Since its beginnings, the Kashmir region has been a source of great works of art. The arts of the area reflect the culture and spirituality of the people who live there, as well as important historical events. Everything from the smallest handicrafts to the largest paintings reveals another perspective on the region. Today, a wireless internet connection will let you view many of these pieces of work. Of course, nothing beats the real thing.”The Arts of Kashmir,” a 2007 exhibit at the New York branch of the Asia Society, introduced the history of Kashmir art to a new generation in the West. This exhibit started with the origins of art in the traditions of indigenous peoples, usually portraying Hindu deities. For example, the collection included a “life-size bronze mask of the god Vishnu from the fifth century A.D.” A typical 7th-century piece was the limestone sculpture of the mother goddess Indrani, which was loaned from Srinagar’s Sri Pratap Singh Museum (a wonderful destination for art lovers traveling to Kashmir today).Of course, not every piece of art is in a museum. Traditional shawls, made from wool, pashmina (the hair of the ibex, found in the Ladakh highlands), or shatoosh (a rare material collected from the throat of the Tibetan antelope), have their own beauty. You can examine some examples at KashmirArt.com. Also on display at the site are papier mache pieces, decorated in Persian motifs of birds and flowers; crewel embroidery, referring to chain stitch done on a white background but with designs that don’t cover the entire surface; namdas, a variety of wool mattress originating in the 11th century during the time of King Akbar; and many more.Kashmiri artists of note in the 20th century include Ghulam Rasool Santosh and Manohar Kaul. Kaul’s work is on display in India’s National Gallery of Modern Art, along with many other artists from around the country. There are three NGMA sites in India, located in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.