The Magic of Kashmir

Kashmir was not unheard of, for me; a beautiful naturally blessed region, sadly full of chaos and ridden with dispute, long since I knew of it. Of course, I had heard the name of Kashmir in several movies, their famous chili powder, in the map of the world, what I didn’t know and realize was the magic of their food and their culture.

The curiosity awoke by watching “Raja, Rasoi aur Anya Kahaniyaan” on Netflix. The very first episode I watched was that of Kashmir, and it was quite captivating to say the least. It was when I saw this whole other side of Kashmir, and came to know about their popular delicacy Kashmiri Wazwan, their Kashmiri Kehwa, their noon chai, their leafy greens and peculiar taste, their influences, and so much more, Among these, Kashmiri Wazwan caught my interest the most.

The Kashmiri Wazwan, comprising two words Waz and Wan where Waz means cook and Wan means chop. An intricate dinner consisting of several dishes and courses. Guests are seated in groups of four and share a meal out of a large copper plate. A ritual hand washing in a portable basin is done to the attendants. We got to experience all of this at Sarposh, a Kashmiri restaurant in Bangalore. As soon as we set foot in the place, we were transported into a homey yet well decorated ambiance. Every corner was well utilized, every item had its own story, and the music just added to the atmosphere. We chose to sit on the floor in a traditional way amidst all the Kashmiri decoratives. The wazwan was served steaming hot after we were made to wash hands using a traditional portable basin. The wazwan came with several items and curries, each one delicious and unlike anything we had every had before. It is just something you will have to try for yourself. If you truly want to experience Kashmir, what better way than to enjoy a Kashmiri Wazwan, and heading to Sarposh is a great start!

Comments

Rajamati

I think we’ve all heard the song of Rajamati growing up. It is so popular that many people in Nepal claim this is the only Newari song that they have heard. The song was written some 200 years back. The first few lines go like this, which I’m sure you must have heard of, unless you’ve been living under a rock: Rājamati kumati, jike wasā pirati Hāya bābā Rājamati-chā Rājamati mabila dhāsā Kāshi wane tela bubā Hayā biu Rājamati-chā. San dhāsā kuli kuli, mikhā dhāsā bālā bālā Sakumi yā mhyāy machā lā Khwā dhāsā tuyu khwā, khwālay niga tee du Tāhā Nani yā Rājamati-chā. It is said to be written by or rather from the perspective of a man who was infatuated and in awe of the beauty of Rajamati. He describes with great admiration: her hair, her eyes, her complexion and the little moles on her face. However it is unknown who the writer of this beautiful song is. The song rushed into popularity after it was played in England in 1850 when Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana vi...

The Leaving vs The Left Behind

I still remember, I was standing near the entrance looking out at the garden. I was at my best friend’s home and she had gone to get her ever famous chips chilly for me. I was to leave for Bangalore again, in a couple of days. While I waited, I looked out at the garden and this thought came into my head. “Who is it harder for? The one leaving or the ones left behind?” Is it going to be harder for me in a new place readjusting and exploring, or my best friend here, who will me miss me? Is it harder for a person to settle in a completely new place with a completely new lifestyle and have to find new people or for a person to see the same old places, the same old alleys and reminiscent the good times they had with their friend who are not around at the moment? It was a random thought that filled my mind a couple of minutes and then I got over it. Some time after resettling here in Bangalore, my best friend sent me a reel. The reel was about 2 close friends who used to lived ...

Everyday Phases by my Mother part 2

I have been meaning to write this part 2, especially after Every Day Phrases by my Mother , the first part was liked by so many and also because, well, the phrases and the dialogues never end with my mother. I did tease her about writing a book or making a scrapbook about all her phrases, but we never got around to it. So here we are, after almost 4 years, apologies if the Nepal bhasa wordings are incorrect somewhere Ne tha ne masau Bhwauthau pwa This is basically saying, not being able to take advantage of the situation or not doing what you are supposed to do at the event. If you get invited somewhere that has food, you should eat there. Neu twanyu tha yu yethe, jui chwanyu kata pinyu yethe I have heard this one many times. In the society that we live in, impression and your social image matters a lot, especially when it comes to family prestige. So it does not matter what you do at home but once you step outside, there is this social obligation of dressing appropriately, behav...

My World

Search This Blog