| The most militarised territory in the world is Kashmir, a Muslim-dominated region in the north of the Indian subcontinent. When the Indian subcontinent got independence and was divided into two countries in August 1947, Kashmir became the focus of a war between the two countries. The Indian military forces have totally occupied Kashmir since 1990 in order to put a stop to pro-independence uprisings and trends towards armed militancy.
The stories stir disagreement, but there is one point of agreement: the original saffron from Kashmir is the sweetest and most expensive spice in the world. Compared to its Iranian equivalent, which makes up more than 90% of the world’s saffron production, its strands are thicker and more aromatic. In what was once a bustling market, Kashmiri farmers now sell their crops for up to 250,000 INR, or $3,400 USD, or $1,550 per pound. South of Srinagar, the state’s summer capital, near Pampore is where the best quality of Saffron in India is farmed |
