As the world welcomed the new year, the first Sunday of 2017 came as any other day in Kashmir Valley. There were no celebrations, no fireworks or cakes, not even snowfall. The first day of the year began as usual.
Unlike other cities in India, no parties, decorations, loud music or movies welcomed New Year in the city of Srinagar. “We do not celebrate New Year here in the city, though people go to Gulmarg and party there,” says Abrar, a student in Kashmir University.
People avoid leaving their houses after 7 in the evening as the temperature dips to sub-zero.
After six months of unrest as the new year tip-toed to the Valley, I took a walk around the city with my camera and tried to capture the day. Here are some frames from the Dal lake, Hazrat Bal and down town Srinagar. These photos reflect the life in the city coming back to a certain kind of normalcy after months of unrest and hartal.
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