As the first semester of the Cultural Heritage Informatics (CHI) initiative comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on how much I have learned and enjoyed throughout these four months. From learning new digital tools and getting better at working with them to thinking critically about the ethics of preserving and sharing cultural heritage, the CHI so far for me has been an incredible space for growth and discovery. It is in this spirit that I am excited to introduce “Mapping Kashmir: Roots and Routes of Migration and Resistance”, the project I will be building in the second-half of the fellowship. Mapping Kashmir seeks to preserve facets of the complex cultural heritage of the region of Azad Kashmir or Pakistan administered Kashmir. It uncovers the rich and complex histories of international migration and transnational political resistance of Azad Kashmir, a region too often left out of global narratives centering the region of Kashmir.
The project uses digital mapping and network visualization techniques to recover and represent the histories of migration and resistance stemming from AJK. It is built on an interactive multi layered map that charts two key narratives: the migratory history of the region to the Great Britain and the transnational dimensions of Kashmiri resistance during the Cold War. These stories are augmented by multimedia elements including oral histories, photographs, pamphlets and other archival ephemera creating an immersive storytelling experience. The interactive maps reimagine spatial and temporal storytelling while the archiving ensures that fragile, often inaccessible materials are preserved as a community’s heritage and made available for research and public engagement. By using digital methods, the project also opens a space for community members to engage with the platform not just as users but as contributors.
The project’s technological backbone is comprised of Bootstrap ( for building the website “Mapping Kashmir” will be housed in) Mapbox (for interactive mapping) and VisualEyes (for timelines and contextual data integration ).
Azad Kashmir’s history is often overlooked, even in narratives centering on Kashmir. Mainstream accounts on the region focus on the Kashmir Valley (the bed of the Kashmir conflict), the Indo-Pakistani conflict, and frame the region solely through the lens of territorial disputes. This project is the first of its kind that centers the region of Azad Kashmir and uncovers and foregrounds its cultural heritage specifically the fascinating histories of the region’s global connections: its labor migrations, ecological displacements, and solidarity movements.
This project is as much about preserving the past as it is about building a collaborative digital future. It isn’t just for scholars. It’s designed for diasporic Kashmiris, students, educators, and public historians. It invites community members to contribute their own stories and artifacts, ensuring that the archive grows as a collective endeavor. The digital methods employed here aim to democratize heritage-making, enabling communities to actively participate in shaping how their histories are told.
Whether you’re a Digital Humanist, a Migration scholar, a South Asia & Kashmir studies scholar, a Kashmiri community member or someone passionate about preserving cultural heritage, Mapping Kashmir offers a chance to explore, contribute, and connect. I look forward to launching the platform on mappingkashmir.com and continuing this exciting journey of blending technology, history, and storytelling. More to come! Ciao!
Recent Comments