LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 11 : 6 June 2011
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.

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Kashmiri Wazwan: A Multicultural Repository


Aejaz Mohammed Sheikh, M.A., Ph.D.
Shabina, M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Scholar

Abstract

Besides its scenic beauty, Kashmir is also world famous for its cultural richness and heterogeneity in which the wedding ceremonies form an indispensable part. A Kashmiri wedding is full of many rituals and ceremonies. One of the unavoidable components of a Kashmiri wedding is the traditional feast called Wazwan.

Wazwan is the formal meal prepared on the occasion of a wedding. It is not merely a simple meal but can be treated as a ceremony in itself. A Wazwan consists of a variety of dishes and has incorporated items from many cultures like Indic, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, etc, from time to time.

In this backdrop the present paper aims to analyse the various culinary terms associated with a Kashmiri Wazwan which can truly be regarded as a multicultural repository.

Kashmir is world famous not only for its natural beauty but also for its cultural richness. It has been described as an ancient region possessing a distinct ethnicity, character, language, dress, customs, rituals and a rich cultural heritage. Its culture is very diverse, multicoloured and multifaceted.

One of the hallmarks of Kashmiri culture is its flexibility and inclusive nature which has always enabled it to synthesize various cultural streams to form a unique and composite cultural entity that is ever widening. It is a brilliant blend of different ethnic groups and social entities, an amalgamation of numerous civilizations that have inhabited the Kashmir valley, from time to time, and have left their impression on the culture of Kashmir. It needs to be mentioned that during the past five thousand years of its history, Kashmiri has been at the crossroads of various civilizations and religions.

It has been highly influenced by Chinese, Indian, Central Asian and Persian civilizations and cultures. Kashmir is said to have had close trade and cultural relations with present day China, Tibet, many Central Asian cities, Afghanistan, Iran and even Europe via the famous silk route. On the religious front Kashmir has witnessed three great religions of the world, namely, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

All these factors have contributed immensely to the evolution and development of present day Kashmir and Kashmiri culture, of which the wedding ceremonies form an indispensible part. A Kashmiri wedding is full of many rituals and ceremonies. One of the unavoidable components of a Kashmiri wedding is the traditional feast called as Wazwan.

Wazwan

Wazwan is the ultimate name in Kashmir banquet. It is the formal meal prepared on the occasion of a Kashmiri Muslim wedding. It is not merely a simple meal but can be treated as a ceremony in itself. It is a multi-course meal and the main ingredient of this meal is meat, though other elements like chicken, fish and vegetables are also there. The preparation and presentation of Wazwan is considered as an art, and the practising possessor of this art is known as ‘waza’ (chef).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Aejaz Mohammed Sheikh, M.A., Ph.D.
Senior Assistant Professor
Department of Linguistics
University of Kashmir
Srinagar 190006
Jammu and Kashmir
India
sheikh_aejaz@yahoo.in
aejaz9@rediffmail.com

Shabina, M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Scholar
Department of Linguistics
University of Kashmir
Srinagar 190006
Jammu and Kashmir
India
shabinaallaqaband@yahoo.co.in

 


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