“Go Gurez”…..

GUREZ SERIES -PART –3

Weddings in Gurez – fashionable and summerish this time

Ishret Munawar is Gurez’s new-age teen; she loves Kashmiri rapper Babar on YouTube and can also be keen on artists that includes in tit-tok reels.  Nevertheless, what makes her coronary heart is about Kashmiri women carrying fashionable Bollywood kind of Robes and a dancing bride. The video she despatched me is of a Kashmiri bride carrying a white embroidered marriage ceremony robe on her ‘Mahendiraat’ or the night time of the Henna, western in reduce and elegance. the trendy western robe idea is being replicated by brides, in neighboring Punjab, though white in Punjabi weddings is a giant no, no.

This white robe in Kashmir has turn into a rage and is a large departure from the Tilla Pheran go well with or Sarees or Lehangas, or Garara, Shararas, historically worn by Kashmiri brides. The flouncy white robe harking back to Christian weddings,  a ditto western copy with Victorian cancan beneath, is accessorized with a standard pink Dupatta caught on a back-bun because the bride dances gracefully on the tune – “Abb hum toh pardesi ho gaye..” . Ishrat says it’s a Gurezi bride, however after a lot analysis, she appears Kashmiri, not Gurezi. A number of movies of Kashmiri brides dancing on “Palki mein hoke tayaar chali reh …”on their marriage ceremony capabilities is the trendy development in Srinagar, Kashmir and now within the distant pockets of Kashmir too; Gurezi women are contaminated.

Ishret tells me, beforehand bride dancing was unparalleled and seemed down upon, now it’s altering. The chance of studying dance for boys-girls comes from getting ready for the Military and Tourism sponsored Jashn-e-Gurez Competition, the place kids dance to conventional people songs, apart from Bollywood numbers that are a giant attraction. These learnings manifest themselves throughout weddings because the development of dance is catching on even in conservative Kashmiri societies. With easy accessibility to mobiles, movies are created and plenty of discover their solution to YouTube for public viewing.

Ishret who’s learning science articulates – “Gurezi women in earlier occasions have been married in the identical village with a close to relative. The groom rode horseback and the bride was taken in a Doli. Now Doli is typically changed by a automobile. Solely a wealthy man’s daughter is adorned with silver jewellery worn by Kashmiris in conventional put on. In earlier occasions, Gurezi mother and father gave knitted socks, sweaters, cardigans, innerwear, coats, gloves fabric, sheep or goats in dowry. A bookkeeper aunt immediately famous particulars of items or cash every invitee gifted to the mom of the groom or the bride. The cash envelope or reward is swiftly opened, counted, and entered in a register by a cashier aunt, who sits behind the mom on the entrance of marriage ceremony Shamyana”.

Whereas in trendy Srinagar, a bride is laden with gold jewellery, many carrying gold rings on all ten fingers, in contrast to silver jewellery in Gurez. One other development that has rebelled towards custom is weddings happening in summer season months, as a substitute of winter’.

The explanation for winter weddings in Gurez was sensible -since outside work was not potential, valuable time in lengthy chilly, dreary months with virtually 15-20 toes of snow, could possibly be utilized in marriage ceremony preparations. “Households would maintain busy as village marriage ceremony meant every dwelling grew to become contributory and tasked for one thing. Some merriment trotted within the in any other case chilly, boring, motionless months”. Additionally, high-speed knitting competitions of sweaters, socks, caps, leggings, gloves, mufflers for dowry, plus total paraphernalia of woolies for kin have been in full stream. The clickety-click music of handlooms weaving Pattu fabric flowed via the snow, including train heat, and vigor to the mundane life cooped up indoors.

Summer season weddings at the moment are enticing for kids, because the panorama is endearing and the appeal of a marriage is manifold, a little bit of silver jewellery has additionally been added to the dowry. The marriage feast consists of straightforward mutton or rooster curry or kofta, rice, potatoes, Rajma, Turnip, apart from typical ‘Trumba ki roti’ and ‘Kalari’ or the sheep cheese of Gurez. Few affluent ones additionally serve the Guchchi palav or Morchella rice. Winters nonetheless are left obscure, largely unexciting, leaving elders distressed as summer season occasions imply workloads of agriculture, dwelling repairs, firewood collections, wool shearing, sheep-goat-cow grazing, milking, vegetable plantation, harvest, drying vegs, and tons of different chores.

The military assists in each potential manner for weddings in Gurez, together with shamyana, snow clearance, heating, energy and diesel turbines, and offering amenities for marriage ceremony preparations. Col Abhinav Goel the commandant right here talks a couple of capturing of a marriage tune in Gurez whereby the troupe had little or no data concerning the logistics of Gurez. the military assisted them to finish their schedule that in any other case would have been misplaced owing to the non-availability of a number of issues together with heaters, electrical energy turbines, diesel, high-intensity focus lights, and wind cutters. We’re effectively outfitted as native weddings are assisted by us.

As Gurez gravitates in the direction of modernism, weaving handloom Pattu is passé; it has given solution to Tik-Tok movies. “A Pattu Chaddar used to take months to weave after the entire strategy of wool shearing, cleansing, beading, and at last wool balls, loading, and weaving “Javed Khan of Achoora, the one man who “admitted” possessing a handloom, stated. “Pattu or weaving Pattu wasn’t trendy anymore; somewhat it labeled one as backward”, whereas displaying a handloom packed for storage in winter. Javed and Amin of the identical village informed me with pride- “‘Pattu’ fetches a good-looking sum than the conventional wool fabric in Srinagar’s wholesale Koker Bazaar. Whereas regular wool ‘Pheran’ fabric lasts two or three years, Pattu’s Pheran may final upto 20-years, its heat too was incomparable”.

Ishret voices me a couple of bygone era- “Older girls memory about occasions, not lengthy again earlier than web contaminated Gurez when individuals sat collectively and real affection flowed. Gurez had no tradition of jobs and no financial fee. A barter system labored, whereby individuals got grain, meals, or research for his or her kids, in lieu of wierd jobs at dwelling or some such compensation. As Gurez unfold its wings and macadamized roads have been laid, “Gurez seemed out the world window. Solely, then do financial funds for work turn into the norm. “Tendencies are quickly altering with the world of the web a click on away”, Ishret says with a glitter in her eye. Let’s hope it doesn’t wipe the quaint and distinctive tradition of our tiny Gurez”, she prays together with her fingers raised in Dua, however quickly sufficient places on ‘clubhouse’ a Music Room  24×7 Bollywood Hollywood Lo-fi.

Himalayas Morchella or Morel Mushroom

Encircled by Gurez’s protecting snowcapped mountains, plentiful with a various flora-fauna wealth of herbs, sits a uncommon mushroom – Morel or Morchella mushrooms (Guchhi or Haedar, Kangich, Kangesh, Kan Kuchii in Kashmiri, Kuchuli in Shina language ). Gurez protects it fiercely. Her locals divulge to me, that the  Morel grows in mysterious areas; and is stored a carefully guarded secret. Tracks are lined with an eagle eye; and secret areas are handed down via generations, in an oath of secrecy as a divine reward. No marvel the beautiful morsel fetches a whopping Rs 30,000 a Kg, and in overseas markets, it may fetch upto 400$ a Kg, relying on measurement and high quality, and homeland. Locals inform me it’s collected at midnight the place legend says ‘the Guchchi alerts with a sparkle, a tune, and beckons the harvester to gather them when ripe’. The signal of thunderstorms and lightning are alerts in early spring, for a name by the Guchchi. Throughout the 1960-70s I recall Punjab’s wealthy and well-known weddings had a signature dish referred to as the “Guchchi Pulav” or the Morel Rice that makes the household standing stand above the riff-raff.

A member of the family stands guard whereas the delicacy is cooked protecting rely of Guchchis. By the way,  Guchchi is relished even in French delicacies.

“It will be shocking if the bride is just not given Guchchis in her dowry!” Mohammed Muzzafar Lone of Badoab, Tulail, laughs loudly at his personal joke. Together with Morel mushroom, Gurez additionally sources edible corresponding to Fiddleheads and wild leeks, from the woods. These fetch a superb value in greater cities together with Srinagar.

Gurez’s Log Hut Café

As Gurez comes into peeping view from my vantage level of descent, I see a crisscrossed yellow-white striped metallic bridge stand. Shifting nearer, a signboard reads- “Log Hut Café- Finest espresso in Gurez 3.2 km –Go! Go!”

‘Log Hut Café’ is devoted to the individuals of Gurez by the Indian Military and as Space Commander Col Abhinav Goel would say “Log Hut café is a spot you might go “an additional mile for”. ‘Certainly!’- ‘It’s like a Jungle mein Mangal’, to discover a café in a distant mountainous space. Overlooking the standout land function of Habba Khatoon peak, the café actually is a ‘Sangam’ – a confluence of Rivers the place -ancient meets fashionable, ‘Desi’ meets ‘Pardesi’, or the place ‘Kehwa’ meets Koffee. Vacationers, explorers, mountaineers, trekkers, writers, military guys, and locals all throng the hotspot for its lighthearted showbiz and culinary delights. If Desi is your style then dhabas within the Dawar bazaar close-by ought to satiate you with Kashmiri meals, kebabs, Rogan Josh, Gustaba- mutton dumplings, and the quintessential rice or roti. Nurani or Noorani is a small restaurant-dhaba, that churns out scrumptious meals. Curiously in Gurez, the fees of a dish are based on the items of mutton /rooster and no further value is there was a chunk left uneaten within the dish. Native ‘thelas’, promoting fried rooster and kebabs, particularly Tuji and Seekh kebab with yogurt chutney is true yum.

An impressive function of Log Hut café is devoted wifi plus 24×7 electrical energy. I met Asha, a chartered accountant with a famed MNC, a compulsive traveler, vlogger, & planner. The sensible youngistan informed me “I want I may thank another person however I’m pressured to thank ‘Covid’ for getting a work-from-home, that gave me a chance to meet my ardour for touring,” Asha, makes use of Log Hut’s Wi-Fi and in trade, takes video bytes of holiday makers and uploads on social networking websites to draw vacationers to Gurez, highlighting the café. I point out a close to failing battery financial institution and he or she brightens up and takes me to a store a number of steps away lo and behold it has pen drives and a ‘C’ kind charger-pin cable, and increasingly more. The store is stocked with the most recent cellular equipment, sim playing cards, and mobiles. Proprietor of Dawar’s Iqbal Electronics smiles and speaks “Ask me something cellular associated and both I’ll produce it, or inform you about it”. I don’t fall for his problem as I’m considerably tech-challenged, however it leaves me impressed.

We rush to the café as I’m but to discover it. Presenting a platter of nationwide & worldwide meals, Log Hut is gleefully affordable. Rolls and wraps, pizzas and pasta, espresso and shakes, idlis and wadas, stroll with sandwiches and bread, samosas and jalebis, smilies and halwa, it had virtually all the pieces. Military guys are privileged with a 25% off which actually is their deserving deal with.

With LED lights shadowing the tough wooden reception counter, a glowing bowl, glow-light glasses, rope lights, and LED neon strips, the place is hip-hop cheerful and enjoyable, in comparison with the utter romance of moon-nights bathing the Habba Khatoon peak silvery in darkish Gurez, the place electrical energy is severely rationed.     Beneath the chairs and tables, my footrests on pure compressed mountain soil with some sand as flooring, making me utterly enjoined with the earthiness. The café is exclusive and utterly in congruence with ecology. And as Turkish lamps hold exterior so as to add sparkle, tossing glints of multi-colors, on river waters via stained glasses; it generates a magical vibrancy within the valley. Nights of native melodies, campfire, and music are particularly enthralling. Typically the café sees a lightweight jolly jostle for entrance seats when a big display is placed on for a dwell present of IPLs and worldwide matches. For vacationers to catch the dwell cricketing broadcast in distant Gurez holding a sizzling Kehwa or Kaffee in hand, is nothing wanting enchanting! For bikers, trekkers, and locals, the Café is a get-together oasis, to get pleasure from a mini-meal with a mesmerizing view of the Habba Khatoon peak.

“The response and suggestions are very encouraging, not simply vacationers, locals additionally throng the Cafe. Now we have individuals coming in from breakfast to dinner. We serve recent natural greens,” Hawaldaar Balwant Singh, Supervisor, Log Hut Café was seen telling a buyer. The café, a task mannequin for different younger Gurezi entrepreneurs to emulate café enterprise to stimulate tourism in Gurez, is certainly its excellent issue,” expressed a military official. Log Hut throbs with native artists’ the vast majority of whom are repeated. Locals in fact are keenly awaiting their very own Aadil Gurezi- now a well-liked Bollywood singer, to carry out right here, Amin an area says, ‘Bolo na aap usko!’ he smiles endearingly. I chuckle.

  Outdated Handloom Equipments.

Pics and textual content by creator who might be contacted at: rashmitalwarno1@gmail.com

Rashmi Talwar, an Impartial author, might be emailed at: rashmitalwarno1@gmail.com

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