Srinagar, June 18 -- In the lush and fertile Valley of Kashmir, where snow-fed streams once irrigated emerald-green fields, the cultivation of paddy was more than a profession-it was a way of life. The rhythmic planting of rice seedlings, the echo of folk songs in fields, and the shared labor of families harvesting together, formed the cultural and economic backbone of rural Kashmir. For centuries, this land was rightly celebrated as the "Rice Bowl of the North".
But today, a quiet transformation is underway. Fields once brimming with golden grain are being replaced by concrete foundations, apple orchards, and commercial ventures. Paddy cultivation is in steep decline, and with it, the Valley's self-sufficiency, cultural heritage, and rura...