Why Kashmir?
“Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin asto” - Read this poem when I was in school and I always used to think what is so special about Kashmir that Emperor Jehangir quoted these lines of Amir Khusro to describe the place. Reasons could be anything but fact check kept reminding me ‘you still need to find out an answer’.
It’s about 11PM on the 6th day of Dec’20. As I lie down on bed thinking 1st weekend of the last month of 2020 is ending, my eyes were gaze locked seeing the ceiling fan trying so hard to move out of its shackle but failing to do so with each rotation. Something within me laughed and said ‘what else have you done this year?’. Realizing that COVID had already tumbled upon all plans through the year, and the situations overall were already too much on nerves, the inner self within me stumbled on the earlier laughter and said there couldn’t be a better time to step outside the four walls, beat the fear of pandemic and throw yourself to the lap of nature. I immediately realized it was actually wanderlust within me thriving badly to step outside and get an answer to the old age query of ‘Why Kashmir is called ‘Jannat’ on earth.
The Planning
Without any further delay I started checking tickets/hotels etc. I found ‘Discover Gulmarg Adventures’ as an agency in Gulmarg with some nice reviews on travel blog portals. With least hassles I got the bookings confirmation from 25th Dec ‘20 to 3rd Jan ‘21 to explore answer of my query.
March to the Arch
Dec 25th – As I finish snacks offered in the flight, glimpse of snowcapped mountain peaks starts appearing and trust me it was closest to thought of being on Cloud 9. As Srinagar airport also serves as a defense airport, photography is prohibited while descending and around the airport, else I would have clicked to drain the battery. I kept this day as leisure to give ourselves a day for acclimatization as being in Mumbai we usually don’t see weather with temperature below 25°. After having the COVID test at airport, we moved to our hotel as reports would come on mobile in 24 hrs. We felt the chill in wind with temp around 5° as we took the streets on foot by evening, to explore local markets at Srinagar.
From woolens to wooden handicrafts, Srinagar offered a varied range of products which were reflecting the richness of cultural heritage from ages, and it we just kept on admiring and walking further till the momentous ‘Lal Chowk’. The crowd appeased the historic importance but it also pained to see the barb wires around it for security purposes.
Before proceeding to rest of the trip I must mention that perspective of state being slightly politically unstable was one of the concerns that our families had while we planned. But to put my thoughts on this in a simple line, after wandering post sunset in streets of Srinagar with my wife, I will say that I didn’t find a place a worry. Very humble Kashmiri people in the marketand my brothers in their proud worthy uniforms were standing at almost every street corner would made us feel secured
like home at all time.
Dec 26th - A four-wheel drive Scorpio is something that you would cherish when you consider drive on hills, and my tour planner knew this. This was set to be awesome from here. Mr. Parvez, the chauffeur on this vehicle necessarily needs a mentioning as I pen this experience because he ensured that we are comfortable in the vehicle, with temperature, time estimations with his experienced and safe driving skills for the next 9 days.
As we left from Srinagar hotel around 10 AM, almost an hour later he took a halt to show some barren land mentioning them as saffron farming land. At first, I was like I don’t see a plant, where is the farm? But soon got the answer that saffron farms get dried during winters due to snow in the farmland. As we stepped down from the vehicle on that land the mild aroma of saffron filled up nostrils and it confirmed that it was a saffron farm, but to view the crop I will have to visit again in summer/monsoons.
Another hour of drive and we reached another spot to regret why it’s not months of summer. Yes, it was apple valley, and the whole valley stretched in several KM’s on both side of roads offered view of barren trunks of dried apple trees. It seemed as if they would never bloom but when I interacted with a farm owner, he said that it’s the time these trees prepare themselves for the snow. They make themselves dry and shed all leaves, but will start blooming in late springs and end of summers would offer best view of trees overladen with fruits. Another reason to reason that... I have to visit again in summers.
Approximately around 1:30 PM we reached our place of stay for next two nights ‘The Hermitage by Grand Resorts’. The cherry brown colored piece of accommodation overlooking mountains with smokey clouds gave immediate chill of happiness to both of us. Before entering we were forced to click pictures of the superb view. As we entered, they offered hot ‘Kahva - a local form of green tea’ which had essence of the generations. Pahalgam has multiple places to offer soulful visual delights and you need to take different modes to cover them all.
1) Pony ride to: Kashmir Valley, Pahalgam Valley, Dabyan, Kanimarg and Baisaran aka Mini Switzerland. Shouldn’t cost you more than 1200-1500 per person.
Gulzar, the 58 yr. old gentleman and his 28 yr. old son Aamir offered ride on their horses named ‘Mastana’ and ‘Raja’ to these places. The ride to these places were through narrow steeps filled with snow and being the first time, we were badly scared. But the father-son duo was phenomenal in keeping us calm and boosted through the whole trip. Indeed, we came back with imprints of unforgettable scenic beauties in our memories.
2) Local cab to: Betaab Valley, Chandanwari & Aru Valley. An Ecko ride would cost INR1800/- while Etios would charge INR2000/-.
A young college boy, 22yrs old ‘Iliyas’ was our chauffeur companion for ride to these places. The guy looked very sincere towards his education and said he drives cab to support household in parallel with a smiling face. We all have challenges in life, but not everyone knows to face it with smile.
Chandanwari & Aru Village would offer you the most romantic mix of snow laden hills and a river with spine chilling water flowing through them. I didn’t see any better place with such a beautiful mix elsewhere.
On the last day, Pahalgam gave us the sweetest memory of waking up to the view of first snowfall. It was slow, mild & so beautiful. The fresh snow turned everything white, turn your face to sky and feel the cotton touching you cold, it was as beautiful as your imagination of being in a wonderland.
Return the Midway - Srinagar
Dec 28th: Srinagar is the central location when you try to travel Pahalgam - Sonamarg & Gulmarg. We have 2-nights halt now at ‘Four Points by Sheraton’ and a romantic Shikara (a typical wooden boat in Dal lake) ride is on the list for today. Trust me it’s a wonderland on water. You have street vendors, eateries, chaiwaalahs etc coming down to your shikara in the mid of ride. A full-fledged floating market to shop from veggies to leather jackets in the mid of lake, where you enjoy bargain and shop.
After a ride for couple of hrs, as sun chased to set, the chill in the wind rose fiercely in the lake. Bang opposite to Dal lake is Shankaracharya temple which gets closed by 6 PM and we had to request the security officials to allow us an entry. It’s a climb of around 250 steep stairs to the temple and would take at least 25-30 mins to go up & come down. While you get blessings from Lord Shiva in the temple at top, the view from top is breathtaking as it offers a sight to whole Srinagar and full dimensions of Dal Lake.
Our day ends with a delightful dinner party at my cousin di & jiju’s place in Srinagar. It feels so warm to meet family when you are so far and at an unknown place.
Dec 29th: Day trip to Sonamarg – I was highly excited for this day. Thajwas glacier is a place to be for adventure seekers and I wanted to go to the farthest allowed peak. Its business time for the locals and they would quote you sky high rates for manual sledges but need not pay them more than 2200-2500 per person for taking up to last hut position on the uphill. Fierce winds and extreme snow would challenge you but that’s the fun you have come for. Breathe easy and don’t strain too much, wait for breeze to slow down and move with firm steps, unless you are a professional. Visiting zero point may not be required at this time, because it may be closed due to heavy snow.
The route to and return from Sonamarg is also very beautiful. It runs through a hill and often cuts cross a territory of Jhelum river. It offers various isolated beautiful spots at the outset of road & river crossovers. If you have saved some time of daylight, do not miss visiting Chashm-e-Shahi and Mughal Gardens. Though the flowers were missing amidst heavy snow, but place is anyways worth a visit.
A walk(drive) to remember- Gulmarg
Dec 30th:
The most desired is always the least written, because you fall short on words. As I pen down experience in words, I know I am nowhere close to describe even one percent of the beauty of places visited till now but I’m still daring to word paint the Gulmarg.
Dec 30th: As the sight of National Highways toll board mentioning ‘Gulmarg’ approached, the cross-sectional view of valley with sight of milky white mountain peak seemed to sneak and welcome us. I had so many emotions running across, and was unable to express them to my wife sitting next to holding her breath admiring the awestruck view of nature.
Vaadiyon ki surkh safedi kamseen mashooqa si hai, Chinar se gire har patte ki pukaar ruhani si hai.
Khayal ik fikramand ye v hai k be-rasta mashhoq ki saansein mehroom naa ho jayein, aur inteha is baat ki hai k koi chavi nainon se aazad naa reh jaye.
Overlooking snow dripping pine trees through blind hill turns and skidding wheels on white roads, we reached ‘The Rosewood Hotel’. It’s a wooden framed decent stay with maximum open window views which was all covered with fresh snow. We didn’t plan any activity today, just wanted to explore the surreal serenity on foot. The setting sun behind the hills left the white peaks turned red as if it pulled cheeks of a cute fluffy cheeked toddler.
Next day morning we started with exploring Gondola – it’s a govt. administered two-stage high altitude cable car with Glass Cabin, which takes you to height of approx. 8500ft to Kangdori Valley in the first stage. A majority of close to 90% of tourists visit till phase 1 only as it offers a range of tourist activities at this point. You can try Snowmobile (motor snow sledge), skiing, snow cycle, manual sledge, tea coffee, maggie, snacks etc. I had a beautiful experience when the snowmobile trainer/owner allowed me to ride the vehicle on my own. My wife had trust on me and she immediately hopped on the pillion seat to make it an unforgettable experience. The trainer shot us a video of this escapade, and I have seen it hundred times already with a smile each time.
We came determined to explore phase 2 even when our guide Mr. Sharukh warned about strong wind and bad weather today at the top. Phase-2 is a steep ascend to an approx. Height of 14000ft shouldering to Affarwat peak. On the way Shahrukh also informed us that it is also claimed to be highest ferrying passenger cable car of the world.
Now this could be the nearest synonym for ‘On Top of the world’, clound-9, seventh heaven... whatever you call it. But for me the feeling at this point was way beyond.
The cold breeze on face, spotless milky earth, blue sky and sight to horizon outlining ‘The great Himalayas’, made me recite these lines:
meaning ‘If there is a paradise on earth,It is this, it is this, it is this. I found my answer, felt an unmatched eternal peace and stayed there, sitting on snowcapped rocks with my wife staring perpetuity on nature. In a while when Shahrukh called up twice in top of his volume that we have to go down, weather is deteriorating, we started to walk up to the Gondola station with a topsy-turvy mix of feelings.
Next day we had ATV ride through the outlines of Gulmarg region. It was another adventure as trainers agreed to allow me drive the ATV through the cliff corners fully covered in 4-5 ft of snow. Driving through that with BAE in pillion was a sublime emotional mixture of romantic adventures. We saw the sunset through some isolated corner and were so much allured in the view that missed capturing it on cam, but thankfully the trainers shot our ride in a video and I am so obliged to them for this.
We took to foot on the ski ground where moonlight started to glitter the snowhite like pearls on ground and returned to hotel hand in hand. It was so pleasant, unforgettable and indeed ‘A walk to remember’.
Back to Base
We were returning with oceans of memories through the same road. But had no idea that the last night in Srinagar was set to be the most beautiful stay experience of the trip.
Our tour manager had arranged for a night stay at ‘The New Jacquline Heritage Houseboats in the Nigeen lake at Srinagar’. It was a picturesque fairy-tale palace. We had never seen such a beauty on water. As the owners walked us through the property, Abdul chacha – 72 yrs old care taker brought hot Kahva to us and ignited the ‘Bukhari - a local traditional space heater which has wide cylindrical fire-chamber’. It was so effective to warm the freezing atmosphere as chill was unbearable being on water. Abdul chacha cooked us delicacies which had affectional warmth of homemade food. We sat and gazed the lake through dimming lights till the chill became unbearable.
Baithata hoon jab mai kinaare aur dekhta hoon shikara,apne pyar k manjar ko bade kareeb se nihaara.
Khamosh hain vaadiyaan, sarsaraati hain fizaayein, kuch Chinaar k patton ne ab naam le kar pukaara.
Jan 3rd: It's time to return, and it's snowing. Shikara strolls us through snowfall to cross the lake. The Oar makes splash sound as it strolled towards exit, and some lines of a famous poem pictured across my thoughts :
Indebted to words by: Irshad Kamil
Key Highlights
Distance: Approx. 2400 KMs (one side, from Mumbai)
Highest Point: 14000 ft approx. (shoulders to Apharwat peak)
Adventure rides: Manual Sledge, SnowMobile/Motor-sledge, ATV ride
Places : Srinagar, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg.
Personal Recommendations: Shikara, Gondola phase-2, Thajwas glacier, Houseboat stay, Chandanwari, Aru Village, Snowmobiles.
A special mention is required for our soldiers holding positions at such difficult positions. It could be a travel expedition for us civilians but it’s the rock solid commitment of our defense personnel's who make this expedition peaceful for us. we felt proud and safe seeing the men in uniform at isolated locations through the valley, but also feel indebted to their commitment & sacrifice. A whole hearted salute and a warm smile is the bare minimum that we should do whenever we see these men/women in uniform.
This is Incredible India..!!
