On a quiet summer afternoon in 2020, a calendar at a mosque in Indian-administered Kashmir caught Muneer Ahmad Dar's attention. It featured a poem written in Kashmiri, the language spoken in the region.
To his surprise, he struggled to read it. This realization made him ponder how his generation had slowly drifted away from their mother tongue, as English, Urdu, and Hindi became more prevalent.
In response, he launched a social media page named Muneer Speaks to preserve and promote Kashmiri culture.
Five years on, his profile has garnered over 500 million impressions across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
I want to tell stories about our places and histories, proverbs, folklore, and poetry, he states. It's about capturing how we have lived, laughed, cooked, and remembered.
Mr. Dar is part of a growing group of young content creators using digital platforms to preserve fragments of Kashmir's heritage. The region, divided between India and Pakistan, has been scarred by decades of conflict, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives to insurgency.
As many young people leave Kashmir seeking better opportunities or to escape violence, a new generation is shaping a fresh narrative by highlighting art, tradition, and daily life beyond conflict.
Initially focused on Kashmiri language, Mr. Dar's work has evolved over the years, now encompassing a variety of content—photos of historical architecture, local delicacies, and cultural lore.
In his popular videos, he shares intriguing facts about local architecture, such as how eggs were historically used as building materials.
Meanwhile, the Instagram page Museum of Kashmir takes a different approach to archiving. Run by journalist Muhammad Faysal, this account documents the region's overlooked artifacts and traditions, blending vibrant visuals with historical context.
Heritage isn't just about grand monuments, one follower remarked. It's about the things people took when they left their homes: books, shawls, and family recipes.
Content creators ensure accuracy by cross-referencing their narratives with scholarly works, as emphasized by author Khalid Bashir Ahmad, who points out that the rise in Kashmiri storytelling presents a vital counter-narrative, though risks of losing details remain.
Among others redefining Kashmiri heritage online is Sheikh Adnan, whose Instagram page 'Shawlwala' focuses on iconic Pashmina scarves. He aims to showcase the artistry and resilience behind these beautiful textiles, transforming them from mere fashion items into symbols of cultural significance.
Seerat Hafiz, known online as Yikvot or Nun Chai with Jiya, employs humor and satire to explore local literature and culture through witty content, bridging the gap of understanding across generations.
Despite the many challenges, including social media platforms not recognizing Kashmiri as an official language, these young creators remain determined to tell their stories, ensuring that Kashmiri culture fights to be remembered on its own terms.
Reflecting on his journey, Mr. Dar confesses, Maybe one day people will forget my name, but if they remember a single Kashmiri story I helped keep alive, then my work will have meaning.
