Walking a Cabbage in Kashmir—to Protest the Absurdity of War

Pushed to the brink by the insanity of life in a land on military lockdown, one mysterious resident embarks on a decidedly bizarre piece of performance art.

Photo courtesy Kashmiri Cabbage Walker

On a clear and sunny Sunday afternoon in December, a man wearing a pheran — a traditional Kashmiri loose overcoat — creates an amusing sight while walking through Lal Chowk, the most popular square in the city of Srinagar. At his side, propped up on special rollers: a cabbage on a leash.

Srinagar is the summer capital of the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the largest city in Kashmir Valley, known for the beauty of its Mughal gardens, Jhelum River and lakes — and for its violent unrest. A famous hangout spot for youngsters, Lal Chowk square is also the part of town where people go to make political statements. In the popular 2014 Hindi movie “Haider,” adapted from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and set in Kashmir, the protagonist disrupts a function in honor of his corrupt uncle and stages a protest in Lal Chowk. Separatist militants have also chosen the square to stage violent attacks. There are both strolling visitors and members of the a…