Silence is fast spreading across Kashmir countryside, where laughter once filled the air. The young have moved to Srinagar, Delhi, or the Gulf, leaving behind homes that feel empty. Migration that once promised hope now feels like loss.

Every year, thousands of young people leave rural Kashmir to find work and stability. Official data shows that this shift from villages to cities has grown sharply in the past decade. Farming, once the pride of the valley, is losing its strength. Unpredictable weather, falling profits, and weak market support have made agriculture a struggle. Many no longer see a future in the fields their families once cherished.

The signs are hard to miss. New houses stay locked through winter. Apple boxes lie untouched beside broken carts. Lanes that once rang with chi

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