Kashmir's wedding feast faces a generational shift

Srinagar, India - As autumn's chill approaches, the bustling streets of Indian Kashmir hum with the rhythmic pounding of wooden mallets, a sound that heralds the preparation of a traditional mutton feast known as Wazwan. This multi-course meal, a staple at Kashmiri weddings, has its roots in the 14th century when Central Asian rulers introduced skilled chefs to the region, along with artisans renowned for their carpet and shawl weaving.

Ghulam Nabi Baba, a 74-year-old Wazwan chef, is among those tracing their lineage back to that pivotal migration. His forebears settled in Srinagar's old city as part of the Wazpora community of cooks. At one time, there were only seven dishes in the Wazwan repertoire. Over centuries, the menu has expanded to around 20 dishes, a reflection of a family's wealth and status.

Traditionally, the number of dishes served and the quantity of meat prepared often mirrored the family's affluence. Baba recalls that 40 years ago in the village of Delina, he cooked an astounding 4,500 kg of meat for a single wedding, a celebration of considerable magnitude. Nowadays, an average marriage typically calls for 200 kg of mutton.

While the menu has broadened over time, the method of preparation remains largely unchanged. The meat is laboriously pounded by hand before being slow-cooked over wood fires, a technique that Baba has mastered over nearly six decades of service at Kashmiri weddings. However, the younger generation appears to be steering away from this age-old tradition.

In a notable departure from his father's footsteps, Baba's own son has chosen a different career path. "Our kids didn't continue the tradition of cooking at weddings because they said it's too hectic," Baba observes. The work hours in restaurants are more accommodating, allowing for a balanced life outside the demanding rhythm of wedding feasts. Despite this, Baba remains committed to carrying forward his family's centuries-old culinary legacy, albeit in a different setting.