Srinagar, April 17 -- ByIliyas Rizvi

Blossoms filled every branch in Badam Va'er that morning, almond trees dressed in spring white. Bees drifted through, their low hum settling over the orchard. I spread the dastarkhan on the grass, anchoring its corners with smooth stones, just as my grandmother had taught me.

Schoolchildren gathered close, eyes shifting between the blossoms above and the objects laid out below. The Haft Seen workshop began with a simple question:what stories do the things we keep carry?

EdRAAK organized this gathering as part of Soun'tich Mashq, an annual series reaching its tenth year. We invited young minds to sit together, share food, and speak about heritage. The dastarkhan tradition matters here.

Families once...