Soaring high in the sky, Indian Airlines, IC 825 rips apart the dense blanket of clouds and emerges into what I believe a fairy tale land! Snow clad mountains, gushing streams of crystal clear cascades, blossoming green meadows, left a city bird like me bewildered. But seldom was I aware that it was just a sneak peak to what the world calls the paradise on earth, Kashmir.
Our plane disembarked on the soil of Kashmir and we were flown down not to any hotel or a lodge but into a hut. Hut #19 was ours for the remaining seven days. According to an ancient belief, the place where the valley endures today was once a huge lake and was home to a very detestable demon. Sage Kashyap drained away most of the lake and the demon was crushed to death. With the passage of time, the dried area of the lake came to be inhabited and thus from the sage Kashyap’s name this place was baptized to be called Kashmir.
My first venture was visiting Chashme-shahi, the royal spring that was laid by Shah Jahan in 1632 A.D. With water fountains and many flower beds, this place is increasingly becoming a tourist destination, but what had me captivated was the fact that allaying the fear of terror menace or a violent unrest, this place showed me a much more gratifying façade. I could hear the serene gush of waters from the spring, on one end I could perceive the sound of the holy hymns in the air recited by the children of a madrassa and on the other end I saw boys merrily playing and one of them not conscious of his trousers slipping off! There were women enjoying their chats as much as men engaged in their business talks. Far off I also witnessed men and women settling down for their dinner after their evening namaaz, with folded legs they seated themselves on ground. After taking god’s name, “bismillah” they started taking their dinner with utmost respect.
Out of the many tourist attraction places in Kashmir we have the Shankaracharya Temple, the oldest shrine in Kashmir dedicated to lord Shiva. It was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C. and is a prominent religious place for Hindus. Apart from giving a panoramic view of the famous Dal Lake it is of great archaeological importance too. Together with this is a prominent place of worship for the Muslims, the The Hazrathalbal Shrine, which is situated on the left bank of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar. Its reverence is anchored in the love and respect for Prophet Mohammad, who’s Moi-e-Muqqadas, (the sacred hair) is preserved here. Thus sad to note that with the presence of such sanctified religious places and its rooted beliefs, peace is still a mirage in Kashmir.
Before heading towards our next destination, let me confess that I am not much an admirer of botanical gardens but this place had already stepped in, in shattering my myths about this city. The Shalimar Garden built by Emperor Jahangir for his beloved wife, Nurjahan, or The Nishat Garden that Queen Nur Jahan's brother, Asif Khan, laid in 1633 A.D. situated on the banks of the Dal Lake in the backdrop of the Zabarwan hills had me spell bound. Hands down, I believe that Kashmir is called the valley of flowers because flowers just sprout out of the earth like weeds do. We did study during our school days that rose is a shrub but my eyes popped out when I saw this shrub as tall as 6 feet, and roses in a plethora of beautiful colors. In our cities, I know the pain we take in nurturing that one flower pot in our balcony, and get excited when we witness at least a lone flower blooming out. The soil of Kashmir is so blessed that we witness sheets of flowers everywhere. Also, with places like Pari Mahal, the famous Dal Lake, Jama Masjid the unadorned beauty of this city refuses to cease. (But the space for this article is nearing a finish, thus my inability to incorporate these sites.).
Kashmir has something to offer to all, if you are into adventure sports, skiing, sledging, hang gliding at Gulmarg beckons you and if you enjoy shopping, you shall be treated with Kashmiri handmade carpets and Pashmina shawls that are famous world over and also wall hangings with naqqashi work. But nothing beats the divine feeling of stepping out of your accommodation early in the morning, sit for a rendezvous with the valley, with the backdrop of Takht-e-Suleiman mountains and a slight dip in the temperature, sip through the Kashmiri tea, Qahwah. It is a warming tea with cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, crushed almonds, walnuts and is served with sugar or honey along with Kashmiri roses adding great aroma, and let me tell you greater warmth lies in sharing it with someone special too!
What makes a place beautiful apart from its’ valley, mountains, cascades or monuments are its inhabitants. The natives of Kashmir are untouched by the feigned glitz of our sophisticated metropolitans. They are believers of hard work, vouch for a simple living and hospitality is what defines them. The saddest part is that this picture is changing, changing for the worse. With mass unemployed youth, political instability, un-kept promises, misuse of rights bestowed, trampling of the innocent by the ones under unaccountable power, is ripping apart this dale into shreds. Yes! Kashmir is burning but its beauty still stays unrivaled, so much so that even words fall short in defining its exquisiteness. The great Mughal Emepror, Jahangir rightly espoused about Kashmir, “Agar Firdaus Ba-Ru-I-Zamin Ast, Hamin Ast -U-Hamin Ast.” (If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here.)
So, are your travelling bags out and your next destination decided?
