What do you think?
Rate this book
Gul Gulshan Gulfam
It’s the nineties and Kashmir is in turmoil. The tourism industry has taken a big hit and the youth are disillusioned, with no jobs or hopes for the future. In this climate, Malla Khaliq waits day after day for guests to arrive at his three beloved houseboats – Gul, Gulshan and Gulfam – on the Dal Lake and struggles to keep his three sons together. While Noor Mohammed loves his father and tries to keep the faith, despite evidence that business is on the decline, Ghulam Ahmed and Ghulam Qadir have plans that might place them in the path of danger. Meanwhile, as Khaliq prepares for his much-pampered daughter Parveen’s wedding, the sudden arrival of a mysterious American girl sets in motion events that threaten to disturb the precarious equilibrium of his household.
Gul Gulfam Gulshan paints a portrait of a Kashmir in transition and of a man who is trying to salvage the memories and values of his youth. Once a popular television series, this novelization vividly recreates the streets of Srinagar and the once-living economy of the Dal lake. This is a deeply affecting story about relationships, migration, ambitions and dreams of preserving one’s homeland.
Gul Gulfam Gulshan paints a portrait of a Kashmir in transition and of a man who is trying to salvage the memories and values of his youth. Once a popular television series, this novelization vividly recreates the streets of Srinagar and the once-living economy of the Dal lake. This is a deeply affecting story about relationships, migration, ambitions and dreams of preserving one’s homeland.
448 pages, Paperback
Published July 5, 2017
9 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 5, 2019
Perhaps the most noted work in Kashmiri literature, I do feel there is room for improvement in the english translation. Still, nothing takes away from the emotions of the story.
May 20, 2023
When I first came across this book, I was surprised. I remembered seeing the TV series from the 90s as a young child, an escape in the pre-internet days on Doordarshan for half an hour. I vaguely remembered the houseboats and a smidgen of the story.
I thought this would be a good chance to revive the memory. The fact that it is proclaimed as Kashmiri epic also intrigued me. So, despite the fact that it was a translation - and my experience with translations has been mixed - I picked it up at the book fair.
Having finished reading it only few minutes ago, I have to report that my misgivings about the translation came true. However, that does not take away from what is an epic scope. Pran Kishore, the author, writes in a post script note about the Kashmiri man who inspired the protagonist Malla Khaliq but also that the TV series script was written first and he finished the novel much later. Maybe that is why the writing does read like a screenplay in places, giving stage directions and is slightly abrupt, as if a scene is being narrated to an actor.
The story is about Malla Khaliq, a renowned and respected boatman, the owner of three houseboats - Gul, Gulshan , Gulfam - on Kashmir's beautiful Dal Lake. He has three sons, Noor Mohammed, Ghulam Ahmed and Ghulam Qadir. The lives and doing of Khaliq and his family form the crux of the story. The three sons are distinct from each other -from the most obedient oldest to the black sheep youngest. The wives and the women with the exception of Parveen, the pampered daughter and Zeb, Qadir's beleaguered wife, are something of a cipher with no clear voice or personality of their own. Even Zeb and Parveen fade into the majestic background after a while.
The characters are not particularly well sketched with the exception Malla Khaliq himself, who towers over the story like the Zabarwan mountains of Kashmir. He is Haji sahab, well respected, kind hearted and principled but also a man who is deeply conscious of his legacy and its potential break from the changing world. The Kashmir in the book is yet to be beset by militancy but the murmurs of unrest especially from neighbouring Punjab cast a troubling shadow over the narrative, especially in the form of dwindling tourism, causing a schism between what Khaliq and his friend Narayan Joo love and the new generation who sees no future in the valley.
The book is flawed, the writing is splotchy yet I cannot deny that even through the poorly translated words, the haunting beauty of Kashmir comes through, rising before my eyes (and perhaps influenced by the memory of the TV show). There are places where lovely Kashmir verses are sung; one of these happens when a heart broken Parveen is getting married to a man chosen by her parents, leaving her love behind. The women sing the song about love of bride and groom and even though it is a nikah (marriage ceremony in Islam), the verse evokes Kama (Hindu god of love) and Indra (Hindu king of gods). And it is then that along with the poignancy of lovers torn asunder, the modern reader may also feel the pangs of communities that once were one in the 'heaven on earth' and now are breached perhaps never to meet again.
One can only hope to be wrong. Two and half stars.
I thought this would be a good chance to revive the memory. The fact that it is proclaimed as Kashmiri epic also intrigued me. So, despite the fact that it was a translation - and my experience with translations has been mixed - I picked it up at the book fair.
Having finished reading it only few minutes ago, I have to report that my misgivings about the translation came true. However, that does not take away from what is an epic scope. Pran Kishore, the author, writes in a post script note about the Kashmiri man who inspired the protagonist Malla Khaliq but also that the TV series script was written first and he finished the novel much later. Maybe that is why the writing does read like a screenplay in places, giving stage directions and is slightly abrupt, as if a scene is being narrated to an actor.
The story is about Malla Khaliq, a renowned and respected boatman, the owner of three houseboats - Gul, Gulshan , Gulfam - on Kashmir's beautiful Dal Lake. He has three sons, Noor Mohammed, Ghulam Ahmed and Ghulam Qadir. The lives and doing of Khaliq and his family form the crux of the story. The three sons are distinct from each other -from the most obedient oldest to the black sheep youngest. The wives and the women with the exception of Parveen, the pampered daughter and Zeb, Qadir's beleaguered wife, are something of a cipher with no clear voice or personality of their own. Even Zeb and Parveen fade into the majestic background after a while.
The characters are not particularly well sketched with the exception Malla Khaliq himself, who towers over the story like the Zabarwan mountains of Kashmir. He is Haji sahab, well respected, kind hearted and principled but also a man who is deeply conscious of his legacy and its potential break from the changing world. The Kashmir in the book is yet to be beset by militancy but the murmurs of unrest especially from neighbouring Punjab cast a troubling shadow over the narrative, especially in the form of dwindling tourism, causing a schism between what Khaliq and his friend Narayan Joo love and the new generation who sees no future in the valley.
The book is flawed, the writing is splotchy yet I cannot deny that even through the poorly translated words, the haunting beauty of Kashmir comes through, rising before my eyes (and perhaps influenced by the memory of the TV show). There are places where lovely Kashmir verses are sung; one of these happens when a heart broken Parveen is getting married to a man chosen by her parents, leaving her love behind. The women sing the song about love of bride and groom and even though it is a nikah (marriage ceremony in Islam), the verse evokes Kama (Hindu god of love) and Indra (Hindu king of gods). And it is then that along with the poignancy of lovers torn asunder, the modern reader may also feel the pangs of communities that once were one in the 'heaven on earth' and now are breached perhaps never to meet again.
One can only hope to be wrong. Two and half stars.
April 13, 2025
Gul Gulshan Gulfam is the story of a Kashmiri family thriving with their business while trying to stabilise their family in a turmoiled land. Malla Khaliq and Aziz Dyad are blessed with an elder son who is a true keeper. They never had to worry about him; he always upheld their family’s virtues and kept them together. They are also preparing for their youngest daughter Parveen’s marriage, who is, in turn, in love with their houseboat helper, Razak. Though Malla Khaliq loves him as his own son, Razak and Parveen doubt if they can ever have a future together.
Ghulam Ahmed, khaliq’s second son, is an aspiring businessman who doesn't fall for words. He wants his kingdom built with his in-laws’ help, away from his family trade. But real problems arrive when his youngest son, Ghulam Qadir, loses direction and falls prey to illegal businesses and drug markets. Will a single person’s blunder dismember his family entirely? And will Gul, Gulshan and Gulfam - their three houseboats survive the test of time and thrive in a tourist-drought Kashmir?
This book had such a beautiful start. The cultural appropriation was on point, too. It tweaked the emotions fine, struck the right cords and asked appropriate questions. But only until the first part. For such a powerful and emotive first portion, the second half fell utterly flat. It felt dragged; the emotions were exaggerated, and there were too many distractions and convolutions. The name-calling of women involved in Qadir’s life did not sit right with me either. Qadir’s life became a mess due to his own actions and decisions. Portraying him as a child who could be manipulated by women and circumstances felt like a joke.
I have read and seen a lot about Kashmir’s political turmoil and was expecting this book to reflect on it as well. But maybe it was my fault for diving into it without enough research. This is more of a domestic fiction exploring the interpersonal relationships of a family set in the backdrop of Kashmir. I blamed my last read for the slump for most of the past few days. But as I finished the book, I realised it was this one that did not let me get into it completely. But this is still a good choice if you want to read a book set in a Kashmiri household.
Ghulam Ahmed, khaliq’s second son, is an aspiring businessman who doesn't fall for words. He wants his kingdom built with his in-laws’ help, away from his family trade. But real problems arrive when his youngest son, Ghulam Qadir, loses direction and falls prey to illegal businesses and drug markets. Will a single person’s blunder dismember his family entirely? And will Gul, Gulshan and Gulfam - their three houseboats survive the test of time and thrive in a tourist-drought Kashmir?
This book had such a beautiful start. The cultural appropriation was on point, too. It tweaked the emotions fine, struck the right cords and asked appropriate questions. But only until the first part. For such a powerful and emotive first portion, the second half fell utterly flat. It felt dragged; the emotions were exaggerated, and there were too many distractions and convolutions. The name-calling of women involved in Qadir’s life did not sit right with me either. Qadir’s life became a mess due to his own actions and decisions. Portraying him as a child who could be manipulated by women and circumstances felt like a joke.
I have read and seen a lot about Kashmir’s political turmoil and was expecting this book to reflect on it as well. But maybe it was my fault for diving into it without enough research. This is more of a domestic fiction exploring the interpersonal relationships of a family set in the backdrop of Kashmir. I blamed my last read for the slump for most of the past few days. But as I finished the book, I realised it was this one that did not let me get into it completely. But this is still a good choice if you want to read a book set in a Kashmiri household.
January 4, 2026
The book rightly captures the true essence of kashmir culture which makes you feel like you are in a boathouse which is standing in the "Dal Lake"
I personally believed it to be having a strong character driven book where the character arcs are rightly projecting & basically fulfilling the purpose!
I loved to read the author's note as well as the translators take on the book which highlights the real story behind the whole book coming together!
earlier a TV series script to be turned into a book which was originally written in kashmiri language but later translated into English by Pran kishore to reach a wider audience with its translator "Shafi Shauq" the book received wide appreciation in all the spheres!
I was really happy to read an Indian author which really branches out it's craft from the local voices & an language which is our very own as a country "Kashmiri" it made me wonder more about the Language itself as well! I would love to learn Kashmiri one day to really get the true depth of these characters which felt too real!
opening the pages of this book again makes me feel like a distant family which I am familiar with yet being part of a distant life!
If you love to read true Indian authors & want to explore the Kashmiri literature but not that familiar with the language Give this book a shot!
you would love it!
Malla Khaliq would always stay in the lake of my heart with Gul, Gulshan, Gulfam❤
I personally believed it to be having a strong character driven book where the character arcs are rightly projecting & basically fulfilling the purpose!
I loved to read the author's note as well as the translators take on the book which highlights the real story behind the whole book coming together!
earlier a TV series script to be turned into a book which was originally written in kashmiri language but later translated into English by Pran kishore to reach a wider audience with its translator "Shafi Shauq" the book received wide appreciation in all the spheres!
I was really happy to read an Indian author which really branches out it's craft from the local voices & an language which is our very own as a country "Kashmiri" it made me wonder more about the Language itself as well! I would love to learn Kashmiri one day to really get the true depth of these characters which felt too real!
opening the pages of this book again makes me feel like a distant family which I am familiar with yet being part of a distant life!
If you love to read true Indian authors & want to explore the Kashmiri literature but not that familiar with the language Give this book a shot!
you would love it!
Malla Khaliq would always stay in the lake of my heart with Gul, Gulshan, Gulfam❤
May 17, 2025
Ok first let's get out with the bad, the translation is literal- so it's not a very good translation from Kashmiri so you really don't get the beautiful literary feel.
Now what I loved about the book is it's not related to any form of politics or social commentary on Kashmir, terrorism in this Kashmir doesn't exist.
It's about a Boatman Malla Khaliq and his 3 sons and their life in Kashmir, tourism, the ups and down and family drama of any middle-class Indian family, you have the financial problem, the forbidden love problem, the obedient son, the useless son, the black-sheep son, the loving but doesn't have much character daughter-in-law and them going through it all as a family, friendship, love and grief combined. Makes you see that these are Kashmiris living on Dal Lake a community with their own story, so much to say that has nothing to do with India and Pakistan but just regular folks like their other countrymen.
Now the women characters doesn't have the best treatment, Jane turns up being a drug smuggler but gosh Qadir married Renee for her business, he kept his marriage and for Renee to be seen as good woman she has to accept it all. But this is 1980s India you can't expect much more.
Now what I loved about the book is it's not related to any form of politics or social commentary on Kashmir, terrorism in this Kashmir doesn't exist.
It's about a Boatman Malla Khaliq and his 3 sons and their life in Kashmir, tourism, the ups and down and family drama of any middle-class Indian family, you have the financial problem, the forbidden love problem, the obedient son, the useless son, the black-sheep son, the loving but doesn't have much character daughter-in-law and them going through it all as a family, friendship, love and grief combined. Makes you see that these are Kashmiris living on Dal Lake a community with their own story, so much to say that has nothing to do with India and Pakistan but just regular folks like their other countrymen.
Now the women characters doesn't have the best treatment, Jane turns up being a drug smuggler but gosh Qadir married Renee for her business, he kept his marriage and for Renee to be seen as good woman she has to accept it all. But this is 1980s India you can't expect much more.
January 25, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Gul, Gulshan in Gulfam (ali Cvet, Vrt in Ljubitelj cvetja) so imena treh stanovanjskih ladij, zasidranih na jezeru Dal v Kašmirju. Ladje so že nekaj generacij v družini Malle Khaliqa, ki jih oddaja turistom.
Malla Khaliq in njegova žena Azoz Dyad imata tri odrasle sinove in hčer. Njihovi karakterji so različni, vsi ne sprejemajo dobrih odločitev v življenju, odnosi med njimi delujejo pristni, realistični. V ozadju so skozi vzpone in padce turistične industrije zelo rahlo nakazani svetovni dogodki in nestabilnost v Kašmirju.
Po opisu zelo pritegljiva vsebina, a žal se delu pozna, da je bilo to najprej nadaljevanka in šele veliko let po tem roman. Dialoga je ogromno, sploh v zadnjem delu se niza precej malo verjetnih doživetij, časovnica se zdi rahlo elastična (predvsem otroci rastejo hitreje, kot minevajo letni časi). Sem in tja so me misli zato odnesle v 1980a, v zlato dobo neskončnih nadaljevank kot sta bili Dallas in Dinastija.
Najbolj posebna vrednost te knjige je, da je to ena prvih romanov napisanih v kašmirskem jeziku, ki v času njene objave ni imel tradicije daljših knjižnih del, prevodi romanov iz drugih jezikov pa so tudi bili redki.
Gul, Gulshan in Gulfam (ali Cvet, Vrt in Ljubitelj cvetja) so imena treh stanovanjskih ladij, zasidranih na jezeru Dal v Kašmirju. Ladje so že nekaj generacij v družini Malle Khaliqa, ki jih oddaja turistom.
Malla Khaliq in njegova žena Azoz Dyad imata tri odrasle sinove in hčer. Njihovi karakterji so različni, vsi ne sprejemajo dobrih odločitev v življenju, odnosi med njimi delujejo pristni, realistični. V ozadju so skozi vzpone in padce turistične industrije zelo rahlo nakazani svetovni dogodki in nestabilnost v Kašmirju.
Po opisu zelo pritegljiva vsebina, a žal se delu pozna, da je bilo to najprej nadaljevanka in šele veliko let po tem roman. Dialoga je ogromno, sploh v zadnjem delu se niza precej malo verjetnih doživetij, časovnica se zdi rahlo elastična (predvsem otroci rastejo hitreje, kot minevajo letni časi). Sem in tja so me misli zato odnesle v 1980a, v zlato dobo neskončnih nadaljevank kot sta bili Dallas in Dinastija.
Najbolj posebna vrednost te knjige je, da je to ena prvih romanov napisanih v kašmirskem jeziku, ki v času njene objave ni imel tradicije daljših knjižnih del, prevodi romanov iz drugih jezikov pa so tudi bili redki.
Read
August 13, 2020Another disappointing book. Wasted my time. Futile attempt at writing on Kashmir. Given Kashmir's profundities of rich literature, language, culture, arts, crafts, textiles, music and magnificence, this level of underwhelming portrayal of the valley is unforgivable. Such an irresponsible delivery of a story. I can't understand why this title is so over hyped?
The story was going in circles to no end and bored me to tears. There was no proper plot. Yes, there were only a few parts of squabbles among vendors on the Dal lake. Okay, so what next? And then the absurd story on the European lady junkie character. For what? Long-winded hullabaloo that bored me to tears. Totally POINTLESS. I'm not even rating this one for the injustice rendered to the rich literary world in Kashmir. Calling this one out as well. I had god damned enough of fools patronizing Kashmir and its beauty. Really annoyed by this one. #bookstagram #igreads #prankishore #gulgulshangulfam #kindlereads
The story was going in circles to no end and bored me to tears. There was no proper plot. Yes, there were only a few parts of squabbles among vendors on the Dal lake. Okay, so what next? And then the absurd story on the European lady junkie character. For what? Long-winded hullabaloo that bored me to tears. Totally POINTLESS. I'm not even rating this one for the injustice rendered to the rich literary world in Kashmir. Calling this one out as well. I had god damned enough of fools patronizing Kashmir and its beauty. Really annoyed by this one. #bookstagram #igreads #prankishore #gulgulshangulfam #kindlereads
January 21, 2018
For those who have seen the TV Serial by the same name, will love the book. It is the same story. The story revolves around Malla Khaliq, his family and his three houseboats. The book explores the way of life of the people living on the Dal Lake who depend on their houseboats for their livelihood. It is the changes in Kashmir which is beyond everyone's control which gets the family through multiple difficulties. The writing is good initially and and the end. In between, it gets a bit monotonous and predictable. The end is really well done.
November 24, 2025
It's rare find to solace in own belongings... we kept on weeping to reach the new high yet forget to understand solace lies in one's roots! This book reminds me of what home feels like! what treasure it holds! Life is whimsical... withering & blooming... keep oaring... sometimes let it drown you.... be with tides.... definitely it will help you reach to preordained destiny! Have faith & hold onto your principles!
UDGAM what we aspire to return!
UDGAM what we aspire to return!
October 28, 2021
Its a lovely book, full of ups and downs and it will make you emotional and bring tears in to your eyes.
A must read!
A must read!
Read
December 11, 2018A good book to read to understand importance of family n homeland.
It shows that how elders suffer and make efforts to keep everyone together.And also
A good portrait of Dal Lake beauty.
It shows that how elders suffer and make efforts to keep everyone together.And also
A good portrait of Dal Lake beauty.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews