The year 2025 unfolded as a landscape of paradoxes, marked equally by contradictions and consequential actions. During this period, a number of writers and thinkers brought the history, culture, and past events of Kashmir to the forefront—seeking to illuminate rather than merely narrate the valley’s unheard and eventual happenings. The events narrated through these recent books mention not only anecdotes of the past, but also reflect cultural heritage and its roots, envisaged through historical engagements such as mercantile connections with China and Persia. Moreover, these works describe political navigations, whether under the Mughals or Kashmir-based leaderships. Several works published during the year enrich academic as well as cultural spirit of Kashmir.

One such book is “City of Kashmir: Srinagar, A Popular History” by Sameer Hamdani, which explores the city of Srinagar through the lens of an art historian, while reflecting its political and mercantile linkages. The work traces the city’s evolution and blends........

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