Kashmiri hospitality 💕
Hospitality in Kashmir is quite different from other states of India, mainly in the style guests are seated and welcomed. It's so full of warmth and respect, not that the other states fall behind!
Furniture is lacking from the drawing room of all Kashmiri houses I visited and they all had a common way of hosting guests. After a round of long and warm hugs and kisses, the guests are seated on the lush carpets with cushions and are served with Kashmiri tea laid on a decorated cloth in front of the guests☕. The tea is accompanied by a variety of snacks, most prominently Kashmiri bread (tsut) of various kinds🍪. It is very typical of the hosts and guests to engage in a convincing and refusing conversation of being served lunch/dinner/snacks! The host usually wins, and the guests are seved with food right in traditional copper (traem) utensils where they sit🍜. The hosts even wash the guest's hands on the spot with a "tash-naer" (fourth picture). The host sit across diligently and do not eat themselves but make sure the guests eat every dish, which is mostly non-vegetarian, with ocassional paneer (indian cheese). Rista and gushtaaba (both meat ball dishes very differently prepared) are very typical and traditional Kashmiri dishes served.
The hospitality ends with the host insisting that the guests stay back for the night, which we have been able to resist so far!
Being married to a Kashmiri, I feel happy that I get to live a few days in such a traditionally conserved state. Traditions that are warm but not regressive.
What is your favourite tradition of a place?
I will post more about the traditional cutlery, the Kashmiri breads and more Kashmiri traditions soon. So follow me
@with.me.nazia
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