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The
most enduring image of Kashmir is possibly that of a Shikara,
those slender little boats which wender their way through
the waterways. Now, again, the DAl lake is full of them.
KASMIR
Kashmir is the principal region in the statte of Jammu
and Kashmir, the two other regions being Jammu and Ladhak.
Essentially a mountain valley, it is renowned for its
beauty. Indeed, it was very popular for movie shoots,
especially in the 1950s and 60s-the Golden Era of Indian
cinema.
SRINAGAR
Srinagar, the state capital, is situated at an altitude
of 1730 metres and is noted for its lakes-the DAl, NAgin
and Anchar. The river Jhelum also passes through a part
of the town.
In Srinagar, there’s little to beat the romance of
a houseboat stay on the Dal. The houseboats on the Nagin
and Jehlum are mostly situated on the banks, and can be
accessed directly from land without a Shikara. Those on
the Dal require a shikara to get to and from them. Honeymooning
coupls may prefer the serenity of more secluded houseboats,
those which are situated singly or in groups of two or
three in the lake’s interior. Families with young
children may find one of the boats situated in straggling
rows facing the Boulevard-Srinagar’s most exciting
address-most convenient. Each houseboat is completely
self-sufficient, with two to four bedrooms, attached bathrooms
and a common sitting and dining room. Delicious Kashmiri
and Continental meals are served on board.
The Dal is not merely a beautiful lake, its abuzz with
life. The houseboat and shikara communities are unique,
they have lived for centuries on Dal, and their infrastructure
is so good they never need to step on land. Doctors, tailors,
bakers can all be seen in their tiny wooden shops on the
Lake, next to pretty vegetable gardens or besides lotus
plantations. In the lively vegetable markets that exist
on the Dal, commerce is conducted entirely on boats.
On land too there’s much to explore in Srinagar.
MUGHAL GARDENS
The Mughal emperor loved escaping to Kashmir to beat the
killing heat of the North Indian plains. They planted
gardens with stepped terraces and flowing water courses
here. Cheshmashahi is the smallest of Srinagar’s
Mughal gardens, built at a height above the city and offering
stupendous views. The next garden on the road that encircles
the Dal is Nishat, the largest of the gardens, with a
magnificent locale between Dal lake and the Zabarwan Hills.
Jahangir, whose love for Kashmir you already know about,
planted the third Mughal garden-Shalimar. A series of
stone pavilions and flowing water with paint-box bright
flower beds, Shalimar lies in the shade of some magnificent
chinars.
Across the Dal from Shalimar is the mosque of Hazratbal,
architecturally unique in Kashmir. Made of white marble,
it is the repository of a single hair of the Prophet Mohammed
exhibited to the public on desidnated days of the year.
Places of pilgrimage in Srinagar include the hill-top
Shankaracharya Temple, built on a site dating back to
2500 BC.
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Srinagar is well
serviced by air. An all weather road connects Srinagar
with Jammu town, which in turn is well connected to the
rest of India. Jammu is also the nearest railhead.
GULMARG
Gulmarg is a huge cup-shaped meadow not far from Srinagarsurrounded
by snow-capped mountains. It also boasts one of the highest
golf courses in the world, its club club house a historic
building in its own right. One-day memberships are available
and golf sets can be hired.
From Gulmarg, a pony track leads up to Khilanmarg, kongdori
and seven Springs. From here, across the Apharwat peak
is Lake Alpather, the prettiest of alpine lakes, which
stays frozen all winter till alte June.
For lovers of horse-riding, Lake Alpather is a delightful
day’s excursion.
Every winter, Gulmarg acquires an attractive dimension
as the country’s premier skiing resorts. This ski
resort is beginner-friendly. Even the gentlest slope is
(200 metres) is serviced by a ski lift. The longest ski
run on offer is 2213 metres, the top of which is reached
by the new Gondola Cabe Car. The cable car ride, over
pine-clad slopes, is exhilarating in itself.
PAHALGAM-The Valley
Of Shepherds
At the confluence of streams flowing from the Lidder River
and Lake Sheshnag, Pahalgam (2130 metres) was once a humble
shepherd’s village with astonishing mountain views.
It is now Kashmir’s premier resort. Many scenic excursions
can be undertaken from Pahalgam. The most beautiful of
these is the huge, undulating meadow of Baisaran, which
is surrounded by thick woods of pine. Chandanwari, sixteen
kilometers from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the
Amarnath Yatra, an annual excursion to the Amarnath cave,
said to be the abode of Lord Shiva.
SONAMARG-Meadow of Gold
The drive to Sonamarg, on the Srinagar-Leh road, is through
the spectacular Sindh Valley.
The snowy mountains and cerulean sky form a backdrop to
this ‘golden meadow’. The Sindh river meanders
here, abounding in trout and mahseer. The nearby glacier
of Thajiwas is a popular attraction. This is also the
starting point of treks to several mountain lakes. It
is also the last halt on the Kashmir side for the driver
from the Srinagar to Leh, which enthusiasts swear is one
of the most beautiful in the world.
JAMMU
Romantic green meadows, majestic mountains, bewitching
lakes and valleys…that’s surprising Jammu for
you. This is also a holy land, the landscape dotted with
the towers of ancient temples even as holy shrines sit
atop hillsides.
Jammu town itself, the winter capital of the state, boasts
quite a few shrines –Raghunath Temple, Rambireshvar
Temple, Bawey Wali Mata Temple (inside Bahu Fort) and
the Dharagh of Peer Budhan Ali Shah.
The Vaishno Devi Cave, sixty-one kilometres north of Jammu,
is one of the most important pilgrim sites in the region.
Also to be checked out in |
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town are the Bahu
Fort and Amar Mahal Museum.
You can make an excursion to Akhnoor, a historic town on the
ancient Mughal route to Kahmir, associated with the legendary
lovers Soni and Mahiwal. Surinsar and Mansar are picturesque
forest-fringed lakes around Jammu. The famous hill resort
of Patnitop (2024 metres) is perched on a beautiful plateau
on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Other resorts include Sanasar,
Batote. Krimchi has Hellenic-influenced temples of great antiquity.
LADAKH
Ladakh-with its spectacular landscape and even more interesting
people-continues to draw horders of tourists each year. The
remote Kargil and Suru Valleys continue to draw mountain lovers.
Culture vultures ahead for the ancient monasteries of this
region. Today, Ladakh is a high-altitude desert, sheltered
from the showers of the Indian monsoon by the barrier of the
Great Himalayas, but many millennia ago it was covered by
a vast system of lakes. Vestiges of these lakes can be seen
in drainage basins, with evocative names loke Tso-moriri,
Tso-Kar and Pangong-tso. The only source of water is winter
snowfall. The heavy snowfall supplies the glaciers, which
melt into streams and rivers that irrigate the field in summer.
The capital, Leh, is dominated by Sengge NAmgyal’s nine-storey
palace. The monastery of Alchi, near Leh, is a World Heritage
Site.
Ladakh is best visited during one of its many festivels. Notable
are the colourful monastic festivals of the Buddhists. The
core event of these fests is the Chhams, a highly choreographed
sacred dance performed by the lamas.
Some of the main festivals, held annually in the monasteries
of Aldakh are Gu-stor (marking the birthday of Tsonghka-pa,
the founder of the Geluks-pa monastic order); Dosmoche (the
great winter festival); Matho Nagrang (festival of the oracles)
and; Losar (Tibetan New Year)
The Ladakh Festival is a major event organized by the J&K
Tourism Department. It attempts to revive and promote the
centuries0old culture of Ladakh and is held from 1-15 September
each year. Simultaneously held in various parts of Ladakh,
the festival is marked by cultural performances, and even
witnesses polomatches.
SHOPPING
Kashmiri handicrafts make exquisite buys. This is the home
of the legendary Pashmina Shawls. Papier-mache-the art of
making objects from paper pulp-flourishes here. The containers
are painted in bright traditional colours and designs, and
make excellent souvenirs. If you so fancy you can even buy
a samovar, which Kashmiris use for making their traditional
kashmiri tea, the Kehwa. Kashmiri willow is used to make some
great cricket bats, and you could pick up one of these too.
CUISINE
Kashmiri cuisine revolves around a legendary community feast-the
wazawan. The delicious gushtaba (meatballs in a fiery gravy)
and rogan josh ( a legendary mutton preparation) are key dishes.
Kashmiri cuisine employs many exotic ingredients like morels
and lotus seeds. Kashmiris are accomplished bakers and often
mop up their lip-smacking curries with a variety of local
breads. Once India’s most popular tourist destination,
visitors reduced to a trickle in Kashmir in the era of insurgency.
Things have finally changed for the better. The valley has
emerged from the shadow of terrorism, and suddenly there are
thousands of tourists here. Paradise, after all, is too good
to resists.
“Kashmiri is the principal region in
the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the two other regions being
Jammu and Ladakh. Essentially a mountain valley, it is renowned
for it beauty”
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