A disastrous season leaves Kashmir’s saffron growers staring at empty fields and a fading legacy. This is the year Pampore’s purple turned pale. By Jahangeer Ganaie In the sun-baked plateau of Pampore, where autumn usually unfurls a purple-tinged carpet of saffron blossoms, despair has taken root instead. Growers in Kashmir’s famed saffron belt say 2025 […]
Search Results for: saffron
Waves of Saffron, White and Green
By Ajaz Rashid The first light of morning touched the rippling surface of Dal Lake like a painter’s brush, turning its calm waters into molten gold. Houseboats bobbed gently in place, their wooden hulls whispering against the moorings as the breeze carried faint notes of drums, bugles, and patriotic songs from the boulevard. In the […]
J&K’s 100-Day War on Drugs
A 30-day deadline, frozen bank accounts, and revoked passports. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha declares a total war on drug syndicates, shifting the strategy from simple awareness to a ruthless systematic crackdown. By Ajaz Rashid On a hot Monday in Kathua, the atmosphere felt charged. The government had signaled a shift in strategy: they were no […]
J&K Budget 2026: J&K Govt Announces Free LPG, Fee Waivers, and Jobs for the Poor
“Safar Taveel Hai, Bhoj Bhi Bari Hai. Par Har Surat, Yeh Safar Jaari Hai.” (The journey is long, the burden is heavy. But at all costs, the journey continues.) With these poetic words resonating through the august House, the Finance Minister rose to present the Second Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir […]
77th Republic Day, J&K Redefines “Integration” Through Rail, Road, and Resolve
From the termination of the Indus Water Treaty to the arrival of the first freight train in the Valley, the 77th Republic Day address outlines a radical shift in strategy. The message is clear: the era of managing conflict is over; the era of aggressive integration has begun. The 77th Republic Day celebrations in Jammu […]
The Longest Chill
In the heart of the Himalayas, the arrival of Chillai Kalan on December 21 marks more than just a date on the calendar; it signals the commencement of a forty-day trial of spirit and survival that defines the Kashmiri identity. This period of “Major Cold,” stretching until the end of January, is characterized by a […]
Gifts, Guard, And Geopolitics
India welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Kashmiri-infused state banquet and high-level talks aimed at reinforcing defence, energy and trade cooperation. By Sameer Ahmad Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day state visit to India concluded on Friday last week with a grand vegetarian state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Doon Chetin made with Kashmiri morels […]
Ladhoo Gears Up for Annual Urs of Sheikh ul Alam
The annual Urs in Ladhoo blends spirituality, tradition and Kashmir’s saffron season, creating a unique cultural moment. By Er Aausyf ibn Farooq As winter settles over the Valley and saffron fields glow in their late-autumn bloom, the village of Ladhoo Pampore in Pulwama is preparing for one of its most deeply rooted spiritual gatherings — […]
Kashmir’s Shift to a Concrete Jungle
Unregulated construction is swallowing Kashmir’s farmland, reshaping its landscape and future. By Ajaz Rashid The landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is undergoing a profound shift—one that is visible in the fast-rising concrete structures, disappearing paddy fields, and orchard land flattened to make way for shopping complexes and residential colonies. What was once a region defined […]
Harud: Kashmir’s Season of Colour, Memory, and Quiet Joy
Autumn in Kashmir is not merely a season—it’s a poem written in color, scent, and nostalgia. By Rayees Ahmad Kumar Autumn, the cherished “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” described by John Keats, sweeps through the Kashmir Valley as a period marked by extraordinary transformation and vibrant spectacle. Locally known as “Harud,” autumn breathes new […]