Hoon Bhe Aur Nahi Bhe

Belonging to Kashmir while also having sparsely experienced the place, I have always remained interested and curious in learning more about it. I have tried to immerse myself into the experiential aspect of it through stories about objects, traditions and cultures of Kashmir. These narratives are what have helped me in developing my particular connection with my roots and I have always wished to explore it further.

For my thesis, I have built upon my connection to Kashmir by trying communicate how the area is perceived subjectively by other Kashmiri individuals through the narratives they tell associated with the area. These stories are focused around material objects from Kashmir and how each object can carry its own significant understanding of the area that also relates personally to the narrator. These stories originate from the circle of my family and relatives who all have varying perspectives and experiences related to ‘being Kashmiri’. While narrating these experiences, I also start to shed light on how cultural artefacts can be more than display items and have the ability to carry deeper meanings related to their physicality. I want the people to become the other narrative of Kashmir, where they tell the human stories of the Valley themselves.