Holiday in Kashmir
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Many centuries ago a mughual emperor strolled down his garden path and descried the land he saw around himself as paradise on earth. This land was Kashmir and this description of its beauty remains as apt today as it had been a thousand years ago.
Located in the northern most tip of India, Kashmir is a land of snow-capped peaks, shimmering lakes, clear skies, fruit-laden orchards, unending conifers and mountain ranges. In addition to the natural beauty of the landscape, Kashmir also has a rich cultural heritage with its own dance and music forms, the most common of which are the Rouf and Wanwunn, and performance styles like the Bhand Pather. The people of this state are infused with tremendous talent when it comes to all kinds of handicrafts ranging from embroidery, woodwork, paper mache, carpets, and weaves.
Within Kashmir a common destination is Srinagar, the capital, famous for its Muhual gardens, Nishat Bagh, Chashme Shahi and the Dal Lake. This lake is home to the famous houseboats that are believed to give the most well equipped hotels a run for their money in terms of sheer warmth, atmosphere and adventure. The Dal Lake also bear many shikaras, the slim boats unique to this region, on which vendors can be seen selling their wares of fruits and flowers.
Then there is Pahalgaon, another popular choice loved for its white snow-kissed landscape and the Lidder River that runs through it. Apart from this there is Patnitop which has become a very famous location of religious pilgrimage because of its proximity to the Vaishno Devi temple. In fact there are many monuments of religious significance, of both Hindu and Muslim faith that can be found in Kashmir, most of them located in Jammu. The Sheesh Mahal and the Amar Singh Palace are two other monuments worth visiting here. And then of course there is Gulmarg, known most for its ‘valley of flowers’ that seems to cover the entire hillside with a think carpet of daisies, buttercups, and a host of other blooms. It is said that when the flowers are in bloom the entire valley gets painted into the most splendorous, vibrant and fragrant of sights, one that cannot be imagined and has to be seen to be believed.
Travel in this region remains incomplete without a trip to Ladakh and its fascinating capital, Leh. Located in the north this region is a paradise especially for those interested in adventure and one has an option of activities like mountaineering, camping and trekking to choose from. Ladakh is also known for its Buddhist traditions and one can experience several monasteries with their soothing chants rending the mountain breeze.
Almost each aspect of Kashmir is a treasure trove yielding new treasures as one goes along. From the material to the non-material, from the sights to the sounds, from the lakes to the peaks, from the culture to the modernity- Kashmir is a gem taken from the mists of time and recast in another manifestation to meet the demands of a different world, a common example of which are its winter festivities and sport events. However, despite this alteration the land has not lost any of its magic. Inhabited by a warm, generous and kind people who will go out of their way to make you feel at home, infused with a rich sense of cuisine, song, dance and craft and set within a landscape of a picture postcard, Kashmir is paradise in its most lovable, livable and fascinating persona.
