Lakes, Rivers & Rural Moments in Old Kashmir Photographs

A collection of old photographs showing everyday scenes in Kashmir from the 1860s to the 1970s. The pictures include lotus flowers blooming on Dal Lake in the early 20th century, a street view of Lal Chowk in Srinagar during the 1960s–1970s, a sunset on Dal Lake, a historic bridge in Srinagar with river activity below from the early 1900s, Manasbal Lake in the early 20th century, the River Jhelum in Srinagar with grass-grown rooftops before the 1940s, dunga boats moored along the Jhelum in the 1960s, a peasant girl in rural Kashmir from the 1870s, the bridge at Ganderbal in the early 20th century, and a Kashmiri boat girl near the water from the 1860s–1870s. Simple views of lakes, rivers, and daily life in old Kashmir.

A wide view of lotus flowers in full bloom across Dal Lake in Srinagar, photographed in the early twentieth century. The dense spread of leaves and blossoms covers the water surface, with mountains rising quietly in the background. Such scenes were a familiar part of the lake’s seasonal cycle, reflecting Dal Lake’s role not only as a place of habitation and movement, but also as a living landscape shaped by natural rhythms and everyday interaction with water.

A street view of Lal Chowk in Srinagar photographed during the 1960s to 1970s, showing the city’s main commercial junction in everyday use. Cars, auto rickshaws, and pedestrians move through the wide road as people cross between shop-lined streets on both sides. The surrounding buildings and distant mountains frame Lal Chowk as a central space for trade, travel, and routine interaction, reflecting the steady rhythm of daily urban life in Srinagar during this period.

A quiet sunset view over Dal Lake in Srinagar, captured on an unknown date. The lake stretches calmly across the frame, with trees and distant mountains forming a low horizon beneath a layered evening sky. A small boat moves gently across the water, emphasizing the stillness of the scene. The photograph reflects Dal Lake as a space of pause and transition, where light, water, and landscape come together at the close of day, shaping moments of everyday calm in the city.

A historic bridge spanning the Jhelum River in Srinagar, photographed in the early twentieth century. The bridge’s layered wooden construction rises above the water, while boats move beneath carrying people and goods along the river. Closely built houses cluster around the bridge on the riverbank, reflecting how bridges, waterways, and residential life were tightly connected. The image records a time when the Jhelum served as the city’s main route for transport and daily movement, shaping both urban form and everyday routine.

A calm view of Manasbal Lake in Kashmir, photographed in the early twentieth century. The still surface of the lake mirrors the surrounding hills and distant mountains, creating a balanced and quiet landscape. Sparse vegetation lines the water’s edge, emphasizing the openness of the setting and the lake’s natural character. The photograph reflects Manasbal as a place of stillness and everyday presence, valued for its clear waters and enduring connection to the landscape of Kashmir.

A view of the Jhelum River in Srinagar photographed before the 1940s, showing boats moving across the water and people gathered along the riverbank. Multi-storey houses rise directly from the edge of the river, some with grass-grown rooftops, reflecting how closely daily life was tied to the water. The scene captures a moment when the Jhelum functioned as a central public space, used for transport, gathering, and observation, shaping the routines and social life of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Dunga boats moored along the banks of the Jhelum River in Srinagar, photographed during the 1960s. The long wooden boats are lined closely together, serving as living and working spaces for families connected to the river. Behind them, houses rise along the opposite bank, showing how settlement patterns followed the course of the water. The scene reflects a period when the Jhelum functioned as a residential corridor, with boats, homes, and daily routines closely shaped by the river’s presence.

A rural Kashmiri girl photographed during the 1870s, standing barefoot beside a stream while carrying a vessel balanced on her head. Dressed in simple clothing suited to daily work, she appears paused between movement and task, reflecting the routines of rural life at the time. The natural setting and unposed posture suggest everyday activity rather than ceremony, offering a quiet glimpse into the lived experiences of young people in nineteenth-century Kashmir, shaped by labor, landscape, and necessity.

A view of the bridge at Ganderbal in Kashmir, photographed in the early twentieth century. The bridge stretches across calm water, framed by trees along the riverbank and low hills in the background. The quiet setting emphasizes the bridge’s role as a simple but essential connection point within the landscape. The photograph reflects a time when such crossings were integral to everyday movement, linking settlements and routines shaped by the surrounding river and terrain.

A Kashmiri boat girl photographed near the water during the 1860s–1870s, standing quietly with a paddle resting beside her. Dressed in simple clothing suited to river life, she appears paused between movement and work along the bank. The sparse natural setting and unposed posture reflect everyday life shaped by waterways, where boats were central to travel, labor, and survival. The image offers a rare early glimpse into river-based life in Kashmir during the nineteenth century.