Asian Paints’ love letter to Kashmir now floats on the Dal Lake

There are places you visit, and then there are places you’ve been romanticising long before you’ve ever set foot in them. For me, Kashmir was always the latter. Long before Instagram turned Dal Lake into a wallpaper and tulip gardens into viral reels, emperors, poets and painters had already fallen under its spell. Mughal emperor Jahangir famously described it as, “If there is paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.” Standing on the banks of Dal Lake for the first time, I finally understood why. But beyond the postcard-perfect mountains, mirror-like waters and towering chinars, Kashmir’s greatest masterpiece has always been its people. Their stories, their crafts and the traditions they have safeguarded through generations. And that’s exactly what brought me here. This time, I was in Srinagar to witness what happens when one form of art meets another.

In collaboration with St+art Foundation and XXL Collective, Asian Paints has unveiled Aks-e-Kashmir, transforming forty of the Valley’s iconic shikaras into floating canvases that celebrate Kashmir’s culture, ecology, folklore and artistic traditions. It felt fitting somehow. After all, the shikara has never merely been a boat. For generations, it has been Kashmir’s living room, marketplace, taxi, memory keeper and one of its most enduring symbols. Before roads connected different parts of Srinagar, life flowed through these waters. 

I got to experience one of these artworks firsthand aboard the ‘Flora, Fauna & Ecology’ shikara, and between the ripples of Dal Lake and the distant silhouette of the Zabarwan Range, it struck me how naturally art belonged here. The hand-painted canopy framed the landscape almost like a moving gallery, except the backdrop kept changing every few seconds. 

The forty shikaras have each been imagined by four contemporary artists, with every body of work exploring a different layer of Kashmir’s identity. Owais Ahmed’s ‘Crafts of Kashmir’ celebrates the artisans who have preserved the Valley’s creative legacy for centuries. Embroidery, papier-mâché, walnut wood carving and weaving are livelihoods passed down across generations. Interestingly, Kashmir’s papier-mâché craft arrived from Persia in the 14th century and continues to be practised by families who have dedicated their lives to perfecting it. Equally captivating is Sheehij Kaul’s ‘Flora, Fauna & Ecology’, which reads like a botanical diary of the Valley. Chinar leaves, lotus flowers, tulips, apples, the endangered Hangul deer and native birds come together to celebrate an ecosystem that is just as central to Kashmir’s identity as its mountains. Fun fact: Kashmir is home to Asia’s largest tulip garden, which bursts into bloom every spring with over 1.5 million flowers carpeting the foothills of the Zabarwan range. Zahra Javed’s ‘Calligraphy & Culture’ shifts the focus to language, architecture and poetry. Kashmiri verses flow across the shikara alongside intricate khatamband ceiling patterns, papier-mâché motifs and glimpses of everyday life. One of the verses celebrates winter giving way to spring – a reminder that in Kashmir, seasons are almost characters in their own right. Poetry has always been deeply intertwined with the Valley’s identity, and seeing it woven into visual art feels less like decoration and more like cultural preservation. Then comes Shweta Sharma’s ‘Folklore’, perhaps the most evocative of them all. Drawing from Kashmir’s oral traditions, the artwork honours legendary poet Hubba Khatoon, whose verses of love and longing continue to echo through the Valley centuries later, alongside the Ladishah tradition of satire and storytelling. Surrounded by birds, mountains and blooming chinar leaves, the compositions feel like illustrated folk tales drifting gently across the lake.

What makes these installations thoughtful is that every shikara has been treated as a complete design experience rather than simply a painted boat. The wooden canopies draw from Asian Paints Wood Finish, while upholstery featuring Ador and Pure Royale fabrics transforms the interiors into inviting spaces that complement the artwork instead of competing with it. Finished using Royale Glitz and Apcolite Premium Enamel, the paintings subtly catch changing light across Dal Lake, from misty mornings to golden sunsets beneath centuries-old chinar trees. 

The celebration of Kashmir extends beyond the lake. Marking the tenth chapter of ‘Donate A Wall’, Asian Paints has also unveiled an 11,500 sq. ft. mural at the University of Kashmir’s iconic Allama Iqbal Library. Conceptualised by Srinagar-based architect, artist and urban planner Zoya Kashmiri in collaboration with St+art Foundation and local artists, the mural draws inspiration from the university’s motto, ‘Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya’ (meaning From Darkness to Light). 

Speaking about the initiative, Amit Syngle, Managing Director & CEO, Asian Paints Ltd., said, “At Asian Paints, we’ve always believed that the most meaningful way to celebrate a place is by celebrating what makes it uniquely its own. Over the years, our regional initiatives have sought to honour the stories, traditions and cultural identities that define different parts of India – from celebrating Kolkata’s iconic yellow taxis as moving symbols of the city’s spirit to the shikaras that have created experiences inspired by the colours, culture and heritage of Kashmir. This tribute continues that journey. For centuries, Kashmir has inspired admiration not only for its extraordinary landscapes, but for the people, craftsmanship and traditions that have shaped its identity. Through Aks-e-Kashmir and the Kashmir chapter of Donate A Wall, we wanted to create something that belongs to the Valley and reflects its living heritage. We hope these initiatives invite both residents and visitors to experience Kashmir through its stories, its artistry and the remarkable cultural legacy that continues to inspire generations.”

Arjun Bahl, Co-founder, St+art Foundation and XXL Collective, said, “Projects like Aks-e-Kashmir and the Donate A Wall mural at the University of Kashmir, which also marks a decade of the initiative, reflect our continued belief in taking art beyond conventional spaces and making it part of everyday public life. For XXL Collective, this has been about expanding the role of public art beyond walls and static sites and showing how design can enter living systems with sensitivity. While the mural carries forward the legacy of Donate A Wall, the reimagined shikaras on Dal Lake represent a new canvas for artistic expression rooted in Kashmir’s culture and traditions. We are grateful to Asian Paints for enabling a project of this scale, and to the artists, artisans, boat owners and production teams whose work has allowed these boats to become carriers of Kashmir’s stories in a renewed form.”

So the next time you’re in Kashmir, hop onto one of these floating masterpieces. Your camera roll (and Instagram) will thank you.

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