BAKERY IN KASHMIR

Kashmiris eat a lot of Bakery stuff presently. Though they have their own indigenous Bakery known as KANDHAR WAAN , yet the consumption of cakes , Patties , Biscuits , Pastries  and other bakery products is on a steady rise in Kashmir valley. We had  three or four bakery shops in the city  some two decades back and the same have increased to more than 100 at the moment . I  vividly remember only  Ahdoo’s Bakery  shop  serving  to city’s elite . Then came Gee Enn Bakery shop, followed by John Bakers Dalgate  Mughal Darbar  and many more . lately we have one more Bakery outlet  Chain  known as Hat Trick in  Srinagar city . This unit has several outlets in the city . The Bakery , Wazwaan, fast foods , Harissa, sweets,Tandoori and Non vegetarian snacks sold by this unit are certainly mouth watering . I have visited this outlet at Rajbagh Srinagar and the Chicken Tikka , Cakes and Pine Apple pastries sold over there is a class in itself. 

There is a clear division amongst Bakery buyers in kashmir which is  based essentially on purchasing power. A good number of people still visit the traditional and cheaper  KANDHUR shop  for purchase of Kulchaa, Bread , Katlumm, Tseoch Vorr and Lawass every day . You can find them  waiting outside the traditional Kandhur shop ( kashmiri Bakery )for their turn  for fresh Bread ( Tseot or Lawaas ) for the morning tea. This is the time for gossip as well. The traditional Baker ( Kandhur ) and his waiting  buyers keep wiping tears from their eyes . Tears brought by smoke in the shop created by burning of timber in the baker’s furnace or Tandoor. Modern bakery buyers need not shed tears . They happily buy   Bakery for functions and daily consumption in Bag loads . Oh yes the modern bakery buyer  has to  keep his  Lipid profile and  Blood sugar level  under observation . Many kashmiris who habitually consume lot of  modern Bakery stuff watch these vital health indicators.  So Long so much .

 kis se izhaar-e-muddaa keejiye.

Aap milte nahin hain, kyaa keejiye.

 Aap the jiske chaaraagar vo javaan,

SaKht beemaar hain, du’aa kieejiye.

 Mujh ko aadat hai Ruuth jaane ki,

Aap mujh ko manaa liyaa Keejiye.

 Milte rahiye Issi tapaak ke saath,

Be-vafaa’i  ki intihaa keejiye.

 (Jaun Elia)                                                                                      

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