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Mohammad Asif

@asif_shangloo

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Certainty(al-yaqin) does not derive from the evidences of the mind but pours out from the depths of the heart.

POSTS STORIES REELS

Long before paved roads reached into the higher slopes, mountain trails like these were the primary lifelines connecting valley settlements to the upper Himalayas.

Equipped with pack saddles, surefooted Himalayan ponies navigate steep boulder-strewn paths, carrying timber, provisions, and seasonal supplies. Handled by mountain guides who read the terrain by instinct, these pack trains keep a centuries-old pastoral rhythm alive against the quiet ridgelines of the Zabarwan range.

Have you ever walked alongside a Himalayan pack train?

Captured by: @asif_shangloo
Pillar: Heritage & History

#OriginsOfKashmir #Zabarwan #HimalayanTrails #MountainLife #KashmirValley by @asif_shangloo

Most people think this is a Mughal garden. It actually predates them by 1,500 years... 🍂💧

Beneath Mount Mahadev, these stone-lined canals were engineered in the 1st century AD to supply the ancient 4th Buddhist Council settlement at Harwan with pure glacial runoff from Dachigam.

While the surrounding valley changed rulers, faiths, and architecture over two millennia, this hydraulic system never stopped flowing. Even today, late autumn (Harud) leaves pass through the exact same stone masonry laid down 2,000 years ago.

Is pre-Mughal hydraulic engineering the most overlooked part of Kashmir’s history?
Tell us below.

Captured by @asif_shangloo

Pillar: Nature & Wilderness

#OriginsOfKashmir #Harwan #AncientKashmir #KashmirHeritage #autumnkashmir🍁 by @asif_shangloo

The gates were locked, the site closed for conservation, and the guards turned us away—though we're hoping to gain access inside soon to document what lies beyond the fence.

Just past this perimeter sits Harwan, one of the oldest and most consequential archaeological sites in South Asia.

Dating back to the 1st–4th century CE under the Kushan Empire, this hillside once held a monumental stupa complex and ancient diaper-pebble courtyards. It was renowned for its stamped terracotta tiles displaying a rare fusion of Central Asian, Greek, and Indic motifs, and is closely tied to the 4th Buddhist Council convened under Emperor Kanishka.

For now, the sanctuary remains protected behind wire while daily pastoral life continues along its edge. We hope to bring you an inside look into the ancient ruins as soon as permissions allow.

Have you heard of Harwan before? 🏔️🏛️

Captured by: @asif_shangloo

Pillar: Heritage & History

#OriginsOfKashmir #Harwan #AncientKashmir #KushanEmpire #BuddhistHeritage by @asif_shangloo

Following up on our last Burzahom reel — there was so much curiosity and so many questions in the comments about the site, so here is the complete archival breakdown.

Swipe through the visual excavation records:

Slide 1 & 2: Burzahama Karewa & Location (~3000 BCE)

Slide 2 pinpoints the exact site northeast of Shalimar and Dal Lake, set on an ancient lake-bed terrace above Srinagar.

Slide 3: Subterranean Shelter

Period I settlers dug dwelling pits up to 4m into the clay with timber posts and birch-bark (Burza) thatch to survive freezing winters.

Slide 4: Traces of Fire

Inside: plastered floors, stone hearths, and ash deposits showing sustained life underground.

Slide 5: Bone Craft Masters

South Asia’s richest Neolithic bone tool assemblage: needles, awls, and barbed harpoons used for tailoring and fishing Dal Lake.

Slide 6: The Central Asian Link

Rectangular double-perforated stone harvesters tied to the palm to cut crops — a tool unique to Kashmir and prehistoric Central Asia/China.

Slide 7: The Supernova Petroglyph

A stone carving showing a hunt beneath two distinct suns — theorized by astrophysicists as South Asia’s oldest record of a supernova.

Slide 8: Pottery & Trade

Burnished wheel-turned pots and agate/carnelian beads from Period II reveal early trade with the Indus Valley.

Slide 9: Megaliths (~1500 BCE)

As the climate softened, settlers built above ground and raised massive standing stones (menhirs) that still pierce the terrace skyline.

Slide 10: 5,000 Years of Memory

A timeless prehistoric record in the heart of Kashmir.

ARCHIVAL SOURCES

ASI Excavations directed by T.N. Khazanchi (1960–1971).

Excavations at Burzahom, ASI Memoir Series.

Supernova Analysis: H. Joglekar, M.N. Vahia, & A. Sule (TIFR).

Tool Typology: B.M. Pande, The Neolithic of Kashmir.

Have you visited Burzahom, or is it on your list for your next trip to Kashmir?

Save this reference guide for your next visit, and share it with anyone fascinated by Kashmir’s deepest roots.

Pillar: Heritage & History

Photos capture by @asif_shangloo

#Burzahom #Kashmir #OriginsOfKashmir #KashmirHistory #Archaeology by @asif_shangloo

Layered with waste paper, mashed into pulp, and brought to life under the fine stroke of a cat-hair brush.

Introduced to Kashmir in the 14th century by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, the craft of Papier-mâché is a masterclass in patience.

It begins with Sakhtsazi—the painstaking process of molding, drying, and burnishing recycled paper into form—before the Naqqash takes over, painting intricate floral hazara, almond motifs, and royal court scenes with mineral pigments and real liquid gold.

In a world driven by mass production, every brushstroke here remains a quiet act of preservation—transforming raw pulp into centuries of living art.

Pillar: Culture & Spirituality

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #KashmirHeritage #LivingHistory #PapierMache #KashmiriArt by @asif_shangloo

Over five thousand years ago, long before the gardens and royal shrines, life in Kashmir took shelter underground.

Perched on an ancient karewa plateau overlooking the Srinagar basin lies Burzahom—one of the subcontinent’s most significant Neolithic settlements.

Here, dating back to nearly 3000 BCE, our ancestors carved deep subterranean pit-dwellings into the clay hills to survive harsh Himalayan winters, shaped tools from bone and stone, and stood massive megaliths that still face the open sky.

Burzahom reminds us that the story of this land isn’t measured only in centuries, but in millennia etched into the very soil beneath our feet.

Pillar: Heritage & History

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #KashmirHeritage #LivingHistory #Burzahom #AncientKashmir HimalayanHistory by @asif_shangloo

More than a banquet—a sacred ritual of kinship and living Kashmiri heritage.

While a traditional royal Wazwan features 36 elaborate courses, here is the journey of 4 iconic dishes captured in this video:

1. Gushtaba – Fresh lamb hand-pounded for hours on stone with a wooden mallet into an ultra-silken paste, later poached in fragrant cardamom-yogurt gravy.

2. Rista – Hand-beaten meatballs gently simmered in a vibrant, fiery saffron and Kashmiri red chili broth.

3. Tabak Maaz – Tender lamb ribs braised in spiced milk, then slow-crisped in pure bubbling ghee over open fire.

4. Kababs – Spiced minced lamb shaped onto long iron skewers, roasted over glowing embers to anchor the Trami.

Four people. One Trami. A culinary rhythm perfected across centuries and unbroken by time.

Pillar: Culture & Spirituality

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #Wazwan #KashmiriCuisine #LivingTraditions #HimalayanHeritage CulinaryCraft by @asif_shangloo

Floating sanctuaries of carved cedar & walnut wood, cradled by generations of our family’s life on the lake.

From the quiet reflections gliding across Nigeen to the handcrafted walnut timber interiors, our lineage here runs deep. For generations, my father and relatives have built, owned, and cared for houseboats along these waterways—living alongside the lake’s patient rhythm.

History here isn’t preserved in glass cases—it breathes through the hand-carved woodwork our elders passed down to us.

Pillar: Heritage & History

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #KashmirHeritage #LivingHistory #NigeenLake #HouseboatsOfKashmir by @asif_shangloo

Carved limestone arches, silent vaults, and four centuries of Mughal memory. Some structures speak through their quiet endurance.

Standing on the opposite bank of the Jhelum across from Khanqah-e-Moula, Pathar Masjid (Naev Masheed) was commissioned in the 1620s by Mughal Empress Noor Jahan. Built entirely of local grey limestone rather than the traditional timber of the valley, its grand arches and cloistered bays reflect a rare, enduring stone presence in the heart of Old Srinagar.

A solemn testament to architectural craft and Kashmir’s layered history.

Origins of Kashmir
Pillar: Culture & Spirituality

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #Heritage #PatharMasjid #ShehrEKhaas #OldSrinagar by @asif_shangloo

The steady pull of a wooden paddle cutting through green backwaters. Some pathways carry entire livelihoods rather than just travelers.

Gliding through Srinagar’s interior channels, these water alleys form the vital arteries of community life.

Long before roads connected the valley, Kashmiri families depended on these routes to transport freshly harvested vegetables, gather lake weeds, and bring daily provisions between homesteads.

A timeless lifeline carved through the heart of Srinagar.

Origins of Kashmir
Pillar: Heritage & History

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #Culture #DalLake #Srinagar #Shikara by @asif_shangloo

The gentle pull of heart-shaped oars cutting through glassy water. Some silences carry a depth found nowhere else.

Gliding across Dal Lake at dawn, the rhythm of the wooden hull meeting still waters is an experience passed down through generations. Away from the noise, the lake reveals its quiet soul.

A timeless pause in the heart of Srinagar.

Origins of Kashmir
Pillar: Heritage & History

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #Nature #DalLake #Srinagar #Shikara by @asif_shangloo

The sudden flutter of wings against six centuries of carved cedar. Some sounds belong entirely to the courtyards of the Old City.

In the historic courtyard of Khanqah-e-Moula, pigeons have nested along the eaves and tiered balconies for generations. As they take flight together across the stone paving, the rush of wings blends with the quiet hum of prayer and life along the Jhelum.

A timeless rhythm of Srinagar that carries on untouched by the passage of time.

Origins of Kashmir
Pillar: Culture & Spirituality

Captured by @asif_shangloo

#OriginsOfKashmir #CultureAndSpirituality #KhanqaheMoula #ShaheHamdan #OldSrinagar by @asif_shangloo