Kashmiri memories

In the mid-80s,  my parents, my brother and I visited Srinagar in Kashmir, India. We stayed in a bed-and-breakfast houseboat on the Dal Lake.  I remember beauty, meeting merchants who sold saffron and wild honey.  The other remarkable thing is that the local police had beards, which were not seen in the rest of India.  I also saw locals carry their Kangers.  Kangers are woven baskets that have hot embers that are carried by folks under a Kashmiri robe called a Pheran. My trip to Kashmir was a unique experience because it was my first trip to a Muslim-dominant India where the customs were different from the majority of secure India.  It reminded me of Old Delhi, which is predominantly of Muslim Indians.

While I was in Srinagar, there was a sense of uneasiness due to the political turmoil.  I am not sure if my family and I had a bias that Kashmir is trouble and we need to be extra cautious.  The local Kashmiri folks were great.  As a cricket fan, I was surprised to see a lot of cricket bats lined up outside of several houses.  It appeared Kashimiris created Kashmir willow wood cricket bats.  

The other highlight is that we went to a couple of Kashmiri carpet sellers.  I remember seeing the unique Islamic carpets, including silk carpets.  The silk carpets were beautiful and expensive.  We didn't buy any because of its price and the logistical headaches of bringing it back home to New Delhi.  

That being said,  I think these silk carpets are beautiful and expensive.  I found some of them on Amazon.com.  Here are a few of the links:

• Yilong 9'x12' Handmade Wool Silk Rug Floral Kashmir Hand Knotted Oriental Carpet Home Decor (9-Feet-by-12-Feet, Red) WS1375 
• Black Kashmiri Carpet with with Knotted Piasleys All-Over - Pure Silk on Cotton
• Yilong Carpet 3x5ft Silk Oriental Rug Small Handwoven Kashmiri Area Rugs for Living Room Bedroom Entryway Rugs (Multicolor)

I am not sure when I will go to Kashmir again, but I want to travel through central Asia due to the distinct Islamic culture blended with Russian and Chinese cultures.

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