Rural Gatherings & Travel Routes in Old Kashmir Photographs

A collection of old photographs showing everyday life, travel, and community moments in Kashmir from the 1890s to the 1960s. The pictures include Kashmiri farmers gathered in an open field in the 1890s awaiting a viceroy's visit, many holding wooden torches; Englishmen traveling with pack animals through the Sind Valley in 1944; boatmen on calm waters near Nageen Lake around 1910; two women outside a traditional brick house in Bugam village, Kulgam in 1969; pack animals resting at Zojila Pass in the early twentieth century; and merchants' houses and market boats along the Mar Canal in Srinagar around 1910. Simple views of old Kashmir.

This photograph from the 1890s shows a large gathering of Kashmiri farmers seated in an open field while awaiting the arrival of Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, who served as the Viceroy of British India from 1888 to 1894. The image is associated with his visit to Kashmir in 1893. Many individuals in the group appear to be carrying wooden torches, locally known as lashih, traditionally used during formal receptions and ceremonial gatherings. The scene reflects the structured nature of colonial-era visits, where local communities were assembled to formally receive high-ranking officials. This image provides an important visual record of rural Kashmiri society, dress, and collective participation in official events during the late nineteenth century under British rule.

This photograph, dated September 1944, shows a small group of Englishmen travelling through the Sind Valley in Kashmir, likely in the Kangan area. The men are seen walking alongside pack animals loaded with supplies, reflecting the modes of travel commonly used in the region before the construction of modern roads. The rocky path, stone embankments, and surrounding landscape illustrate the rugged terrain of the Sind Valley, which served as an important route for travel, exploration, and administration during the mid twentieth century. The image captures a moment from the late colonial period in Kashmir, highlighting both the physical challenges of movement in mountainous regions and the presence of foreign travellers in the valley during this era.

This photograph from around 1910 captures a quiet scene in the vicinity of Nageen Lake, Srinagar, showing Kashmiri boatmen navigating traditional wooden boats through calm, reed-filled waters. The reflection of the surrounding landscape and the distant hill in the background emphasizes the stillness of the lake environment during the early twentieth century. Such boats were central to daily life in Srinagar, serving as primary means of transport, fishing, and commerce within the interconnected lake and canal system. The image preserves an authentic view of Kashmir’s lake culture before large-scale urban expansion, highlighting the close relationship between local communities and the waterways that shaped the social and economic fabric of the region.

This photograph, taken in 1969 at Bugam village in Kulgam district, portrays two Kashmiri women standing together outside a traditional brick dwelling. Dressed in customary attire with head coverings and long patterned garments, the women reflect everyday rural life in south Kashmir during the late 1960s. Their relaxed posture and natural expressions suggest a candid moment rather than a posed studio image, offering an intimate glimpse into domestic and social settings of the time. The textured brick wall and simple architectural surroundings provide important context, highlighting vernacular building styles and village environments common in the region. Courtesy of Dr. Omkar Koul, this image remains a valuable social record of Kashmiri dress, identity, and lived experience in the post-independence period.

This early twentieth century photograph shows livestock and pack animals resting at Zojila Pass, one of the most important high-altitude routes connecting Kashmir with Ladakh. The image was taken by Mahatta & Co., pioneers of Indian photography who extensively documented the landscapes and life of Kashmir during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Snow patches visible on the surrounding slopes highlight the harsh climatic conditions of the pass, even during warmer months. Zojila served as a vital corridor for trade, seasonal migration, and travel, with animals playing a central role in transporting goods across the rugged terrain. This photograph stands as a significant visual record of Kashmir’s mountain routes and the logistical realities of movement through the Himalayas before the advent of modern roads and mechanized transport.

1This colored postcard from around 1910 depicts the Mar Canal in Srinagar, lined with merchants’ houses and active market boats navigating the narrow waterway. The canal functioned as an important commercial artery within the city, allowing goods, produce, and daily necessities to be transported by boat directly between residential quarters and local markets. Wooden houses with projecting balconies rise above stone embankments, reflecting the dense riverine architecture that characterized Srinagar’s historic neighborhoods. Boatmen and traders are shown engaged in everyday activity, illustrating how water-based transport shaped urban life and commerce in the city during the early twentieth century. This image preserves a valuable visual record of Srinagar’s canal system and its central role in sustaining economic and social life before major urban and infrastructural changes.