Ponda

Ponda, Himachal Pradesh, India, is a location where some Kashmiri shawl sellers have found rented accommodation. These individuals, traditionally reliant on selling shawls across India for their livelihood, are newsworthy due to a recent surge in attacks against Kashmiris in other parts of India. The attacks have forced many to choose between their safety and their ability to earn a living. Some have returned to Kashmir, while others, like Tabish Ahmad Ganie, who was assaulted in Uttarakhand, are seeking refuge and developing survival strategies, such as using WhatsApp groups to share information about potentially dangerous areas. Ponda serves as one such refuge, highlighting the displacement and vulnerability faced by Kashmiri shawl sellers in the current climate of heightened tensions and targeted violence.