By Zubair Ahmad Lone
The winters of Kashmir have long been classified by snow. The arrival of snow followed a predictable timeline and impacted day-to-day activities, binding people to their roots. However, with snowfall now becoming increasingly unpredictable, Kashmiris are undergoing deep emotional and cultural changes. The decrease in snowfall is not just an environmental concern—it is changing how Kashmiris view their past, present, and future.
The Importance of Blizzard to the People of Kashmir
In earlier times, the first snowfall was a cause for celebration. For the older generations, snow was an integral part of life, intertwining with memories, traditions, and activities. Ghulam Mohammad, a retired teacher from Baramulla, says, “I remember winters when the valley was covered in a thick layer of snow.” For Ghulam, snow was more than just a weather phenomenon—it was deeply embedded in life and culture.
Snow also helped keep track of time. It marked the onset of winter, and life was structured around these seasonal rhythms. In Kashmir, snow evoked a sense of calmness—people spent more time indoors, sharing stories over warm Nun chai and dried fruits. It was a time to reflect, rest, and bond with one another.
A Changed Environment
Baramulla, otherwise known as the ‘Venice of the North,’ was once famous for consistent snow falls during winter. However, these days, snowfall in Kashmir is no longer a guarantee. Nowadays, it’s a guessing game for winters, as snow can arrive too early, too late, or not at all. The world as a whole has changed, and so has Kashmir due to the climate crisis, leaving the region with this unfortunate inconsistency in the weather.
For many older people, this adjustment is not easy. “Genuinely, it was snow that gave us a sense of comfort,” says Mohammad Afzal, a local history teacher. “It was there every year. Nowadays, it seems like time is running out, and we don’t really know what to look forward to.”
The Younger Generation: Creating Innovations
Younger Kashmiris have had to adapt to changed winters, as snow no longer seems to be guaranteed. Some of these young Kashmiri students are now trying to get accustomed to this new ‘normal.’ Faizan, a 23-year-old student, commented, “We don’t experience winter the same way our elders did, but winter for us is still special. It’s a time when we can get together and relax with our friends over hot drinks and cozy houses.”
Young Kashmiris have started carving out their own ways to celebrate winter in the absence of heavy snow. They are using these newfound customs to highlight their experiences while preserving the tales of previous generations. “I feel like it’s okay to alter the way winter is celebrated. That means we still have some of our grandparents’ memories alive, but we get to create our own too,” Faizan said.
Even with these adaptations in place, some people still feel a sense of loss. Younger individuals like Tanveer appreciate and respect the tales, even if they’re never able to live through them. There is a missing attachment to a world that seems to be slowly disappearing.
The loss of snow in Kashmir is much more than an environmental change; it reflects something of greater emotional magnitude. For hundreds of years, snow has served as the uniting factor of the community and as a marker of time. In its absence, many Kashmiris feel a quiet disconnection and sorrow.
As the winters in Kashmir change, so does the perception of time and identity for its inhabitants. The snow symbolizes the progression of time, but for the people of Kashmir, snow is now something incredibly unpredictable, raising the question of what it means to cherish the past.
Initially, this transformation may seem harsh, but in reality, it is not. Younger Kashmiris are learning how to engage with their land’s history and understand what it means to belong to Kashmir. This, in turn, fosters respect for the past as they build new ways for the future.
Kashmir may be confronting a future without the snow it once cherished, but its spirit remains resilient. The region’s cultural identity is adapting, finding new ways to thrive in a changing world while holding on to what truly matters—the strength, beauty, and resilience of its people. As time progresses, Kashmiris are rewriting the narrative of their land, ensuring that their connection to it remains as strong as ever.
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