KABOOTAR’BAAZ

Fotografie di Aakash Gulzar

Kabootar’baaz è una narrazione metaforica del dilemma psicologico e politico del Kashmir, raccontata attraverso l’immaginario dell’allevamento dei piccioni. Tradizionalmente simbolo di pace e libertà spirituale, questi uccelli oggi incarnano la condizione delle vite dei kashmiri, sospese tra fugaci momenti di libertà su un orizzonte segnato da posti di blocco. Il titolo ha un doppio significato: Kabootarbaaz come “allevatore di piccioni” e baaz come “falco”, suggerendo lo sguardo predatorio e vigile dello Stato. In Kashmir, persino il volo è confinato entro confini invisibili.

Questo progetto esplora la domesticazione dei corpi sotto un potere oppressivo. Le persone, come gli uccelli, continuano i rituali di cura e resistenza della propria identità, ma sempre sotto l’ombra incombente di fili spinati, leggi e apparati superiori. Kabootar’baaz non parla solo di uccelli; parla di persone in bilico, che ricordano, resistono e sperano sotto un cielo occupato.

Pigeons fly over Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, as seen from a hilltop on April 15, 2025. In the city below, thousands of residents continue the age-old tradition of pigeon keeping, raising the birds on rooftops as part of a cultural practice passed down through generations.
Bilal Ahmad stands atop his bird farm in Downtown Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 14, 2025, watching for his pigeons to return home. Known for its history of unrest and protests, the area has undergone a noticeable shift in recent years, with pigeon keeping becoming more popular. Ahmad, a member of the Indian Pigeon Association, has spent over a decade raising more than 3,000 pigeons. For him, this practice has become a lifeline. “During the tough times, pigeon keeping was a relief. It helped me stay calm when everything around seemed to be falling apart,” he says. Each morning, he feeds the birds, watches them stretch their wings, and sees them soar above the city, a quiet moment of peace in a world that’s often unpredictable.
Buyers gather at the pigeon market in Rainawari, Srinagar, near Koh-i-Maran Hills, on April 20, 2025, looking for purebred pigeons. Every Sunday, the market becomes a place for keepers to share advice and bond over their love of pigeons. They carefully inspect each bird’s eyes, checking for a grey ring around the pupil, which can indicate the pigeon’s ability to fly high, fly long distances, or find its way home.
Young boys from the neighborhood gather at the Makhdoom Sahib Shrine, aiming stones to hunt pigeons in the open courtyards of the shrine complex on Nov 30, 2024.
Visitors gather near the shrine of Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on Feb 28, 2025. Many stop to take photos with the pigeons and find a sense of peace and relief in their presence. The shrine is a popular spot where people connect with faith, culture, and the calming presence of birds.
A pigeon grips the wire of its cage in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 15, 2025. Though pigeons are often seen as symbols of peace and freedom, many live in cages. The image reflects a tradition of care mixed with confinement, and for some, it mirrors the feeling of being watched and restricted in everyday life.
Owais, 23, works full-time as a caretaker for over a thousand pigeons in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 15, 2025, more than 100 kilometers away from his home. Employed by a local businessman who owns the prized birds, Owais spends his days feeding, cleaning, and tending to their needs. “It’s exhausting at times,” he says, “but I’ve grown attached to them. This is what I want to do; I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Shezan Riyaz, 17, tends to his pigeons on the rooftop of his home in downtown Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 14, 2025. During curfews and school closures, caring for the birds gave him and his cousins a sense of routine and peace. With limited access to classes and social life, the time spent on the roof watching pigeons fly offered a brief escape from life below.
A pigeon rests in a cage at a shop in downtown Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 14, 2025. Across the city, dozens of shops cater to a thriving trade in pigeon breeding, where enthusiasts buy and sell a variety of prized breeds.
People gather around a pigeon seller at the Sunday market in Rainawari, Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 20, 2025. The market features a variety of pigeon breeds popular in the region, including Musier, Khatri, Check, Lal Anch, and Matakali.
Pigeons move freely inside the home of Sahibzada Muzaffar Amin in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 15, 2025, as family members gather for tea. Amin has been keeping pigeons for more than 30 years, a tradition passed down from his father. For him, the birds are not just pets but part of daily family life.
Faizan Parvez, 13, digs a small grave for a pigeon that died after being electrocuted by a wire in Bandipora, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 29, 2025. Many pigeon keepers in the region treat their birds with deep care and respect, often mourning their loss like that of a family member.
Inaam, 24, sits in a restaurant in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 26, 2025. Once a devoted pigeon keeper with more than 40 birds, he stopped after his favorite red-headed pigeon was killed by a cat. The loss was heartbreaking, and he released the rest of his birds soon after. For Inaam, raising pigeons had been a way to ease depression and find emotional relief. He later got a tattoo in memory of the birds he once cared for.
A cat walks toward the Makhdoom Sahib shrine in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 25, 2025. The shrine is home to many pigeons, which are regularly fed by visitors. However, the presence of the cat highlights the constant threat that predators pose to the birds, even in a place where they are cared for and cherished by the local community.
Danish Ahmad Sheikh, 15, watches the pigeons fly at Makhdoom Sahib shrine in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 25, 2025. After school each day, Danish visits the shrine to catch wild pigeons. The pigeons gather around the shrine, and he has made it part of his daily routine to interact with them, learning about their behavior and strengthening his bond with the birds.
The shadow of a free-flying pigeon casts over the grounds of Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 25, 2025.