Kargil is a small town living in oblivion since generations, known only from the infamous Indo-Pak War of 1999. Very few are aware of its rich cultural heritage and its former identity as an important trade point, part of the historic Silk Route.

Just 11 km off Kargil town, one of the stops on this ancient trade route is the village of Hundarman Broq, now virtually located on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Abandoned by its inhabitants over time, this settlement has witnessed a range of events from war times and other narratives in the past 20 years. Today, it stands frozen in time, pregnant with dusty articles long forgotten and their untold stories.

Over the course of the 10 day workshop, faculty along with 18 students from CEPT University, we documented the artefacts found in two of the houses in Hundarman Broq, collected oral histories and narratives reflecting the culture of the area with the purpose of ultimately setting up a functioning museum on site, accessible to the public, run and maintained by the local villagers themselves.

The workshop concluded by culminating into a comprehensive open exhibition on the last day, held in Hundarman Broq itself. Four galleries were set up in the abandoned settlement marking the opening of the museum and finally Unlocking Hundarman. It was formally inaugurated by the officials of the local administration and the Indian Army in the presence of the villagers, locals from Kargil town and the workshop participants.

Using Format