Srinagar, Jan. 24 -- The long dry spell in Kashmir did not only wound our orchards, rivers, and forests, it quietly entered our hearts and minds. Nature and human psychology are deeply connected. When water disappears from springs and snow vanishes from mountains, hope also begins to shrink inside people. During this unusual winter, Kashmir did not merely suffer ecological stress, it suffered emotional drought.

For weeks, anxiety ruled the valley. People whispered the same question everywhere: What will happen to us in 2026 if Almighty Allah does not bless us with snow in Chilai-Kalan? Springs stood silent, ponds cracked open, and rivers like the Jhelum lost their voice. Lakes waited helplessly for revival. Even forest fires appeared in ...