Kashmiri Proverbs

Book excerpt: This book, written during the pandemic, is the brainchild of the author, based primarily on the Kashmiri sayings the elders used to quote and intersperse during their day-to-day conversations. Such special sayings, the proverbs, are gems of wisdom that give advice about life. Proverbs do reflect and demonstrate national events, social customs and vices, and are found in all languages and societies alike. As rightly said by a Panamanian, “Proverb is to speech what salt is to food.” Generations have passed, but those proverbs are relevant even today. These proverbs, handed over through word of mouth, might slowly dwindle and vanish from our lives as our future generations are bound to distance themselves from the use of Kashmiri language due to circumstances created by the design, compulsion or choice. This concern prompted me to document these proverbs. The compilation has 101 Kashmiri proverbs in English, Urdu and Hindi, to ensure better reach. The meaning of each word is annexed with an elaborate description, interpretation and usage with illustrative examples, wherever possible. These proverbs are hoped to invoke interesting memories in Kashmiris, in particular and a positive reception from other regions as well, by recapitulating similar proverbs in their own languages.