Vinayak Razdan, Author at SearchKashmir

April 2, 2010October 12, 2020

Kasher Kh’ase

A wonderful guest post by Man Mohan Munshi Ji.I had been looking for a Khos for a long time now.
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Since Kashmniri Pandits in good old days did not use crockery for tea but metallic cups mostly of bronze [ an alloy of copper and tin] but a very few affluent families also used German silver cups [ an alloy of copper,zinc and nickel]. German Silver cups were certainly imported but it is not know that the said cups resembled the bronze by coincidence or were specially ordered.

Kasher Kh’ase (Kashmiri Teacups )
(Left) Loi hund Khos (Bronze Cup)
(right) German Silver’uk Khos

(left) An engraved brass vessel used for measuring the rice for
cooking of a large joint family. Capacity of the vessel is about 3/4
of a seer.

(right). An engraved copper tumbler kept for some religious rituals.

April 1, 2010October 12, 2020

150 Years old Shiva Painting

Guest post by Man Mohan Munshi Ji. I remember reading somewhere that the depiction is know as Amriteshwar Bhairav.

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A 150 years old Shiva Painting by an unknown Kashmiri Pandit artist. I was told by my grandfather(1868-1954) that this painting was in our ancestral house before he was born.

March 31, 2010October 12, 2020

Kashmiri Walnut chair with Chinese Design

Guest post by Manmohan Munshi Ji.
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Back rest of a Kashmir made walnut chair with the design of Chinese Dragon.The chair was in our ancestral house since 1930s and is believed to be about 90 to 100 years old.

March 30, 2010October 12, 2020

Bach’e Nagma

Guest post by Man Mohan Munshi Ji.
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Bache Nagma Dance being performed on the Mehendirat night during the
marriage in a Kashmiri Pandit family. This tradition is still very much alive .
Besides the artists the family members and and guests are take part
in the dances as seen in the last picture.

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Related post:

March 29, 2010October 12, 2020

Verinag, Rainbow Trout

Guest post by Man Mohan Munshi Ji. I remember reading that Rainbow Trout from Isleman in Denmark was first introduced in Kashmir in the 1950s.

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Verinag Spring

At one time only the local Kashmiri Fish (Sater Gad) used to be in
Verinag Spring but since a number of years Rainbow trout has also
found its way

March 25, 2010October 12, 2020

Antique Workmanship

Some more stuff from Man Mohan Munshi Ji’s personal collection.

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Copper vessel with lid on a wooden Badrapeeth used for worship of Saligram (Banalingas) and Parthishor on Sawan Purnamashi by Kashmiri Pandits in the past. At present the use of these artifacts is no longer in practice.

A closer view of the above wooden Badrapeeth showing fine artistic carvings.

Wooden tumbler and cups made of wood at Anantnag (South
Kashmir). This art is no longer in vogue The artisans since long
have taken to walnut carvings . All these items have been used by my
grand parents 1868-1954 approx. and at present are in my personal
collection

Not an antique but an elephant shaped tea cosy . [Apparently quite appreciated in the west]

March 25, 2010October 12, 2020

Konsar Nag and Mollen pot hole

Guest post by Man Mohan Munshi Ji. I had to ask him what ‘Mollen pot hole’ means.
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Snow Covered Konsar Nag Lake (Kramasaras) in Spring

Mollen pot hole in a snow covered valley in Pir Panjal Range.

Both photographs have been taken in May 1954 and are from my post graduate thesis paper submitted in 1955. Mollen Pot hole is a well/pond like shape carved in a thick snow bed by the under flowing water.

March 20, 2010October 12, 2020

A Beauty of the Valley, 1920

A Beauty of the Valley by Gertrude Hadenfeldt

Found this beauty in ‘The Charm of Kashmir’ (1920) by V.C. Scott O’connor (Vincent Clarence Scott, 1869-1945). Miss Gertrude. Hadenfeldt’s water color of Kashmir are still quite popular. She had spent around five years in the valley.

March 19, 2010October 12, 2020

Kashmiri Pandit Family Portrait, 1930s

Contributed by Man Mohan Munshi Ji.
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A photograph of of a Kashmiri Pandit Family taken in front of their farm house at a stones throw from the famous Neolithic site of Burzahom, Kashmir in 1930s.

Update: More info. from Man Mohan Munshi ji about the family in the photograph.

Mrs.Lakhshmi Fotedar, [At present in Noida]. Mrs. Jaya Razdan [at present in Orange county California. , Late Mrs. Uma Sumbli. Chairs: Late Mrs Gauri Munshi, Late Sham Lal Koul, Late Raghu Nath Koul, Late Jagan Nath Koul, Late Devki Koul front row sitting Mrs Rupa Koul[at present in Delhi] Manmohan Munshi[at present in Jammu] Kishni [present whereabouts unknown].

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March 19, 2010October 12, 2020

Kalamdan, Farsi Kalam, Silver Ink Pot, Stationery Knife and Scissors

More awesome stuff from Man Mohan Munshi Ji’s treasure tove. Do check out the details on the Kalamdan.
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Kalamdan(pen stand ), Farsi Kalam (indigenous pen made of wood including the nib.),Silver Ink Pot ,stationery knife and scissors inherited and used by Pt. Mhanand Joo Dhar(1828-1908) who took over the land settlement department of Maharaja Pratab Singh, the Dogra ruler Jammu and Kashmir, after Sir Walter Lawrence departed for Europe.. Pt Mahanand Joo Dhar was great grand father of Maj-Gen.(Retd.) B.N.Dhar and late D.P.Dhar diplomat and cabinet minister in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet.
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