Srinagar, May 17 -- When you arrive in Kashmir, the first thing that strikes you isn't the snow-capped mountains or the scent of pine in the air. It's the silence.

Not the kind that unsettles, but the kind that calms, that holds a thousand stories within it.

But lately, that silence has changed. It's grown heavier, more uncertain.

The recent attack in Pahalgam shook the valley. Lives were lost, fear returned, and as a result, the government closed down some of the most loved tourist spots across the region.

The decision was meant to protect people. But it also froze something vital.

Because Kashmir isn't just a place people visit. For thousands, it's where they find meaning, work, memory, peace.

And when its gardens go quiet, its la...