Falak Bilal
Srinagar, Mar 25: In the crowded markets of Srinagar, where modern pharmacies and branded outlets now dominate the landscape, a small, timeworn shop filled with glass jars, dried herbs, and the earthy scent of traditional medicine continues to tell a story of faith, healing, and heritage.
For Ghulam Hassan Wani, this modest establishment is not merely a place of business. It is a lifelong responsibility — one he embraced more than five decades ago after making a solemn promise to his father.
“My father had only one wish,” Wani recalls, seated behind a wooden counter stacked with handwritten labels and age-old remedies. “He told me, ‘After me, this shop should never be closed.’ I have tried my best to honour that promise.”
Believed to have been founded nearly a century ago, the Ayurvedic shop once served as a trusted centre for natural healing at a time when access to modern healthcare was limited. Residents would rely on herbal formulations prepared using traditional knowledge passed down through generations.
“In those days, people had deep faith in natural treatments,” Wani says. “They would come here not just for medicines, but also for advice and reassurance.”
For over 51 years, Wani has continued to dispense herbal remedies for a range of ailments, carefully measuring roots, powders, and oils using methods he learned from his father. The shop’s shelves, lined with bottles of various shapes and sizes, stand as silent witnesses to decades of changing medical practices and social transformations.
However, the rise of allopathic medicine and the growing demand for quick relief have significantly altered public preferences. Today, Wani admits, the number of customers seeking Ayurvedic treatments has declined sharply.
“People want fast results,” he explains. “Ayurvedic medicine requires patience and consistency. Many are not willing to wait.”
The shift has affected not only business prospects but also the continuity of traditional knowledge. Like many heritage occupations in Kashmir, the future of this century-old shop appears uncertain as younger generations gravitate towards modern careers and urban lifestyles.
“My children respect what I do,” Wani says thoughtfully. “But they are not very interested in continuing this work. Times have changed, and their priorities are different.”
For him, the shop represents far more than a source of income. It symbolises a bond between generations — a father’s trust, a son’s dedication, and a community’s shared memory of simpler times.
Cultural observers note that traditional healing practices still hold relevance, particularly in an era when global interest in natural wellness and holistic health is rising. With proper recognition, documentation, and institutional support, heritage knowledge systems like Ayurveda could find renewed significance.
Yet, for now, Wani continues his daily routine quietly, opening the creaking wooden shutters each morning and tending to the remedies that have defined his life.
As evening falls and the bazaar lights begin to glow, he carefully arranges the jars back into place — a ritual repeated thousands of times over the years. Whether the shop will survive beyond his lifetime remains uncertain, but its story already forms an enduring chapter in Kashmir’s cultural history.
For those who step inside, the experience is not merely about buying medicine. It is about encountering a living legacy — one rooted in trust, tradition, and a promise that has kept a century-old door open against the tide of time.
