...but they are crafty

 - A Snake Charmer in the New Bazaar, Srinagar, Kashmir, 1892
from Illustrated London News. [found it here at Columbia.edu]
[Update: It was the work of J. E. Goodall]
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'[They] are good-looking...but they are crafty'.

wrote Buddhist pilgrim from China, Huen Tsang who arrived in Kashmir in A.D. 631 as a state guest and stayed for two years.

Kashmir in 1920s

Some more vintage photographs from 'Kashmir in Sunlight & Shade: a Description of the Beauties of the Country, the Life, Habits and Humour of its Inhabitants, and an Account of the Gradual but Steady Rebuilding of a Once Down-trodden People' by Cecil Earle Tyndale-Biscoe (1922).

A Winter scene by Pandit Vishwanath.

Back waters of Dal

Swarup Rani, Pandit Nehru's Mother

With Dejhoor, Athoor and Atah dangling from her ear.

An Old photograph of Nehru's Mother, Swarup Rani, housed at Teen Murti Bhavan.

Kashmiri in 1922

Some more old photographs of Kashmir from 'Kashmir in Sunlight & Shade: a Description of the Beauties of the Country, the Life, Habits and Humour of its Inhabitants, and an Account of the Gradual but Steady Rebuilding of a Once Down-trodden People' by Cecil Earle Tyndale-Biscoe (1922).

Pounding Rice: The mortars are block of wood hollowed out: the pestles are heavy pieces of timber which makes this daily round in women's work very arduous.It is the women's duty to convey water for domestic use. The constant practice of balancing the pots on their heads gives them an erect and graceful poise.