Childhood Play & Srinagar Scenes in Old Kashmir Photographs

A collection of old photographs showing everyday moments in Kashmir during the twentieth century. The pictures include young girls playing the traditional game ghar ghar in the 1960s using simple objects in rural and semi-urban areas; a typical Srinagar street scene in the 1970s with a small roadside setup and wooden furniture for informal commerce; Jamia Masjid in Srinagar viewed from the southwest in 1906 with surrounding residential buildings and open ground; students in the playground at Burn Hall School in Srinagar in May 1970; the Srinagar Club at Bund along the Jhelum River during heavy winter snowfall in 1911; and shops with street activity in the commercial area of Dal Gate in Srinagar in 1980. Simple views of old Kashmir.

This color photograph from the 1960s captures young Kashmiri girls engaged in the traditional childhood game known locally as ghar ghar, a form of imaginative role play reflecting domestic life. Played using simple objects found in nature or around the home, such games were an integral part of everyday childhood in Kashmir before the arrival of modern toys and digital distractions. The image reflects the innocence, creativity, and social bonding of children growing up in rural and semi-urban Kashmir, offering a quiet glimpse into a time when play was shaped by simplicity, community, and shared imagination.

This photograph from the 1970s documents a typical street scene in Srinagar, capturing everyday urban life at ground level. A small roadside setup with simple wooden furniture reflects informal local commerce that formed an essential part of the city’s social and economic fabric. Such street-side interactions were common across Srinagar, where vendors, passersby, and neighbors shared public spaces in an unhurried rhythm. The image serves as a visual record of Srinagar’s streets before modern commercialization, preserving the scale, simplicity, and human-centered nature of daily life during this period.

This photograph from 1906 shows a view of Jamia Masjid Srinagar taken from the south west corner, looking across the open ground behind the mosque. The image records the architectural surroundings of one of Kashmir’s most significant religious structures during the early twentieth century, with residential buildings and open spaces visible around the complex. Jamia Masjid, originally built in the late fourteenth century and reconstructed multiple times after fires, served as a central place of worship and gathering in Srinagar. The photograph preserves an important historical perspective of the mosque’s setting before later urban densification altered the area.

This photograph from May 1970 documents the playground of Burn Hall School in Srinagar, showing students engaged in outdoor activity within the school grounds. The image captures the educational environment of the city during the late twentieth century, with academic buildings, open play areas, and surrounding hills forming the backdrop. Burn Hall School was an important institution in Srinagar’s modern educational history, and this scene preserves a moment of everyday student life, reflecting discipline, recreation, and community within a structured school setting.

This photograph from 1911 shows the Srinagar Club at Bund during winter, with heavy snowfall covering the pathway, surrounding trees, and wooden structures. Located on the right bank of the Jhelum River near Abdullah Bridge, the club was among the earliest social institutions established during the late nineteenth century for visitors to the valley. The image records the quiet winter atmosphere of the riverfront area and reflects the architectural and social landscape of Srinagar during the early twentieth century, before later urban and institutional changes altered the setting.

This photograph from 1980 shows the commercial area of Dal Gate in Srinagar, capturing a row of shops, storefront signage, and everyday street activity. The scene reflects the retail character of the area during the late twentieth century, with small businesses selling household goods, clothing, and pottery. Dal Gate functioned as an important commercial junction in Srinagar, serving both local residents and visitors. The image documents urban life, architectural details, and economic activity in the city before later changes in traffic patterns and commercial development reshaped the area.