Wazwan Indian Restaurant, Located in West Caldwell, NJ, Essex County

691 Bloomfield Ave - West Caldwell, NJ - Ph: 973-226-3132

- - A B O U T -- K A S H M I R - -

Kashmir Valley in the North Western Himalayas is the sacred land of the Kashyap Rishi from whom the valley got its name, originally called Kashyap-Mar. Kashmir the seat of learning was also called Sharda Peeth many millennia ago. It is surrounded by Himalayan ranges, Pir Panjal, the Karakoram, & the Zanaskar, drawing people to its panoramic splendor from all over the world. According to legend, the valley of Kashmir was once a large lake, which was drained and in the middle arose the legendary mountain Shankaracharya next to the famous Dal Lake in the city of Srinagar. It was from Kashmir Valley that Hinduism extended its frontier into Shaivism and Shaktism, that Buddhism reached the peak of its glory and much later that Islam came and acquired a new meaning in the practice of Sufism. Kashmir is unique because it represents a melting pot of diverse influences in cultural and art from Hindus, Buddhists, Persians, Afghan Mughals, Sikhs and the British with its roots embedded in antiquity. Kashmir is a classical example of unity in diversity and unparalleled cohesion called Kashmiriyat.
During the 16th & 17th centuries, the reign of foreign rulers from Afghanistan and Central Asia and visitors from Persia introduced changes in traditions, food habits and recipes brought into the valley. These changes modified especially some of the local non-vegetarian cuisines, while maintaining the flavor of its original unique ethnic recipes. The literal meaning of Wazwan in Kashmiri language means "cook: (Waza) "shop"(Waan), namely a restaurant. In recent times the word "Wazwan" means the Kashmiri Gourmet Cuisine. Kashmiri cuisine offers an extensive unique and sumptuous variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies which pamper the taste buds unlike cuisines of other parts of India.

Emperors Jahangir & Shahjehan from the Mughal Empire made Kashmir Valley their summer health resort * a place of sport, eating & drinking. Shahjehan, the builder of Taj Mahal called Kashmir, "Paradise on Earth." Westerners have referred to it as the "Switzerland of the East." Kashmir Valley's unrivaled beauty, picturesque natural scenery of lakes, mountains, sloping meadows, and pine-forests combine with invigorating digestive sweet crystal clear water from springs, fresh lakes, streams and majestic snow capped mountains, breezy summers colorful breath taking autumn and springs fragrant with almond and cherry blossom orchards are among the most famous in the world and have always been a Utopia for royalty, poets, artists and passionate tourists. Its rich and centuries old Sufiyana music played with unique instruments like the Santoor, Sarangi, Shahnai, Rabaab, Tumbakhnar, Naut, Tabla, and Sitar resonate from passing boats through blooming lotuses and water lilies in the lakes and river banks lined with majestic Chinar groves have all made Kashmir a gourmet heaven

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