Srinagar: When the sun started fading into dusk, Guiwa village in Pattan witnessed an unusual scene. People, mostly cricket lovers, gathered and jostled against each other to catch a glimpse of the celebrity cricket expert.
It was NewZealand based cricket umpire Billy Bowden along with other umpires including Ranmore Martinesz and Nigel Llog who visited the village to explore the unseen Kashmir.
The news of Bowden’s arrival spread like wildfire and people gathered in numbers to click selfies and videos with him.
Bowden who was staying in Kashmir was one of the umpires for the Legends League Cricket.
“Billy Bowden was staying in Gulmarg and he expressed his desire to explore village life. So we took him home and he was fascinated to witness the typical village culture,” said Suhail Ahmad Khan, a travel agent.
What fascinated Bowden as per the locals was the local carpet. Khan said Bowden admired the intricate designs and vibrant colors, learning about the skill and dedication that artisans pour into each piece. “He kept enquiring about the making of the carpet. He seems to have never seen it before. Throughout his stay of nearly two hours, Billy Bowden expressed his desire to have one such carpet for his home,” he said.
The locals treated the cricket’s funniest umpire with Wazwan. “He was served Rista , Goshtaba, Roganjosh and Kababs. He expressed his appreciation for Kashmir’s culinary art. He had these dishes with love. He even appreciated the Kehwa,” Khan said.
Impressed by the warmth and generosity of the locals, Bowden shared his desire to return to Kashmir in the future.
He expressed a wish to immerse himself more deeply in the local culture by staying with the residents, emphasizing the importance of experiencing life from the perspective of the community. “Bowden said that Kashmir is breathtaking, and the people here are incredibly welcoming. He said he would love to come back and spend more time with the locals, learning about their traditions and way of life,” Khan said.
The locals expressed happiness interacting with their favorite umpire. “We have been his fans. As soon as we came to know about Billy Bowden, we visited the Mohalla and clicked pictures with him,” said Gulzar Ahmad, a local.
