Srinagar, April 30 -- While the world watches Kashmir through the lens of geopolitics, a quieter tragedy unfolds at home. The region's centuries-old cultural heritage is vanishing due to apathy.

This is not just about old buildings or regional cuisine. It is about a social system of knowledge, identity, and skills that once defined everyday life in the Valley. That system is unraveling.

Take architecture. Srinagar's 14th-century Jamia Masjid, made entirely of wood with nearly 400 deodar pillars, remains a landmark of Kashmiri Islamic design. The Shankaracharya Temple, built centuries earlier, stands as a reminder of Kashmir's ancient Hindu roots. Mughal gardens like Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh were carefully planned, blending Persian ...