Srinagar, June 1 -- Land means everything in Kashmir. It's family history, livelihood, and legacy wrapped into one. So when someone passes away, the question often is: who gets the land next?

That answer lies in a document called a will deed. It's supposed to be straightforward. This piece of paper says who gets what when the owner is gone.

But making it work isn't always simple.

A will deed lets a person clearly spell out how their property-land, houses, even movable stuff-should be handed down after death. But not just any note scribbled on paper counts.

For a will to hold water legally in Jammu and Kashmir, it needs to meet certain conditions. The testator, the person writing the will, must be at least 18 and of sound mind.

The wi...