Srinagar, Oct. 4 -- People of Kashmir have relied on gold for generations, trusting it to keep their wealth safe when times get uncertain.

Markets may fluctuate, money may lose value, and politics may turn, but gold remains constant. It fills family chests, a bride's trousseau, and the simple belief that wealth should shine.

From the pharaohs of Egypt to the Mughal courts that once ruled the subcontinent, gold has been the language of power. Empires were built on it. Wars were fought for it. It served as currency, art, and prayer all at once.

In every era, gold held its place as a store of value when paper lost meaning. Kashmir, shaped by centuries of trade and turmoil, learned this lesson early.

Its people stored gold in jewelry an...