Kashmir: Paradise lost

We’d like to believe that there was a time when Kashmir was just an earthly paradise, not a political (and literal) battlefield. These tourism posters from an era long gone happily help that fantasy along. If Kashmir is gritty on the ground today, the golden age of aviation seems over too. Trans World Airlines (TWA), which took wing in 1925 as the Transcontinental & Western Air, flying from New York City to Los Angeles, was one of the ‘Big Four’ American carriers in its day. Under the legendary aviator and even more legendary recluse Howard Hughes, who took control of the airline in 1939, TWA rapidly expanded operations to Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its intentions may not have been purely philanthropic, but if the sheer number of tourism posters floating in cyberspace is anything to go by, TWA did do its bit to put India — and Kashmir — on the world tourism map. The 1951 TWA poster was a tie-up with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India and was printed at the Survey of India offices in Dehradun. Actually, we’re not sure who was helping whom — even in 1950, Kashmir boasted annual tourist arrivals to the tune of 25 million. Paradise doesn’t need a calling card.