Srinagar’s traditional Wazwaan hub faces generational shift
Srinagar, Jan 18: Amid hustle and bustle at Wazpora, the hub of traditional Kashmiri chefs, in Downtown, the younger generation is pursuing the centuries-old art is modern form.
The veteran chefs are worried that their art of cooking will end with them, as their kin are not ready to carry on the trade in its original form, but only sell the wazwaan in restaurants and online platforms.
Ghulam Nabi Baba, head of the Waza community at Wazpora, expressed concern over the future of Wazwan, citing a sharp decline in the number of people entering the profession. He said many view the work as physically demanding and time-consuming.
“It is a concern that if our younger generation remains reluctant to become wazas, then who will prepare wazwan in future.
Youngsters who belong to waza families should preserve this culinary art while also pursuing education,” Baba emphasises.
For some, however, staying in the profession has meant adapting to changing economic realities. Umar Qadir, 40, co-owner of JJ Foods, said the restaurant was started during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were left without jobs or a source of income.
A software engineering graduate, Qadir decided to continue his family’s occupation of making wazwan. He gave the craft a new direction by opening a restaurant where customers can both dine in and place orders. His journey reflects how younger practitioners are attempting to build careers without leaving their ancestral profession.
However, practitioners say the younger generation is gradually moving away from traditional occupations. Many youngsters, they say, hold stereotypes about the waza profession. Some do not consider it respectable, while others view it as physically demanding and exhausting. They fail to recognise that it can be a reliable source of income, particularly at a time of high unemployment.
“Unfortunately, many youth prefer staying unemployed rather than becoming a waza. I have seen people who would rather work in a shop for a salary of Rs 10,000 than return to their roots. They don’t realise how much money they can earn in this profession,” said Qadir.
Salim Zahoor, 25, owner of Lazeez Wazwan, is among the few young people who have chosen to continue the family legacy. “My father and grandfather have been skilled and experienced in making wazwan for generations,” he said. “After completing my graduation, I didn’t look for other jobs. I decided to carry forward the family work in my own way by opening a restaurant.”
Earlier, Zahoor said, wazwan was not easily available outside major occasions, as families had to bring wazas into their homes for cooking, a process that was often time-consuming. “Now people can easily place orders and get wazwan,” he said.
Zahoor urged young people not to be influenced by social perceptions. “No work is small or big. Youngsters should prioritise their livelihood instead of worrying about what others say about their profession,” he said.
Irshad Aziz, owner of Wazwan Hut, cautioned that the craft could fade if younger generations do not step in. “If the new generation does not take up this work, the legacy will end, and there will be no one left to make wazwan,” he said. “If those who come from waza families do not use the inherited skills, the loss will not only be personal but also societal.”
Aziz said that while children in his family are pursuing education, he ensures they do not look down upon the profession. “They are getting educated, but I make sure they respect this work and remain connected to it,” he added.
The future of wazwan in Kashmir now rests with a generation that may no longer see tradition as a choice. Skills passed down for centuries risk fading unless young people embrace them—not just as work, but as a legacy. In Wazpora, the question remains: who will keep the flame alive?.
By: Faria Bhat
