Jampad Survey — Mohsin Hassan, Gaekhir Republik

Gaekhir Republik (GR) is a Kashmiri progressive folk-rock trio — Sarfaraz Javid (vocals), Suhail Ahmad (bass), Mohsin Hassan — with roots in Ganderbal, split today between Kashmir and Bengaluru. Their debut album Mandnyan Shaam (Oct 2023, 9 tracks) was produced by Mir Kashif Iqbal (ex-Parvaaz), blends rock/blues/prog/jazz with the ladishah folk-storytelling tradition, and grew out of jam sessions during 2020–22. GR is known for unconventional performances (rooftops, woodlands) and has played Delhi. This survey targets a working, gigging and recording artist: what a jampad must offer a band that writes by jamming, records albums, and plays live.

Batch 1 — Current reality: rehearsing, recording, gigging from Kashmir

1Where does GR rehearse/jam in Kashmir today — and what's the single biggest frustration with that setup?

2Mandnyan Shaam was tracked while traveling with Mir Kashif Iqbal — what was missing in Kashmir that pushed the work outside?

3When GR has a live show coming up, how and where do you prep for it today?

Batch 2 — What a jampad must be for a band like GR

4For gig prep specifically — what must the room/backline offer (stage-matching gear, PA loud enough for full-band vocals, space to move, lighting)?

5Gear checklist: drum kit, guitar/bass amps, PA, mics, keys — anything Kashmiri/traditional (rabab, tumbaknari, santoor) worth keeping in-house?

6Would GR use the jampad for pre-production/arranging before studio tracking? Would on-site demo recording change how often you'd book?

7How far ahead are GR's rehearsals/gigs planned? Would you book & pay fully online, no calls — and what must the website have?

8Fair hourly rate for a working band — and would a 10-hour block or monthly band membership make GR regulars?

Batch 3 — Scene & what the jampad could become

9GR plays unconventional spaces — rooftops, woodlands. Could/should a jampad double as an intimate gig or album-launch space in Srinagar?

10What do gigging + recording artists in Kashmir lack most: venues, rehearsal rooms, studios, production/management, distribution, funding?

11Looking back at making Mandnyan Shaam — what one facility, if it existed in Kashmir, would have helped most?

12Beyond rehearsal — what role could the jampad play: jam/community nights, artist collabs, workshops, demo recording?

13The ONE thing that would most help the Kashmiri music scene grow?

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