Labour & Community Life in Early 20th Century Kashmir Photos

A collection of old photographs showing everyday work and social moments in Kashmir from the early 1900s to the 1950s. The pictures include labourers in 1948 coordinating to lift a large stone block using manual strength and simple tools; a communal gathering at Hazratbal in the early 1900s with men, women, and children seated together in traditional attire; women and children watching from a latticed wooden window in a residential home during the 1950s; a coloured postcard panoramic view of M A Road in Srinagar from the early 1900s showing open fields, orchards, and early buildings; houseboats moored along the Jhelum River at Baramulla in 1927 with people and luggage during travel; and agricultural workers manually harvesting and stacking grain bundles in rural fields during the 1950s harud season. Simple views of old Kashmir.

This 1948 photograph documents a group of Kashmiri labourers working together to lift a massive stone block using only human strength and simple tools. The men are positioned closely, coordinating their effort through shared timing and physical balance, demonstrating collective labor practices that were common before the introduction of mechanized construction equipment. The rocky terrain and absence of machinery indicate the challenging working conditions under which infrastructure and stone works were carried out during this period. Such labor relied entirely on human endurance, skill, and cooperation, reflecting a work culture shaped by necessity rather than technology. The image serves as a powerful record of physical effort, discipline, and solidarity among workers, preserving the realities of manual labor that supported construction and development in Kashmir during the mid-twentieth century.

This early twentieth-century photograph shows a group of Kashmiri men, women, and children gathered at what appears to be Hazratbal, capturing a moment of communal life during the 1900s. The individuals are seated closely together, wrapped in traditional woolen garments and shawls, reflecting both the climate and the modest material conditions of the period. The presence of children among adults emphasizes the collective nature of social spaces, where families and neighbors shared public gatherings without separation. Expressions range from curiosity to calm attentiveness, suggesting awareness of the photographer rather than a posed arrangement. The image reflects a time marked by simplicity, strong social trust, and close community bonds, when daily life unfolded in shared spaces with minimal concern for security or division. As a historical record, the photograph preserves clothing styles, social interaction, and the communal character of Kashmiri society in the early twentieth century.

This photograph from the 1950s shows a group of Kashmiri children and women gathered at a wooden window, attentively watching an event unfolding outside. Framed by traditional lattice work and timber construction, the window reflects the architectural style common in residential homes of the period. The children’s expressions range from curiosity to quiet joy, while the adults appear calm and observant, suggesting a shared moment of everyday interest rather than a formal occasion. Clothing styles indicate modest domestic life, with layered garments suited to the climate and daily routines. Such scenes were common in closely knit neighborhoods, where windows and balconies functioned as informal vantage points for community life. The image preserves an intimate glimpse of mid-twentieth-century Kashmir, highlighting family bonds, domestic architecture, and the simple social rhythms that defined everyday living during this era.

This early twentieth-century colored postcard presents a panoramic view of present-day M A Road as seen from the mound of Rutum Garhi, capturing a landscape defined by open fields, orchards, and carefully planned tree-lined avenues. The scene reflects a period when this area was characterized by spacious surroundings and low-density development, with prominent buildings set amid cultivated land. On the left side of the view, the location associated with the former Nedous Hotel is visible, then surrounded by orchards rather than dense construction. The arrangement of roads, trees, and buildings illustrates a measured architectural and urban aesthetic common to this era, emphasizing openness and seasonal beauty. The image serves as a historical record of Srinagar’s earlier urban form, documenting a landscape shaped by planned growth, greenery, and architectural restraint before later transformations altered the character of the area.

This photograph from 1927 shows houseboats moored along the Jhelum River at Baramulla, capturing an important stage in early travel and movement into the Kashmir Valley. During this period, foreign visitors typically traveled by ekka along the Jhelum Valley Road up to Baramulla and then continued their journey to Srinagar by houseboat. The river scene illustrates the Jhelum as a primary transport corridor, with boats positioned close to the bank, likely awaiting passengers. The surrounding landscape of open riverbanks, scattered trees, and rising hills emphasizes the rural and undeveloped character of the region at the time. The presence of people, luggage, and boats highlights the logistical role Baramulla played as a gateway to Srinagar. This image documents an era before modern transport infrastructure, when river travel, animal-drawn vehicles, and manual systems formed the backbone of movement and tourism in early twentieth-century Kashmir.

This photograph from the 1950s captures the harvest season in rural Kashmir, locally known as Harud, showing agricultural workers engaged in the manual collection and stacking of grain. Men and women are seen lifting and arranging bundles of harvested crops by hand, reflecting farming practices that relied almost entirely on human labor rather than mechanized equipment. The open fields and simple tools indicate a subsistence-based agricultural economy rooted in seasonal cycles and collective effort. Clothing worn by the workers is practical and modest, suited to long hours of physical work in open terrain. Scenes like this were common across Kashmir’s countryside, where harvesting methods changed little over generations and community cooperation was essential to completing seasonal work. The image serves as a valuable visual record of mid-twentieth-century rural life, preserving traditional farming techniques and the social organization of agricultural labor in Kashmir.