Sadaf Wani is a Kashmiri writer and a senior communications professional. Her writings, both fiction and non-fiction, have been published extensively, including in Himal Southasian, Scroll.in, and Inverse Journal, among others. Her short stories have been featured in two critically acclaimed anthologies published by Aleph Book Company: The Greatest Indian Stories Ever Told (2023) and A Case of Indian Marvels: Dazzling Stories from the Country’s Finest New Writers (2022). This is her first book.
<p>Sirinagar (as it’s pronounced in Kashmiri), the capital of Paradise on Earth, is known for its lush green valley and picturesque lakes, but also for its troubled past and unsettled present. Founded in 250 BCE by the Buddhist king Ashoka, Srinagar’s chequered history is one of conquest and centuries of foreign rule, characterized by both indulgence and neglect. In independent India, the state’s troubled geopolitics, the growth of tehreek (armed insurgency) since 1989, and the tumultuous quest for azaadi have turned Srinagar into one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world. In City as Memory, Sadaf Wani draws from her childhood experiences in the mid-90s amidst a waning insurgency movement and increasing militarization, as well as her adolescence in</p><p>the early 2000s during deadly cycles of violence in the wake of civilian protests, to explore how Kashmir’s turbulent history deeply intertwines with memories of home for its people. Wani explores the beating heart of the city through stories of personal remembrance and scholarship, examining questions of identity and belonging to craft an intimate portrait of Srinagar. Her portrayal illuminates the deep wounds on the spatial, temporal, and emotional landscape of this city of contradictions—where scenic views of the Dal Lake coexist with smoke from tear gas.</p><div><br></div>
