Mohsina Malik-
Photos by Mehran Bhat
Life has come to a standstill due to the unprecedented norms put in practice by the pandemic that began at the turn of the year across the world. The whole world is dancing to its tunes of lockdown and social distancing. Talking of impact in Kashmir, a serious threat of extinction has given rise to a smaller group of people; houseboat owners. It is not only because of the ongoing epidemic, it should be seen in continuation with the previous year when there were restrictions imposed after the abrogation of article 370. Kashmir has been facing restrictions for months and normal life remains affected across the valley.
The deadly disease took the whole world in its grip, the world is suffering both financially and emotionally. Unfortunately some businesses are vanishing who suffered a lot,financially, one of them are ‘Houseboat owners’. Tourism sector is one of the earning backbone of more than 32,000 people. Needless to say, since last year the valley is without tourists, who used to flock it, and has brought the tourism sector to its knees. This year less than 500 tourists visited Kashmir. Houseboat owners are in a dilemma as how they will carry on with their lives, how they will feed their families without earning anything.
History of houseboat.
Houseboats are connected to the British era. When Maharaja Gulab Singh, Dogra ruler didn’t allow any outsider to buy or do any construction in the valley, the Britishers started making houseboats in major water bodies of Kashmir. That time houseboats used to move from one place to another. Locals used to live with them in the houseboats.
Construction and maintenance
The design and construction of the houseboats has changed till now, a single houseboat making costs 10 million because of the rising prices of wood and the maintenance of the houseboats costs almost 1 lac per year.
Houseboat owners in Dilemma.
“Since 2016, our business is going in losses due to the prevailing situation of Kashmir. Every year our business gets affected. After the abrogation once again everything was shut, we couldn’t earn anything for six months. When restrictions were revoked, a spark of hope was felt. But due to the outbreak of the deadly virus, once again lockdown was imposed; double lockdown which added more to our miseries”, said Junaid Amin Ganaie, a houseboat owner in Srinagar.
Once upon time, Kashmir valley was bustling with national and international tourists and most preferred to stay in houseboats. There are 870 houseboats and 7814 Shikaras across the major water bodies of Kashmir.
Ghulam Nabi Guroo, owner of a houseboat said, “ after experiencing heavy losses last year, we were hopeful we would make up for this year. Due to the continuity of lockdowns since last year, there is no hope left for us. I am seeing houseboat business vanishing”.
He added that a time is arriving in not more than five years that houseboats will disappear from the tourism map of Kashmir. “Houseboats will be a thing of the past, You will soon have to tell your children that once we had something like houseboats in Kashmir.”
“We are selling our belongings to feed our families and make our ends meet”, says Rasheed, a worker of a houseboat.
Houseboat industry suffered over a loss of 150 crores in the last one year, first due to the lockdown aftermath of abrogation and now the pandemic. Houseboat industry is struggling to stay afloat.
“It has been so long since we rented a room for our guests. Our work wholly depends on tourists and since their departure, we have been left to fend for ourselves”, says another houseboat owner in Srinagar.
“Even in the 1990s, when Kashmir witnessed a rise in militancy followed by the worst turmoil, we were still in business. Abrogation of Article has changed everything. Because of the conflict we are struggling and suffering”, says Noor Mohammad, a worker of a houseboat.
Empty houseboats and Shikara present a gloomy picture of Kashmir’s tourism sector which is going through one of its worst phases.