Rituals Beyond the Valley

At a colleague’s wedding in Nagrota, I witnessed how culture and memory live on, even far from the valley we call home.

- Syed Majid Gilani

January 2024 arrived with its usual winter chill, but in my inbox, a wedding invitation glowed with colour.

It came from Ravi, my young colleague, along with a call. His voice was warm, insisting that Mushtaq Ahmed and | attend. Neither of us had ever witnessed a Kashmiri Pandit wedding.

The invitation was an entry into a living tradition, one that had survived decades of absence.

We left Srinagar before sunrise, boarding the train that ran only as far as Banihal. Outside, the valley stretched in serenity. Apple orchards, paddy fields, and the slow curves of rivers painted the landscape.

In Banihal, we stepped down among other passengers and crossed to the bus stand. The place hummed with the rhythm of travel. Buses honked, vendors called, and people steered suitcases and parcels.

We found a cab, a Tavera, and began the highway stretch to Jammu.