Lessons for a Warming World From Kashmir’s Cooling Caves

Lessons for a Warming World From Kashmir’s Cooling Caves

Lessons for a Warming World From Kashmir’s Cooling Caves Living Paradigms is a series about what we can learn from the customs and cultural practices of others when it comes to solving problems. It is sponsored by Wonderstruck. O n a quiet June morning in Dudran, a remote village in the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, the stillness is broken only by the rustle of the breeze, the gurgle of mountain streams, and the lively chirping of birds. Amid this calm, Mohammad Aamir walks steadily, balancing a deaag , a large metal vessel, brimming with fresh milk. He is headed toward the village’s traditional cooling cave, locally known as a dodh daaer or dodh khot , a centuries-old, stone-lined chamber fed by icy spring water.  He pulls open the wooden doors of the cooling cave, their hinges creaking softly. Carefully, he places the metal vessel inside, nestling it among the cool stone walls. Then, with practiced ease, he places a small rock on top of the lid to keep it firmly in place…