Gulmarg fashion show sparks row in Indian-administered Kashmir

A main controversy that is still raging was the result of a fashion show last week in a lovely, snow-clad town in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Last Friday was the venue for the Shivan &amp, Narresh style brand’s present at a ski resort in Gulmarg to showcase their skiwear selection. The brand is the first significant, non-local company to host a fashion show in Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan region that has seen decades of conflict.

After fashion magazine Elle India posted a video on social media showing some designs wearing underwear or bikini, it quickly sparked outrage among visitors, politicians, and spiritual leaders in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Citizens were also upset over a separate video of a group held after the show that the online publication Lifestyle Asia shared, which showed attendees drinking alcohol outside.

Many people took offense at the show’s inclusion in the holy month of Ramadan, which is observed for Muslims during fasting and prayer, and accused the creators of “mocking their belief” and “disregarding native culture and attitudes” Some monks compared the show to” sweet porn” and called it “obscene”

Some people claimed that the outcry had been caused by a fear of “outsiders” being imposed on them as well as by spiritual conservative. Since the late 1980s, there have been decades of military separatist insurgencies in Kashmir against Indian law.

Elle India and Lifestyle Asia were forced to cancel their films due to the reaction. The label’s manufacturers, Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, also expressed regret, saying that their” only intent was to celebrate imagination” and that they didn’t want to offend any particular religious beliefs.

Kashmir, known as the land of saints and Sufism ( Islamic mysticism ), has a rich tradition of spirituality that has an impact on many aspects of people’s lives. Citizens, both men and women, frequently wear the pheran, a lengthy, loose cloak, despite the traditional attire being reasonable.

Additionally, there was a hubbub in the Jammu and Kashmir council over the conversation about the show and the after-party.

The criticism criticized the government, accusing it of allowing the event despite being aware of local prejudices. In addition, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah demanded that local officials look into the incident and file a report, as well as distance his authorities from it, claiming it had been organized by private parties.

In the council on Monday, he said,” Sure action will be taken” if the law has been broken. The authorities have not yet provided information on the event’s organizers or any laws that have been broken.

The style house did not respond to the BBC’s inquiries about the show, including those regarding the permits it obtained.

It’s hardly surprising that spectacular Gulmarg, one of India’s several ski areas and a tourist favorite, was chosen as the location for a display showcasing a skiwear collection.

Shefalee Vasudev, a fashion journalist, claims that it’s common for developers to stage clothing shows in prestigious settings.

International manufacturers like Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander McQueen are known for their groundbreaking designs as much as they are for their inventive, dramatic runway shows.

However, research also raises the possibility of controversy, thus Ms. Vasudev told the BBC that it is crucial to be aware of a place’s political and cultural sensibilities.

And this is especially true in a position like Kashmir, which has experienced wars and decades of military fight.

Both India and Pakistan both claim total command over Kashmir but only some parts of it. The nuclear-armed neighbors have engaged in two war over the area since India’s division and Pakistan’s 1947 division.

Since the late 1980s, when a dissident insurgency erupted against American law, countless people have died as a result. Despite losing momentum over the years, many visitors still disdain the Delhi management.

Since 2019, these sentiments have grown stronger since the region’s independence was revoked by the federal government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

So some residents told the BBC that they were never taken aback by the responses to the program.

People in Kashmir see things through a political prism, according to Mir, a professor at a nearby school ( he requested that his surname been kept secret to protect his identity ). He adds that people are skeptical about large-scale business events like the fashion show because they think the government is trying to destabilize their society, despite the fact that they are organized by private parties.

Researcher Arshid Ahmad uses more powerful words to express open anxiety. He claims that the government is attempting to stifle the heart of opposition in Kashmiris.

This isn’t the first time an event held by non-locals has triggered a controversy in Kashmir. In 2013, separatists and human rights activists in the region protested against a show by renowned conductor Zubin Mehta. They said it was an attempt by the government to show the world that all was well in Kashmir when people were “suffering and dying”.

Some of the recent apprehensions around culture and identity can also be tied to the increase in tourists to Kashmir from other states in India. The federal government has often connected this boom in tourism to the abrogation of Article 370, which stripped the region of its autonomy.

Individuals outside Kashmir then perceive the region as being safer and “more assimilated with India” thanks to government communication, according to Nousheen Fatima, 34. However, she alleges that some visitors disapprove of the area’s society.

Last year, a video showing tourists drinking alcohol during a boat ride on the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar evoked outrage from political and religious leaders, who called the behaviour “un-Islamic and unethical”.

In February, locals put up posters in Srinagar, asking tourists to “respect local culture and traditions” and “avoid alcohol and use of drugs”, but these were later pulled down by the police.

In an editorial for The Voice of Fashion magazine, Ms Vasudev argues that the outrage needs to be examined from a critical lens. She asks if it would have been all right for the show to have been held in another Indian city instead of Kashmir, where Muslims would also be observing Ramadan. And whether it would have been acceptable to hold the show in Kashmir if it featured only outfits perceived as modest.

She also mentions that Kashmir is home to” the world’s finest wool yarn, some of the finest handspun, handwoven pashmina works, and its workers.”

What Kashmir creates and stands for can be copied somewhere. Doesn’t a fashion show at Gulmarg be seen as regenerating curiosity in untested techniques with innovative clothing made of 100 % yarn? she inquires.

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