Photos: Kashmir’s 600-year-old Wazwan wedding feast adapts to modern life

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported on Wazwan, the elaborate Kashmiri wedding feast that remains a central part of marriage celebrations in Srinagar and elsewhere in Indian-administered Kashmir. The photo feature described the meal as a multicourse mutton spread rooted in culinary traditions that date back to the 14th century, when skilled cooks are said to have arrived in the valley from Central Asia.

The article highlighted veteran chef Ghulam Nabi Baba, 74, as one of the traditions’ key custodians. He said the feast has grown over time from a small number of meat dishes to roughly 20, while the scale of weddings can vary widely depending on family means. The preparation, however, still relies on the same labor-intensive methods: meat is pounded by hand, cooked slowly over wood fires and served on a copper trami, with dishes such as rista, gushtaba, rogan josh, tabak maaz and kabab.

The report also showed how modern life is changing the custom. Baba’s son has chosen restaurant work instead of wedding catering, reflecting the strain of round-the-clock feast preparation. More broadly, the feature suggested that Wazwan is adapting to contemporary tastes and business models while retaining its identity as an emblem of Kashmiri culture and social status.