My Mother and Massi hit the I.N.A market, a blessing for immigrants in Delhi, and came back with loads of Var’muth (or Krehin Dal, as Kashmiri Muslims usually call it), dried Kashmiri Chilly (Hotch’ Mar’tchWangun), Wangan Hat’ch, Al’Hat’ch and Kasher Wari. And not not to forget, a Kangri. The winter is officially here.
Kashmiri Shawl merchant in Simla. From Volume 4 of 'The people of India : a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan' (1868) A shawl seller at Qazigund bus stand, Kashmir. 2008. Travelling Kashmiri Shawl sellers in Gurgaon. 2012. Still a regular winter phenomena…
“Waliyu, waliyu (come, come).” Little Aadesh welcomes this writer at his house on the edges of the forlorn village Haal, about 30 km south of Srinagar. It is a typical home with a wooden door in this village of 3,000 people and their burnt-out, collapsing brick-and-timber structures, once inhabited by…
Winter arrives in SrinagarHasantikaof many blazing holesis seen flashing in women’s quarterslike a row of lovelorn eyes on fireout to conquer Siva ~ lines from 12th century Kashmiri poet Mankha in his work Srikanthacharitam. This is the earliest reference to use of 'hasantika' in Kashmir, the early form of beloved…
