When we talk about vlogging, the first thing that comes to mind is someone holding a camera, walking around the city, and sharing their experiences. However, in Kashmir, there is a unique and unconventional trend of vlogging that is taking the internet by storm – truck vlogging.
Truck drivers in Kashmir are now sharing their daily routines, life on the road, and even showcasing the scenic beauty of the region through their vlogs. These truck vlogs have become quite popular among viewers, with thousands of subscribers and millions of views.
What makes these vlogs even more fascinating is the fact that they offer a glimpse into the life of truck drivers in Kashmir, who play a crucial role in the region’s economy by transporting goods and supplies. Through these vlogs, viewers get to see the challenges and hardships that these drivers face on a daily basis, including treacherous roads, unpredictable weather, and long hours of driving.
One of the most popular truck vloggers in Kashmir is KMR Ishfaq, who has traveled to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Hyderabad as a trucker and filmed the unexpected events a driver encounters throughout his journey. He has filmed the apple boxes being loaded in trucks in Kashmir, the journey of truckers from Kashmir to various fruit markets of India, and the life in between the journey. Ishfaq has also posted a series of vlogs with some interesting facts about truckers, including their food habits, cooking in trucks, and local dishes.
Similarly, Shahnawaz Ahmad Bhat, popularly known as ‘Sethi Express,’ has gained popularity on the internet for showing the life and daily struggle of truckers. Hailing from Pashpora village of Shopian district, Bhat dropped out of high school to support his family and worked for 5 months in a houseboat inside Dal Lake in Srinagar. Later, he worked as a conductor for his uncle’s bus and then as a salesman for several outlets in Srinagar. Bhat’s YouTube channel Sethi Express has more than 173K subscribers. He has uploaded hundreds of videos till date, most of which focus on the ins and outs of his trade. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, he showcases the challenges and hurdles that truckers face on a daily basis. “Once I was traveling from Srinagar to Jammu, I made one of the random music video clips and posted it on YouTube, and at that time, I had no interest in the platform,” he said. His videos have received millions of views, and he has thousands of followers on social media platforms.
Some inputs from The Kashmir Monitor and Rising Kashmir.
