A travel Visit to Kashmir is like experiencing a heaven. Cool breeze ,frozen little streams, clear rivers, snowy mountains, beautiful landscapes, hot Kahwa, sweet apples, lovely handicrafts, beautiful Kashmiri handwork, expensive but pure spices, fair people, exciting pony rides, army battalions all these define “Kashmir", the paradise for Indian travelers..!!!
The whole experience starting from the first glimpse of the gigantic snowcapped mountains from the flight to the till you return to your destination is truly incredible. It was like stepping into a freezer the moment we got out of the flight at Srinagar airport in the month of December, and I realized how it felt to be in "COLD". We started our journey in a local taxi arranged by our holiday package, to drop us at our first stop the Dal Lake. I could see normal people with their normal lifestyles and nothing like what we imagine the place to be.
Dal Lake is the second largest lake in Kashmir, first being the Wular Lake in Bandipora district of the state. First thing you observe on Dal Lake, as a traveler will be the innumerable house boats or the 'floating palaces'. We were ferried from the bank of the lake to our houseboat named 'New California', in a taxi boat. These boats are called 'Shikara'. These come in different shapes and sizes to accommodate depending on the number of people, goods being carried etc.
The houseboats built from the local wood (cedar tree) are nothing less than luxury hotels. I was amazed to see the interiors, because the look outside is quite contrasting. They have real well furnished verandah, dining area, heated and well maintained rooms with toilets. The cooking is usually done in another concrete area built behind the wooden boats since; there are dangers of the place catching fire.
We too got a complementary shikara ride in our holiday package, after a hot and delicious lunch we had at the boat. The locals at the hotel offered a hot cup of kahwa ,a special Kashmiri tea prepared with the spices without milk, to keep us warm and fresh/This was at a cost of 50Rs/ cup which was quite costly, what we realized after a couple of days of stay in the place. The tea is supposed to have numerous health benefits one of them being able to aid in digestion.
We were forced to click photos in the traditional Kashmiri costume on a “Studio"shikara, what I mean here is the shikara where a local carries few traditional costumes for both male and female and a digital camera. These Shikaras are the marketing vehicles for the locals present here and no one can miss the locals following the tourist shikaras for selling their items, be it the famous Kashmir spices, vegetables, fruits, local clothes, wooden material, jewellary etc. The ride on the shikara was a nice one, for an exception that the Dal Lake filled with the habitats and house boats looked real ugly filled with filth, and the water in the lake was clearer only towards the open spaces.
The Mughal gardens like Nishat bagh, Shalimar bagh, Naseem bagh are all very poorly maintained, and have nothing much to offer. After a tiresome day, we had a good night's sleep with the bed heater onto the maximum, without which it would have been difficult to even breathe in the chilling weather.
Next day, we started our journey towards Gulmarg the 'meadow of flowers'(though none can be seen in winter), about 50kms from Srinagar. It is a very small town in the Baramulla district of Kashmir.
The place is very quiet and calm since there is not much population here apart from the tourists and guides/pony owners who come for their daily survival. It is a popular skiing destination, since it receives heavy snowfall. The gondola/cable car is a famous attraction here which is a two stage ropeway taking the tourists to the top of the summit.
First level is at around 8,500feet and second level is approximately 13,700 feet of the Kongdori Mountain.
The ride on the Gondola is remarkable with some beautiful landscapes seen from up above. The second level boasts of a picture perfect white heaven. There are snow sports like skiing, sledging etc. which are charged at a hefty price. The line of control (LOC) border can be seen from this level. There is a feeling of elation at the elevation, playing in the white snow....with only white color peaks all around and the blue sky just above you, it feels as if you are in midst of the clouds, sailing with the cool breeze.
There are other small tourist spots which have become popular because of the Bollywood movies shot there like Bobby hut (Bobby), Shiva temple (the famous jai jai shiva shankar song from 'aap ki kasam') and similar places. Pony rides are an option to look around the place or it is an easy possibility to walk around the entire city as it is a very small place with all the attractions at a stone’s throw.
The next destination we started out to is "Pahalgam", a beautiful place on the banks of river Lidder, at an elevation of 7200ft from sea level.
On the way we visited a place called 'Pampore', which is very famous for its saffron cultivation. There are whole bunch of shops available on the way claiming to sell the best dry fruits at best prices. We should have some local guidance before making any buys though. Saffron is supposed to be in its purest form here, and costs around 200Rs/gm. The other dry fruits are also available in abundance, the popular one being walnut as there are lot of walnut trees grown here.
Pahalgam though is a spectacular form of nature's beauty, the landscapes on the way, the river flowing in its full glory, the chirping birds; everything is a treat to the eyes and music to the ears.
One of the important tourist spot in the place is Chandanwari, about 15kms from the place is supposed to be the starting point of the most famous Amarnath yathra.
There is this glacier named 'Kolahoi', which is a hanging glacier, which forms the source of Lidder River.
The Betaab valley is another popular spot which is again named after the hindi movie shot there, Betaab. The place is again picturesque with green lush trees, which were actually barren and full flowing rivers which were frozen into icicles during our visit, owing to the fact that it was winter.
A couple of spots which could be seen only by taking pony rides, were Baisaran valley and the mini switzerland. These places are at an elevation and the route for the same is very steep which cannot be scaled by untrained tourists. Though the pony rides form the livelihood of most of the locals there, there is a tendency of charging the customer with exorbitant price for each pony depending upon the seasons of visit. The summer season will be the peak season where in tourist just pile up and ready to pay whatever the locals demand. Most of the locals try to trick the tourists in every transaction be it pony rides or shopping. So one should have a very clear understanding of the place, items sold and should have the art of bargaining.
On the return way from Pahalgam we visited the apple farms. All we could see were the last few apples on the trees there. Those were deliberately left for hungry tourists to see and confirm that those are apple trees. Best season to see the fruits filling the tree in red, is in september. We could manage to buy a kilo of apple though from the farm there, where loads of the fruit were being packed in craters to be sold. We managed to take a couple of snaps with the local kids also working there. And not to forget a local granny. who refused to take a snap as it is prohibited in their religion to click photos. I somehow convinced her to click a picture with me.We finally let the place with sweetness lingering in our mouth and also hearts..
We passed by small rivers, frozen droplets on tip of leaves, barren trees...beautiful in their own way.
We stopped at Avantiswami temple at Avantipura on the Srinagar-Pahalgam highway..., which one must not miss. Supposed to be one of the oldest temples built by King Awanti varman who ruled in 855AD. now only the ruins are remaining of the ancient Hindu temple. Felt a divine flow of energy standing there ,just thinking of how many devotees might have visited the same temple and the pooja done to the idol there, thousands of years ago. There was a army tank in front of the temple ,because of whatever the reasons of terror caused by human stupidity in the fight for occupancy of a god gifted place.
The final destination wherein we travelled to was Sonamarg. Sonamarg is an alpine valley on the banks of river Nallah Sindh. The drive to Sonamarg is breathtaking, giving a complete picture of the countryside with flowing river, lush green meadows.
Again the routes here are navigable only by ponies, though one can go to some distance by car, but the last stretch of 3km is only with ponies or walk/trek with trained guides. The famous Thajiwas glacier is a popular spot here. The white lofty mountains with a peaceful atmosphere and cool weather. Finally on the way back from Sonamarg we saw a lovely orange hued sunset with the lovely Sindh River flowing gracefully.
The best part of the trip though was that we were part of a group package. That added to the joy of being in an unknown place. Usually group trips can be a pain if people are dis-organized, with no time sense or have an air of superiority and aloofness. But, we were lucky that we had people in our group who had similar frequency of thinking, being punctual for the day trips even with kids, very cordial and friendly nature. It really felt like being between a known set of old friends..
I just could not imagine that the trip ended so early...so many forms of nature's beauty...felt like melting into nature as its own entity and become immortalized in this beautiful place...for eternity.
One can just hope the terrorism and killings end, and the place is left to be 'no man's land ' as it is unfair to destroy such a divine place, for the human greed of power. We were dropped back to the Srinagar airport and unfortunately our flight was postponed to the next day, because of low visibility. So beware that tourists should be ready to be stranded for days in the place if they are travelling in winter. In peak winter, the airport itself will get closed leaving you very few options of commuting. Overall though ironic, it was an adventurous and peaceful trip...!!!
Hope to visit the place again in a different season, as it is told that the place has something different to offer to the tourists in every season.
With so many forms of nature's beauty...you just feel like melting into nature as its own entity and become immortalized in the beautiful place...for eternity.
You are sure to end the journey with an emotional feel and a happy energy of carrying bundles of beautiful images etched in your memory ,and you are forced to say……Kashmir…what a place…!!!it’s nothing less than god’s master piece.
FEW TIPS, if you are planning a trip to the place:
Things to be packed for the trip:
1.Light woolen sweaters for any season, but heavy woolen sweaters and jackets in winter to tolerate the cold.
2.Thermals are also a good option who cannot take in the cold weather at all. Pack more of warm clothes rather than other outfits. Blankets, warm woolen clothing, socks for small kids travelling is also a necessity.
3.Hiking shoes, goggles.
4.Sunscreen lotion, Vaseline or moisturizers, lip balms, umbrella depending on the season of travel.
5.Over the counter medicines for fever, cold, dizziness and vomiting (common in the ghat section and zig zag curves of the mountains) etc. which you have the option to get, but better to keep them handy.
6.Cameras, battery charger, spare battery.
Travelling modes:
1.There are flights, train and bus facilities to reach Srinagar.
2.Flights are available from almost all the places via Delhi, and direct flights are available to Srinagar.
3.The trains and bus facilities are also there but via Jammu.
4.The intercity travel and the local sightseeing can be done by hiring private vehicles/taxis and even auto rickshaws are available in Srinagar city. Even government buses are available to commute within the state.
Must do things/must haves, while in Kashmir:
1.Shikara ride on the Dal Lake and a night’s stay at a luxury houseboat in Srinagar.
2.Skiing at the Gulmarg summit with the guidance from a trainer, of course after negotiating at a reasonable price.
3.White water rafting at the Lidder River, Pahalgam.
4.Trekking at any of the possible locations, with a guide.
5.Pony ride in the Sonamarg region.
6.Click photos in a traditional attire, and also with locals in villages of pahalgam and other places on the way as a memoir.
7.Trying the local Kawah chai, a special Kashmiri tea prepared with the local spices without milk, to keep one’s body warm during the cold and also to aid in digestion.
8.Try the fruits directly from the farm be it apples, oranges or any fresh fruit.
Shopping tips:
1.Never shop any item/deal without bargaining. Reduce the price to at least 50% before settling for a final deal.
2.Shop for Saffron, walnut, Kashmiri chilies’ and other dry fruits at Pampur or anywhere else of which you have prior information from local or your known people.
3.Shop for Pashmina or woolen shawls, sweaters, Kashmiri work dresses, wooden handiwork, artificial jewelry like stone malas, kadas, bangles, carpets at a government based shop rather than in any shop.
4.If shopping at local markets, bargain. Better buy small handicrafts and local jewellary items at Dal lake shikara as they are comparatively cheaper when compared to other places.
Important things to be noted for safety:
1.Dealing with locals, negotiate properly before concluding any price for the item bought/or for guidance in trekking or pony rides.
2.Skii shoes, coats and goggles are sold fooling people with the impression that they cannot bear the cold up in the summit, where as those are not mandatory at all. The normal jackets and hike shoes will save the day.
3.Though the pony rides form the livelihood of most of the locals there, there are possibilities of charging exorbitant price for each pony depending upon the seasons of visit. The summer season will be the peak season where in tourist just pile up and ready to pay whatever the locals demand. Most of the locals try to trick the tourists in every transaction be it pony rides or shopping. So one should have a very clear understanding of the place, items sold and should have the art of bargaining
4.Duplicate products sold as Kashmiri ones at high prices.
5.Fake spices sold as pure. Example is coconut strands colored and sold as Saffron. Test for pure saffron is put a few strands in warm water, the color of the water changes to golden color and the strands expand, whereas duplicate ones just melt away.
6.Don’t carry heavy cash everywhere.
7.Do not roam around alone after dark and always have the hotel address handy.
8.There is no cabin luggage option in the flights from Srinagar airport. So plan to pack your things safely.
9.The security checks at the airport are many and the check in luggage identification is an extra headache for the travelers, without which the baggage will be stranded at the airport itself. Also plan ahead of time to reach the airport.
10.Be ready to have alternatives, in case of flight cancellations in case of low visibility or snowfall especially in winter.
11.There are SBI, Canara bank, J&K ATMs available in Srinagar where one can draw if any emergency cash is needed.
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