Zoon Dabb balconies, roofs of bark and mud, Kasaba, Taranga, Pulharu, Putta Hurr – so perfectly were they all suited to our lives
The social life of Kashmir was well showcased in a feature programme of the erstwhile Radio Kashmir, called “Zoon Dabb”. This programme was broadcast for almost two decades and was so popular that hardly any Kashmiri missed it. I have heard many friends saying that whenever they faced any social problem they would wait till Zoon Dabb would solve it. It was a programme laced with humour, fun and laughter.
The name of the programme itself signified a cultural and architectural heritage of Kashmir, namely “Dabb”. Dabb used to be a popular fixture in old houses and was a mini balcony. Old women would sit on these dabbs and would talk to their neighbours even across the streets and discuss all sorts of social and household matters as telephones had not penetrated in our society till then. It was an architectural feature specific to Kashmir and had m