Kashmir

Displaced from Kashmir in 1989, Maya Kaul — mother of actor Manav Kaul — rebuilt her life in Madhya Pradesh through education, quietly turning survival into service. Today, at 73, she supports 60 anganwadis, helps women earn with dignity, and continues to nurture children and communities — never calling herself a changemaker, even as she transforms lives.

Unusually low snow in the western Himalaya this peak winter has scientists concerned. We explain why snowfall is missing, whether this has happened before, and why shrinking snow cover matters for India’s rivers, agriculture, and communities.

Kashmir’s new Chrysanthemum Garden, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, with over 30 lakh blooms, has transformed the once-quiet autumn season into a vibrant tourist draw. The influx of visitors has revived livelihoods, offering hope to locals who faced months of uncertainty.

Real Kashmir FC was born from devastation after the 2014 floods, when two friends handed out 100 footballs to aimless boys in Srinagar. What followed became a movement that carried a valley from despair to national glory — rewriting Kashmir’s story through courage, community and the power of sport.

After losing her husband and watching her home burn down, Bandipora’s Asiya Begum returned to her father’s house with nothing. She began growing mushrooms and vegetables on a small rooftop — a venture that now earns her Rs 35,000–40,000 a month and inspires women across Kashmir.

Beyond the snow, these hidden winter festivals shine, bringing together culture, faith, and the spirit of India’s diverse regions.

Every summer, as nomadic families move to Kashmir’s high pastures, their children walk miles to study in tent schools. These mobile classrooms are taking education to places where no road or building can reach.

Guided by her father’s example, 14-year-old Jannat Patloo has spent nearly a decade cleaning Dal Lake — proving that even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference to Kashmir’s fragile ecology.

Once forgotten, Kashmir’s crimson mawal flower is blooming again — colouring Wazwan feasts and opening global markets for sustainable, heritage-led farming.

Anchored on Kashmir’s Dal Lake, the world’s only floating post office has been delivering letters and memories for 70 years. Inside its wooden houseboat, heritage, craftsmanship, and connection come together to tell a story that still floats on.