After
many years of waiting I had the good fortune to visit the heaven on
earth-Kashmir. I went there with my brother-in-law and his group in the first week of November 2011. The trek up to the Vaishnodevi shrine was a long one and it was a once in a lifetime experience for me. Though it was such a strenous climb up,there were so many old people who made the climb.After our visit to the Vaishnodevi shrine, it was with much anticipation that we journeyed towards Jammu. We reached Srinagar a little
after dawn and I was bowled over by the thrilling experience to stay in a
houseboat. What a feeling to be living in a house surrounded by the calm and
cool Nigeen lake! The weather was nothing that I have experienced earlier
as I had never ever been to any of the the cold northern regions. Sadly, my experience of
the cold regions so far had been restricted to Ooty and Mahableshwar so you can
imagine the awe I felt to be in the chilly 4 degree temperatures! After being
in Amchi Mumbai's heat for so long it was a welcome change.
The view of the lake early in the morning was something else! Holding a cup of piping hot tea and sitting on the deck of the houseboat was an experience to cherish ! A ride in the shikara and a look at the floating market was amazing. Our trip took us around the famed Pahalgam and Gulmarg regions where I had my first look and feel of snow! What a magical moment it was to hold the cotton soft snow in my palm!I had the time of my life playing in the snow and acting like a little kid.
I got an eyeful of the beauty of Kashmir's beautiful snow-clad mountains ,winding ghats and deep valleys. The Mughal gardens displayed the colours of the flora at its best. The apple orchards and the saffron fields was something I had never seen before.
What has to be mentioned is the thrilling ride to the top to visit Pahalgam. It was as if we were taking a ride in the clouds!As our vehicle snaked its way upwards towards the top, all we could see was a part of the winding and narrow road ahead with only the white fluffy clouds with us for company. Even Gulmarg was a sight to behold! The Betaab valley and the other locations were breath-taking and it was no wonder that many a Bollywood film had been shot there. There was another pleasure in store for us when there was a drizzle as soon as we reached Gulmarg. What an experience it was to light a bonfire and huddle around it surrounded by snow and have raindrops trickle around!
A visit to Kashmir would be incomplete without the mandatory photo in the traditional Kashmiri dress so that is exactly what we did. An experience of Kashmir would not be the same without a taste of kashmiri delicacies. I could not get a lot of it unfortunately and I hope to have a true taste of kashmiri cuisine the next time I am there. This time I could only relish some chicken and mutton delicacies that were offered at the houseboat. It is also nice to eat our very own Maggi noodles in the chilled temperatures of Kashmir, it actually tastes better! And who can resist the taste of the ever so mild and flavoursome kashmiri tea or kahwa?I brought back a tin of the beverage and I still enjoy the drink each day at school thanks to my loyal thermos flask.
Another aspect worth a mention was the presence of the military force there. It was an eye-opener to see them standing alert patrolling the areas in the roughest of conditions and at the highest altitude. My salutations to the brave soldiers who guard our country and remain awake so that we may sleep in peace. A friendly chat with a few of them made me realize how difficult their life there is. Imagine staying away from your family and loved ones for months and years and facing the most unexpected situations with rough weather at your disposal!
It was an experience like never before. What was a blot on the great trip was the journey in the train and the lack of true kashmiri pakwaan. But all said and done, the beauty of Kashmir more than made up for it. I am glad I could plan a trip to this wonderland called Kashmir and I hope to go there again.
The view of the lake early in the morning was something else! Holding a cup of piping hot tea and sitting on the deck of the houseboat was an experience to cherish ! A ride in the shikara and a look at the floating market was amazing. Our trip took us around the famed Pahalgam and Gulmarg regions where I had my first look and feel of snow! What a magical moment it was to hold the cotton soft snow in my palm!I had the time of my life playing in the snow and acting like a little kid.
I got an eyeful of the beauty of Kashmir's beautiful snow-clad mountains ,winding ghats and deep valleys. The Mughal gardens displayed the colours of the flora at its best. The apple orchards and the saffron fields was something I had never seen before.
What has to be mentioned is the thrilling ride to the top to visit Pahalgam. It was as if we were taking a ride in the clouds!As our vehicle snaked its way upwards towards the top, all we could see was a part of the winding and narrow road ahead with only the white fluffy clouds with us for company. Even Gulmarg was a sight to behold! The Betaab valley and the other locations were breath-taking and it was no wonder that many a Bollywood film had been shot there. There was another pleasure in store for us when there was a drizzle as soon as we reached Gulmarg. What an experience it was to light a bonfire and huddle around it surrounded by snow and have raindrops trickle around!
A visit to Kashmir would be incomplete without the mandatory photo in the traditional Kashmiri dress so that is exactly what we did. An experience of Kashmir would not be the same without a taste of kashmiri delicacies. I could not get a lot of it unfortunately and I hope to have a true taste of kashmiri cuisine the next time I am there. This time I could only relish some chicken and mutton delicacies that were offered at the houseboat. It is also nice to eat our very own Maggi noodles in the chilled temperatures of Kashmir, it actually tastes better! And who can resist the taste of the ever so mild and flavoursome kashmiri tea or kahwa?I brought back a tin of the beverage and I still enjoy the drink each day at school thanks to my loyal thermos flask.
Another aspect worth a mention was the presence of the military force there. It was an eye-opener to see them standing alert patrolling the areas in the roughest of conditions and at the highest altitude. My salutations to the brave soldiers who guard our country and remain awake so that we may sleep in peace. A friendly chat with a few of them made me realize how difficult their life there is. Imagine staying away from your family and loved ones for months and years and facing the most unexpected situations with rough weather at your disposal!
It was an experience like never before. What was a blot on the great trip was the journey in the train and the lack of true kashmiri pakwaan. But all said and done, the beauty of Kashmir more than made up for it. I am glad I could plan a trip to this wonderland called Kashmir and I hope to go there again.
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