Getting Started

1. Technical Setup

Before writing, your digital environment must be configured for the Kashmiri language.

• The Script: Kashmiri Wikipedia uses the Perso-Arabic script.
• The Keyboard: You cannot use a standard Arabic or Urdu keyboard, as Kashmiri has unique vowels and consonants (like ٲ, ێ, ۆ, ژ, ڑ).
• Mobile: Install Gboard and select the Kashmiri (Arabic) layout.
• Desktop: Enable the native Kashmiri keyboard in Windows (Settings > Time & Language) or macOS (Keyboard > Input Sources).
• Creating an Account: While you can edit anonymously via your IP address, creating an account provides access to the Sandbox (a private drafting area), the Content Translation tool, and hides your IP address for privacy.

2. The Four Pillars of Wikipedia Content

Wikipedia has strict guidelines. If your article violates these, it will be flagged for deletion by administrators.

1. Notability (اہمیت): The subject must be significant. It must have received significant coverage in reliable, independent sources. You cannot write an article about yourself, your local business, or a friend.
2. Verifiability (حَوالہٕ دار): Every claim must be supported by a reliable source (books, news sites, academic journals). You cannot publish something just because you “know it is true.”
3. Neutral Point of View (NPOV): Articles must be impartial. Do not use promotional language, opinions, or subjective adjectives (e.g., instead of writing “He was the greatest poet,” write “He won three national awards for his poetry”).
4. No Original Research (NOR): Wikipedia is a summary of existing human knowledge. You cannot publish new scientific theories, original historical analysis, or unpublished facts here.

3. Anatomy of a Perfect Wikipedia Article

A high-quality Wikipedia article is highly structured. When drafting, organize your page in this exact order:

1. Lead Section (مُقَدمہٕ): The opening paragraph. It summarizes the entire topic. The subject’s name should be bolded in the very first sentence.
2. Infobox (معلومٲتی ڈَبہٕ): A quick-fact table that appears on the right side of the page (usually generated using specialized templates).
3. Body Sections: The main content, divided chronologically or thematically using headings (e.g., Early Life, Career, Geography).
4. See Also (مزید وُچھِو): A bulleted list of internal links to related Kashmiri Wikipedia articles.
5. References (حَوالہٕ): The list of citations proving your facts.
6. External Links (بیروٗنی لِنک): Links to official websites related to the topic.
7. Categories (زٲژ): Tags at the very bottom of the page that organize the article within Wikipedia’s database.

4. The Editor Interfaces: Visual vs. Source

When you click “Edit” (اؠڈِٹ), you can choose between two interfaces:

• VisualEditor: A rich-text editor similar to Microsoft Word. It is excellent for beginners, allowing you to highlight text and click buttons to make it bold, add links, or insert citations without writing code.
• Source Editor (Wikitext): The traditional way to edit. You type special markup code directly into the text. It gives you absolute control over page formatting.

5. Comprehensive Wikitext Cheat Sheet

If you are using the Source Editor, you need to know Wikitext. Here is the complete syntax guide for everyday editing:

Text Formatting

Links

6. Citations and References

An article without references will be deleted. You must cite your sources inline.
How to add a citation in Wikitext:
Place the citation code … immediately after the punctuation mark of the sentence it supports.
Example Code:

سِریٖنَگَر چھُ جۆم تہٕ کٔشیٖر ہُنٛد دارُالحُکوٗمَتھ۔Smith, John. “Geography of Kashmir”, Oxford Press, 2023, p. 45.

Displaying the References:
The citations you add inline will not show up unless you tell Wikipedia where to display them. At the very bottom of your article, you must create a Reference section with the {{reflist}} template:

== حَوالہٕ ==
{{reflist}}

7. Adding Images

Because of strict copyright laws, you cannot upload images you found on Google.

1. Finding Images: Go to Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia’s free media repository. Search for your topic (e.g., “Pahalgam”).
2. Uploading Images: If you took a photo yourself, you can upload it to Wikimedia Commons, thereby releasing it under a free, public license.
3. Embedding the Image: Once you have the exact file name from Commons, embed it in your article using this format:
   8. The Article Creation Workflow

   Do not write a new article directly in the live Wikipedia space. Follow this professional workflow:

   1. Draft in your Sandbox: Go to your user Sandbox (available in the top menu when logged in). Write, format, and cite your entire article here.
   2. Preview: Always click Show preview (نُمٲیِش وُچھِو) before saving to ensure your wikitext codes didn’t break.
   3. Publish (Save Changes): Click Publish changes (شایع کٔرِو). Always write a brief note in the “Edit summary” box explaining what you did (e.g., “Created new draft,” “Fixed typos,” “Added references”).
   4. Move to Live Space: Once the draft is perfect, use the Move (مُنٛتَقٕل کٔرِو) tab at the top of the page. Change the prefix from “User:” to “(Article)” and type the exact title of the article. This pushes it live to the public encyclopedia.
   5. Add Categories: At the very bottom of your live page, add a category code so people can find it, like: [[Category:کٲشِر شٲیِر]] (Category: Kashmiri poets).

   9. Interacting with the Community

   Wikipedia is collaborative. You will interact with other editors.

   • Talk Pages (کَتھ باتھ): Every article has a Talk page. This is a forum where editors discuss how to improve that specific article. Do not put article text here; put discussions here.
   • Reverts: If someone undoes (reverts) your edit, do not immediately redo it. This starts an “edit war.” Instead, go to the Talk page and discuss why you think your edit should be kept.
   • Assume Good Faith: Always assume other editors are trying to help the encyclopedia, even if they delete something you wrote.