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With Violence Down, Lifestyle of Kashmiris Changing

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Aug 2: As militant violence in the troubled Kashmir Valley is witnessing a downslide, the lifestyle of people is undergoing a sea-change. People nowadays want to spend their leisure time along the banks of the world famous Dal Lake or in the coffee shops on posh Maulana Azad Road in summer capital.

The shops and business establishments in the summer capital, which util last year used to close by 8pm in the summer months, remain open till 9.30 pm nowadays. Even passenger vehicles can be seen on roads in Srinagar until 9 pm. However, on a few routes in Srinagar, where the concentration of Indian security personnel is higher, passenger vehicles remain on the roads after 10pm.

In the evening, people can be seen purchasing goods from the shops and departmental stores in the city centre, which is the business hub of the Kashmir Valley. People can be seen enjoying ice-creams and soft drinks in ice-cream parlours too.

The youth of Srinagar, who until a few years back, would have made sure to reach their residences by 1800 hours, are nowadays more interested in spending their leisure time with their friends in coffee shops. There was only one coffee shop on the posh-Maulana Azad Road in Srinagar, but keeping in view the changing tastes of youth, another coffee shop opened in the same area.

Now both coffee shops are doing good business. Unmindful of the situation, youth in large numbers can be seen sipping coffee and enjoying gossip in these coffee cafes in the evening. "The situation has improved a lot and this encourages us to spend leisure time after working hours with our friends in the coffee cafe. After a hard day's work, the coffee and the gossip with friends makes me feel at ease" said a youth from the posh Peerbagh area.

The late-party trend is also beginning to take its roots in Kashmir society. Well-off families are throwing late night parties in the posh Poloview area restaurants. A manager of one of the hotels in the posh area said that his hotel has been witnessing daily parties of well-off families. "To celebrate any occasion they throw parties and invite their relatives and family friends. The partying goes on till 2200 to 2300 hours".

The thinking of common man too has undergone a change with people irrespective of age and sex throng the world famous Boulevard Road along the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar in the evening. The picturesque Dal in the evening lights presents a grandeur and adds to the curiosity of the people to see the Dal waters in the twilight again and again.

In the evening, traffic jams on the Boulevard road are a routine affair now. But despite these traffic jams, local people in hundreds visit the Boulevard road to see the Blue water of the famed Dal Lake twinkling in the twilight.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.