message comprehensible to the masses of his native country, yet with underlying meanings that would be appreciated in generations to come as the infancy of man's mind would mature in understanding.

As civilization takes giant strides in the proliferation of material knowledge, man will find that the underpinnings of many of his old familiar religious dogmas may well begin to crack and crumble. What is needed is a reunion of the science of religion with the spirit, or inspiration, of religion—the esoteric with the exoteric. The yoga science taught by Lord Krishna, which provides practical methods for actual inner experience of God to supplant the feeble life-expectancy of beliefs, and the spirit of Christ-love and brotherhood preached by Jesus—the only sure panacea to prevent the world from tearing itself apart by its unyielding differences—are in tandem one and the same universal truth, taught by these two Christs of East and West, only with a variant outward emphasis according to the times and conditions of their respective incarnations.”

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ within You)
Paramahansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Fellowship (2008) p. 56

“It amuses me when my Western brothers ask: 'Do you believe in Christ?' I always say: 'Jesus the Christ'—Jesus the divine son of man in whom was manifested the Christ Consciousness, the Son of God. Much more than merely believing in him is to 'know' him.

Christ has been much misinterpreted by the world. Even the most elementary principles of his teachings have been desecrated, and their esoteric depths have been forgotten. They have been crucified at the hands of dogma, prejudice, and cramped understanding. Genocidal wars have been fought, people have been burned as witches and heretics, on the presumed authority of man-made doctrines of Christianity. How to salvage the immortal teachings from the hands of ignorance? We must know Jesus as an Oriental Christ, a supreme yogi who manifested full mastery of the universal science of God-union, and thus could speak and act as a savior with the voice and authority of God. He has been Westernized too much. [1]”

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ within You)
Paramahansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Fellowship (2008) p. 90

[1] Through the remarkable discovery of early Christian gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945, one may glimpse something of what was lost to conventional Christianity during this process of"Westernization.” Elaine Pagels, Ph.D., writes in 'The Gnostic Gospels' (New York: Vintage Books, 1981): "The Nag Hammadi texts, and others like them, which circulated at the beginning of the Christian era, were denounced as heresy by orthodox Christians in the middle of the second century....But those who wrote and circulated these texts did not regard 'themselves' as 'heretics'. Most of the writings use Christian terminology, unmistakably related to a Jewish heritage. Many claim to offer traditions about Jesus that are secret, hidden from 'the many' who constitute what, in the second century, came to be called the 'catholic church'. These Christians are now called gnostics, from the Greek word 'gnosis', usually translated as 'knowledge'. For as those who claim to know nothing about ultimate reality are called agnostic (literally, 'not-knowing'), the person who does claim to know such things is called gnostic ('knowing'). But 'gnosis' is not primarily rational knowledge....As the gnostics use the term, we could translate it as 'insight', for 'gnosis' involves an intuitive process of knowing oneself....[According to gnostic teachers], to know oneself, at the deepest level, is simultaneously to know God; this is the secret of 'gnosis'....
"The 'living Jesus' of these texts speaks of illusion and enlightenment, not of sin and repentance, like the Jesus of the New Testament. Instead of coming to save us from sin, he comes as a guide who opens access to spiritual understanding.... "Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus is Lord and Son of God in a unique way: he remains forever distinct from the rest of humanity whom he came to save. Yet the gnostic 'Gospel of Thomas' relates that as soon as Thomas recognizes him, Jesus says to Thomas that they have both received their being from the same source: 'I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become drunk from the bubbling stream which I have measured out.... He who will drink from my mouth will become as I am: I myself shall become he, and the things that are hidden will be revealed to him.'
"Does not such teaching—the identity of the divine and human, the concern with illusion and enlightenment, the founder who is presented not as Lord, but as spiritual guide—sound more Eastern than Western?....Could Hindu or Buddhist Tradition have influenced gnosticism?....Ideas that we associate with Eastern religions emerged in the first century through the gnostic movement in the West, but they were suppressed and condemned by polemicists like Irenaeus.” ('Publisher's Note')

Jesus Lived in India

Holger Kersten: "It is simply of vital importance to find again the path to the sources, to the eternal and central truths of Christ's message, which has been shaken almost beyond recognition by the profane ambitions of more or less secular institutions arrogating to themselves a religious authority. This is an attempt to open a way to a new future, firmly founded in the true spiritual and religious sources of the past."

Thus begins Holger Kersten's book "Jesus Lived in India". This German book is a thorough, methodical and authoritative examination of the evidence of Christ's life beyond the Middle East before the Crucifixion and in India and elsewhere after it.

This article is a summary of Kersten's exhaustive research into Christ's travels after the Crucifixion, his arrival in India with the Mother Mary and finally his death and entombment in Kashmir. Kersten notes the many parallels of Christ's teachings with other religious and cultural traditions and suggests that at least some of these figures may have been one and the same personality. It is not possible, Kersten asserts, to disprove that Christ went to India. The current information documenting Christ's life is restricted to the gospels and the work of Church theologians. One can hardly trust these sources to be objective considering their obvious interest in maintaining the authority of their Church and its grip on the masses.

The Russian scholar, Nicolai Notovich, was the first to suggest that Christ may have gone to India. In 1887, Notovich, a Russian scholar and Orientalist, arrived in Kashmir during one of several journeys to the Orient. At the Zoji-la pass Notovich was a guest in a Buddhist monastery, where a monk told him of the bhodisattva saint called "Issa". Notovich was stunned by the remarkable parallels of Issa's teachings and martyrdom with that of Christ's life, teachings and crucifixion.

For about sixteen years, Christ travelled through Turkey, Persia, Western Europe and possibly England. He finally arrived with Mary to a place near Kashmir, where she died. After many years in Kashmir, teaching to an appreciative population, who venerated him as a great prophet, reformer and saint, he died and was buried in a tomb in Kashmir itself.

The first step in Christ's trail after the Crucifixion is found in the Persian scholar F. Mohammed's historical work "Jami-ut-tuwarik" which tells of Christ's arrival in the kingdom of Nisibis, by royal invitation. (Nisibis is today known as Nusaybin in Turkey). This is reiterated in the Imam Abu Jafar Muhammed's "Tafsi-Ibn-i-Jamir at-tubri." Kersten found that in both Turkey and Persia there are ancient stories of a saint called "Yuz Asaf" ("Leader of the Healed"), whose behaviour, miracles and teachings are remarkably similar to that of Christ.

The many Islamic and Hindu historical works recording local history and legends of kings, noblemen and saints of the areas thought to be travelled by Jesus also give evidence of a Christ like man; the Koran, for example, refers to Christ as "Issar". Further east, the Kurdish tribes of Eastern Anatolia have several stories describing Christ's stay in Eastern Turkey after his resurrection. These traditional legends have been ignored by the theological community.

Kersten also suggests that prior to Christ's mission in the Middle East, he may have been exposed to Buddhist teachings in Egypt. After his birth in Bethlehem, his family fled to Egypt to avoid Herod's persecution. Surprisingly some scholars now acknowledge that Buddhist schools probably existed in Alexandria long before the Christian era.

More clues are drawn from the Apocrypha. These are texts said to have been written by the Apostles but which are not officially accepted by the Church. Indeed, the Church regards them as heresy since a substantial amount of the Apocrypha directly contradicts Church dogma and theology. The Apocryphal 'Acts of Thomas', for example, tell how Christ met Thomas several times after the Crucifixion. In fact they tell us how Christ sent Thomas to teach his spirituality in India. This is corroborated by evidence found in the form of stone inscriptions at Fatehpur Sikri, near the Taj Mahal, in Northern India. They include "Agrapha", which are sayings of Christ that don't exist in the mainstream Bible. Their grammatical form is most similar to that of the Apocryphal gospel of Thomas. This is but one example giving credibility to the idea that texts not recognised by the Church hold important clues about Christ's true life and his teachings.

In tracing Christ's movements to India and beyond, Kersten also discovered that many of his teachings, which have been gradually edited out of the modern Bible were originally Eastern in nature. Principles such as karma and re-incarnation, for example, were common knowledge then, and seem to have been reaffirmed by Christ. Imagine the implications that this discovery holds for Western Christianity and its churches, who have kept Christ in their doctrinal top pockets and have constrained the entire Western culture within the narrow teachings of blind faith, organised religion and original sin!

Further clues are cited from The Apocryphal Acts of Thomas, and the Gospel of Thomas which are of Syrian origin and have been dated to the 4th Century AD, or possibly earlier. They are Gnostic Scriptures and despite the evidence indicating their authenticity, they are not given credence by mainstream theologians. In these texts Thomas tells of Christ's appearance in Andrapolis, Paphlagonia (today known as in the extreme north of Anatolia) as a guest of the King of Andrappa. There he met with Thomas who had arrived separately. It is at Andrapolis that Christ entreated Thomas to go to India to begin spreading his teachings. It seems that Christ and Mary then moved along the West coast of Turkey, proof of this could be an old stopping place for travellers called the "Home of Mary", found along the ancient silk route. From here Christ could easily have entered Europe via France. He may have even travelled as far as the British Isles, for in England there is an ancient oak tree called the "Hallowed Tree" which (says local legend) was planted by Christ himself.

In his travels through Persia (today's Iran) Christ became known as Yuz Asaf (leader of the Healed). We know this because a Kashmiri historical document confirms that Isa (the Koranic name for Christ) was in fact also known as Yuz Asaf. The Jami - uf - Tamarik, Volume II, tells that Yuz Asaf visited Masslige, where he attended the grave of Shem, Noah's son. There are various other accounts such as Agha Mustafa's "Awhali Shahaii-i-paras" that tell of Yuz Asaf's travels and teachings all over Persia. It seems that Yuz Asaf blessed Afghanistan and Pakistan with his presence also. There are for example two plains in Eastern Afghanistan near Gazni and Galalabad, bearing the name of the prophet Yuz Asaf. Again in the Apocryphal Acts of Thomas, Thomas says that he and Christ attended the Court of King Gundafor of Taxila (now Pakistan), in about 47AD, and that eventually both the King and his brother accepted Christ's teachings. Kersten claims that there are more than twenty one historical documents that bear witness to the existence of Jesus in Kashmir, where he was known also as Yuz Asaf and Issa. For example the Bhavishyat Mahapurana (volume 9 verses 17-32) contains an account of Issa-Masih (Jesus the Messiah). It describes Christ's arrival in the Kashmir region of India and his encounter with King Shalivahana, who ruled the Kushan area (39-50AD), and who entertained Christ as a guest for some time.

Christ's life in India, after the crucifixion, challenges current Church teachings at their very foundation. The theology of Saint Paul, the major influence on modern Christianity, is empty fanaticism in the light of this discovery.

The historian Mullah Nadini (1413) also recounts a story of Yuz Asaf who was a contemporary to King Gopadatta, and confirms that he also used the name Issar, ie. Jesus. There is also much historical truth in the towns and villages of Northern India to prove that Jesus and his mother Mary spent time in the area. For instance, at the border of a small town called Mari, there is nearby a mountain called Pindi Point, upon which is an old tomb called Mai Mari da Asthan or "The final resting place of Mary". The tomb is said to be very old and local Muslims venerate it as the grave of Issa's (ie Christ's) Mother. The tomb itself is oriented East-West consistent with the Jewish tradition, despite the fact it is within a Muslim area. Assuming its antiquity, such a tomb could not be Hindu either since the Hindus contemporary to Christ cremated their dead and scattered their ashes as do Hindus today.

Following Christ's trail into Kashmir, 40km south of Srinagar, between the villages of Naugam and Nilmge is a meadow called Yuz-Marg (the meadow of Yuz Asaf, ie. Jesus). Then there is the sacred building called Aish Muqam, 60km south east of Srinagar and 12km from Bij Bihara. "Aish" says Kersten is derived from "Issa" and "Muqam" place of rest or repose. Within the Aish Muqam is a sacred relic called the 'Moses Rod' or the 'Jesus Rod', which local legend says, belonged to Moses himself. Christ is said to also have held it, perhaps to confirm his Mosaic heritage. Above the town of Srinagar is a temple known as "The Throne of Solomon", which dates back to at least 1000BC, which King Gopadatta had restored at about the same time as Christ's advent. The restoration was done by a Persian architect who personally left four inscriptions on the side steps of the temple. The third and fourth inscription read: "At this time Yuz Asaf announced his prophetic calling in Year 50 and 4" and "He is Jesus — Prophet of the Sons of Israel"! Herein lies a powerful confirmation of Kersten's theory. Kersten suggests that Christ may have travelled to the South of India also, finally returning to Kashmir to die at the age of approximately 80 years. Christ's tomb, says Kersten, lies in Srinagar's old town in a building called Rozabal. "Rozabal" is an abbreviation of Rauza Bal, meaning "tomb of a prophet". At the entrance there is an inscription explaining that Yuz Asaf is buried along with another Moslem saint. Both have gravestones which are oriented in North-South direction, according to Moslem tradition. However, through a small opening the true burial chamber can be seen, in which there is the Sarcophagus of Yuz Asaf in East-West (Jewish) orientation!

According to Professor Hassnain, who has studied this tomb, there are carved footprints on the grave stones and when closely examined, carved images of a crucifix and a rosary. The footprints of Yuz Asaf have what appear to be scars represented on both feet, if one assumes that they are crucifixion scars, then their position is consistent with the scars shown in the Turin Shroud (left foot nailed over right). Crucifixion was not practised in Asia, so it is quite possible that they were inflicted elsewhere, such as the Middle East. The tomb is called by some as "Hazrat Issa Sahib" or "Tomb of the Lord Master Jesus". Ancient records acknowledge the existence of the tomb as long ago as 112AD. The Grand Mufti, a prominent Muslim Cleric, himself has confirmed that Hazrat Isa Sahib is indeed the tomb of Yuz Asaf!

Thus Kersten deduces that the tomb of Jesus Christ Himself is in Kashmir!

The implications of Kersten's discovery are monumental. Christ's life in India, after the crucifixion, challenges current Church teachings at their very foundation. The theology of Saint Paul, the major influence on modern Christianity, is empty fanaticism in the light of this discovery. Threatened also are the doctrines of obedience to the Church, original sin, salvation through blind faith and the non-existence of reincarnation, etc. Yet these ideas underlie the morality and ethics, (or lack of them), that govern the entire Western social structure, from the legal system to medical health care schemes. It is no wonder that the modern Churches and their secular interests refuse to consider such a proposition as Kersten's!

The Synopsis of "Jesus Lived In India" by Holger Kersten was written by Dr Ramesh Manocha & Anna Potts.


Tourists flock to 'Jesus' shrine
Last updated on: May 11, 2010 22:38 IST

Look at the picture carefully. This nondescript Muslim shrine in Kashmir has shot into the international limelight after many believers claimed it was where Jesus Christ was laid to rest. Inquisitive visitors — mostly Westerners — have started flocking to the shrine, forcing the caretakers to close down the religious structure. Rediff.com's Mukhtar Ahmad travels to Khanyar in Srinagar, in search of some spiritual answers.

Where did Jesus spend his last days? Had he been to India? Had he been buried in Kashmir?

There are several versions on Jesus' India sojourn. Some books argue Jesus did spend as many as 16 years in India, becoming a disciple of Buddhism. But many dispute the entire version, saying there has never been conclusive evidence on Jesus' visit to India.

The old debate or controversy resurfaced after Rozabal shrine of Sufi saint Yuz Asaf at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir banned visitors and believers alike from entering the sanctum sanctorum. It was at the Rozabal shrine, many believe, Jesus was laid to rest. However, there has not been any conclusive proof to substantiate the claim.

The shrine's move comes after some believers wanted to exhume the remains to obtain carbon dating and get a DNA done.

"Some Christians claim it is the grave of Jesus and they had approached us with a request to exhume the remains for DNA testing. But, we refused," Mohammad Amin Ringshawl, the shrine's caretaker, told rediff.com.

'The tomb predates Islam'

The graves of saints are covered with green cloth embroidered with verses from the Holy Quran and local Muslims often stop at the shrine to say prayers.

In his book, Aziz Kashmiri writes, "Kashmiri history books tell us that Yus Asaf came from abroad. He was a prophet and a messenger. He came from Israel. He came to spread his teachings. He lived and died here. Yus Asaf was Issa. He was Jesus."

"The meaning of Yus Asaf is, The Healer. Another meaning is The Shepherd the one who teaches others. Our history confirms that Issa was known as Yus Asaf, here in Kashmir."

"The footprints were carved as a sign. The scars are clearly visible, sustained as he was nailed to the cross. They show that this is the same person who came here from Israel. And that he lived and died here. You won't find any footprints like these anywhere else in Kashmir."

Meanwhile, in an interview to Times of India, Suzanne refuted allegations that she had attempted to remove anything from the tomb, or dig it up.

"I can't imagine who started those rumours or why," she said and maintained that the belief that there is a Muslim saint in the same tomb is untrue. "The tomb predates Islam and could never be a Muslim tomb," she was quoted as saying.

No entry now to the shrine

As always in such cases, the ban has had a domino effect. The shrine had a mention in The Lonely Planet, a worldwide guide for travellers. As the word spread, inquisitive visitors started flocking the shrine.

Angered by the sudden "interest" being shown by foreigners in the shrine, the authorities banned people from entering it.

Incidentally, the man — Aziz Kashmiri, senior journalist — who first wrote that Jesus was buried in Kashmir — passed away recently, rekindling memories of the controversy and interest associated with the grave in the Khanyar locality.

Aziz Kashmiri, the editor of a local Urdu daily Roshini, was the first to advance the theory in his book Christ In Kashmir published in 1973.

The shrine shot into limelight following the publication of the book underpinning the theory "that Jesus survived crucifixion and migrated to Kashmir".

Image: The disputed structure in Srinagar
Photographs: Umar Ganai

RediffNews
Web (Extracted 2018-01-25)

The Theory of Jesus in India

Key Points

Summary

The theory that Jesus traveled to India after the crucifixion, lived there, and was buried in Kashmir is intriguing but not supported by mainstream historical evidence. It stems from books like Jesus in India by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (source), which argue Jesus, known as Yuz Asaf, settled in Kashmir. Nicolai Notovich's claim of finding manuscripts in a Buddhist monastery in Kashmir is widely considered a hoax (source). Historical documents like F. Mohammed's Jami-ut-tuwarik and inscriptions at sites like Fatehpur Sikri (source) do not reliably confirm Jesus' presence. The Rozabal tomb in Srinagar (source) is claimed by some to be Jesus' burial site, but local caretakers reject this, seeing it as a Muslim saint's shrine. Similarly, a tomb near Mari in India is said to be Mary's, but this lacks historical verification (source). Overall, while these ideas are part of certain traditions, they remain controversial and are not accepted by most historians.

Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Jesus in India Theory

This survey provides a comprehensive examination of the theory that Jesus Christ traveled to India after the crucifixion, lived there, and was buried in Kashmir, aiming to clarify the claims, verify their historical basis, and assess their acceptance among scholars.

Background and Key Claims

The theory posits that after surviving the crucifixion, Jesus, also known as Yuz Asaf, traveled through regions like Turkey, Persia, Western Europe, and possibly England, before settling in Kashmir with Mary, who is said to have died there. He is believed to have taught in Kashmir, revered as a prophet, and was buried in the Rozabal tomb in Srinagar. This narrative is supported by several books, including Jesus in India by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (source), published in 1908, which argues Jesus escaped death on the cross and journeyed to India seeking the lost tribes of Israel. Other works, such as When Jesus Lived in India by Alan Jacobs (source) and The Lost Years of Jesus by Elizabeth Claire Prophet (source), explore the "lost years" of Jesus, suggesting he spent time in India during his unaccounted-for years.

The theory gained traction with Nicolai Notovich's 1894 book, claiming he discovered manuscripts in a Buddhist monastery in Kashmir describing Jesus' travels, known as "Issa" (source). This idea was further popularized by the Ahmadiyya movement, founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who identified Yuz Asaf with Jesus and claimed the Rozabal tomb as his burial site (source).

Historical Documents and Evidence

The text cites several historical documents to support the theory, including F. Mohammed's Jami-ut-tuwarik and Imam Abu Jafar Muhammed's Tafsi-Ibn-i-Jamir at-tubri, which allegedly mention Jesus' arrival in Nisibis (modern-day Nusaybin, Turkey). However, research suggests these specific works are not widely recognized or verified in mainstream historical scholarship. For instance, Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid al-Din Hamadani is a known 14th-century historical text, but no credible sources link F. Mohammed to it or confirm mentions of Jesus in Nisibis (source). Similarly, Tafsi-Ibn-i-Jamir at-tubri does not appear in standard Islamic scholarship, and it seems likely a misreference to Ibn Jarir al-Tabari's works, which do not discuss Jesus in this context (source).

Yuz Asaf is mentioned in documents like Tarikh-i-Kashmir (1579–1620) and works by Khwaja Muhammad Azam Didamari (1747), which describe him as a foreign prophet who traveled to Kashmir (source). However, scholars like Günter Grönbold argue the Rozabal shrine, associated with Yuz Asaf, was likely a Hindu or Buddhist site before Islamization and has no connection to Jesus.

Apocryphal Texts and Inscriptions

The Acts of Thomas, an apocryphal text from the 3rd century, is cited as evidence, claiming Thomas traveled to India and met Jesus after the crucifixion. While the text does describe Thomas' missionary work in India, including visits to King Gundaphorus' court, it does not state Jesus himself traveled there (source). This distinction is crucial, as it does not support the claim of Jesus' physical presence in India.

Inscriptions at Fatehpur Sikri, near the Taj Mahal, are said to contain "Agrapha" (sayings of Jesus not in the Bible). However, research shows the inscriptions at Fatehpur Sikri, such as those on Buland Darwaza, relate to Islamic teachings and Akbar's victories, with no mention of Jesus or Agrapha (source). This claim lacks credible historical backing.

Physical Sites and Tombs

The text mentions a tomb near Mari, called Mai Mari da Asthan, claimed to be Mary's resting place. Located in Murree, Pakistan, this site is venerated by locals but lacks historical evidence linking it to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The name "Mai Mari da Asthan" means "resting place of Mother Mary," but local historian Farakh Ahmed Khan disputes this, suggesting "Mari" refers to an enclosure, not Mary (source). The British attempted to demolish it in 1916, but public protest prevented this, and it was renovated in the 1950s by an Ahmadi leader, indicating a more recent association.

The Rozabal tomb in Srinagar is central to the theory, claimed by Ahmadis to be Jesus' tomb, with carvings suggesting crucifixion scars. However, local caretakers, primarily Sunni Muslims, believe Yuz Asaf was a Muslim saint, and the idea that Jesus is buried there is considered blasphemous to Islam (source). Scholars like Per Beskow and Norbert Klatt have criticized this identification as a misunderstanding of sources.

The "Throne of Solomon" temple (Takht-i-Sulaiman) in Srinagar is said to have inscriptions confirming Yuz Asaf's prophetic calling, such as "At this time Yuz Asaf announced his prophetic calling in Year 50 and 4" and "He is Jesus -- Prophet of the Sons of Israel." However, research shows the inscriptions are in Persian and relate to the site's history, with no mention of Jesus or Yuz Asaf in this manner (source).

Scholarly Consensus and Controversy

The consensus among modern scholars is that Nicolai Notovich's account is a hoax, with no evidence of the manuscripts he claimed to find (source). The theory is primarily supported by the Ahmadiyya movement and alternative historical perspectives, but it is rejected by mainstream Christianity and Islam, which hold Jesus ascended to heaven or is alive there, respectively. The claims rely heavily on oral traditions, disputed documents, and interpretations not accepted by historians, making them controversial and lacking empirical support.

Summary of Key Claims and Verification

Claim Details Verification Status
Books on Jesus in India Includes works by Ahmad, Jacobs, Prophet Verified, but not mainstream historical sources
Notovich's Manuscripts Claimed discovery in Kashmir monastery Widely considered a hoax, no evidence
Historical Documents (e.g., Jami-ut-tuwarik) Mention Jesus in Nisibis Not verified, likely nonexistent or misreferenced
Acts of Thomas Mentions Thomas in India, post-crucifixion meetings Verified, but does not claim Jesus traveled to India
Inscriptions at Fatehpur Sikri (Agrapha) Said to contain Jesus' sayings Not verified, inscriptions relate to Akbar, not Jesus
Tomb of Mary near Mari Claimed as Mary's resting place Disputed, lacks historical evidence
Rozabal Tomb in Srinagar Claimed as Jesus' tomb (Yuz Asaf) Controversial, local caretakers reject, not accepted
Inscriptions at Throne of Solomon Said to confirm Yuz Asaf as Jesus Not verified, inscriptions do not mention Jesus

Conclusion

The theory that Jesus traveled to India after the crucifixion and was buried in Kashmir is a fascinating narrative rooted in certain religious and alternative historical traditions, particularly within the Ahmadiyya movement. However, it lacks robust historical or archaeological evidence and is not accepted by mainstream scholarship. The claims rely on disputed documents, misinterpreted inscriptions, and local traditions, with significant controversy surrounding their validity. For a lay audience, it seems likely that these ideas are more symbolic or spiritual than factual, reflecting cultural narratives rather than historical reality.

References

Pariah Kutta (https://adishakti.org/index.htm)
https://grok.com/chat/4a77e0f6-5ebf-4917-b5c9-5bb28a54ecee