Originally reported and written in May 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

If we were to ask you your idea of a dream vacation, what picture comes to your mind? Does it include bonfires at night, set amid sprawling estates? Do you envision nothing but fruit orchards for miles, and the gentle chill of the falling snow, coupled with the warmth of a hot yakhni kofta?  If yes, we’d tell you it is no dream — instead, it’s a paradise located in the valleys of Kashmir. 

The Cheese Cottage has an eclectic ring to both its name as well as the beautiful experiences it offers to its guests. With polished, elegant wooden interiors and luxurious furnishings, the cottage seems like it has borrowed a lot of inspiration from fairytale books. And behind this beautifully done-up two-floor work of art is Insha Qazi, whose pride for her birthplace is reflected in every corner of the home.  

The 32-year-old civil engineer, who has a marketing degree from the UK returned to Kashmir in 2015. Intent on spreading her passion among the young minds in her hometown, she started what went on to become one of the valley’s first fashion and design schools. Since 2016, the SSMD School of Fashion & Design at Parihaspora has been churning out batches of individuals adept at carving a niche for themselves in the world of fashion and interiors. 

The root intent of all her work, says Insha, has always been to create employment opportunities for the youth of Kashmir, who exhibit so much creativity and only need an outlet. So is the case of The Cheese Cottage. 

A royal land in ruins 

In the year 2000, Insha’s parents stumbled upon an estate land established in 1943 in Tangmarg, Kashmir. The land, which they say belonged to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji — the last ruling king of Jammu & Kashmir — was in ruins and under the custody of a royal family. Insha’s parents took one look at the land and knew it was a........

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