Kashmir- The paradise on Earth
The travel to Kashmir was a dream come true since 30 years. The last minute confusion of availability of tickets and their confirmation, made me stay over in Delhi for 1 days, before reaching the beautiful paradise city, Srinagar. The flight to Srinagar was a small one with arrival in an hour from Delhi. The sight of clouds while travelling in aeroplane is replaced by the experience of viewing snow-capped and covered, white, silvery and shining mountains.
Aerial view from sky
I reached Srinagar airport by afternoon and was picked up by the taxi for the first day of additional sightseeing.
I was very speculative most of the time, since it was my first time in the place of constant conflicts but still retaining it's beauty and pride. I asked the taxi driver about few details of the the garden we were heading to and finally we reached the destination. I got the entry ticket from the counter and rushed towards the entrance, as I could see the crowd around waiting to enter the garden. I had limited time of 5 hours, including sightseeing, the journey itself and for crossing the hurdles on the way.
Badamwari garden
' Badamwari ' garden as the name suggests has badam (almond) trees. The whole garden is inside a Mughal fort and we can see the fortress from the garden uphill. Inside the garden, there were different kinds of trees such as almond, cherry, apricot and more. There were photographers with traditional kashmiri dress and accessories, ready to photograph the visitors in their traditional attire. I photographed myself in kashmir's traditional clothing, head and neck- wear, took a tour of the garden photograhing the trees and also selfies. There is a small river on the side of the garden and the scenic view captures you and firms you to the ground for some more time. In an hour, I returned to the taxi and waited a long queue and traffic to reach the next destination.
I reached Dachigam national park after a forty five minutes journey and took tickets for the entry. The guard asked whether the ticket has to be upgraded to safari tour but did not give a surety on whether I can spot animals. I limited myself to the three animals and few birds visible around. Leopard, asiatic black bear and himalayan brown bear were the animals resting in the cage. Spotting the Himalayan brown bear was an excitement for the residents of Srinagar as well the tourists. The huge, light brown ,elegant structure walked out of its cage, took a round in the park inside the outer cage and went back quickly on hearing the howling and noise around. Somehow, I managed to get a snap of the bear and short video of its walk back. I went back to the taxi after few snaps and reached the hotel arranged for our stay.
Day 1
Sonamarg
The first day as a group started off to Sonamarg, also called the golden meadows. We had a heavy breakfast and boarded the transfer bus with accessories, snacks and water required for travel. The journey to the place was around 2.5 hours and requires to journey a tunnel of 6 km in the mountains. On reaching the destination, we got ourselves boots and gloves, took tickets for the snowbike to reach Thajwas glacier. The first few steps in the snow felt like heaven, the feeling that I am doing so.ething which I dreamt of. We waited in the long queue where each one will be taken on a snowbike. During the the waiting period, we snapped photographs, observed other tourists, had small conversation within ourselves. Finally, it was my turn and my apprehension on whether I would be able to board the bike with my crippled leg was over once I got on it and clicked photos. I reached the glacier area, where they had prepared with tents and food for the tourists. From there we have to walk a 200 m to reach the glaciers next point. There is provision for sleighs for those who do not want to walk. At the next snow point, we had tea, enjoyed the snow around and tried our photography skills. Some of us went till the peak from where glaciers and glacier valleys are visible. The melted snow flows as small structured brooks and also collected as ponds for further use. Other than snow bikes, we can see human operated sleighs and horses.
The bland feeling, the thought of environmental marvel creeped in when I reached the glacier point and had a tea relaxing at the corner of a rest house. The rest of the tour went by travelling down the mountain, returning our snow accessories and reaching the bus, bringing back memories, excitement and ideas. There was disappointment, excitement and anticipation for the coming days among the group members.
We had a late lunch in a nearby restaurant and started back to the stay place. On the way, the bus stopped near the mustard field with yellow flower blossoms to click pictures and moved on to reach the hotel by 9 pm. It is very difficult to predict time in a place where the weather is extreme and erratic these days. The nights start early and the days start latvem though the time remains the same.
The preparations for the next day were done. We were off to another snow filled - glacier area called gulmarg. We were expecting to ride on gondolo- a cable car and prepared ourselves for the same.
Day 2 with the group, was planned for the destination, Gulmarg which is another snow capped mountains and glaciers. It has a spot 35 km from our neighbouring country Pakistan and also the Maharaja palace and National museum with artilleries of wars.
We reached there with many conflicts in between, apprehension and worries, since the day's itinerary was changed in a flicker of moment. Most of us was unprepared for an unexpected change in the day's plan. We missed the gondola ride - the cable car ride across the glaciers. There was a park, helicopter ride, and many more scenic beauty other than the vast spread snow view. The coniferous trees including Deodar cedar and coloured flowering shrubs are views beyond words. The blooming of pink flowers gives it The name strawberry valley too. The peak point of Gulmarg has a frozen lake which melts during the peak summer.
After spending two hours at Gulmarg, we reached back to Thanmarg and had our lunch. From there, we went to see the Drung waterfall, which is the glacier melted water flowing through the check dam up the mountain. During the winter season, the flow freezes and becomes frozen waterfall.
The whole day, was filled with disappointment, financial loss and also discontent. Moreover, everyone was tired of conflicting conversations and discussions. In the midst of these unprecedented events, we happened to pull ourselves up somehow and also find our own niche of satisfaction.
Everyone needed a break and as per the suggestion of one of our group members we detoured on the way back to the hotel to a walnut fudge shop. Most of us bought few kilograms to take back home. We also stopped to buy other snacks and beverages for the coming days.
Day 3 of the tour started with shopping at a store for dry fruits. The reception of the group at the store was impressive with a chance to taste the exotic fruits in their dried forms. I bought cranberry and kahwa tea mix to take home. The availability and rarity masks the price of these. Each one of our group members bought one or the other product offered at the store.
There was a two hour journey to our destination Pahalgam. Moreover, there were check points and traffic on the way. Inside the bus, it was filled with music, discussions and children in the group in their own world of talk and games.
On the way, there were beautiful valleys, water systems as canals, brooks and falls. It was start of summer, so the plants and trees have not yet dried with few coloured blooms here and there.
The way was to Amarnath temple and there were several sign boards which showed the way to it.
Finally, we reached the point where we have to shift from bus to four cars and divide the group accordingly. At the shift over point, there were vendors of walnut, kashmiri shawls and carpets. I made my buy there, as there won't be dedicated time for shopping in our activity list.
We were supposed to visit three famous valleys, but restricted ourselves to two valleys due to time constraints. After a thirty minute journey we reached Chandanwari valley, a valley in the midst of snow capped mountains mostly filled with receding snow. It was the photo click point for many tourists and the way to Amarnath temple.
After spending some time there, feeling the snow and watching others, we moved to betaab valley.
Photos were clicked from the high point from which the valley was visible. We restricted ourselves to the outside of the valley were the river flowed and we could sit on the rocks of riverside. Mostly the coniferous trees filled the area, with sheep herd grazing, and few ponies straying. There was a lake with a garden around, which was organised for the tourists to sit and enjoy the day.
After the day's activities we moved from Pahalgam to Srinagar city. We next hit on the zabarwan park, which nobody was interested to explore, mostly due to tiredness. The shikara ride was arranged and four of us got into the shikara - a boat designed elegantly and decorated to be ride on the dal lake. There were many of them and we got a marroon clothes and covered shikara. We rowed through the Dal lake for around one hour, talking, singing, taking snaps and viewing the evening beauty around. The lake is around 30 km in circumference and is surrounded by the scenic view of mountains and the sky. The road around was busy with pedestrian tourists and vehicles.
My attraction was the memories it gave of the movies and I sang the songs in it with the soulfulness and emotions it gave while hearing it inside the four walls of my room. ' Bumbro', ' socho ke jeelon', ' chup ke se sunn' were some of the songs which were remembered.
While touring the lake we saw the floating garden and the floating market, both are one of its kind in the country. We did window shopping and discussed the various prospects of such a venture in our part of the State which had backwaters and lakes. During summer, the lake gave a golden shine due to reflection of the sun and is also called the 'golden lake'.
The excitement and wonder drained our energy and we wanted to lie on the beds and stretch ourselves recollecting the good memories the days of tour gave. We were directed to a house boat, again in a shikara with our bags and buys. It was a massive structure harboured on the corner of the lake. I took a tour of the boat,exploring the dining area, kitchen, hall, the rooms and the bathrooms.
We had a light dinner, mild shopping of Kashmir designed cloths and shawls. I slept late as the excitement still inside me. It got me some time to settle in and I did preparations for the next day's activities. It was the final day for the rest of the sight seeing and the long journey back home.
Day 4, the final day of the tour started with a light breakfast, conversations among the group, sharing of contacts and feedbacks, expression of the experience and a small shopping of souvenirs and other items.
The bus was filled with the packed, heavy bags and we boarded it to headout for the gardens, Tulip and four Mughal gardens. We restricted ourselves to seeing two of them and had to hurry for the lunch followed by travel to the Srinagar airport.
The day went smoothly, with photographing, buying few items, exploring the Nishath market area and reached back to the bus, to find that my phone was lost. I was a bit worried as, this was the device which contained the memories of the travel as well as my tickets including boarding pass back to home. The members of the group did not lose hope and uplifted my expectations too. We left to explore the areas we walked and in the meantime tried calling in the number. Finally, one guard in the garden picked up the phone and directed us to reach the garden office. We reached the garden's office amidst the hustle and bustle. The officers and guards there asked how I lost the phone and I explained the possibilities. I wrote a statement of my loss along with a ' Thank you ', explaining how grateful I was to the person who safely gave the lost phone to the office personnel.
The incident was a surprise for me who did not receive back lost phone few times, in my part of the place. Humanity, good manners, faith, honesty and truthfulness have not faded completely from the world. And in a place with history of long conflicts, internal wars and insurgence, it was surprising to have experienced goodness and honesty.
The environmental diversity of Kashmir is a marvel. The seasons which bring this diversities are also a unique feature. From snow to deserted- barren lands is visible while taking the tour. The visual treat in the midst of armed personnels and armed vehicles is the blooms and the gardens.
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