The Lost Art of Handwriting

In a place where stories once passed from one generation to the next through pen and paper, the silent death of handwriting should make us pause.

- Ilyas Jeelani

When was the last time you picked up a pen to write something by hand? Not your signature on a bank slip or a note in your child's school diary, but a real piece of writing.

In Kashmir, this question cuts deeper than it seems. Writing by hand was once part of everyday life here. It wasn’t just about school-work or office files. It was how we passed stories, prayers, recipes, and family histories from one generation to the next.

Now, in a valley where digital screens glow in almost every home, handwriting is silently slipping away.

Technology has taken over our classrooms and workplaces. From the youngest child to the eldest grandparent, we are all hooked to phones, tablets, and laptops. The art of writing by hand feels old-fashioned now, something left behind in the rush to tap and scroll.