A 600-Year-Old Kashmiri Feast Survives as Younger Cooks Choose a Different Future

As autumn arrives in Kashmir, the sound of wooden mallets pounding lamb meat can still be heard in courtyards and back lanes as cooks prepare Wazwan, a traditional multi-course feast served at weddings.

The culinary tradition dates back to the 14th century, when skilled cooks from Central Asia arrived in Kashmir. Over hundreds of years, Wazwan became an important part of Kashmiri wedding celebrations and cultural identity.

A Tradition Passed Down Through Generations

Among the cooks keeping the tradition alive is 74-year-old Ghulam Nabi Baba, whose family belongs to the Wazpora community of traditional cooks in Srinagar’s old city.

Baba began learning the craft from his father when he was just 15 years old. Nearly six decades later, he continues to prepare Wazwan for weddings using techniques that have changed surprisingly little.

Meat is lightly spiced, pounded by hand and then slowly cooked over wood fires. The feast has also grown over the centuries. Baba said there were once only seven mutton dishes, while modern Wazwan can include around 20.

Thousands of Kilograms of Meat for One Wedding

The size of a Wazwan feast can also reflect the wealth and scale of a wedding.

Baba recalled preparing about 4,500 kilograms of meat for a particularly large wedding in northern Kashmir around four decades ago. At an average wedding, he said, his team would normally prepare around 200 kilograms of mutton.

Guests traditionally share the meal from a large copper platter known as a trami, with dishes such as rogan josh, rista, gushtaba and tabak maaz forming part of the feast.

The Next Generation Chooses a Different Path

Although Baba has spent most of his life cooking at weddings, his son has chosen not to follow exactly the same career path.

Instead, the younger Baba opened a restaurant, where he continues to serve Wazwan while avoiding the demanding schedule of traditional wedding catering.

Wedding cooks can work around the clock for large celebrations, making the profession physically demanding. Restaurants offer more predictable working hours while still allowing younger chefs to preserve the family’s culinary knowledge.

A Tradition Adapting to Modern Life

The story of the Baba family reflects a wider change in Kashmir’s food culture. Wazwan remains closely connected to weddings and celebrations, but younger cooks are finding new ways to carry the tradition forward.

For families like the Babas, preserving Wazwan does not necessarily mean keeping every part of the old profession unchanged. The recipes, techniques and cultural meaning can continue even as the people preparing the food find a different way to make a living.

Sources

• Reuters — “Kashmir’s 600-year-old wedding-feast tradition adapts to modern times” — September 30, 2026.
• NDTV — “Kashmir’s 600-Year-Old Wazwan Lives On, But Fewer Young Cooks Want The Job” — October 1, 2026.
• Al Jazeera — “Photos: Kashmir’s 600-year-old Wazwan wedding feast adapts to modern life” — September 30, 2026.