Every Kashmiri is a compulsive buyer of large food stocks essentially rice, edible oil and And spices . He buys in kilograms what his counterparts in the plains buy in grams .His dishes must have oil and colour . For colour he makes liberal use of Red Chillies .For dishes like Rogan Josh , Chilli Korma , Rista , Chicken , Mutsch , Damalu , Fish ,Beans , Brinjals ,Cheese and a variety of other popular Kashmiri Dishes , Kashmiris use red chilli Powder as the colouring agent . The vibrant red chilli powder imparts rich flavour and colour to dishes it is used in.Chillies that upset his stomach frequently is a spice of choice with him . No matter he be a Pandit or a Muslim you shall find him popping up Anti acid tablets or Omperzole formulations habitually .I have yet to find any community buying medicines over the counter or doing self medication on a scale as kashmiris do. He just needs one prescription to keep buying the stuff life long for similar symptoms .Certainly kashmiris suffer from Bleeding Hemorrhoids , Duodenal or peptic ulcers or Hypper tension and various other digestive ailments primarily because of the enormous quantity of spices they consume. Medical professionals and pharmaceutical traders do a roaring business in J&K thriving essentially on this trait of kashmiris.
Everyday we have been looking at advertisement displaying availability of Original Red powdered kashmiri chilli ; original stuff from valley, Pungent , aromatic , the ultimate spice , long , fleshy , seedless , deep red ,natural food colouring agent and so on and so forth .In Kashmir I have seen the COOKS ( WAZAS ) advising a bride or bridegroom’s family that Red chilli powder be purchased from Gana’s shop in Maharaj Ganj or from Kalwal’s shop in Maharaja Bazaar or from Haji Mohd Sharif wani ‘s Masala ( Spices ) shop in Qaziyaar ZainaKadal for the feast they propose to throw in their marriage function. Similarly in Jammu Cooks engaged by Pandits for marriage functions advise them to buy Red chilli powder from Prasad Koul’s shop or from jain Masala Pacci Dakki or from Ram Sham Traders in Subash Nagar . The cooks , the bride’s or bridegroom’s family and the guests continue to remain ignorant about the real story of much Hyped Red Chilli Powder of Kashmir. Leading Kashmiri Chilli powder producing units of the state know it better wherefrom to procure the raw material for the much hyped Kashmiri’s Red chilli powder .
Where are Kashmiri Chillies grown to such an astronomical commercial scale so as to feed the entire market of the state and throw tons of surplus for PanIndia market and also set aside sufficient stock for the international market ?. Can any one make me understand ?Oh Yes I could see Chillies grown on commercial scale in Noor Bagh , Bugaam area of Chadura or pampore in kashmir or some villages in Anantnag and Baramulla districts that too by individual farmers using seeds imported from Andhra Pradesh or Karnatka . This particular brand has lesser seeds , larger and fleshy red skin. Other wise Kashmir’s traditional Red Chilli crop is frequently hit by pests , full of seeds , with thin skin and insufficient to cater to the demand of consumers from Kashmir Valley alone . Add to this there is no aggressive SAVE KASHMIRI CHILLI campaign from the government side so as to bring more area under its cultivation , supply quality seeds at door steps to farmers and train farmers in pest management of this crop. Simple truth : Much of the Red Chilli powder sold in the PanCountry market as kashmiri Mirch is obtained from the Chillies grown in Andhra ( Guntur ) , Karnatka , Tamil Nadu ,Orissa , Maharashtra and west Bengal. I have also seen red and fleshy chillies sold in various Mandis of Rajasthan. especially Jaipur and udaipur. These chillies are definitely a quality stuff .
It May not be out of place to add that Chillies are also used for controlling Rheumatic disorders . Chillies are a good source of Vitamin C.The Botanical name of of Red Chillies is Capsicum Annum L. Kashmiris burn thenm in Kangris( fire Pots ) to ward off evil spirits . Garlands of red chillies being dried under sun on windows is a common scene to watch in kashmir especially during Autumn . Shopkeepers too have learnt the trick of the trade . They keep two or three gunny sackfuls of kashmiri uncrushed Chillies for customers to see but sell Andhra or Karnatka red Chilli Powder. Kashmiris are not the only Chilli lovers . Chillies are grown and consumed in China , Spain , Mexico ,Morocco , Turkey and Pakistan..
Pungency , Initial colour and colour retention properties are closely related to maturityof the crop . If the harvested chilies are not properly dried and protected from rains or pests , it may loose colour , glossiness and pungency . Sun drying is the age old traditional method employed for drying chillies . Chillies are now dried in Solar Driers . One such solar drier has been set up in Pampore which ensures complete drying in 4- 5 days . 100 kgs of freshly plucked chilles give just 25 kgs of chilli powder after drying . Enjoy the views of Chillies as they appear in Kashmir Bazars or roads or Mandis during this Autumn. What poetry can be combined with chillies I am unable to make out . Still then enjoy some lines from Naadim Sahib’s Immortal Anti War ( or pro Peace ) poem “Me Chhum Aash Paghich Pagaah Sholey Duniya ” meaning " I AM HOPEFUL OF A SUNLIT TOOMORROW". In these lines an expectant mother also hopes for a sunlit tomorrow . she also wants peace to prevail for her to deliver her baby.
Yinam Saderei Paninei,
“Vadhav Chhay Mubaarak”
Ba Chhus Potaray Maej ,
Chhatrei Buen Phikri Taarukh.
Heumakh Kochhei Heivin,
Az Ba Maah Kenh Ti Prarukh.
Me chum Aash Paghich ,
Pagaah Sholey Duniya .
Dapaan Jung Chhu Vothvun ,
Paggah Gochh Na Sapdun,
Pagaah Gochh Na Aassun.
( Dina nath Naadim )
Ba Chhus Potaray Maej ,
Chhatrei Buen Phikri Taarukh.
Heumakh Kochhei Heivin,
Az Ba Maah Kenh Ti Prarukh.
Me chum Aash Paghich ,
Pagaah Sholey Duniya .
Dapaan Jung Chhu Vothvun ,
Paggah Gochh Na Sapdun,
Pagaah Gochh Na Aassun.
( Dina nath Naadim )
My friends and companions shall come ,
wishing the welfare of the new child.
Me , A male child's mother then or like a tall shaddy chinar ,
shall teach them their due lesson.
should they attempt to take the baby in their lap ,
i shall seek the Kochh Hevin amount ,
Nothing shall stop me to seek this money.
Let us not talk about the war rumoured to be imminent .
God! How can this war be tomorrow?
It should never take place tommorow.
I am hopeful of a sunlit tomorow."
Let us not talk about the war rumoured to be imminent .
God! How can this war be tomorrow?
It should never take place tommorow.
I am hopeful of a sunlit tomorow."
(Translation from original Kashmiri by A K Mota )
PS
Crushed under the joint family system prevailing in kashmir and serving every one till her death , a poor kashmiri woman be a Pandit or a muslim would lead a similar life.The only happiness to her would be the birth of a male child. This would elevate her social status a little . Koch Hevin is a custom still practised and the friends and relations who visit a house upon the birth of a child give some money to the mother for holding the baby in their lap . in olden days , this money was meant Possibly for the poor lady to buy some clothes or keep with her to be spent on the child. My mother explained to me once that in every household the mother in Law would immediately come after the guests were out to snatch this Kochh Hevin from her Daughter in law as she had her own expenses connected with cermonies to be performed for the baby.
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
