Shikaras in troubled waters

Owner struggle to make ends meet While Shikaras represent pristine beauty of Kashmir on magazine covers, tourist guides and picture postcards, their owners struggle to make ends meet. “For a Shakara waala, it’s very hard to make his ends meet, especially during winters when the influx of tourists is at its lowest,” said Ghulam Muhammad (70), a Shikara owner from Abi- Nowpora. “We start our day at 10 in the morning and wait for a customer. Sometimes even days go by without earning anything. We can hardly earn two square…

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