Kashmiri Culture: Festivals, Crafts, Faith and Etiquette

Most people come to Kashmir for the scenery, and leave talking about the people. Kashmiri culture is warm, layered and deeply rooted in place. It shows in the way a stranger offers you a cup of tea, in the patience of a shawl weaver working one thread at a time, in the poetry of a fourteenth-century mystic still quoted at weddings, and in the shrines and temples that have stood side by side for centuries.

This guide is an introduction to that culture for travellers: its history and faiths, language and poetry, festivals, food traditions, crafts, music and everyday customs, along with practical tips on how to be a respectful and welcome guest.

A crossroads of history

Kashmir sat on routes linking Central Asia, Persia, Tibet and the Indian plains, and its culture reflects all of them. The valley was an important centre of Hindu and Buddhist learning for centuries; the scholar Kalhana wrote the Rajatarangini, a chronicle of Kashmir’s kings, here in the twelfth century. Islam spread through the valley from the fourteenth century, carried largely by Sufi saints from Persia and Central Asia, among them Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, who is also credited with bringing many crafts with his followers.

Later came the Mughals, who built the great gardens; the Afghans; the Sikh rulers; and the Dogra dynasty. Each period left its mark on architecture, cuisine and language, creating a culture that is distinctly Kashmiri rather than a simple mix of its neighbours.

Kashmiriyat: a shared way of life

Kashmiris often speak of Kashmiriyat, a word that describes the valley’s tradition of tolerance, shared customs and respect for saints across faiths. You see it at shrines where people of different religions offer prayers, and in figures revered by all, such as the mystic poet Lal Ded (Lalleshwari) and the Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani, known as Nund Rishi, whose shrine stands at Charar-e-Sharif.

Language and poetry

The local language is Kashmiri (Koshur), an ancient language with its own rich literature. Urdu is the official language and widely spoken; Hindi and English are understood in tourist areas. A few words go a long way:

Poetry is woven into daily life. The vakhs (verses) of Lal Ded and the shruks of Nund Rishi, both from the fourteenth century, are still quoted. Habba Khatoon, the sixteenth-century poet-queen remembered for her songs of longing, gives her name to a peak in Gurez. In the twentieth century, poets such as Mahjoor and Abdul Ahad Azad shaped modern Kashmiri literature.

Faith and sacred places

Most Kashmiris in the valley are Muslim, with Kashmiri Pandit (Hindu), Sikh and other communities as part of its history and present. Sacred places you may visit include:

• Hazratbal Shrine: a white marble mosque on Dal Lake’s northern shore, which houses a relic of the Prophet Muhammad.
• Khanqah-e-Moula: a magnificent wooden shrine on the Jhelum, dedicated to Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, with intricate papier-mâché interiors.
• Jamia Masjid: Srinagar’s grand mosque, with a courtyard surrounded by hundreds of deodar wood pillars.
• Shankaracharya Temple: an ancient Shiva temple on a hilltop above the city.
• Kheer Bhawani: a spring temple at Tulmulla, central to Kashmiri Pandit faith, where an annual festival is held.
• Hari Parbat: a hill with a Mughal fort, a Sufi shrine, a Sharika Devi temple and a historic gurudwara.
• Charar-e-Sharif: the shrine of Nund Rishi, revered across communities.

Festivals and celebrations

• Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha: the biggest celebrations of the year, with new clothes, special breads and sweets, and family feasts.
• Ramadan: during the month of fasting, many restaurants close in daytime in some areas, and evenings are lively after iftar.
• Urs: anniversaries of Sufi saints celebrated at their shrines with prayers, music and fairs.
• Kheer Bhawani Mela: held at the Tulmulla spring temple on Jyeshtha Ashtami, usually in late May or June.
• Navroz: the Persian new year, marked in spring by some families.
• Tulip Festival: a modern celebration of spring held at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar in April, with cultural programmes and crafts stalls.

Dates of Islamic festivals follow the lunar calendar and move about eleven days earlier each year. If your trip overlaps with Eid, expect some shops to close for a day or two, and expect to be offered sweets.

Food as hospitality

In Kashmir, food is how welcome is expressed. You will rarely enter a home or shop without being offered tea.

• Kahwa: green tea brewed with saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and almonds, traditionally made in a copper samovar.
• Noon chai: a pink, salted tea with milk, drunk with breakfast bread.
• Bakery culture: the neighbourhood baker (kandur) bakes fresh girda, lavasa, tsot and kulcha every morning and evening.
• Wazwan: the multi-course ceremonial feast cooked by master chefs (wazas), served at weddings on shared copper plates. Diners wash their hands at the table from a jug and basin called the tasht-naer before the meal.

Crafts: a living heritage

Kashmir’s crafts are famous worldwide, and many are still practised by hand in family workshops in Srinagar’s old city.

• Pashmina and Kani shawls: spun from fine goat wool and hand-woven; Kani shawls are woven using small wooden bobbins and can take months to finish.
• Sozni embroidery: fine needlework on shawls and fabrics.
• Papier-mâché: boxes, vases and ornaments hand-painted with flowers, birds and chinar leaves.
• Walnut-wood carving: trays, boxes and screens carved with intricate floral designs.
• Khatamband: geometric wooden ceilings assembled from small pieces of pine or walnut without nails.
• Copperware: engraved samovars, trays and pots.
• Hand-knotted carpets: silk and wool carpets woven from a written pattern called the talim.

Visiting a workshop is one of the most rewarding things you can do in Srinagar. Ask your guide to arrange a visit; artisans are usually happy to show their work.

Music and performance

Traditional music includes Sufiana Kalam, a classical Sufi music played on the santoor and other instruments; Chakri, a lively folk form often sung at weddings; and Rouf, a folk dance performed by women in rows, especially during festivals and spring. Wedding songs called wanwun are sung by women of the family. Some hotels and cultural events offer evening performances.

Dress

The pheran, a long, loose woollen cloak, is the iconic Kashmiri garment, worn by men and women in winter. Underneath, people traditionally carry a kangri, a wicker basket holding a clay pot of hot embers. Women often wear headscarves; many men wear a skullcap or karakul cap. Buying a pheran is a practical, much-appreciated souvenir.

Architecture

Look out for the old city’s traditional houses with carved wooden balconies (dub) and lattice windows (pinjrakari), and for buildings in the taq and dhajji dewari styles, timber frames filled with brick or stone, designed to withstand earthquakes. Shrines like Khanqah-e-Moula show the craft at its finest.

Etiquette for travellers

• Dress modestly. Cover shoulders and knees, especially in the old city and at shrines. Women should carry a scarf to cover their heads in mosques.
• Remove shoes at mosques, shrines and many homes.
• Check visiting rules. Some shrines have separate areas for women or restrict entry to certain parts. Follow local guidance.
• Accept tea when offered, at least a few sips. Refusing outright can seem unfriendly.
• Use your right hand to give and receive food and money.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women.
• Respect prayer times. Avoid loud music or entering prayer halls during prayers.
• During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in public in daytime out of respect.
• Public displays of affection are frowned upon; keep them private.

Experiencing the culture on your trip

• Take a guided heritage walk through Srinagar’s old city.
• Visit a Pashmina or papier-mâché workshop.
• Share a Wazwan meal.
• Spend a night in a village homestay.
• Attend an Urs or local fair if one falls during your visit.

A Kashmiri wedding

If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Kashmiri wedding, you will see the culture at its most joyful. Celebrations can last several days. Women of the family sing wanwun songs late into the night, applying henna in a ceremony called maenzraat. The highlight is the Wazwan, cooked overnight by the wazas in large copper pots over wood fires, and served to guests seated in groups of four around shared copper plates. The meal begins with handwashing at the table and can run to more than twenty courses, ending with gushtaba. Guests dress in their finest, and the bride often wears a richly embroidered pheran with tilla work.

Homes and hospitality

Traditional Kashmiri homes are built around warmth and family. The main living room is carpeted, with cushions along the walls instead of chairs, and meals are often eaten seated on the floor. In winter the family gathers in the warmest room, sometimes heated by a hamam, a traditional underfloor heating system using a wood-fired stone floor. If you are invited into a home, remove your shoes at the door, accept tea and a snack, and expect generous hospitality. It is polite to bring a small gift such as sweets or fruit.

Respecting a changing society

Kashmir has seen great change and difficult times in recent decades. Many families have stories of loss and displacement, including Kashmiri Pandit families who left the valley in the 1990s. As a visitor, it is best to listen rather than debate politics, and to approach conversations with sensitivity. What you will find, overwhelmingly, is warmth, curiosity and pride in a shared heritage.

Frequently asked questions

What language is spoken in Kashmir?

Kashmiri is the main language of the valley. Urdu is widely used, and Hindi and English are understood in tourist areas.

What should I wear when visiting shrines?

Modest clothing covering shoulders and legs. Women should carry a scarf to cover their heads. Remove shoes at the entrance.

Can tourists visit Hazratbal and Jamia Masjid?

Yes, outside prayer times. Dress modestly, follow the guidance of caretakers, and be aware that some areas may be reserved for men or women.

What is a pheran?

A long, loose woollen cloak worn by Kashmiri men and women in winter, often embroidered. It is warm, comfortable and makes a lovely souvenir.

Can I visit a craft workshop?

Yes. Many artisans in Srinagar’s old city welcome visitors. A local guide can arrange a visit to see Pashmina weaving, papier-mâché painting or carpet knotting.

Travel with people who know Kashmir

Our team is from the valley, and we love introducing travellers to the culture behind the scenery. Ask us to add a heritage walk, a craft workshop visit, a Wazwan dinner or a homestay night to any Kashmir package, and we will arrange it with local hosts we know and trust.