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| Srinagar |
| In the heart
of Kashmir valley is Srinagar the state
Capital, It is situated at an altitude
of 1,730 metres above sea level. No
destination is quite so romantic, no
setting as enchanting as Srinagar. Srinagar
is a unique city because of its Lakes
The Dal, Nagin and Anchar. The Dal is
Kaleidoscope of color with its beautiful
Housebouts, its Shikaras with their
gay canopies, Most delitghful and fruitful
of experience is to stay on a houseboat. |
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Each houseboat has anything between
two and four bedrooms in it with attached
bathrooms and a common sitting and
dining room. The Dal is famous not
only for its beauty, but for its vibrance,
because it sustains within its periphery,
a life that is unique anywhere in
the world. The Dal is so central to
the landscape of Srinagar, many places
of tourist interest have, over the
ages, been built in its vicinity.
Nishat and Shalimar gardens as well
as Hazaratbal mosque are directly
accessible by shikara.
A shikara ride is one of the most
soothing, relaxing aspect of a holiday
in Kashmir. It can an hour long ride
to see the sights of the Dal, a shopping
by shikara expedition to visit handicraft
shops within the periphery of the
lake, or a whole day trip to visit
important city landmarks.
Srinagar allure changes with the
passing of each season. Spring, which
extends roughly from March to early
May, is when a million blossoms carpet
the ground. The weather during this
time can be glorious pleasant at 23Deg.
C or chilly and windy at 6Deg C. This
is the season when Srinagar experiences
its rains, but showers are brief.
Summer extends from May and until
the end August. Srinagar at this time
experiences day temperatures of between
21 to 30 Deg C. At this time, the
whole valley is a mosaic of varying
shades of green -rice fields, meadows,
trees and Srinagar with its lakes
and waterways is a haven after the
scorching geat of the plains.
The onset of autumn, perhaps Kashmir's
loveliest season, is towards September,
when green turns to gold and then
to russet and red. The temperatures
can go upto a high of 23Deg C and
night temperatures can dip to 10Deg
C by the end of October.
Winter, December through to the beginning
of March is the time when most of
the snow fall takes place in Srinagar.
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| Gulmarg |
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| Gulmarg at
an altitude of 2,730 metres above sea
level, 56 kms north - west Srinagar.
The mountain meadow, to which the name
properly belongs, is about two miles
long, in places half a mile broad, and
is somewhat crescent shaped. All around
are snow capped mountains, and on a
clear day you see all the way to Nanga
Parbat in one direction and Srinagar
in another, the scenery and flowers
are lovely. In natural advantages it
is immensely superior to other Himalayan
hill-stations. |
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Directly above Gulmarg, at the forest
limit, are some other places called
Khilanmarg, Kongdori and seven Springs.
Gulmarg also has one of the world's
highest green golf courses, in the
heart of Gulmarg is its porraceous,
rolling golf course, as well as a
club house which is a historical building
in its own right. For a fun-filled
ride of a most unusual kind, Gulmarg's
newly constructed gondola lift from
high above Gulmarg, through pine-clad
slopes, is exhilarating. It is worlds
second heighest cable car.
Gulmargh is the ultimate beginner's
skiing resort, one can hire snowboots,
mufflers, woollen socks, windproof
jackets and caps, skis, sticks, goggles
even one can find an instructor and
set off down the slopes
Khilanmarg: Through the summer and
well into the autumn, Gulmarg is a
magnetic attraction for golfers from
all over the world. The world's highest,
18-hole green golf course is at Gulmarg.A
highland meadow, just 4 km from Gulmarg,
Khilanmarg is accessible by foot,
by pony or in a dandi. From here,
the view of the snow peaks and the
limpid waters of the Wular Lake is
a breathtaking one, unfurling vista
upon vista of Himalayan grandeur.
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| Pahalgam |
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| At an altitude
of 2,130 meter's above sea level, 96
km east of Srinagar. Pahalgam has many
attraction of its own, pretty walks
and rides and good fishing. Some of
the margs above, as Baiserran and Khaimu
are worth a visit. It is an excellent
base, perhaps the best in Kashmir, for
expeditions to the wider scenery of
the higher mountains; Sona Sar, Shisha
Nag, Amarthnath cave, Har Nag, Lidarwat
and the Kolahoi glacier, afford some
of the wildest and most beautiful scenery
of the Himalayas. |
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Pahalgam has within it no fewer than
eight tiny villages, one of which
is Mamal. There is a Shiva temple
here, generally considered to be Kashmir's
oldest existing temple dating to the
8th century
Chandanawri, 16 km from Pahalgam,
is the starting point of the Amarthnath
yatra which takes place every year
in the month of sawn ( July- August
). The destination is the Amarthnath
cave, believed to be the abode of
lord Shiva. Although the road from
Pahalgam to Chandanwari onwards the
track becomes much steeper, being
accessible on foot or by pony. 11
km from Chandanwari is the mountain
lake of Sheshnag, after which, 13
km away is the last stop, Panchtarni.
The Amarthnath cave is 6 km away from
there. During the month of Sawan,
an ice stalagmite forms a natural
Shivling which waxes and wanes with
the phases on the moon.
Aru, the Wildlife Sanctuary is located
close to Pahalgam. The best time to
see animals is September to April
and bird viewing from march to August.
Pahalgam is know as trekkers paradise
and some of the popular treks from
Pahalgam are to the Kolahoi Glacier
via Aru, Satlanjan and Dudsar Lake,
and to the high altitude lakes that
dot the meadowland and mountain ridges
between Pahalgam and Sonamarg. All
the gears needed for trekking are
available in the market.
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| Sonamarg |
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| Sonamarg,
at an altitude of 3,000 metres above
sea level, 87 km north-east of Srinagar.
The drive to Sonamargh is though yet
another spectacular facet of country
side in Kashmir, this time in Sindh
Valley. The Sindh Valley is the largest
tributary of the valley of Kashmir.
It is upwards of sixty miles long, and
valley and deep rock-girt gorge to open
grassy meadow land and village-dotted
slopes. |
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Sonamarg, which means ' meadow of
gold ' has, as its backdrop, snowy
mountains against a cerulean sky.
the Sindth meanders along here and
abounds with trout and mahseer, snow
trout can be caught in the main river.Ponies
can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas
glacier a major attraction during
the summer months.
The climate of Sonamarg is very bracing;
but the rainfall is frequent though
not heavy, except for two or three
days at a time in July and August
with fine spell in between.
From Sonamarg, trekking routes lead
to the Himalayan lakes of Vishansar
(4084 msl), Krishnasar (3810 msl)
and Gangabal (3658 msl). Other lakes
in the region are Gadsar, stocked
with snowtrout and Satsar, glacier-fed
and surrounded by banks of alpine
flowers.
A close by excursion is to Baltal,
15 km north of Sonamarg. This little
valley lies at the foot of the Zojila,
only a day's journey away from the
sacred cave of Amarnath. Trekkers
can also reach the starkly splendid
roof-top of the world - Leh, by crossing
over the Zijila Pass
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| Mughal Gardens |
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| Terraced
lawns, cascading fountains, paint-box
bright flower beds with the panorama
of the Dal in front of them. The three
Mughal Gardens of Cheshmashahi, Nishat
and Shalimar are the Mughal emperors
concept of paradise and are today very
popular places for picnics.These gardens
are traditionally patterned in the formal
gardens of Central Asia , Persia and
Turkistan. |
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Terraced lawns, cascading fountains,
paint-box bright flower beds with
the panorama of the Dal in front of
them. The three Mughal Gardens of
Cheshmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar
are the Mughal emperors concept of
paradise and are today very popular
places for picnics.These gardens are
traditionally patterned in the formal
gardens of Central Asia , Persia and
Turkistan.
Cheshmashahi is the first Mughal Garden
you will pass after Nehru Park. Built
at a height above the city , its views
are as stupendous as its layout. The
smallest of Srinagar's Mughal gardens,
Cheshmashahi has only three terraces
in addition to a natural spring of
water enclosed in a stone pavillion.
Nishat, built by Empress Nur Jahan's
brother Asaf Khan. The largest of
the gardens, Nishat has seven terraces.
These terraces rise dramatically off
the maountains from the eastern part
of the lake, and these together with
the flower-beds, a riot of brilliant
colors, present an unforgettable sight.
Shalimar, the gardenn of love, was
built by Emperor Jehangir, whose love
for the Kashmir was legendary. Shaded
by magnificient chinar trees, the
Shalimar is a series of stones of
pavillions and flowerbeds.
Pari Mahal, Initially a garden built
by Dara Shikoh for his sufi teachere,
Mulla Shah, and decorated with several
springs that have dried up, the Pari
Mahal gardens are now proudly maintained
by thestate government. Built around
a small spring, they house exotic
flowering plants laid out in terraces
surmounted by the ruined arches of
a once beautuful building. Pari Mahal
is illuminated at night, and can be
seen, located on the on the spur of
a hill, most places in Srinagar.
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