Kashmir at a Crossroads : Rebranding Paradise in the Shadow of the Pahalgam Incident – Challenges, Exploitation & the Fight for Economic Sovereignty
By: Javid Amin
Srinagar 04 May 2025: In 2025, Kashmir stands at a pivotal juncture. Once celebrated for its pristine beauty, rich culture, and spiritual heritage, the region now grapples with the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident—a tragic event that has unveiled deep-seated challenges related to over-tourism, cultural exploitation, and economic instability.
This comprehensive analysis delves into the multifaceted issues facing Kashmir post-Pahalgam, exploring the incident’s immediate impacts, the commercialization of Kashmir’s identity, the ensuing economic and social challenges, and the grassroots movements striving to reclaim and redefine the region’s narrative.
The Pahalgam Incident – A Catalyst for Crisis
1.1 What Happened in Pahalgam?
On November 12, 2024, Pahalgam, a serene town in Kashmir, was thrust into turmoil. A violent confrontation erupted at a luxury resort construction site, where locals protested against the overexploitation of natural resources and the marginalization of indigenous communities. The clash resulted in three fatalities and over fifty injuries, with images of burning hotels near the Lidder River rapidly circulating on social media.
1.2 Immediate Fallout
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Tourism Collapse: The incident led to an 80% cancellation of bookings overnight, severely impacting the region’s primary economic sector.
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Economic Loss: The Jammu & Kashmir Chamber of Commerce reported losses amounting to ₹1,200 crore within three months.
1.3 The Incident as a Global PR Crisis
The Pahalgam incident quickly escalated into an international public relations crisis:
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Media Narratives: Global media outlets portrayed Kashmir as unsafe, overshadowing the region’s resilience and the complexities of the situation.
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Social Media Backlash: Influencers promoting Kashmir faced backlash, with some losing significant follower counts. Hashtags like #BoycottKashmir trended, often manipulated to serve various political agendas.
The Anatomy of Exploitation – How Kashmir’s Brand Became a Tool
2.1 The “Kashmir Mint” – Commercialization Gone Rogue
Kashmir’s cultural symbols have been commodified, often without benefiting the local populace:
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Saffron Exploitation: Once producing 95% of India’s saffron, Kashmir’s output has plummeted due to climate change and mismanagement. Traders hoarded stocks post-Pahalgam, causing prices to crash by 60%.
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Pashmina Mislabeling: Luxury brands have marketed products as “Kashmiri Pashmina” despite sourcing from other regions, undermining authentic Kashmiri artisans.
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Digital Exploitation: Companies like Kashmirify have sold AI-generated virtual experiences, profiting from Kashmir’s image without involving local communities.
2.2 Campaign Kashmir: Weaponizing a Brand
Kashmir’s identity has been co-opted for various agendas:
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Positive Branding: Initiatives like the UN’s #KashmirCraftsRevival have invested in local artisans, aiming to preserve cultural heritage.
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Negative Exploitation: Militant groups have used Kashmir’s imagery in propaganda, while social media bots amplify divisive narratives, further complicating the region’s portrayal.
2A: Who Owns Kashmir? The Long Shadow of Stakeholders & the Weight of a Brand
2A.1 The Historical Stakeholders – Who Carries a Claim?
Kashmir has long been more than just a region—it’s been an emotional, religious, and political identity, claimed and co-opted by many:
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Kashmiris Themselves: From Sufi poets and shawl weavers to farmers and freedom thinkers, the people of the valley have carried Kashmir in their souls. But they’ve rarely had a say in how it’s packaged and sold.
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Neighbouring Powers: Pakistan and China, both directly or indirectly, have positioned themselves as stakeholders in the “Kashmir dispute,” not just diplomatically, but through proxy narratives. Pakistani dramas, for instance, often reference “Kashmir banega Pakistan,” politicizing the region’s pain for their own emotional currency.
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The Indian State: Since 1947, New Delhi has seen Kashmir as an “integral part,” yet development and democracy here have always come with strings, censorship, and military presence. The “crown of India” narrative sells Kashmir as a tourism brand while muffling local voices.
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The Diaspora: Displaced Kashmiri Pandits and exiled Kashmiri Muslims both carry wounds and stories, often used by political forces to validate one side while silencing the other. Their pain is real—but often manipulated.
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Corporate Stakeholders & Influencers: From Bollywood films to handloom e-commerce websites, corporations routinely capitalize on the word “Kashmir.” Rarely are profits redirected to the craftsmen or communities that built this cultural capital.
2A.2 Brand Kashmir: Revered in the Past, Exploited in the Present
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In the Past: The Symbol of Sophistication
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Mughal Emperors traveled here not to conquer, but to be humbled by its beauty.
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British Colonials came to escape the Indian heat and built summer villas in Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
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Global Diplomats referenced “Kashmiriyat” as an example of cultural harmony—Hindu, Muslim, Sikh living together.
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“Kashmiri” once stood for refinement. A Kashmiri shawl meant elegance in Paris. Kashmiri saffron added royalty to cuisine.
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Today: A Word that Sells Pain, Luxury, and Everything In-Between
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Luxury: Fancy restaurants list “Kashmiri Dum Aloo” with zero understanding of its cultural roots.
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Exile: Adding “Displaced Kashmiri” to your social media bio adds moral weight in debates—regardless of which side you support.
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Suffering: NGOs rake in international funds with photos of Kashmiri children, while those same children drop out of school due to mental health issues.
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Soft Power: Politicians wear Kashmiri pherans and speak of “peace,” all while reducing the people to voiceless poster children.
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2A.3 The Magic of the Word “Kashmiri” – A Blessing and a Curse
There’s a strange magic in adding the word Kashmiri to anything:
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An activist becomes globalized as soon as they say “Kashmiri Human Rights Advocate.”
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An author finds audience and sympathy faster if “Kashmiri” precedes their identity.
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Even corporate startups from outside the region perform better by branding themselves as “Kashmiri” storytelling ventures—even when the stories are not theirs to tell.
But this magic is not always benevolent.
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It erases complexity, turning lived experiences into hashtags.
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It markets trauma, commodifying both the violence and the resilience of a people.
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It sells authenticity, often without involving the actual custodians of that identity.
Post-Pahalgam Challenges – The Five-Front Battle
3.1 Economic Freefall
The tourism-dependent economy has suffered immensely:
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Business Closures: A significant number of houseboats on Dal Lake have been auctioned due to debt.
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Agricultural Impact: Apple exports have dropped by 70% owing to transportation blockades.
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Human Cost: The economic downturn has led to a 300% increase in suicides among shikara operators.
3.2 Identity Erosion
Kashmir’s cultural identity faces dilution:
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Cultural Appropriation: International entities have trademarked traditional Kashmiri products, erasing their origins.
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Language Decline: Only 12% of Kashmiri youth are fluent in Koshur, signaling a potential loss of linguistic heritage.
3.3 Geopolitical Tensions
The region remains a focal point of international disputes:
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Proxy Conflicts: Foreign NGOs and celebrities have engaged in Kashmir-related campaigns, often without representing local perspectives.
3.4 Environmental Degradation
Unregulated development has harmed Kashmir’s ecology:
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Resource Exploitation: Glacier water mining and artificial snow production have depleted natural resources.
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Pollution: Tourism has led to increased waste and water contamination, especially in areas like Sonamarg and Gulmarg. In 2024 alone, Dal Lake’s water quality index dropped below 40 for the first time, classifying it as “unfit for consumption and unsafe for recreational activities.”
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Forest Depletion: Large-scale infrastructure projects like tunnels and highways—especially the Z-Morh and Zojila tunnels—have led to deforestation without compensatory afforestation, threatening biodiversity hotspots.
The Awakening – Local Movements and Cultural Resistance
4.1 Reclaiming Narratives
In the wake of the Pahalgam incident, many Kashmiris have begun reclaiming their stories and spaces from exploitative forces:
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The “Haq-e-Kashmir” Movement: A people-led coalition of artisans, students, and local business owners demanding ethical branding and revenue-sharing for cultural exports. They’ve launched a digital registry to authenticate Pashmina, saffron, and walnut wood products made in Kashmir.
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Grassroots Media: Independent outlets like WatanZameen and Koshur Chronicles have emerged to challenge mainstream portrayals of the Valley, offering local voices and fact-checked counter-narratives.
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Women in Revival: A sharp rise in women-led co-operatives—like Sonzal Threads and Nisa Handlooms—has not only empowered local women but ensured that cultural production and financial benefits stay within the Valley.
4.2 The Return to Roots
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Cultural Festivals: Events like the Kashmir Harmony Festival in Kupwara and Gurez Folklore Week are focused on reviving traditional music, dance, and storytelling—eschewing celebrity culture and Instagram aesthetics for authenticity.
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Koshur Language Revival: NGOs like Zaaban-e-Wattan have launched mobile apps and workshops teaching the Kashmiri language to the younger generation, reversing a dangerous linguistic decline.
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Tourism Redesign: Initiatives like Stay Local Kashmir offer travelers ethical, immersive experiences—homestays, guided hikes with local naturalists, and cooking classes with wazwan chefs—ensuring tourism doesn’t override culture but reinforces it.
Policy, Power, and Possibilities
5.1 Governance: Between Apathy and Aspiration
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Tourism Overhaul Needed: The Tourism Ministry’s current policies favor volume over value. What Kashmir needs is a carrying capacity model—not mass tourism, but meaningful tourism.
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Legislative Protection of Cultural IP: There are no strong legal protections against mislabeling or exploitation of Kashmir’s heritage in e-commerce and international markets. A proposed Kashmir Cultural Identity Bill—currently in draft in the J&K Assembly—aims to correct that.
5.2 Climate Action Must Be Local
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Eco-zoning: Introducing fragile zone markers in regions like Dachigam, Aru, and Lolab to prevent infrastructure development near ecological hotspots.
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Waste Management Reforms: Plans for decentralized waste processing and plastic bans in eco-sensitive tourist zones are in discussion, but implementation lags.
5.3 Digital Kashmir – Empowerment or Exploitation?
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The Good: Digital marketplaces are helping young entrepreneurs sell handmade crafts directly to international buyers—skipping exploitative middlemen.
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The Bad: Major online retailers use Kashmir-themed aesthetics and keywords without contributing a single rupee to the Valley. “Kashmir-themed candle sets,” “Pashmina-style shawls,” and “Snow in Srinagar” VR tourism packages profit big while locals remain locked out of digital revenues.
A People’s Vision for the Future
6.1 Redefining Tourism: Quality Over Quantity
Imagine a Kashmir with…
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Tourist limits based on environmental capacity
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Compulsory eco-certification for hotels and shikara owners
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Tourist taxes invested back into community education and conservation
This is not just idealism—it’s the model already used in Bhutan and parts of Switzerland. Kashmir can adapt it too.
6.2 Economic Sovereignty
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Artisan Cooperatives: Direct-to-market platforms funded by micro-loans and government subsidies
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Local Branding Laws: Only products made in Kashmir by Kashmiris can use the Kashmiri label
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Cottage Industry Zones: With free training, tax exemptions, and global marketing support
6.3 Cultural Ownership
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Archive the Past: Digitize oral histories, folklore, and endangered manuscripts
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Control the Present: Ensure Kashmiri consultants are included in all tourism campaigns and documentaries
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Guard the Future: Introduce curriculum reforms to teach Kashmir’s complex, pluralist history in schools across India
Bottom-Line: Kashmir Is Not Just a Place. It’s a People.
Kashmir is more than its mountains, more than its lakes, more than saffron fields or the sight of Chinars in autumn. It is a people—a resilient, artistic, peace-seeking people who have suffered not only under the shadow of conflict, but under the weight of romanticization and exploitation.
The Pahalgam incident was not just a riot. It was a reckoning. A mirror held up to the soul of this paradise.
It is now up to policymakers, citizens, and the global community to ask:
🌀 Do we want a Kashmir that dazzles tourists but displaces its people? 🌱 Or do we want a Kashmir where culture and community thrive in harmony with nature and tradition?
The choice is ours. And the time is now.