Srinagar, Oct 6: Gulmarg cheese was part of the assortment of gifts that Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented to Swiss President Guy Parmelin during his visit to India earlier this week.
The name ‘Gulmarg’ and ‘cheese’ ring a bell about the rich cheesemaking tradition of Kashmir, sustained by pastoral communities over generations, yet still unorganised.
The Gulmarg cheese is named so because of its snowy white appearance that reminded its makers of Kashmir’s famed meadow in winters. Made by Eleftheria, the cheese is snowy cheese has a thick fluffy rind, full of earthy flavors, the award-winning company told Greater Kashmir. It is not sourced from Gulmarg or based on Gulmarg style of cheese, but an artisanal product, along with other cheese that the Mumbai-based cheese makers are famous for.
However, the international attention around the name Gulmarg cheese also shines a light on Kashmir’s traditional cheesemaking culture. Developed over generations by its pastoral communities, this tradition still survives in scattered pockets of mountains and valley.
From Kalari to Kudan the traditional cheeses made by Gujjar and Bakarwal communities form part of a largely unorganised food heritage. Kalari is one of the best-known varieties here. This dense, elastic cheese is traditionally prepared from buffalo, cow or even goat milk. The cheese develops a crisp exterior, while the insides become soft and molten when heated. This cheese is made in pastoral households and developed as a way of preserving a highly perishable product.
Qudan is traditionally associated with goat milk but is also made of cow’s milk. It is another important piece on Kashmir’s cheese platter. It is chunky, granular, with musty flavour. It is usually cooked with milk in Kashmiri households and also finds its way into salads of connoisseurs.
The production of these traditional cheeses in Kashmir remains largely decentralized, taking place mostly at household level. It is linked to seasonal pastoral movement and depends on the availability of milk. Much of the trading takes place while the livestock moves from a place to another and is seasonal.
No comparable organised supply chain connects traditional producers with larger markets.
The issue of standardisation, processing, storage, transportation, packaging and marketing have remained unattended to. The traditional Himalayan cheeses have thus remained mostly confined in the local communities, unable to move beyond their areas of production.
On smaller scales, artisanal cheesemakers in Kashmir have worked with local pastoral communities to source milk and produce Kalari. A Dutch entrepreneur in Pahalgam has also demonstrated how Kudan and Kalari can be sold in bigger markets, to high-end consumers.
These are now sold on shelves with the same status and liking as Gouda and Cheddar. However, these efforts are relatively small compared with the scale of Kashmir’s dairy economy.
In an episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi called Kalari cheese the Mozzarella of Kashmir. Can his Gulmarg cheese gift inspire a cheese story in J&K?
By preserving the traditional character and improving hygiene and shelf life, Kashmir cheese can reach reliable markets.
This can ensure more livelihood opportunities and greater share of the value to communities that have kept the tradition alive.
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