CULTURE

January 12 Murtaza Gull Though famous for Wazwaan, there's a mind-boggling variety of traditional bakery products available in Kashmir. Very few outsiders would know that the Valley bakes products, known for their unique taste, prepared in a traditional tandoor by bakers called "kandur". These professional bakers are in the trade for generations. While the modern culture has touched and changed almost every aspect of life in Kashmir, The Kashmiriyat takes a look on how the traditional bakeries have withstood the onslaught of modernity. A whole culture of socialising has evolved around these breads, which form an intrinsic part of the Kashmiri way of life. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EXGto0KtEM[/embedyt] While all of Kashmir still sleeps, the lights flicker on...

January 06 Rayees Shah The Annual Urs of Sheikh Jamal U Din (RA)  celebrated at Sehipora Wayil In Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal District with religious fervor and enthusiasm. A large number of devotees including men,women and children from different faiths and communities from different villages of district and the  adjoining areas participated in this grand religious congregation. The urs mubarak is being observed on 29th Rubil Sani as per Islamic calendar every year. The devotees during the Urs prayed for  long-lasting peace in Kashmir and sought peace, blessings and mercy from Almighty Also Dua e Majlis and Fateh khawani for 'Kashmir martyrs' was offered by the devotees.

January 06 Tawseef Nazir “No, they won’t let me out of winter, and I’ve promised myself, even if I’m the last snowman, that I’ll ride into spring, on their melting shoulders.” – Agha Shahid Ali It all gets covered with the colour of winter, the colour of dusk. Shades of grey start to dominate. Temperature starts dipping, air breeze gets cooler, people add more layers to raise their body temperatures. Winter in Kashmir is a five months season but the real winter is experienced in the forty days of Chilai kalan, starting from December 21 to January 31, and if it snows in these forty days, the experiences get worst.  Old aged and children are forced to sit inside as the snow in Chilai kalan. Snow blanketed mountains, plains and white outlined trees especially Chinar...

January 02 Apart from being a celebrated tourist destination, Kashmir has a wonderful culture which has played an important role in earning accolades for it from across the world. Be it literature, lifestyle, language, religion, arts, crafts, music and dance. To enjoy and experience the rich cultural heritage of the 'Paradise on earth' and celebrate the spirit of Kashmiriyat, hundreds of Kashmiris gathered in Indian IT Hub, Bangaluru on Sunday evening at Skydeck, Bengaluru. ALSO READ: Gull Mohammed Bhagat and the Endangered Kashmiri Theater Kashmiri culture including the food, music and Arts were illustrated to the participants that included Kashmiri Muslims, Hindus and Non Kashmiris as well. "The aim of the event was to bring together thousands of Kashmiri who are either settled,...

December 26 Umar Fayaz The Pheran is the traditional Kashmiri attire worn both by people irrespective of gender. It resembles a long loose cloak. The word has it origin from the Persian word, ‘Perahan’ meaning shirt. The attire dates back to around the 15th century, when it was traditionally worn in bright colors. "Although the Government has imposed a ban, but it is us, who have confined Pherans to households and we do not wear it outside, we love to keep it indoors when we go out to work and to offices, we are responsible the way anybody else we are blaming is, many of us feel ashamed wearing a pheran outside," Ghulam Ahmed Rather, a professor of Kashmiri told The Kashmiriyat. He said that people throughout the globe are promoting and propagating their culture in letter and s...

December 22 Rafiq Bin Hameed A small city Kashmiri migrant girl, Anisha Safaya won the Mrs title at Mrs Universe 2018 and secured  place for India in Top 25 bringing pride to Jammu Kashmir. The  glamorous event took place in the city of Cebu, Philippines on Dec 10, 2018. From the 88 countries being represented, Anisha secured a place for India in the top 25. The top 10 are yet to be announced and Anisha holds high hopes to be part of that list. Anisha Safaya is Mrs India 2018 and one of the youngest women Vice-presidents in an investment bank in London, United Kingdom. She was also recently conferred with 'Times of India Women Achievers Award 2018' for her achievements in the social sector. In addition to her day job, Anisha is also the founder of 'Disha - The Multifaceted She'. It i...