I am Muskan , a 21 year old native of Anantnag Where do I live in a remote village of Akura, this place holds a special place in my heart
The carefree childhood days remain memorable and etched all life that were filled with laughter and wonder.
Nestled in a remote corner, Akura holds a treasured place in my memories.
Deep in the picturesque hills of Anantnag , lies my ancestral village on the bank of a river Lidder, a place where my heart finds solace. Growing up in this remote haven, I cherish the memories of my idyllic childhood, where laughter and wonder filled every sun-kissed day.

The Praises of Autumn Do Everyone

Indeed the golden environment attracts everyone to praise the beauty
But I want to add the things That how autumn is the same , in fact more beautiful but some moments are still absent. That is dwelled only on memories neither captured in any camera nor any reel! Only stored in my mind
I had my childhood friend , Khushboo Gull. We got together after coming from school. We used to play in fields and at BONEH BAG!
Which since 2008 has been occupied by the CRPF CAMP but we never stopped to amuse ourselves in this autumn
The coming of autumn was seen when people used to harvest the rice. The green rice field turn into golden and the hays we used to play the game I SPY we used to pronounce AYIS
PAYIS!
I still remember in our village Hardly anyone had labourers either for harvesting or threshing the rice. The neighbours, family members or dear ones used to come for help and vice versa. We enjoyed Kashmiri Noon Chai.
We enjoyed wild black berries and ate them and believe me we had the best immunities those days!
It's not the story of a long time, it's the story of a mere 10 years back.
As some places gain more attention like Naseem Bagh or other places they are really places to be praised but the Baagh of chinars at our village with temple and mosque nearby served the unity where Hindu friends and Muslims used to play and we used to play in the temple courtyard.
The whole Bagh turned out red and golden the women of our villages used to collect these leaves and burn them down to make charcoal for winters
The huge bundles of leaves looked like heaven to us.
These carefree days ,we never concentrated either on or chapped lips or on cracked hands
We care only for fun.
Autumn in Kashmir has its own unique beauty that is adored and carolled either in poems or in prose.
One of the beautiful delicacies harvested in autumn Quince apples, also known as Bamb Choonth, are a versatile fruit with a unique taste.
Quince apples are used in many dishes, including cooked delicacies in Kashmiri Wazwan. They can be cooked with mutton or paneer, or used to make jams, jellies, and puddings. Quince apple jam, also called Murrab e Behee, is a common Kashmiri jam that some Hakeems recommend for people with chronic bronchitis and cough, as it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Another Thing that We Waited for Chestnuts

In our childhood we had only a few things to do: going to school, playing , sleeping and eating. No responsibility or anything
In our childhood we had heard of saffron fields that are 55 km away from our hometown but we never visited and slowly with the advancement of technology and transport we saw it in reel and reality.
But The time gone has only memories that can be recalled when having some social gathering or reunions.
We had fun in each season but this autumn had it own serenity
One of the beautiful things at our villages was the visibility of the mountains from all sides of Mattan, Pahalgam , Srigufwara and mountains very far; they were more visible in autumn as trees shed their leaves .
One of the best memory I recall is The chinar trews where's the home for thousands of crows and when Sun was about to set all crows were beautifully dancing in the sky we used to run fast along with them by saying, Crows are set free from school as that images was getting recharted when We were set off from the school .
We never came to know about the logic behind the shrinking of days and long nights.
We were surprised by the small gaps between the Azans. We had no time piece nor were we bound to time what we had the time of the Kaw Kaw of crows and azan in masjids.
That carefree time had its own beauty and peace . It can’t be forgotten as it had been revised infinitely and it had created an inscription in our mind that is imperishable.
Now growing up we are bound with the time and responsibilities but recalling these memories refreshes the soul and puts a beam of smile on our faces.
It's only because of this autumn that makes us to smile over the small happenings of our childhood otherwise human being has turned that much busy he must have forgot the things
The autumn each year give us the inner feelings as the winds, leaves, surrounding make us remind of those good days

Here's a Lesson-Seeking Story

The Chinar Bagh Incident

Autumn in Kashmir was a sight to behold. The Chinar Bagh, with its majestic trees, was ablaze with golden hues. As a curious child, I spent most afternoons playing amidst the rustling leaves. One fateful day, my friends and I concocted a mischievous plan.
We decided to burn the dry leaves, watching them swirl into flames. We snuck into the nearby market, our eyes scanning for matchsticks. Our hearts racing, we purchased a packet, careful not to arouse suspicion.
Back in the Chinar Bagh, we gathered the dry leaves into a massive pile. With trembling hands, I lit the match. The flames engulfed the leaves, and our laughter echoed through the garden. But our joy was short-lived.
An elderly woman, who had been collecting leaves for fuel, rushed towards us, her face contorted in anguish. The fire had spread, engulfing her entire collection. Her livelihood, reduced to ashes.
The woman's scolding still resonates in my mind. "What were you thinking? Do you know how hard I worked to collect those leaves?" Her words cut deeper than any rebuke.

That Day, we learned Valuable Lessons

Safety first, our reckless actions could have caused harm to others and ourselves.
Respect for hard work, The elderly woman's labour was reduced to nothing.
And Responsibility that Our actions have consequences.
The Chinar Bagh incident left an indelible mark. I realized that autumn's beauty demands respect, and our actions must harmonize with nature.
Autumn's splendour teaches us to appreciate lab or, respect nature, and prioritize safety.

Email:--------------------muskanshafimalik@gmail.com