The sides of the valleys are often well cultivated with many apple orchards, pulses, zeera, maize, rice, and the much-prized saffron. Although the heavy rains of September damaged many crops some such as vegetables thrived which is just as well as some 80% of Kashmir’s population depends on agriculture.
Fascinating stuff. Shame there will be no real respite for them until Spring. How on earth do the gypsy families survive in only tents? The foreground building in the second picture looks a lot like an old-fashioned English bus shelter.
Generally the gypsies in this part of the world are pastoral with flocks of sheep or goats. In the summer they take the animals up high and in winter come down to the plains where many have houses. If anyone knows more please comment.
These ‘bus shelters’ are common here and quite big. The upper level is for winter feed and is open sided. Rather attractive practical structures I think.