The Golden Season

This wonderful season in many languages including in Greek and of course English is synonymous with the harvest season. Later as populations started moving to towns and away from the fields it became known as a season between summer and winter, a period associated with falling of the leaves and the season thus became known as the “Fall”, which predates the gloomy and cold winter months.

Autumn in Kashmiri is called Harud and Khizan in pure Urdu. It is the period between end of September to mid-November. This year it seems to have been delayed a bit because of a prolonged and unusually hot summer. The season has its charm of changing colours of leaves on trees. When green turns to golden and then reddish-orange before turning brown and finally falling on the ground. In the parks, gardens and the countryside Chinar trees, known as “buen” in Kashmiri, can be seen shedding its leaves.

It gives a magical golden aura. Walking down the lawns and even streets lined by majestic Chinar trees, gives the sound of rustling from the fallen dry colourful leaves. It produces a magical aura that lasts in the mind for very long. The weather is fabulous with misty mornings and evenings having a cool nip reminding of the coming winter but days are sunny and warm. This is an incredibly great combination. Going to the country side one can see paddy being cut with sickles and then stacked in huge piles to dry. This stacked paddy is then thrashed for segregating the grain. It is the best season to be outdoors and enjoy the fragrance in the air with very comfortable temperatures.

If you move out of Srinagar and go towards South Kashmir during this period and reach Pampore a part of Pulwama district, an amazing purple-colour over large areas will greet you. These are the saffron fields in full bloom with flowers. Similar fields can be seen in districts of Badgam and Kishtwar. The best variety, however, is in Pampore; this one can find on both sides of the national highway and the roads and by lanes going towards Lethapora on way to Pulwama and Shopian.  The soil and the climate are ideally suited for its cultivation. The saffron from Kashmir is far superior than the Iranian variety which has much lower colouring material called crocin. The red saffron threads of this flower are carefully handpicked by harvesters, to be sold in the market after picking the saffron threads from the flowers by the delicate fingers of women and girls. They separate the delicate saffron threads from the flowers. These threads are then dried in sunlight after spreading evenly at a certain thickness on white sheets. These are then preserved in a cotton cloth so that air can continuously pass through to avoid its decomposition. It is a source of livelihood for more than 30,000 families in that area. It is unfortunate that the cultivating areas are gradually shrinking with buildings and markets replacing them.

Going towards the hilly areas one can see the maize and walnut trees with their fruits getting ready to be harvested. It is also a time when after a day’s satisfactory harvesting, the inhabitants sit together and sip a cup of steaming Kahwa or the nun-chai along with the gossip of the day with a makkaye chot (Maize roti) or toamle chot (roti from rice flour). A background of melodious sound of flowing streams with water splashing over small pebbles with intermittent noise from insects and crickets is music to the ears.

Going towards apple producing areas of Sopore in North Kashmir or Shopian in South Kashmir where the apple harvesting season is just over provides another distinct view. One can see apples of various varieties being segregated and packed in cartons. These are then transported to various parts of the country. The previous practice of buying from mandis is being rapidly replaced by merchants coming from all over the country directly to orchards and booking the orders.

The other activity after the harvesting is over is to prepare for the coming winter. Stock piling essentials, pruning trees, covering water pipes with cloth and foam to prevent freezing. Another important task is getting Kangris (an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers to provide warmth). It is kept under Pheran, a traditional robe or a “Dussa” / “Kashmiri Kambal” an oversized shawl, an essential part of every household. Dussa is made of finer woollen material like Pashmina etc. It is also the time for taking out and cleaning pherans and blankets to provide warmth during the forthcoming freezing winters.

The practice of drying the vegetables and fish in the form of garlands to be consumed during winters is still prevalent in the countryside and smaller towns. This is despite the fact that fresh vegetables are available throughout the year because of improved transportation even during the difficult winter months. These dried vegetables “Haukhe Syun”(turnips, bottle gourds, brinjals and tomatoes) and various sizes of dried and smoked fish called “Hogada and Phaer” although originally meant for tiding over the difficult months are now considered delicacies .

Autumn brings the fond memories of the year spent and it is time to pay gratitude to the almighty for all the favours bestowed on us. It is also time this year to look forward for  new and better times with the people’s elected Government in place after 10 years. The forthcoming winter also brings expectations for a better electric power distribution, free or subsidised electricity for marginalised members of our society and reduction in the power cuts.

Autumn is undoubtedly one of the best seasons, the “Golden months” of our lovely Kashmir. This year it should bring back the much-needed smile to our people.

Prof Upendra Kaul, Founder Director Gauri Kaul Foundation, and recipient of Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy Award