Why Fashion Is Not The Real Flashpoint In Gulmarg Show

It started with a 35-second clip—fashion models in skimpy outfits striding across the snow at Gulmarg라이브 바카라 ski resort on March 7. As the clip spread across screens online, there was a huge backlash from the public for the “disregard of local sensitivities and culture.” Kashmir라이브 바카라 chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, termed it “outrageous” and “obscene.” The issue also made its way into the state assembly, where MLAs from all parties, in a rare show of unity, condemned the incident and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, responding to the house, said that a probe had been ordered. 

Following the backlash, designers Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, who organised the fashion show to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their label, issued a , saying they “deeply regret any hurt caused by our recent presentation.” The video was also taken down from their page.

The controversy, however, didn’t die down with an apology. Several questions were raised—who had approved this event during Ramadan? Was Ramadan the only fault line and would it have gone unnoticed in any other month? On the internet and prime-time TV news shows, the debate expanded to whether public sentiments should dictate what라이브 바카라 acceptable versus the designers’ right to define their creative boundaries. Who sets the line between culture and choice?

But on the ground, many see the issue differently. A political observer based in the region told 바카라, “It라이브 바카라 not just Kashmir. Nudity on display is considered inappropriate by many cultures and religions. But in Kashmir, it takes on an additional negative significance because people believe such shows are part of a muscular policy post-abrogation of Article 370, meant to send a message to Muslim-majority Kashmir that ‘we can dare anything.’”

The anger is not about the fashion show itself but about what it represents. For many in Kashmir, it is part of a broader concern—that events like these are attempts to dilute Kashmir라이브 바카라 cultural identity after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which stripped the region of its special status. Allowing events like these, many believe, are part of a broader attempt to reshape the region라이브 바카라 social fabric under the guise of normalcy.

Zubair, a 25-year-old master's student in communications, commented, “If you plan to perform in a city unfamiliar to you, you should first do your homework about the city and its culture. You can't just show up and start a semi-nude show.” He added that the fashion show was clearly “an act of cultural invasion.”

“The Kashmiri people, after all, come from a place of vulnerability. Their traditional rights to land ownership and residency have been stripped from them without their consent, leaving them in a precarious situation. What remains for them are their religious beliefs and cultural values, and that is what they (the government) want to control now.”

This controversy also comes at a time when, in the region, anxieties over cultural and religious control are high. Last month, police in many parts of Kashmir raided bookstores and seized hundreds of books linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami outfit. The crackdown has reinforced fears about whether the state will now decide what Kashmiris ‘read, learn, and believe.’

Mubairah Jan, 22, from Srinagar, says, “If Kashmir is normal enough for fashion shows of this sort, why is it not normal for Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid or night prayers on Shab-e-Barat?”

“If Kashmir is normal for the events of tourists, shouldn’t it be normal for the gatherings of Kashmir라이브 바카라 Muslim population too?” she adds.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on March 10 (Monday) before the budget discussion, CM Abdullah said that it was a private function organised in a private hotel, but “strict action will be taken in case there is any violation of law.” He also said that the government had no role to play. “Had they sought permission, we would not have given it.” 

Opposition leaders questioned how Abdullah, as the minister in charge of the tourism department, could claim to be unaware of the event. BJP라이브 바카라 Sunil Sharma said, “We heard that these people were staying at Nedou's hotel in Gulmarg, which belongs to relatives of Omar.” Locals, too, are sceptical. Imtiyaz Ahmad, a local from Gulmarg, says: “Even to pitch a tent here in Gulmarg, you need permission from the authorities. So how were drones flying over the area for a four-day event while the chief minister, who is seen in Gulmarg every now and then, had no idea about it?” 

The National Conference-led government is already under pressure from increasing calls for a liquor ban. In recent times, social media posts showing apparently drunk tourists on Kashmir streets have created outrage in parts of the Valley. In February, Srinagar residents put up posters asking tourists to “respect local culture and traditions” and to “avoid alcohol and drugs”, but the police later took them down.

“The NC promised to bring back everything that was lost in 2019, but now they seem to have resigned themselves to the new reality,” Ahmed added.