Cultural Portraits & Daily Moments in Old Kashmir Photographs

A collection of old photographs showing personal and community life in Kashmir from the 1920s to the 1970s. The pictures include educator Master Samsar Chand Kaul with his wife Lachhkuji in a quiet Srinagar outdoor setting in 1964; women vendors selling vegetables in Jamia Market near Nowhatta in the 1970s; a mother braiding her daughter’s hair in the traditional Wankah Pauren style; children standing together on rocky rural terrain in the 1950s; two men resting beside a river in 1920 wearing traditional pulhoor straw footwear; and Ustad Mohammad Abdullah Tibetbaqal performing classical Sufiana music on a string instrument. Simple views of old Kashmir.

This rare 1964 photograph shows Master Samsar Chand Kaul, one of Kashmir’s most respected educators, seated alongside his wife Lachhkuji in a quiet outdoor setting in Srinagar. Born in 1883, Master Samsar Chand Kaul devoted more than six decades to teaching, primarily at the CMS School in Fateh Kadal and later at Central High School. Beyond formal academics, he was deeply committed to natural history, bird observation, and environmental awareness, inspiring generations of students to appreciate Kashmir’s landscapes, forests, and wildlife. His educational philosophy emphasized observation, curiosity, and respect for nature, values that shaped a distinct intellectual culture in mid twentieth century Kashmir. The image reflects a personal moment in the life of a teacher whose influence extended far beyond the classroom.

This color photograph from the 1970s captures everyday street life in Jamia Market, located near the Nowhatta side gate in Srinagar. Women vendors are seen seated along the roadside selling fresh vegetables, while shoppers and passersby move through the narrow market space. The scene reflects the informal economy that sustained local neighborhoods, where small-scale trade operated without permanent stalls or modern infrastructure. Traditional clothing, woven baskets, and open displays of produce illustrate a period when market exchanges were personal, community-based, and closely tied to daily routines. Such street markets formed the backbone of urban life in old Srinagar, providing essential goods while reinforcing social interaction and neighborhood cohesion.

This historical photograph shows a Kashmiri mother carefully braiding her daughter’s hair using the traditional practice known as Wankah Pauren. The custom involved dividing the hair into fine, orderly pleats and was a universal aspect of Kashmiri female life in earlier generations. Women across social backgrounds followed this practice, including those from elite households, where specialized hairdressers known as Sazangars were engaged for the task. Over time, this intimate domestic tradition declined and today survives only among a few communities. The image preserves a quiet moment of maternal care and cultural continuity, reflecting everyday customs that once defined family life and female identity in Kashmir.

This photograph from the 1950s shows a group of Kashmiri children standing together on rocky terrain in a rural landscape. Their simple clothing and traditional caps reflect the modest material conditions of the time, while their expressions convey confidence, curiosity, and shared joy. Childhood in this period was shaped by close contact with nature, limited possessions, and strong communal bonds rather than material comfort. The image captures a moment of innocence and resilience, preserving the spirit of an era when everyday life was lived with simplicity and collective belonging in the valleys of Kashmir.

This 1920 photograph shows two Kashmiri men resting together on grassy ground beside a flowing river, surrounded by an open natural landscape. Their relaxed posture reflects the slower rhythm of rural life, where long walks and outdoor labor were part of daily existence. The men are wearing traditional straw footwear known locally as Pulhoor, commonly used for travel across fields, forests, and riverbanks. In the background, the untouched terrain and sparse human presence emphasize the close relationship between people and nature during this period. The image preserves a quiet moment of companionship and simplicity, capturing everyday life in Kashmir before large-scale modernization.

This photograph shows the renowned Kashmiri Sufiana musician Ustad Mohammad Abdullah Tibetbaqal absorbed in performance, tuning and playing a traditional string instrument associated with classical Sufiana music. His composed posture and focused expression reflect the devotional nature of this musical tradition, where performance was regarded as an act of spiritual dedication rather than entertainment. Sufiana music in Kashmir carried deep mystical meaning, with musicians often viewed as spiritual intermediaries whose art connected listeners to the divine. The image preserves a rare visual record of a master musician from an era when Kashmiri classical music thrived in intimate gatherings, sustained by oral tradition, discipline, and reverence.