Culture Jammu Kashmir, Travel Destinations, Indian Himalayas

The Lifestyle of the local people is quite slow in the old city. The waterways and shikaras are the best way of going into the interiors of the old city. Women are very enterprising, they sell food items, flowers and handcrafted items on their floating markets. Kashmiris use willow baskets for carrying essential items from one place to the other. There are a number of open-air markets in the old city. Here visiting tourists have the pleasure of buying all the traditional Kashmiri spices and food items. Tours and travel to the state of Kashmir also tempts you to shop in the open air markets in the old city where one is likely to find all those traditional items that are used in the kitchens of these simple people.

Kashmir is very popular for its specially brewed tea that is traditionally known as the kahwa. In certain areas of Ladakh the Yak's milk is given special importance. It is used for making butter that has a very high fat content. It is considered as the best present that a family can give to another. Those living in the remote regions of Ladakh lead simple lives and the monasteries in the vicinity have a great impact on their lives.

As far as the clothing is concerned the Phiran is a commonly worn garment. It is usually made of wool and has a lot of embroidery work done on it. These gowns are decorated with colorful floral motifs and designs.

Culture

Distinct from the rest of the country, Jammu and Kashmir sports a multifaceted, multicolored and unique cultural blend. Not only the geographical conditions of the state are different but it can also be set apart demographically with varied ethical and social entities, diversity of religions flourishing in the area, different language and cultural forms and heritage albeit with an over-reigning harmony that blends in with the serenity and beauty of the region. One gets dazed by the sheer diversity and richness of art and architecture, fairs and festivals, rites and rituals, seers and sagas, languages and mountains that thrive amongst the unparalleled cultural cohesion, which is exemplary.

Kashmir has been the highest learning centre of Sanskrit and Persian as Indo-Aryanic civilization has originated and flourished here. It also embraced the advent of Islam along with the virtues of Persian civilization such as tolerance, brotherhood and sacrifice. Nature's grand finale of beauty, Kashmir is the masterpiece of earth's creation and the folk performances of Kashmir are intimately mingled with the moods and movements of the seasons.

Culture About Jammu

Jammu, the land of the Dogras, has some beautiful dances and music that originated in its lap and were developed by the hardy and graceful women of the Duggar to divert themselves from the long spell of separations from their soldier husbands and brothers. Besides the purpose of adding cheer to their lives in their free moments, there are folk songs and dances that echo their feelings of separation and the ever-increasing yearning for reunion with the beloved, the hard life on the mountain slopes and various other themes that are connected with their day-to-day lives.

Kashmir region has its own musical performances that have won the hearts of many of its visitors. Bhand Pather is a traditional folk theatre style exhibiting combination of play and dance in a satirical style where social traditions, and evils are depicted and performed in various social and cultural functions. Bhand Jashan is performed by a group of 10 to 15 artists in their traditional style accompanied by light music for the entertainment of people.

The most popular form of Kashmiri folk music is called Chakri that bears resemblance to Chakra of mountainous regions of Uttar Pradesh. It was accompanied by Garaha, Sarangi, Rabab once as the musical instruments but today harmonium plays an important role in its presentation. Sufiana Music migrated to Kashmir from Iran in the 15th century and flourished here as the classical music form of Kashmir. It absorbed a number of Indian Ragas and Hafiz Nagma was once a part of Sofiana Music. In Hafiz Nagma a dancer is a female while her accompanists on various instruments are males. An Hafiza (dancer) moves her feet on musical notes. The instruments that go with this form are Santoor, Sitar, Kashmiri Saz, Wasool or Tabala. Today, only a few families in Kashmir are practicing this musical for.

Travel in Jammu & Kashmir

Kashmir is an area on the northern borders of India and Pakistan; officially known as Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty and has often been referred to as the 'Switzerland of the East'. The heart of the area is the fertile Vale of Kashmir (known as The Valley), which lies between the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. About 12 million people live in Kashmir, of which around 70% are Muslims. The rest include Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. Hindus live mostly in the south and around the city of Jammu. To the east is the Ladakh region, where the majority of the people are Buddhists and of Tibetan origin. Most of the Kashmiri people work on farms. Others are engaged in small industries making shawls, rugs and carpets. Kashmir is well known for its wool and, in particular, its shawls and carpets.

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