Kashmir’s Last Maharaja
Signing instrument of accession and sitting silent over the massacre of Muslims in Jammu in the fall of 1947 were just two instances of Hari Singh’s 21 years of tumultuous reign. A Kashmir Life...
Unbridgeable
The famous wooden bridges of Valley added to uniqueness of the Kashmir’s architecture and have served people for centuries. Aliya Bashir reports.
Wood was the most preferred construction material in Kashmir, the Khatamband ceiling, houseboats,...
No place for the native
In times when gene pool preservation is a priority all over the world, the indigenous livestock in Kashmir has disappeared, Ikhlaq Qadri reports.
Kashmir has lost its indigenous breed of cattle and sheep to commercially...
Apple of Kashmir’s eye
How would you like a sweet, aromatic apple with long shelf-life. Kashmir had it but lost it because of lack of access to Middle East market where it was in huge demand. Syed Asma...
The Disconnect
Many historic routes connect Kashmir to the outside world. It has been an important place on the silk route but the political changes in 1947 and the partition of the sub-continent plugged all those...
A stream buried
Ill planning and mismanagement of water resources, especially waterways, in Kashmir has lead to severe problems, turning some water bodies into cesspools, Ikhlaq Qadri reports.
A major road in old town Srinagar was constructed by...
Lost in modernity
The traditional architecture is no more in fashion in Kashmir, which many believe was more suited to valley’s climatic conditions. Ibrahim Wani reports.
Zahoor Ahmad still remembers the day, when the old house which had...
Too heavy to take along
Food adulteration was unheard of in Kashmir as every household would prepare spices themselves, even husking of rice was done in homes. With the change in lifestyle the valley lost that tradition along with...
The faded king
Kashmiri craftsman used to make the best Shahtush shawls – considered one of the finest fabrics in the world. A ban on trade of Shahtush shawls and the failure to rear the Chiru antelope...
Grand Canal
A canal coming from Ganderbal would once supply water for ablutions at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, and feed fields in its path. Hardly any remains of its elevated embankments are left today. Abdul...
Walaykum Salam Ladishah Drav
Confined to radio and television studio’s Ladhishah were once the popular street performers, enriching Kashmir with satire and humour. Aliya Bashir reports
Asalaam Malaiqum Ladishah aaw, ruth kanchan tohi gar soe chaw
(The Ladishah has...
Moved to greener pastures
Cattle grazers in villages who were a common feature of life in rural Kashmir have given up the occupation with changing lifestyles. Mir Farhat reports.
Abdur Raheem Wagay was 17 when he started grazing...
Missing paper trail
The art of producing one of the most long lasting and durable paper was mastered in Kashmir much before the advent of paper mills. But the thriving industry died a sudden death with the...
