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"Shakti sweets came to Srinagar in 1970 as a halwayi. Since Sant Rams shop at Amira kadal was old fashioned, Shakti picked up business fast. By 80s it was well established. Unlike many other condimenters, he didnt run away. Instead he bought off 2nd storey as well, which was earlier occupied by Pandit lawyers and used as chambers. Kapoor had arrived much earlier & his shop existed right at front of old habba Kadal bridge. He shifted to Lal Chowk in early 70s."
That's true of most of Srinagar these days. I was there last year and the traffic really surprised me. It is ironic but in most of the old travel writings of foreigners visiting Srinagar, the city is painted as dirty and decaying. Even as government is considering working towards making it a 'heritage city'…the reality on ground remains somewhat same. I have often heard old relatives (often when they are in bad mood, often out of pragmatism) describe the place where they stayed in Srinagar, in one word as, cesspool.
just adjacent to shakti sweets was bookshop by the name of Hind Bookshop and almost exactly opposite that was the kashmir bookshop…my entire childhood and teens was spent buying books from there…however i went back to kashmir after about seven years in 2007 and to my dismay i found that kashmir bookshop had closed down the shop had been sold to someone else and to me it seemed as if something to which i was very attached had been wrenched away from me…really loved that old bookshop with its dim lights and the faintly musty odor of books…its something that the young generation of kashmir is going to miss espescially the ones who are keen on reading…
Hammad,
thanks for sharing your memories. It's sad indeed to read about those book stores. I don't remember a reader inquiring about Kashmir Book Depot.
Got this comment via email:
"Shakti sweets came to Srinagar in 1970 as a halwayi. Since Sant Rams shop at Amira kadal was old fashioned, Shakti picked up business fast. By 80s it was well established. Unlike many other condimenters, he didnt run away. Instead he bought off 2nd storey as well, which was earlier occupied by Pandit lawyers and used as chambers. Kapoor had arrived much earlier & his shop existed right at front of old habba Kadal bridge. He shifted to Lal Chowk in early 70s."
I was there this summer and believe me, it looked nothing like the road I remembered! Shops, malls, cars, crowds…and the place is dirty now.
That's true of most of Srinagar these days. I was there last year and the traffic really surprised me. It is ironic but in most of the old travel writings of foreigners visiting Srinagar, the city is painted as dirty and decaying. Even as government is considering working towards making it a 'heritage city'…the reality on ground remains somewhat same. I have often heard old relatives (often when they are in bad mood, often out of pragmatism) describe the place where they stayed in Srinagar, in one word as, cesspool.
just adjacent to shakti sweets was bookshop by the name of Hind Bookshop and almost exactly opposite that was the kashmir bookshop…my entire childhood and teens was spent buying books from there…however i went back to kashmir after about seven years in 2007 and to my dismay i found that kashmir bookshop had closed down the shop had been sold to someone else and to me it seemed as if something to which i was very attached had been wrenched away from me…really loved that old bookshop with its dim lights and the faintly musty odor of books…its something that the young generation of kashmir is going to miss espescially the ones who are keen on reading…
You have captured my thoughts in your comment. I too went looking for Kashmir Bookshop in 2011!
Hammad,
thanks for sharing your memories. It's sad indeed to read about those book stores. I don't remember a reader inquiring about Kashmir Book Depot.
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Rahul,
I don't understand the reason for your comment. But your comment is more than welcome, readers would find it insightful.
Thank you!
Some more info.
The 1st bomb blast did take place near Chaurasia pan house & J R Smith Chemist. The woman advocate/Judege Sudesh Warikoo was injured in the attack.
Chaurasia Pan House, Mir Paan House near Shakti, Sant Ram, so many memories!!