Omkar Dattatray
Pulhor or Pulhoer is a traditional and indigenous sleeper made of dried paddy grass by Kashmiris but today is has disappeared from the Kashmiri culture and society.Pulhor was the identity of the Kashmiri culture and this sign and symbol of our rich and beautiful culture had been lost due to the efflux of time and modernity.In good olden days Pulhor was seen in every Kashmiri household. It were particularly the Kashmiri labourers who used Pulhor to do their work and they took great pride and pleasure in wearing or putting on the Pulhor while doing their work.ThePulhor was especially useful to wear in snowy winter as it was slip resistant because there was no risk of slipping on the frozen snow while walking and working in snow.
In olden days there were thatched roofs and these were made of dried paddy grass and the Kashmiris used the Pulhor to clean their house roofs of the assembled snow and it was specially used for this purpose. It was very economical and cost effective.All that was need to weave Pulhor was dry paddy grass which was abundant in Kashmir and thus any one could weave it,the only condition was that they should be able to weave Pulhor.However there was no special expertise to weave a Pulhor but still everyone could not weave it.Pulhor is a traditional footwear of Kashmir and is more or less similar to modern chappl, sandal, slipper. Perhaps the tradition of shoes in Kashmir stated with the wearing of Pulhor which is spelled as Pulhore also.
In good olden days, Kashmiris were using Pulhor instead of shoe or chappal. In bone chilling winter Kashmiris used to wear Pulhor and give some relief to their feet. Pulhor was used by the Kashmiris in ancient time to protect their feet from snow, throns and the like. The Pulhor was also used by visitors who in olden times visited Kashmir and climbed the mountains.In fact it was easy to climb high mountains by using Pulhor.
Due to modernity and development as well as due to the passage of time the use of the Pulhor has come to end and today it has dis-appeared from our society. But it can still be seen in some far off corners of our valley. Some very old people still think it proper to use Pulhor but generally it has been lost in the modernity. Pulhor is a symbol and pride of Kashmiri culture along with Pharen, Khraw and Kangri-the firepot. The Pharen is still widely worn by Kashmiris not only in Kashmir but Kashmiri Pandits and others as well wear Pheran outside Kashmir as well to protect themselves from cold in winter season. Along with Pheran, Kanger is also used till today in Kashmir to save ourselves from biting cold in winter season. Every Kashmiri makes use of kanger- the fire pot in winter season to protect himself from the chilling cold. The Khraw- the traditional foot wear has totally been lost as it is hardly seen in Kashmir. Khraw was made of wood and Kashmiris used it for short distances and used these in their surroundings.
More or less all these things of kashmiri culture which adorned Kashmiris are now a days lost due to passage of time and modernity but Pheran and Kangar is still alive and existant and these two things of our culture make our living easier in winter season and thus the people use these symbols of culture for their convenience. Though there is no need of weaving, keeping and using Puhor but still we should preserve these things of our culture and beauty which distinguished us from other societies and these things of our culture are our identities and so we should preserve and protect these from extinction. At least it is our responsibility to tell our children about these things of our culture so that they also are informed about our roots and culture.The future generations should know about these things of our culture even if these are not needed todays world because of modernity and development.But it is a matter of great pride that Pheran and Kanger are still widely used things of our culture and these give comfort to us in winter season. It is very difficult to pass winter season in Kashmir without the indegenious things of our culture which give comfort to us and protect us from biting cold. Coming back to the title of this write up, it is obvious that Pulhor is not needed today as there are many footwears in the present day Kashmir and the Pulhor has lost its value. But still it is our responsibility to keep Pulhor protected so that we and our future generations will come to know about Pulhor which has lost relevance in modern days. Therefore we should make aware our children about Pulhor and other things of our rich and beautiful culture.
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