Jammu & Kashmir form the major part of the state. The area of Ladakh is sparsely populated. The people of Jammu are primarily Hindus, with a substantial Muslim and Sikh presence too, while the Kashmir Valley is predominantly Muslim, with small components of Hindus and Sikhs. In Ladakh, the people of Leh are Buddhist and the people of Kargil are Shia Muslim. Kashmir represents the northernmost boundaries of Islam in India, with a language originating from the Dardic branch of Aryan languages. Known as ‘Little Tibet’, the people of Ladakh are of Tibetan stock and, till very recently were governed on spiritual matters by the Dalai Lama. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are renowned for their warmth and hospitality. They are simple, hospitable people and being invited to a village wedding or into somebody’s house for a hot cup of tea is not surprising.

Just like the variety in culture and religious customs, one can very well make out the distinction in the music of the three regions of J&K. If one is a keen music enthusiast then check out the instruments that accompany the musicals in various ceremonies and festivals of the three regions. Even with the differences, the harmonious way of conducting a musical performance is something that will make one call out "play on". Kashmiri music developed affinities with both Indian and Persian prototypes and evolved SufianaKalam with fifty-four maqams (modes) which have Indian as well as Persian names.

Pure ghee, mustard oil, hing and curd are the key ingredients along with spices in Kashmiri cuisine.The valley boasts of Mughal art of cooking and yet has retained a distinct personality of its own. No vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish, except certain kababs, is cooked without curd. Kabargah, Kofta, Dum Alu, MethiChaman and Firni are some of the delicacies of the region known for their sheer flavour and richness.

Largely confined to Kashmiri homes in and out of the Valley, the professional cooks and masters of the art are known as 'wazas' who cook the Wazwan, a feast fit for kings, which is the most unique and elaborate royal spread of meat and delicacies . It comprises of thirty-six courses, fifteen to thirty dishes of Wazwan are varieties of meat. Many of the delicacies are cooked through the entire night under the expert supervision of a VastaWaza or head chef, assisted by an entourage of wazas under him. You must certainly not leave Kashmir without tasting this if you eat non-veg food.

It is tea made by boiling green tea leaves with saffron strands, cinnamon bark, cardamom pods and occasionally Kashmiri roses to add a great aroma. Generally, it is served with sugar or honey and crushed nuts, usually almonds or walnuts. Some varieties are made as an herbal infusion only, without the green tea leaves. Traditionally, Kahwah is prepared in a brass kettle known as a samovar. A samovar consists of a "fire-container" running as a central cavity, in which live coals are placed keeping the tea perpetually hot. Around the fire-container there is a space for water to boil and the tealeaves and other ingredients are mixed with the water. Tasting Kahwah is a must before you leave Kashmir.

It is made from special tea leaves, milk, salt, pistachios, almonds, cardamom, and cinnamon. A pinch of baking soda is added to help give it more of a pronounced pink color. It is often consumed in Kashmir in the morning and evening. The milky pretty pink Kashmiri salt chai with warming nuts will certainly stand out. It is hard to describe the flavour, it is an almost buttery texture with a spicy nutty crunch and a lasting warm sensation. This too is a must try.

Kashmiri carpets are world renowned for two things - they are handmade and they are always knotted, never tufted. The yarn used normally is silk, wool or silk and wool. Woollen carpets always have a cotton base while silk usually have cotton base. The soothing blend of colours makes the Kashmiri carpet a prized possession. A typical Kashmiri design is the tree of life.

Far less expensive are these colourful floor coverings made from woollen and cotton fibre, which has been manually pressed into shape. Chain stitch embroidery in woollen and cotton thread is worked on these rugs.

Handmade articles made out of papiermache have beautiful bright colours on these. Sometimes real gold is used on these objects. This is a must buy souvenir for your friends.

There are three fibres from which the Kashmiri shawls are made - Wool, Pashmina and Shahtoosh. Woollen shawls being are the cheapest while the Shahtoosh are the most expensive ones. Woollen shawls are popular because of the embroidery, worked on them, which is a specialty to Kashmir. Both embroidery and the type of wool used causes differences in price. Pashmina shawls are unmistakably soft and its yarn is spun from the hair of the ibex found at 14,000 ft above the sea level. Although pure Pashmina is expensive, sometimes blending it with rabbit fur or with wool brings down the cost. Shahtoosh is the legendary 'ring shawl', renowned for its lightness, softness and warmth. The astronomical price it commands in the market is due to the scarcity of raw material. High in the plateaux of Tibet and the eastern part of Ladakh, at an altitude of above 5,000 meters, roam PantholopsHodgosoni or Tibetan antelope. During grazing, a few strands of the downy hair from the throat are shed and it is these, which are painstakingly collected until there are enough for a shawl.

Chain stitch, be it in wool, silk or cotton, is done by hook rather than any needle. Because of the high quality of embroidery done on wall hangings and rugs, Kashmiri crewelwork is in great demand all over the world. All the embroidery is executed on white cotton fabric, pre-shrunk by the manufacturers. The intrinsic worth of each piece lies in the size of the stitches and the yarn used.

Pampore, outside Srinagar, is the only place in the world besides Spain where saffron is grown. It is the most expensive spice in the world. Sealed jars of this Spice, with the Government laboratory's stamp approval, are available all over Srinagar. The climate of Kashmir is ideal for walnut and almond trees, which grow here in abundance. Natural honey too, is a produce of the apiaries, which abound in the state.

Tweed is woven in Kashmir with pure, never blended, wool. The resultant fabric competes favourably with the best fabric in the world. The fineness of the yarn lends itself particularly well to the weaves known as 'chinon' and 'crepe de chine', in addition to the universally recognized silk weave..

This garment seems to be fusion of a coat and a cloak and is loose enough to admit the inevitable brazier of live coals, which is carried around in much the same way as a hot water bottle. Men's pherans are always made of tweed or coarse wool while women's pherans, somewhat more stylized, are most commonly made of raffel with splashes of ari or hook embroidery at the throat, cuffs and edges. The quality of embroidery and thickness of the raffel determines the price

Willow rushes that grow profusely in marshes and lakes of Kashmir are used to make charmingly attractive objects such as shopping baskets, lampshades, tables and chairs and are generally inexpensive. To increase their life span, unvarnished products are chiselled and frequently sprayed with water, particularly in hot, dry climates, to prevent them from being brittle.

Kashmir is the only part of India where the walnut tree grows. Its colour, grains and inherent sheen are unique and unmistakable, and the carving and fret work that is done on this wood is of a very superior quality. There are several varieties of carving-deep carving made on these articles. The deep carvings made out of all the skill and labourand hence these are a little expensive.

Shops in local market of the old city abound with objects of copper lining the walls, the floor and even the ceiling. One can see craftsmen engraving objects of household utility like samovars, bowls, plates and trays. There are floral, stylized, geometric, leaf and even calligraphic motifs that are engraved or embossed on copper, and occasionally silver, to cover the entire surface with intricate designs which are then oxidized, the better to stand out from the background. The work known as 'naqash' determines the price of the object, as does the weight.