Exploring the Culture of Kashmir: From Kangri Warmth to Wazwan Feasts
By: Javid Amin | October 2025
Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, the Kashmir Valley holds a cultural tapestry as rich and layered as its landscapes. Beyond the snow-capped peaks and shimmering lakes lies a living heritage of clothing, cuisine, festivals, crafts and a way of life that has evolved through centuries of interaction, faith and nature. In this article we explore the culture of Kashmir from multiple dimensions: the traditional clothing that keeps its people warm and proud, the local cuisine that tells stories of trade and tradition, the festivals in Kashmir that light up the valley through seasons, folk arts that preserve identity, and the everyday customs that shape daily life. We link this to our wider History & Culture pillar, and also to the Arts & Crafts and Music clusters, because the culture of Kashmir is deeply interwoven with its craft, sound and rhythm.
Traditional Clothing
The Pheran: Kashmir’s Signature Garment
One cannot speak of Kashmiri attire without highlighting the iconic garment known as the Pheran (also spelled phiran). This long, loose-gown-style coat—traditionally made of wool in winter and cotton in summer—has been worn by both men and women in the valley for generations.
In its classic form, the pheran reached down to the ankles; later versions are knee-length and paired with a loose “suthan” (trouser). The ample cut and layering helped Kashmiris combat the biting cold, especially during the long winter months.
The garment’s importance goes beyond mere utility—it is a symbol of local identity, comfort and continuity.
Shawls, Woollens and Textile Craft
Kashmir is world-famous for its shawls—most notably pashmina shawls. These fine woollen wraps, often exquisitely embroidered, became globally coveted. The traditional attire thus becomes a fusion of style, craftsmanship and climate adaptation.
In winter, it was common for Kashmiris to carry a “kangri” (an earthen pot with glowing embers, kept beneath the pheran) to keep warm—a practice that speaks to adaptation and culture.
Clothing as Culture
Clothing in Kashmir does more than cover—it communicates. The fabric, the weaving style, the embroidery all reflect regional identity, centuries-old crafts, and inter-community exchanges (Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist). For example, the embroidery on women’s pherans, the choice of colours, or the weave of a shawl may show local preferences, trade influences and artisan pride.
Modern pressures—mass production, fashion trends, cultural appropriation—pose challenges to the authenticity of these garments. Critics have pointed out that while the pheran is widely copied, the value and meaning may be diluted.
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Local Cuisine
The Feast Called Wazwan
At the heart of Kashmiri cuisine is the celebrated multi-course banquet called Wazwan. Derived from the Kashmiri words waz (cook) and wan (shop/place), it denotes both the feast and the culinary craft behind it.
This is not an everyday meal—it is reserved for weddings, large gatherings and festivals. A full-fledged wazwan can include up to 30-36 dishes, most of them meat-based. The serving style is ritualised: the guests sit around a white cloth (dastarkhwan) and share a large copper platter (traem) meant for four persons.
Signature dishes of the wazwan include:
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Rogan Josh: Aromatic lamb curry coloured by Kashmiri red chillies.
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Gushtaba: A smooth meatball in yogurt gravy, often the finale of a wazwan.
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Aab Gosh: Lamb cooked in milk-based sauce, delicate and distinct.
Beyond meats, vegetarian dishes like haakh (greens), dum aloo (potatoes), and nadru yakhn (lotus stem in yogurt sauce) honour the valley’s produce and craft.
Cuisine as Cultural Narrative
Food in Kashmir tells stories of trade (Central Asia, Persia), of empire (Mughal influence), of terrain (cold winters, local produce), and of communal identity (shared meals across faiths). Some food scholars trace the wazwan’s evolution to cooks brought from Samarkand in the 14th century, blending Persian, Afghan and local techniques.
The art of preparation, the communal sharing, and the ritual around the meal underscore social values: hospitality, celebration, respect for craft.
Everyday Cuisine & Customs
In daily life, you’ll find simpler fare: noon chai (pink salted tea), kahwa (green tea with cardamom and saffron), fresh trout or fish in lake regions, seasonal vegetables like haakh, walnuts, apples, cherries, and saffron-tinged rice. The climate and geography determine not just what is eaten, but how.
Thus, Kashmiri cuisine is both celebration and survival: warm meals in cold winters, rich flavours in a rugged environment, traditions preserved through generations.
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Festivals Celebrated
Spring & Nature-Based Festivals
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Tulip Festival – Held in April in the famed Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, this festival features over a million tulips of dozens of varieties, cultural programmes and handicraft stalls.
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Shikara Festival – Celebrated on the waters of Dal Lake, with shikara boat races, folk music and local cuisine. Typical of how nature and culture merge in Kashmir.
Religious & Heritage Festivals
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Kheer Bhawani Mela – A major pilgrimage festival for the Kashmiri Pandit community at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla, where offerings of rice pudding (“kheer”) are made to the goddess Ragnya Devi.
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Eid, Navreh (Kashmiri New Year), Lohri, Baisakhi – These festivals reflect the social and religious diversity of Kashmir: Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist communities each mark their special occasions, and increasingly people of different faiths partake together, embodying the spirit of local togetherness.
Festivals of Community & Identity
What makes many festivals in Kashmir special is the communal participation. The concept of Kashmiriyat—the shared regional identity transcending religious lines—is still alive in many festival celebrations, where music, food, crafts and story-telling bring together communities.
Timing & Significance
Each festival aligns with season, harvest, religious calendar or historic memory. For example, the Tulip Festival celebrates spring’s arrival; harvest festivals like Lohri mark agrarian rhythms; religious festivals anchor faith and continuity; pilgrimage festivals reaffirm cultural roots.
Attending one or more of these festivals gives a visitor a window into Kashmir’s soul: its colours, smells, sounds and rhythms.
Also Read | Kashmiri Handicrafts & Heritage Shopping Guide | Pashmina, Walnut Wood, Paper Mache & More
Folk Arts
Crafts & Material Culture
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The craft of the Wagoo weaving—mats made from Typha grass in the valley—is one example of how local materials and traditional need meet art.
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Papier-mâché boxes, walnut-wood carving, crewel embroidery on shawls, chain-stitch rugs (namdahs) are all part of Kashmir’s rich craft traditions. As one crafts-scholar noted: “these have not only provided livelihoods, but become an integral part of Kashmir’s cultural identity.”
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Musical forms: The valley’s folk music includes instruments like the rabab, santoor, and drums; dance forms like rouf (a female circle dance) and hafiza are community expressions of festival and everyday life.
Art and Identity
These arts carry more than aesthetic value—they carry heritage. They reflect centuries of trade (for example Persian influence via artisans brought during Mughal era), adaptation to environment (wool weaving, wood carving), and identity (crafts often bear signatures of regional motifs).
However, these arts face pressures: mass production, loss of artisan status, and diminishing local markets. Preserving them is part of preserving cultural memory.
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Daily Life in Kashmir
Home, Family & Hospitality
Hospitality is deeply rooted in Kashmiri society. Sharing food (such as the wazwan), welcoming guests, drinking kahwa together are everyday gestures of warmth.
Homes often reflect local climate: heavy woollens in winter, often featuring the kangri, double-gowns, carpeted floors, copper utensils—even house-boats on Dal Lake are homes adapted to aquatic lifestyle.
In the markets of Srinagar, Anantnag or Baramulla, you’ll see the day-to-day hustle: shawl sellers, dry fruit merchants, carpet-hankers, house-boat owners, shikara boatmen. These economic threads interweave with culture: the craft you buy was made by someone whose family has for decades passed down the skills.
Food & Festivity in Daily Mode
While big feasts are one dimension, everyday meals are simpler but no less cultural: a bowl of haakh and rice, a cup of noon chai, or seasonal fruits like apples and cherries. The seasons matter: fresh trout in spring, saffron harvest in autumn, carpets being washed by rivers in summer.
Work and rhythm: Saffron fields around Pampore, walnut orchards, saffron crocus harvesting, shikara boat rides linking to tourism… each one a way of life rooted in place and tradition.
Language & Social Fabric
Kashmiri (Koshur) language, Urdu, Persian loan-words, local dialects—they all carry communal memory. The concept of Kashmiriyat emphasizes belonging and shared heritage beyond religion.
Daily prayer, pilgrimage, craft making, seasonal work—these keep the social fabric alive.
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FAQ’s
Q1. What are some typical pieces of traditional Kashmiri clothing?
A: The pheran is the most iconic piece—a long wool or cotton gown worn over loose trousers. Alongside it, shawls (especially pashmina), woollen caps, and in winter the kangri are part of the ensemble.
Q2. Why is the Wazwan feast so central in Kashmiri culture?
A: Because it is more than food—it is ceremony. It reflects craft (the waz or master chef), community (sharing the meal), heritage (multi-course, meat-based, copper utensils) and identity. The ritualistic seating and sharing underscore hospitality and tradition.
Q3. Which festivals are must-see if one wants to experience Kashmiri culture?
A: The Tulip Festival in spring offers natural beauty plus cultural programmes. The Shikara Festival on Dal Lake connects with local life. Pilgrimage festivals like Kheer Bhawani Mela connect with Hindu heritage. Additionally, harvest and seasonal festivals such as Lohri, Baisakhi mark agrarian rhythms.
Q4. How do folk arts link to daily life in Kashmir?
A: Artisans create items that are used in everyday homes—shawls, mats, carpets, utensils. These crafts sustain livelihoods and keep cultural identity alive. The materials often come from local environment (grass, wool, wood). For example, wagoo mats are made from reeds around lakes.
Q5. How has modern life affected Kashmiri traditions?
A: Modernity brings change—mass-produced clothing, tourism pressures, migration, changing markets for crafts, shifting lifestyles. Some traditions remain resilient (like Wazwan, craft persons), while others face erosion or transformation (e.g., younger generations may not wear traditional pherans daily). Preserving the culture calls for conscious effort.
Also Read | History of Kashmir Valley: From Ancient to Modern Times
Bottom-Line
The culture of Kashmir is a living, breathing mosaic. Its traditional clothing reflects both the climate and the crafts of the land; its cuisine tells of hospitality, heritage and adaptability; its festivals bring together nature, faith and people; its folk arts stand as testimony to artistic continuity; and its daily life reflects a rhythm of seasons, community and place.
In a world of change, the Kashmir Valley’s traditions remind us of continuity, identity and beauty.