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I AM A KASHMIRI, born in the decade of terror and turmoil, raised in a time of fear and uncertainty. I have seen Kashmir bleed, cry and mourn. I have lived through the dark side of this paradise, where the strife appears starker against the immensely beautiful backdrop.

But time is a healer—eventually it changes, it becomes kinder.

Finally waqt, time, did change for Kashmir. Five years ago, a glimmer of hope appeared, replacing the despair that had gripped the region. For the first time in decades, Jammu and Kashmir began to emerge from conflict and uncertainty. I watched as life returned, and the region started to reclaim its once-celebrated peace.

In these past few years, Kashmir has blossomed in the vibrant colours of renewal. For the first time, I saw it embracing peace and progress. I see the Kashmir my father once spoke of—a place where he ran a thriving Sangam Photo Studio in Lal Chowk, in the heart of Srinagar, serving a steady flow of tour­ists and locals and creating albums filled with memories of this idyllic place. Those sepia-tinted photos reflected a sublime mood. The gentle landscape, the arresting beauty stirred something in me as a teenager, sparking my pas­sion for photography, and the need to document the region’s breathtaking valleys. With landscape photography, I didn’t need to make compromises, I didn’t have to worry about my pictures offending or intruding. All I had to be concerned about was the available light!

In my photographic journey I travel through the landscapes of Jammu and Kashmir. My photos capture the region’s breathtaking beauty and rich cultural heritage, they don’t just recycle the well-worn clichés about the region’s timeless beauty, its charm, the warmth and hospitality of its people—though every bit you’ve heard about it is true. My work is also about the region’s dynamic present and a future filled with hope. For too long, the narrative around Kashmir has been dominated by conflict. Through my photographs, I hope to shift that perspective.

As a photojournalist and a Kashmiri with deep ties to this land, I bring not only the lens of an observer but also the heart of a resident. My experiences, empathy and intimate knowledge of this place help me to cut through the myths and reveal the truth about Jammu and Kashmir and its people. I invite you to see the stories behind every image. Each photograph is a portrait of my land, its life, its art, its culture and its people—a land often misunderstood due to propaganda from vested interests that have thrived on a divided Jammu and Kashmir.

These photos chart a historic transi­tion. Jammu and Kashmir is embracing modernity while its timeless Kashmiriyat—a way of life—endures. Arts, crafts, textiles, literature and cuisine thrive alongside a flourishing future. These photos reflect the harmony between the ancient and the new, show­ing a land that remains a paradise, where tradition and progress blend seamlessly. n

(This is an edited excerpt from Ashish Sharma‘s Reimagining Jammu and Kashmir: A Pictorial Journey)

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