Government schemes are opening small but crucial windows of opportunity for Kashmir’s women and youth. By Shafiya Wani Kashmir is not just a place on the map. It is a feeling, a wound, a memory, a heartbeat. For those of us who have grown up here, empowerment was never about big speeches or government slogans. […]
Kashmir’s Highway Woes Return Each Harvest
Without alternate routes, cold storage, or reliable rail freight, Kashmir’s apple industry remains hostage to one fragile road. By Aamir Wani Every autumn, as the apple orchards of Kashmir turn red with ripened fruit and families prepare for their most crucial harvest of the year, the Valley finds itself caught in a familiar trap. Truckloads […]
The Changing Face of Kashmir
Technology connects the valley to the world, but it also risks disconnecting families from their own roots By Uzma Saleem Khan Kashmir — the land of mountains that whisper stories and rivers that hum lullabies. For centuries, this paradise has been more than breathtaking scenery; it has been a cradle of traditions, respect, and faith. […]
The Artist Who Made Kashmir Dance
From a schoolboy performance in Dangiwacha to becoming one of Kashmir’s most celebrated folk artists, Hamal-e-Bulbul’s journey is a song of resilience, talent, and cultural pride. By Manzoor Akash Renowned for its sweeping vistas and breathtaking natural beauty, Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has, for generations, captured hearts. But beyond its fertile fields and […]
The Breath of Paradise
As silt and settlements encroach, Kashmir’s fragile wetlands struggle to survive—so do the birds, fish, and fisherfolk who depend on them. By Khursheed Dar Kashmir is not only a valley of mountains and rivers, not only a spectacle of chinars turning crimson in autumn or meadows bursting with wildflowers in spring. It is also, and […]
700 Syeds, Three Journeys, One Mission
He came with 700 companions, carrying books and teachings instead of swords. By Rayees Ahmad Kumar Kumar In the history of Kashmir, few figures stand as tall as Hazrat Amir Kabir Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA), revered as Shah-i-Hamdan — the man often credited with laying the foundations of Islam in the Valley. Born on […]
The Valley’s Forgotten Spiritual Names
When children no longer know the saints who built their world, what happens to the land they inherit? By Khursheed Dar There was a time, not long ago, when stories in Kashmir were not told through glowing rectangles, but through trembling lips beside warm hearths. Grandmothers would speak of saints with a mist in their […]
When Grandparents Become Strangers
The society known for its human behavior is not able to spend time with the grandparents—those who were our true storytellers. By Ayaan Saroori “A grandparent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.” The proverb still rings true, but in an age ruled by smartphones and relentless […]
Snapchat Dysmorphia: Broken Behind the Filter
When filters become reality and selfies shape self-worth, identity begins to blur By Mursaleen Bashir In an era where self-expression is increasingly filtered through the lens of social media, platforms like Snapchat and Instagram have redefined how people present themselves to the world. What was once a spontaneous snapshot of daily life has evolved into […]
The Cost of a Mother’s Silence
A grandmother’s haunting tale of a mother’s love gone wrong—where silence, not cruelty, became the seed of tragedy By Syed Majid Gilani Growing up in the warm embrace of a tightly-knit community, I was fortunate to be surrounded by a circle of family members, neighbors, and relatives who deeply valued the timeless tradition of storytelling. […]