There are moments in the story of a society when something ordinary becomes extraordinary not because it changes in shape or form but because the world around it changes so fast that the old thing suddenly feels precious again. In Kashmir the domestic Hamaam-the warm stone-floored room heated by firewood has always been a symbol of comfort, culture and family life. As winters feel harsher and electricity supply remains bleak the Hamaam is returning not just as a physical space but as an emotional space that many families are trying to reclaim.
The revival of domestic Hamaams in contemporary Kashmir looks beautiful as we see families together in a single room, especially in the chilling evening hours- grandparents, parents and children all together in a single room- an ideal situation for enjoying not just the warmth of the Hmaaam but of relations as well. However, it is only the half-truth of today’s Kashmir as we observe comfort and laziness, connection and isolation, family bonding and digital distraction, tradition and modern habits all blend together in this space called ‘Hamaam’. The same hamaam that once brought people together is today becoming a place where silence grows louder not because people are lost in thoughts but because everyone is lost in their phones.
There was a time not very long ago when the hamaam was meant more than just a warm room- it meant winter stories whispered by grandparents, dried fruits shared among cousins, lessons of life given by elders, it meant families learning to sit together, eat together and simply exist in the same space without being pulled away by screens or notifications. The fact of the matter is that Hamaam is still warm, glowing, comforting but the people inside it are colder to each other than ever before. Families sit together physically but live in separate worlds mentally. Students who once revised lessons here now scroll endlessly on their phones. Women who once used this space to pray or finish chores now lose hours watching videos. Men who once returned home tired now enter the hamaam and forget time, drifting into the lazy comfort of heat and endless phone-scrolling. Even children whose bodies should run and minds should grow, sit like statues, sleepy and slow, waking up late and studying less. The hamaam is the same but people have changed. The warmth is still there but the purpose has weakened.
To save the beauty of the Hamaam and the strength of our society we need to change how we use this space. Let the hamaam remain a place for bonding not addiction. Families should set simple rules at least one hour every day in the hamaam without phones, where everyone talks, shares, laughs, or simply sit together in peace. Students should bring their books instead of their phones. Women should use it for rest but not let it consume their entire day. Men should use it to relax but not to disconnect from family responsibilities.
Everyone should remember that warmth is only useful when it gives energy not when it steals time. The true revival of the hamaam will not come from firewood and stone alone but from the choices we make inside it, choices that decide whether this ancient room becomes a sanctuary of discipline or a shelter for distraction. It is upto us to see if Hamaam is a space that strengthens families or silences them, a place where children learn resilience or lose it and ultimately a reminder that the future of Kashmir will never be shaped by the heat under our feet but by the strength of our minds. It is a test of our sincerity and of our habits and the courage of our families to reclaim connection, conversation, purpose and responsibility before comfort quietly replaces everything that once made us strong.
