LIFE IN KASHMIR

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26538, 28 September 1951, Page 2

LIFE IN KASHMIR

DESCRIPTION GIVEN TO TRAVEL CLUB Mrs M. H. Godby presided at a meeting of the Travel Club in Christchurch yesterday, and welcomed Mrs A. Burton, the guest speaker. Mrs Burton, whose husband was a member of the staff of Rangoon University, was evacuated to Kashmir with her two children, who were both under the age of three years. An interesting description of the long and arduous journey from Rangoon to Calcutta and then to Kashmir was given by Mrs Burton. Many people who were evacuated from Burma arrived in Kashmir to recuperate, she said. Travelling in Kashmir was nbt very comfortable. She made several trips into the mountainous areas on horseback.

Shalimar was disappointing, said Mrs Burton, and not as beautiful as some of the lesser-known places. The Kashmir women were olive-skinned with blue eyes. They wore a tent-like white cotton robe, made in Magyar style, during the warm weather. For winter, they put a heavier garment over the cotton robe. They bathed only for their marriage ceremony, said Mrs Burton, adding: “So you can imagine how they and their clothes smelled.’ ’ Mrs Burton described the high taxes paid by the people and the dishonesty of the traders. During the winter months, the Kashmiris practically hibernated, she continued. They sealed up their house-boats and the shops and business premises were open for only a few hours during the day. Mrs Burton said she had learnt some of the Kashmiri language, and had endeavoured to get to know the people, but she had found them dishonest and untruthful. Her servant, on the day she left Kashmir, stole even the children’s clothing for her own family. This dishonesty probably resulted from the poor living conditions of the Kashmiris. The missionaries working in these parts had a very difficult job in trying to improve the lot of the people, concluded Mrs Burton.

Songs were sung by Mrs Leslie Scrimshaw, who was accompanied by Mrs W. E. Olds. Mrs Hugh Fraer welcomed five visitors and six new members. Mrs C. Shaw thanked Mrs Burton and the artists.