It isn't.

Have you heard of Dr Rajesh Parikh's exhibition of photographs from Kashmir, named Hameen Ast? When it came to town in January, maxaud chettan and sumz chechi and yours truly showed up, promptly fell in love with the pictures, and sighed deeply. We wanted to go there someday. It happened sooner than I thought it would, but I had to go without them.

The good doctor took his pictures over a good twenty-five years. That is a little less than my age! (Those in the exhibition were taken over the last two years, however.) I obviously can't claim to have done anything remotely close to that, after spending a mere three days in Srinagar. But I like some of these. Poor quality scans notwithstanding. Apologies for that.

( picture heavy )