Food:
Kashmir cuisine is quite famous for the gracious use of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, saffron, etc. Spices used in Kashmiri cuisines give special taste and aroma to the food. However, Kashmiri rice forms an important part of the traditional food of Kashmir, striking a balance with the spicy Kashmiri dishes. Non-veg, consisting of mutton, chicken, fish, etc forms an important part of Kashmiri cuisine. The routine cooking in Kashmir is a combination of non-veg and vegetables in the same dish.
Non-vegetarian dishes consist of an important part of not only the diet of a Kashmiri, rather a banquet (wazwan) also. Considered a sign of extravagant hospitality, non-vegetarian dishes dominate in an official feast (wazwan). A typical wazwan meal consists of not more than one or two vegetarian dishes. Kashmir cuisine does not pay much attention to sweets. Instead, an important part of the meal is Kahva or green tea, used to wash down a meal. Traditionally, food in Kashmir was eaten by hands, without any spoons, forks or knives. Have a look at some of the popular vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of Kashmir and don't miss to relish the delicacies of Kashmir valley on your trip.

Dum-aloo:
Potatoes, roasted and cooked in a curd-based sauce.

Chaman:
Paneer (cottage cheese), fried and cooked in thick gravy.

Rista:
Balls made of minced meat, cooked in gravy.

Seekh kababs:
Chicken or mutton marinated in spices and grilled on skewers.

Tabak Maz:
Fried flat pieces of meat (cut from the ribs).

Roganjosh:
Meat cooked with a liberal amount of spices.

Yakhni:
Mutton cooked with curd as a base.

Gushtaba:
Balls made of finely minced meat, cooked in thick fresh curd gravy. It is the last item to be served in a traditional wazawan.

Culture:
The cultural heritage of Kashmir valley is an amalgamation of sorts. The numerous civilizations that have inhabited the Kashmir valley from time to time have left their impression on the culture of Kashmir. The state of Kashmir abounds in ancient literature, language, religion, arts, crafts, dance, music, etc. Infact, the people of Kashmir have made significant contribution in the fields of story telling, poetry, philosophy, sciences, etc. The handicrafts of Kashmir like Pashmina shawls, papier-mâché products, silk carpets, woodwork, etc are admired throughout the world.
The renowned folk songs and dances are an integral part of the Kashmir culture. Music and dance is a way of celebrating festivities for the people of Kashmir. At one point of time in the past, Kashmir served as one of the highest learning centers of Sanskrit and Persian. With time, the cultural heritage of Kashmir, India, has evolved more and more. However, this beautiful and peaceful valley has managed to protect itself from the ravages of progress to some an extent. The rich and deep-rooted ancient tradition of the Indian culture stills retains its place in the heart of Kashmir.

Language:
The most dominant of all Kashmir languages is the native Kashmiri language. Other common languages of Kashmir valley are Urdu, Hindi and English. The following lines provide more information about the major languages spoken in Kashmir: Kashmiri Majority of the population in Kashmir speaks.

Kashmiri:
Kashmiri is an Indo-Aryan language and is popularly known as Koshur.

Hindi:
The second most spoken language of Kashmir is Hindi. It is mainly spoken by the Kashmiri Pandits and the Gujjar population of Kashmir.

Urdu:
The Muslim population in Kashmir speaks Urdu language. An Indo-European language, it sounds very much similar to Hindi. Also, Urdu is the only language that is written and read from right to left.

English:
You will easily find locals conversing in English in Kashmir, especially the businessmen, guides, etc.