CULTURE

Qazi Shibli The Bhaand, Historians believe, since the Mughal period successfully symbolized the aspirations of the general public through different acts or Paether (plays) which include Buhir-Paether, Dard-e-Paether and Raaz-e-Paether. Maharana Partap Singh sent his underground agents who would watch the Bhaand Pather in the rurals of Kashmir to collect information on his administration. The artists would raise issues of misgovernance, corruption, and unjust policies. This form of art that flourished during the period of Sultan Zain ul Abdin (Budshah) also performed sad plays based on the immoral practice of forced labor. To perform Paether, they use masks and colorful costumes. The Artists in Bhaand Pather are quick-witted people. The Folk artists hail mostly from the Anantnag di...

Despite snowfall, the Muslim neighbours help perform the last rites of a 27-year-old Kashmiri Pandit in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday. Lokesh (27) breathed his last in government quarters in Baramulla today morning, plunging the whole locality in mourning. Locals said that Lokesh had received serious injures in a car accident six months back and today he lost the battle. They said that soon after the news of his death spread in the area, local Muslims made special arrangements in performing his last rites. “They also ferried firewood for helping the family to cremate the deceased.” "It is in our religion that you should help and take care of your neighbours irrespective of their religion," Junaid, local resident said. Around a dozen pandit families are residin...

Waris Shah The people of Kashmir yet against set an example of communal harmony amid the brewing religion-based violence. On Monday, the Muslims of the Qazigund's Taragam area stepped forward in large numbers to perform the last rites of a Hindu man who passed away during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Sham Ji, a Kashmiri pandit who was aged 70 passed away and as soon as the news spread in the area, Muslims in large numbers stepped forward to help in the last rites of Sham Ji. Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the son of Sham Ji while thanking the local Muslims said, "I have never felt alone here for the past thirty years despite Militancy and the claims of local pandits being harassed elsewhere." He said that he is proud and thankful that he did not leave the Kashmi...

Rayees Shah/ Shah Basit In yet another example of communal harmony in Ganderbal, Local Muslims from the Wussan area of Ganderbal helped perform the last rites of a deceased Kashmiri Pandit. Locals told The Kashmiriyat that as soon as the death of a 90-year-old Kashmiri Pandit Nath Ji Bhat Son of Ragoram spread in the Wussan area, hundreds of Muslims rushed to the family to help in performing his last rites. Many people amid the Covid-19 pandemic visited the home of the deceased to express condolences with the family. Nath Ji, as per the locals of the area, said that he died on Thursday night and today she was cremated with honour, the Muslim neighbours performed her last rites as per Hindu religion. Spreading a message of unity the Muslim community in the Wussan village hel...

As the Srinagar-Ladakh highway remains closed due to the snow in the area for the past seven days, many truck drivers are stranded there. On Monday, while returning from Kargil towards Srinagar, a group of Kashmiri drivers helped an elderly non-local Sikh driver who was shivering because of cold. ALSO READ: Despite Systematic Ignorance, Struggles amid Conflict, Undying Unity of Kashmiri Sikhs Continues to Exist Kashmiri drivers gave him warm clothes and Kangri to warm himself. The video was widely shared by the netizens. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=861018204665032&id=100022705805194 This is not the first incident of its the where Kashmiri locals have helped others, There are many other incidents too where Kashmiris have helped others. On 9 July 20...

‘Khoja Diggar- a popular religious gathering was held on Wednesday at the Naqshbandh Sahab shrine in old Srinagar city. 'Khoja Diggar' is being held on the 3rd Rabbi-ul-Awwal every year in remembrance of the Sufi saint, Hazrat Khawaja Syed Bha-u-Deen Naqsaband Sahab (Rehmatul Lahe Allah). The huge gathering was witnessed at the shrine as the devotes in hundreds including men and women participated in the prayers. Devotees thronged the shrine to pay respect to the Sufi saint, who left for the heavenly abode in the year 1674. "Adequate arrangements were made for the devotees who started thronging the shrine from ‘Zuhar’ (afternoon prayers) today,” said an official to KNT. The congregational prayers at the ‘Asr’ (post afternoon prayers) at this shrine has its own significance a...

In yet another amazing display of humanity, locals from Nusoo area of Bandipora in North Kashmir rescued dozens of CRPF men who met an accident in the area on Friday morning. Eyewitnesses told The Kashmiriyat that a gypsy of 3 Bn of CRPF met an accident in the wee hours of Friday morning resulting in death of one CRPF man and injuries to three others. As soon as the news of the accident spread in the area, locals from nearby areas in huge numbers reached the spot of the accident and rescued the CRPF troopers from the spot of the accident. Locals also helped the CRPF personnel to reach the hospital and many provided water and first-aid to the injured personnel. This is not the first incident of its type. In the past too, locals from various localities of Kashmir have helped t...

Shabnam Mondal Saffron, the red wisps that weigh their worth in gold in the vales of Kashmir and beyond its boundaries too, are known as Zaffran or Kong. The scientific name of this product that is borne out of purple flowers is Crocus sativus. It is one of the most important cash crops of the region and is a part of the world of Kashmiri horticulture and is almost literally gold in the harvest. It is also called a ‘Badshahi’ crop. Saffron is a rich source of livelihood, culture and family business in Kashmir and in 2010, the year of the last official census, nearly 7.3% of the world’s saffron was produced in Pampore. Process of Cultivating Saffron The seeds are called corum and are planted in soil which in the middle of the season sprouts perennial grass. They yield extremely ...