Tag: project

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SearchKashmir in Deepdream

I fed some of the images from SearchKashmir archive into Google’s Deep Dream code. [Method Used] The result from artificial neural network is dystopic, almost a reality, almost a future and almost a past. A machine dreaming of Kashmir.

Source Image: Something I made based on Lal Ded’s sayings
Verinag. Shot by me in 2014.
Source Image: Kashmiri Dancers, Srinagar. By Alexandre Jacovleff, 1931
Source: Pandit women. 1949
Source: A paint of Jhelum Bank in Srinagar by S.H. Raza
Source: Srinagar by S.H. Raza
Source: Kashmiri Pandits, 1895

Source: A painting by G.R. Santosh
Source: A painting by G.R. Santosh
Source: A painting by G.R. Santosh
Source: A painting by G.R. Santosh
Source: the famous image by Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1948
Source: By Brian Brake, 1957
Source: Flower seller. By Steve Mccurry.1996
Source: Pandit Man, 1928.  By Martin Hurlimann.
Muslim Man. 1928. By Martin Hurlimann.
Boatwoman. Pandit Vishwanath, boatwoman. 1890s.
Dal Gate Tang Adda, 1945
Nagin Lake. Shot by me in 2014
Fateh Kadal, Srinagar July 1944
Prayers at Hazrat Bal. Cartier Bresson, 1948
‘Prayers at Hazrat Bal.
From the book Bonfire of Kashmiriyat: Deconstructing the accession’ (2006) by Sandeep Bamza
Nagin Lake, Shot by me in 2014
Security men on patrol. 2014.
Jhelum Bank. 2014.
View from Zaina Kadal.
2014

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SearchKashmir on your Wall #1


Every once in a while, someone would email me asking for an old photograph of Kashmir, a piece of SearchKashmir, so that they can put it on their wall, on their ‘Kashmir wall’. I would gladly oblige.

A couple of months back, a reader, Bhawna asked for a bunch of old photographs for a wall in her ‘Kashmir room’. I helped her with the photographs, but this time I asked for something back. I asked her to send me the images of her wall once it was done. I wanted to see what people are doing with these images. What it means to them.

Here’s Bhawna’s Kashmir wall:

I am thankful to Bhawna for sharing these images and her wall!

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If you have a piece of SearchKashmir on your wall, do share your wall.

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Tackling The Impossible (1944)



Free give away rare book this month for SearchKashmir Free Book Project. This is the ninth book released this year.

A school booklet from year 1944 published by Church Mission School, Srinagar. Among a lot of interesting things, this one gives the story of inauguration of ‘Rainawari Hockey Ground’ in Srinagar, first ever in Kashmir. All girl excursions to high lakes and mountains organised by Miss Mallinson. Also, the story of “The Sheikh Bagh Preparatory School” started in 1939 by Eric Tyndale-Biscoe for primarily for British and other expat boys. Then a bit about the fact that some of the early school songs were modelled on the refrain style of boatmen of Kashmir.

Cover Illustration by Miss G. Palin of Girl’s School

Read and download the book: Here

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Previously:

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Trekking in Kashmir by Barbara Earl, 1930

Give away book this month for SearchKashmir Free Book Project

By early 20th century, a lot of women travellers started visiting Kashmir. Although, there are quite a few travelogues based on their experiences in Kashmir (Americans Dr. Arley Munson (1913), Alberta Johnston Denis (1934)), the books barely mention how these fiercely independent women were managing such strenuous travels. “Trekking in Kashmir, with a family, or without one” by English woman, based in Kodiakanal, Barbara Earl, is rare travel guide in that sense. Written in 1930 and published in Lahore, it was meant for women who wanted to go trekking in Kashmir valley, ‘with or without family’. So, besides the detailed (updated) travel information, it came with a lot of practical advise like: How to water proof a tent using something called ‘Sunlight’ soap, avoid theft at camp site, repel fleas and mosquitoes, manage supplies, which medicines to carry, and how to bake cookies before setting off for treks in Kashmir.

Barbara went with her two young children and a retinue of Kashmiri helpers

‘Nawal Kishore & Sons’
An Ad for a Motor Shop in Rawalpindi 
This copy is heavy on ‘pen underlining’. The owner eighty years ago was using to to learn English,

Regretfully, Map is (almost completely) missing 

Read and download the book: Here

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Lake and River Scouts in Kashmir, 1926

The free book uploaded this month for SearchKashmir Free Book project is a school report published by Church Missionary Society for year 1926 and titled ‘Lake and River Scouts in Kashmir’. From the work, it seems there were other such reports too that covered other Biscoe lead activities in Kashmir.

There are details of number of people saved by the students from drowning, details about the way girls wing of C.M.S. school was proceeding (with emphasis on the school in Anantnag) and funding details of the institution (not surprisingly a lot of Pandit are there in the list of donors and receptors of . Interestingly, the funding from West was to suffer when the World War 2 started). Then there are some stories that are presented as lessons for others.

The C.M.S. Poor Fund 1926
Some interesting name’s there

First Company of Kashmir Guides
Mallinson Girls
Bride over Kuta Kul Canal

The complete work is now available here at Archive.org

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Holidaying and Trekking in Kashmir (1969) by N. L. Bakaya

The free book released this month under SearchKashmir Free Book project is part of a legacy of Biscoe School where a special emphasis was laid on familiarizing the students with the local geography. The school was famous for its trekking tours.  Over the years, after the British left, some of these students went on to become the advocates of the importance of such activities in overall growth of an individual. One of such persons was N. L. Bakaya.

“N.L. Bakaya born in 1892, received education at the C.M.S. Tyndale Biscoe High School and later at the S.P. College, Srinagar. In 1914, he joined the Biscoe School as a teacher and retired in 1954 as Headmaster. It was at this school that he developed a passion for trekking and climbing, besides water and other sports.

As Sports Secretary, he organised regattas, tournaments and other sports. Every summer he organised parties to climb prominent peaks and treks across the charming side valleys of Kashmir. He has also travelled widely all over India as well as Burma.
After retirement in 1954, Bakaya was asked by the State Government to organise sports for the State and was appointed Special Sports Organiser for five years. In this capacity, he organised youth camps and put physical education in the State Educational Institutions on a sound basis. He is one of the founder members of the Kashmir Olympic Association and the Kashmir Football Federation.”
What this book offers is clear precise details on how to proceed about trekking in Kashmir. 
Some maps from the book:

Map of Srinagar City
Sketch Showing Treks from Pahalgam

Sketch Showing Trek From Sonamarg to Gangabal
Sketch Showing Treks across Pir Panchal
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SearchKashmir Free Books Project


Over the years, like a famished beast, I have devoured books listed at archive.org. The Kashmir image archive was built primarily out of material from there. But often, while searching for some subject, I ran into books that were still not digitalised or not publicly available outside of foreign libraries. So, not too often, I ending up buying a rare book. Now, I want to give a little back to the project.

The idea is simple. Every month I will be uploading one rare and out-of-print book about Kashmir to archive.org, so that others can read it for free.

January: A test run. Something that I had shared previously via images only. With archive.org, now the book is also available in easy to search text format

February: A book by Pandit Anand Koul that provides interesting information of industries of the state.

March: After ‘Beyond the Pir Panjal life and missionary enterprise in Kashmir’ by Ernest F. Neve (1914, first published in 1912, here) went out of print, in 1931 he came up with a small concise and updated version in 1931 and titled it ‘Things Seen in Kashmir’.

Things Seen in Kashmir (1931) by  Ernest F. Neve

The Mallinson School Recipes

A book shared by reader from his personal collection. Now complied and uploaded to the archive.[Details] Probable date mid-1960s.

April: A photo book published by Publication Division in November 1956. This is the second edition that came out in May 1962.
Kashmir, 1956

May: An anthology of photographs, verse, and description, mainly of India including Kashmir, Delhi and now Af-Pak region published by a British soldier towards the end of World War 2. [Details]

Of Hills (1944)  by Tom Ashley Lakeman

June: A travel guide by a former student of Biscoe.[Details]

Holidaying and Trekking in Kashmir (1969) by N. L. Bakaya

July: A School report for C.M.S. School from year 1926 [Details]

Lake and River Scouts in Kashmir

August: A rare trekking guide written by a woman and meant for women. [Details]

Trekking in Kashmir, with a family, or without one” (1930) by Barbara Earl.

September: A school booklet from year 1944 published by Church Mission School, Srinagar.

Tackling The Impossible

October: A book on first Kashmir war of 1947-48

Defending Kashmir (1949)

November: A travelogue by a British woman about her visit to Ladakh in 1926

Magic Mountain (1945)

December: A book on farmers of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh

Farmers Of Jammu, Kashmir And Ladakh (1959)

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