MARRIAGE AND CONSUMPTION OF HALWAI MILK IN KASHMIR

                                                

    ( Halwai shop 1904 in Amira kadal )
                                           

   

( MARRIAGE AND  CONSUMING   MILK  AND JALEBIS  IN A HALWAAI SHOP )
( Photo 1904...A Kashmiri Pandit Halwai shop in Srinagar city. .  Pandits drinking milk in Katoris with Jalebis.)

"Tsa't kath , kaeti dikh koor. Su chhuyi darbadari dass . Me vuchh su  Jaleabi ta  dodha Baaeti chavaan halwaai vaanus pyaath "

( Forget the proposal. Where are you marrying your daughter? He is a vagrant. I have seen him taking Kadaai milk and Jalebis in a Halwaai shop .)

 ' Hey su chhu akh number darbadari dass . Sirf chavaan dodha baaeti "

 (He is a classical vagrant. Always seen at Halwai shop taking hot milk in Katoris .)

 In Gaada Kocha, Zainakadal, there used to be a Kashmiri Pandit Halwaai shop till 1967 or 1968. Kash Ram Suri was the proprietor of that shop. Kash Ram would keep a bench inside his shop where some so-called "Vagrant" Kashmiri Pandit boys would sit far away from public gaze and relish hot Kadai milk. Chaman Lal Suri and Nikka Suri ( sons of Kash Ram Suri ) had also opened two Halwai shops in Jogilanker, Rainawari. Chuni Lal Halwai of Maharaja Bazaar Srinagar would also sell Kadai milk and Jalebis. His shop was located inside Shoda Gali near Hari Singh High Street . 

 So consuming Kadaai milk in a Halwaai shop was treated as something wastage of money and vagrant behaviour in the orthodox Kashmiri Pandit society. You could even get disqualified for a match if seen doing this. And if seen, one could be cursed as derelict and vagrant. 

 By 1960, this stigma of ' Darbadari Dass ' was over as Kashmiri Pandits had started frequenting Halwai shops, hotels and restaurants. Many enterprising Punjabis (Sant Ram Sohal, Prabh Dayal and Shakti Sweets and more ) had opened Halwai and Mithai shops in Srinagar city. Their sweets, Kadai milk, Jalebi and other items were better in preparation and more hygienic.  

 After the arrival of Punjabis in Halwai trade, Kashmiri Halwais shifted to making locally popular fried items like Nadru Pakodas, Loochi, Teel Kara and Samosas.

                                           

        ( Milk and Jalebi from New shops )

Tarakh Halwai,Hari Halwai  ,Gwasha Halwai and Muna Halwai were also  prominent Halwai shops of Habba Kadal area in Srinagar city. 


 (Avtar Mota )

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