SAFFRON KINGDOM: DEBUNKING THE FAKE NARRATIVE—KASHMIR’S REALITY ON GROUND

Manufactured narratives fade when confronted with Kashmir’s lived reality

When images began circulating on social media recently, purporting a film titled “Saffron Kingdom — Unravelling Kashmir’s Deepest Wounds” and connected to a “propaganda network,” many in the Valley braced for yet another round of external narratives that simplify, distort and instrumentalise our lived experience for political purposes. Such representations not only mischaracterise the complex tapestry of everyday life in Jammu and Kashmir but in their implicit framing, echo longstanding tropes propagated by inimical actors with vested interests across borders. This article — rooted in on-ground realities, official data and local voices — aims to dismantle that misleading narrative and present Kashmir’s story as it is: one of resilience, peace, stability and forward progress under the Indian constitutional framework.

The claim that Kashmir is “a land of wounds”, constantly embroiled in violent conflict and despair, is deeply misleading. That narrative finds traction not because it reflects ordinary reality but because it serves a geopolitical script. Pakistan-linked interests have long sought to frame Kashmir exclusively through the prism of strife and grievance, obscuring the nuanced, multifaceted life of its people. The film’s branding and the accompanying digital post echo this approach, elevating selective stories as universal truths — an exercise that does little for genuine understanding.

Far from being a theatre of daily violence, the state functions under sustained law-and-order routines, with security forces and local administration coordinating to ensure citizen safety. Community outreach initiatives — such as the launch of “Radio Sangam”, a community radio station near the Line of Control — reflect evolving efforts to strengthen civil-military relations and counter misinformation directly among local population.

Tourism remains one of the most powerful indicators of Kashmir’s ongoing transformation and public confidence. Between January and June 2025, Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 95.9 lakh domestic tourist visits and nearly 20,000 foreign arrivals, demonstrating that substantial domestic interest in the region persists. The 2024 figures were even more striking, with over 2.35 crore domestic tourists and 65,452 foreign tourists visiting the Union Territory — a clear signal of renewed confidence and growing global interest.

These numbers do not tell the whole story — they tell a more complex one. Tourism in Kashmir is currently in total upswing and resilience, shaped by a mix of domestic travel, regional pilgrimages and portfolio tourism that spans leisure, culture, adventure and spirituality. In 2025, total figures across Jammu and Kashmir reportedly crossed 1.58 crore tourists which itself is a story of progressive Kashmir.

This recovery is anchored not only in the Valley’s perennial allure but also in deliberate efforts by the government and stakeholders to rebuild confidence through campaigns, improved infrastructure and strategic promotions. Such efforts underscore that the narrative of a “land of wounds” cannot withstand the data on footfall, economic participation and developmental projects for one and all.

Equally important to understanding Kashmir’s evolving reality is an appreciation of infrastructure and economic development — elements the critics of the region rarely acknowledge.

Long-term projects like the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), culminating in the inauguration of the world’s tallest railway arch bridge over the Chenab, dramatically enhanced connectivity across the region, shrinking distances and integrating the Kashmir Valley more deeply with the Indian hinterland.

The completion of such ambitious transportation networks has not only facilitated travel but signalled a broader commitment to development. Additionally, initiatives like the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, aimed at tourism infrastructure development, reflect ongoing investment in sustainable, tourism-centric growth supported by the Ministry of Tourism.

Beyond tourism and transport, the region has seen focused efforts in community welfare, cybersecurity enhancements and social welfare programmes aimed at curbing drug abuse with the involvement of local community institutions — steps that reveal the breadth of governance priorities in Jammu and Kashmir today.

Conversations with residents in Srinagar, Anantnag, Kupwara, Budgam and Baramulla reveal a region far removed from the monochrome depiction of perpetual conflict. Shopkeepers speak of business tied to domestic tourists, youth speak of aspirations in technology, handicrafts and hospitality, while elders reflect on how the Valley’s cultural rhythms — from mehndi to mutton Rogan Josh — animate normal life once again. Though security challenges remain, but overwhelmingly, their narratives emphasise courting peace and hope over despair.

The appeal of narratives like “Saffron Kingdom” lies less in their veracity and more in the global media appetite written, thought of and imagined in the comfort zones of their homes thousands of kilometres away from Kashmir, just to fill their own coffees and to please their masters on whose directions money & comfort these elements thrive, without bothering about the actual Scenario & situation in the valley. Such portrayals distract from the region’s real progress and in doing so, feed into the geopolitical contest that has shaped Kashmir’s destiny for decades. It is time to differentiate between propaganda and grounded reportage, between stories manufactured to serve foreign policy objectives and those rooted in the lived experiences of Kashmiris themselves.

Kashmir’s journey is neither perfect nor untroubled. There will always be debates over policy, identity and governance. But the data, combined with local testimony, paints a picture of a region moving resolutely towards stability, with tourism, infrastructure and community welfare at its heart.

Today, Kashmir stands as a testament to the resilience of its people — rising above manufactured narratives, rebuilding its economy and reclaiming its place as a land of sublime beauty and vibrant life. Any portrayal that fails to acknowledge this complexity is not only misleading but does a disservice to the very people it claims to represent.

In discerning reality from rhetoric, readers must look beyond the superficial frames of external films and social media posts. The true story of Kashmir is one of renewal, perseverance and progress under the Indian constitutional fold — and that is a narrative worth telling with honesty and depth.