Nuts, Streets, and Stories

A short shopping trip in Srinagar reveals how small changes in service, pricing and attitude could revive Kashmir's street economy.

- Irshad Mushtaq

I went out on a crisp autumn afternoon to buy chestnuts and walnuts, expecting nothing more than a quick errand. Srinagar's markets throbbed with their familiar pulse: vendors calling out prices, the scent of roasted corn hanging in the air, and some tourists threading their way through the local crowd.

But the few stops I made told a bigger story about how business is done in Kashmir and why it needs a fresh approach.

The first chestnut seller, a local, weighed out 80 grams for 100 rupees. He spoke of high cleaning costs and superior quality, but the numbers did not add up when other stalls nearby offered 100 grams for the same price.

I paused, and he quickly lowered his offer to avoid losing the sale. The price drop felt less like generosity and more like a hidden margin finally exposed.

Bargaining is part of Kashmiri culture, but it also signals how many vendors start with inflated rates and wait for resistance before revealing a fairer figure.