Tuba Naquib
Garah Wandai Gara Sasah,
Garah Neraha Ne Zah
Translation: O Home, I offer you a
thousand Houses and I will never leave you.
Meaning: There’s no place like home.
Like most young people of my generation, I was determined to shape my career and offer it a chance to maximize the potential of extracting knowledge from the outside world. While writing the higher secondary board examination, I made it clear to myself that, in order to broaden the horizons of my experience and career, it was important to step out of the four walls of my house. It was important to connect with people outside of my homeland and know their perspective on viewing things. At that time, I was occupied. I was stranded. I was rootless. Exactly one year ago, my destiny took me to the City of Hearts-Delhi. I got admitted to a prestigious university there, and I thanked God for blessing me. However, little did I know that the city of hearts would actually make me revisit my homeland, Kashmir. Even though I completed the 12 long months in an unknown city, it became difficult for me to actually figure out what I missed the most about my hometown. From food to clothing, culture to tradition, climate to topography, every part of Kashmir is missed when you are away from home. Living in a completely new city, an individual actually draws a picture of how Kashmir is unparalleled in terms of its richness of culture. From the very beginning, I had the passion to digest more and more information about the culture I belonged to. I have always admired and appreciated the way Kashmiri culture has shaped itself from the very beginning. The culture of Kashmir is a blend of everything.
Kashmir is a land of majestic landscapes that produces an awe-inspiring visual feast for viewers. It is not just beautiful superficially, but the land also bears a vast treasure of resources. ‘Kashmir’ is not a mere name; it is a feeling of unity, richness, and vastness. Every aspect of the land tells a tale. The glistening water of Dal Lake hides under its depth the crystal-clear secrets of the sky; the vast Chinars know the stories of broken hearts. The Pashmina threads tell the yarned truth of the weaver, and the music is synonymous with the warmth of love. Every architectural wonder echoes the hidden wonder of a human. It tells stories of love and joy. The culture of Kashmir is vast and appealing, and it creates a long-lasting impression on the individual.
I fail to express my feelings of appreciation for the rich culture of Kashmir. But here I would like to explain what impression ‘The Culture of Kashmir’ puts on my mind with my crippled imagination. It’s difficult to give it a beginning, but let me start with Kashmiri food. As a hosteller, I attest to the fact that the primary reason for struggling living outside of Kashmir is the food. Kashmiri cuisine has developed its uniqueness owing to the sophistication and complexity of various cultures that evolved over time. Mughal emperor “Jehangir,” when asked about his dying wish, responded, “Only Kashmir.” Here, he meant not only the ecology but also its exquisite cuisine. Kashmir is rightly known as the pot of culture as it encompasses many different cultures of the continent, including those from Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, and the vast expanse of the subcontinent. From the finely minced harissa to crisp lotus stems and delicate kehwa, all have added to the Kashmiri delicacy. The most heavenly food in Kashmir is the famous Wazwan, which I crave the most. The taste of Kashmiri cuisine is unmatched, owing to the vast variety of spices and condiments. The language is beautiful. No culture is probably defined unless its language is understood. The richness of the Kashmiri language, or Koshur, comes from the roots of Dardic origin, with a predominant character of the Indo-Aryan language. The language is an amalgamation of Sanskrit, Dardic, Persian, and Punjabi elements. In printed books, the Devanagari character is used. There is only a small amount of Kashmiri literature. Koshur is beautiful, and for a Kashmiri living outside of J&K, the love for the language increases as one is not accustomed to hearing the mother tongue. The ears crave the beauty of the language. The third important thing that defines the culture of a region is the clothing. Owing to the harsh climatic conditions in the valley mixed with the cultural richness, the Kashmiri Attire produces a vivid color and is thus profound in nature. Not only are the different Kashmiri dresses known to the tourists coming to Kashmir, but they have been showcased time and again in many Bollywood movies such as Kashmir ki Kali, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Rockstar, and more recently in Laila Majnu. My personal favorite remains the famous Pheran. An important fact about pheran. Once you have a Kangri (an earthen heat pot) under your pehran, the winters just seem like any other season. The other costumes of the valley are also an art in themselves. Leonardo da Vinci rightly quoted that “Beauty perishes in life but is immortal in art.” What could be said about the land without mentioning its architectural style? The architectural design of the city is still the same as it was 300 years ago, and the wooden structures with gable roofs remind me of medieval European cities. It is alive with the cultures and traditions and has been lived in as it has been for centuries, keeping the essence of the old Kashmir intact. The architecture of Kashmir is a blend of an outstanding combination of mosques, shrines, temples, museums, buildings, and scenic heritage gardens that hold unique features of art and craft. I am fond of the architectural styles, and I usually love visiting the museums, buildings, and gardens that remind us of the past around which the wonder was built. However, the Srinagar Smart City Project launched is considered to be a harmonic blend of culture, heritage, tradition, aesthetics, modernity, economic development, etc., which is a key to improving the outlook of the city further.
Every part and every aspect of Kashmiri culture and its affluence can’t be discussed on one page. It might take ages to discuss the great number of stories and tales that are behind the birth of the diverse culture of the Valley. Words cannot do justice to the magnificence of the culture. I had a project on ‘Culture of Your State.” While researching for my project, I went through tons of articles and diverse information about the topic, and it made me realize that Kashmir is not about scenic beauty, flowers, gardens, or apple farms alone. It is about Sufism, hospitality, intricate handicrafts, music, reflections of heritage, and what not. Jahangir has rightly called Kashmir “the heaven on earth.” I am so proud of being the daughter of this land!
(A Student of Public Policy,
Politics and Governance).