by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Betwixt Kashmir’s gentle slopes, 
goes a fisherman 
on a river full of colour and hope. 
And the river moves beneath his oars, 
the leaves whisper 
a soft murmur and a call from the shores. 
The trees bow, the branches creak— 
“As I go surrounded by trees so unique, 
the sun, a golden dream, 
casts its gentle colours upon the stream.

Autumn Morning _SRI4409 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Thin limbs etched on paper, 
reaching toward the sky. 
The air stands silent, 
 the branches stripped and dry. 
And in the quiet, 
 only silence speaks.

Autumn Branches _DSF9037

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
I stroll 
through the chinar trees, 
branches swaying in the breeze. 
As the leaves fall and grow, 
gentle and slow— 
examples of life and death, 
of weakness and strength.

Stroll _DSF2778

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The boat waits on lonesome waters, 
waiting for someone who cares 
to pause and take a breath, 
to look around and feel— 
on an autumn morning, 
to watch the lake gleam.

Reflections AU_DSF5511

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The forest breathes in quiet grace, 
with moss and ivy in its embrace. 
The bridge where shadows play 
helps villagers find their way. 
In these woods, deep and true, 
the bridge waits just for you. 
A bridge to cross, to see 
the hidden magic that waits for thee.

To Work SRI4441 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Walking slowly in the morning light, 
their shawls wrapped around shoulders tight. 
Their footfalls steady and strong, 
they carry stories that have lasted long. 
Baskets of fruit, vegetables, and bread, 
tales of families, the living and the dead.

Chitchat _DSF2174

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow 
near houses, villages, and meadows. 
In these Kashmir valleys 
lie hundreds of thousands of trees, 
dancing in the gentle breeze.

Red Canopy _DSF9147 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The roof shines in the sun, 
glowing against autumn’s warm colours. 
Trees look red, slowly shedding their leaves 
across endless acres of earth.

Garden _DSF9339

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
In the midst of others, 
I stand, the brightest of colours. 
The tallest tree, 
majestic and free, 
standing lofty and proud, 
unique amidst the crowd.

Rebel _SRI4237

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Alone I stand 
in the midst of trees, tall and grand, 
covered in snow, 
between branches that bend and bow, 
waiting for someone or no one at all 
to sit and watch the snowflakes fall.

Cold Bench_DSF3657

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
A shepherd descends the mountain slope, 
Leading clouds of warmth and wool. 
The stone houses brave the bitter air 
While the bare trees stand tall. 
As autumn fades and winter settles, 
The land grows quiet, the birds take flight, 
And the world waits for the spring.

Herd & Herdsman CF000852

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
As winter nears, the leaves fall, 
snow covering the earth below. 
No birds to see in the empty sky, 
the woods stand eerily still— 
where silence speaks louder than words.

Changing Season _DSF3623 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Hidden in plain sight, 
the trees stand tall. 
The mist lingers, 
slowly forgetting the colour of fall.

Mistrees _DSF0627

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Fields as far as the eye can see, 
here and there a clump of trees. 
In every corner, every fold, 
the mist holds secrets that are old. 
The sun is a ghost behind the grey 
as it wraps the world in stillness 
and the clouds move astray.

Misty Valley _SRI4267

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Trees huddle close, 
to brave the winter. 
Leaves are long gone, 
bare branches left together. 
Barely a leaf or two 
in the winter evening’s gloom.

Survivor _DSF3705

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The boat glows in gentle moonlight, 
a small boat drifts on a quiet lake, 
wrapped in mist the night can’t break. 
Inside, they sleep, the world is still, 
as over the lake the moonlight spills.

Lake Home DSF3909

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
"The house stands isolated, 
On rolling acres of land. 
Sparse trees line the horizon, 
In the fading autumn light."

Solitude _DSF9088

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The river gurgles, 
The air fills with mist, 
And mountains keep watch 
From far, far away. 
Trees stand still, 
The morning moves slow; 
All is calm, 
With nothing more to know.

Dawn DSF9089

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Standing tall in the frosty air, 
the tree is strong with branches bare. 
The monkeys are resting in its shade, 
as the sun glows and the moon fades. 
They huddle close and tight 
in the winter light. 
And a mother feeds her child with care 
in the morning’s cold winter air.

Sunbathing  DSF5340

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Trees stretch high, 
blossoms seeking the sun, 
while a silent moment drifts on. 
Two figures standing still, 
a fleeting kiss upon the hill.

Blossom _DSF6017

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The mist glides through the chilling air, 
Past trees, majestic, dark, and bare. 
A cold river rushes, gurgling by, 
As golden rays filter through the sky.

Layers  _DSF9330

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
A boat cuts through the morning glow, 
shimmering as the sun ascends. 
In the vast the lake, a man floats— 
a quiet dot on a mirror of blue. 
Small. 
Solitary. 
A speck of life 
Against the mountains in the back..

Speck _DSF5639

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
As the golden sky melts into the lake, 
The soft clouds drift, with no silence to break. 
The sun dips low, with a quiet glow, 
Painting light on the ripples below. 
Still water traps the evening light, 
As day whispers goodbye, calm and slow, 
And night begins its gentle flow.

Home Bound_DSF4511

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The sun sets in streams of gold, 
Bathing the world in light 
The colour of amber and honey. 
Day moves on; 
The night seeps in.

Dusk _DSF0693

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The sky is a brilliant blue as the wind whispers past; 
Mustard fields sway in the breeze. 
The trees begin to shed their leaves, 
As summer recedes and autumn begins

Yellow Yellow _DSF6232 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The sky bleeds orange 
As mustard fields sway in the wind, 
And apricot groves catch the amber 
Of the evening light. 
The hills loom large in the distance, 
Stark sentinels guarding the valley.

Evening Glory  Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The leaves grow back, 
As winter fades and spring arises. 
Soon the birds will sing and flowers bloom, 
As the snow melts away 
And the days grow long.

Fall & Beautiful _DSF9022

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The flowers lie in the water’s embrace, 
a feeling of calm spreads over the place. 
They dance, twirl, and spin around 
in the clear waters where they are found.

Serene _DSF5757 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
A bustling trade unfolds, 
As the lake awakes in morning’s gold. 
The boats begin their steady race To claim a weathered trading space. 
With radishes white and cabbage green, 
They drift within the morning sheen. 
A smile, a greeting, a bargain made— In nature’s simple, bright arcade.

Floating Market_DSF6754 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
Two figures walk down a narrow lane, 
stone walls rising on either side. 
Houses lie quiet, not a soul in sight. 
The path is worn— 
the same their ancestors once took 
to trade tea, spices, gold, and silver.

Morning Walk CF002465

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The mountains rise steeply in the background, 
and the morning air is cold on my face as I walk the sheep down the hilly road. The trees shed their leaves, 
their bark the colour of coffee and burnt sugar. 
The sun slowly rises, shedding light across the valley.

Another Day _DSF9112

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
He waits for sales, 
engraved in time. 
The water, quiet— 
no movement in sight. 
Maybe too early or too late, 
the lens captures his moment of faith.

Hope DSF4399

by Maya Anupama Loushik 
 
Bamboo rises toward the sky, 
slender stems swaying in the wind. 
Below, its reflection trembles, 
stirred by the shifting water.

Mosaic _DSF5511 Canvas

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
I see faces in the trees, 
monkeys hidden in the grey. 
Eyes stare at the branches, 
then quietly drift away.

Faces _DSF8905

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The ice caps glow in the evening light, 
its folds and valleys hidden in shadows. 
The snowman huffs and puffs 
and starts to breathe, 
and the winter colours emerge beneath.

Snowman_DSF5621

by Maya Anupama Koushik 
 
The glacier waits for warmer days, 
for summer’s quiet touch— 
to melt, to weep, unhurried. 
Layers of many winters 
dissolve into memory, 
thinning into a wandering stream.

Asterix_SRI0266

Untitled _DSF3985

Untitled _DSF3990

Art 77

These images of the seasons and people of Kashmir Valley, India were taken over 7 years and multiple trips. All printed on Archival photo paper or canvas. The print exhibition was held at Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai, India between 1st and 7th of May 2026.

Please see the description for each image. The poem for each image was written by 12 year old Maya Anupama Koushik.

Kashmir: Visual Poetry