07/10/2026
Mehbooba Mufti Visits AABYARI, Reconnects With Kashmir’s Living Heritage.
Srinagar: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti visited AABYARI in ShereKhass, Maharajgunj, an extraordinary heritage space that preserves the history, character and living memory of old Srinagar.
“Some places hold history; others hold the soul of a people. AABYARI holds memory,” Mehbooba Mufti said during her visit.
Nestled in the timeless lanes of ShereKhass, AABYARI is a centuries-old heritage space beautifully restored by Iqbal Shah, transforming a historic structure into a living testimony to Kashmir’s architectural, cultural and social legacy.
Mehbooba Mufti said the restoration of AABYARI is a reminder that heritage is far more than bricks, timber and walls. “It is about preserving the stories, traditions, craftsmanship and memories that give a place its soul,” she said.
As she walked through its historic spaces and lanes, Mehbooba Mufti also revisited deeply personal memories of her father, recalling his last tour of ShereKhass. The familiar character of the old city brought back memories of a bygone time, momentarily dissolving the distance between the past and present.
She described heritage as a bridge between generations—connecting people to their roots while giving future generations something meaningful to inherit.
“Heritage is not simply what our ancestors leave behind. It is what we choose to preserve, so that those who come after us can still see, feel and experience the Kashmir we inherited,” she said.
The visit highlighted the importance of preserving Srinagar’s historic neighbourhoods, traditional architecture and cultural spaces—not as relics of a forgotten past, but as living expressions of Kashmir’s identity, memory and cultural inheritance.