Meet the 'pickle king of Kashmir' who makes 100 varieties

70-year-old Ghulam Qadir Seeno is engaged with his customers as they look for options in his pickle shop. Senoo has a unique art of making 100 varieties of pickles at his small unit located at Habba Kadal area. 

There is only tantalizing aroma and colour as you enter the shop. There isn't enough space to land the foot in a small shop located in the old city of Srinagar.

The man is now being popularly known as the ‘Pickle king of Kashmir’. He says "you name it, he has it" while attending the customers. From meat, chicken, fish, grapes, apricot, to what he calls healthy pickles, he has it all.

It's a busy day as sales have surged in the month of Ramadan. The shop is flooded with customers, the aroma at his shop is drawing people from the nearby and far as people love to eat pickle during their meals. 

Over the last 35-years, he has mastered the art of pickle making which has not only earned him awards but name too. Making of these pickles is a laborious job, it takes two months to prepare each pickle which may cost as high as 800 Indian rupees a kilogram.

"Sometime I work day and night to make these pickles, it takes me and my workforce a lot of time and effort. My passion only got me going till now," says visibly old Senoo as he catches the breath after attending the customers.

He claims some of his mouth-watering pickles are medically beneficial and can cure diseases. Ghulam Qadir lost his three family members and a healthy transport company in the conflict during the 90s but he never lost hope. His story isn't just success but also about struggle and will to achieve. 

"35-years back, I started with small items and after that, I started increasing the number of varieties at this shop. Now I have 100 plus varieties of pickles and people are loving it," says Ghulam Qadir Senoo. 

The place has become so popular that tourists are also regular visitors to the shop. He says his pickles are also exported to Europian and South Asian countries. 

"This is one of its kind shop in Kashmir. They have meat, grape and so many more varieties that I am lost. This is the best place for foodies, a mecca of food," says Abid, first time customer at the shop. 

Ghulam Qadir is worried that his art wouldn't be carried forward by any of his family members but says "God willingly I am hopeful."