KASHMIR TRAVEL FORUM

Friday, March 13, 2020

postcards from kashmir

today i am posting some of the post cards from Kashmir. they represent the culture and lifestyle of people.

women cooking food at home


In kashmir women are sweet home makers its their utmost duty to take care of other family members and cook delicious food. Doesn't matter whether its a working women or a housewife the prime duty of women remains to look after their family. In the above picture the older lady is cooking "monje haakh" a vegetable dish which is eaten with rice. kashmiri love eating rice that's why they are called "batte mahnu" rice men.


in the saffron fields

Saffron is cultivated as one of the most expensive spice in the world, known for many beneficial uses it has demand in many countries. it is cultivated here in late summers and you can see in the picture how a family is involved in the farms, women & men work together to cultivate saffron. the saffron flowers look purple & beautiful.


Kangri or Firepot is a good friend for winters to give you company & warmth. a essential commodity for all people. as the winter gets colder & colder men take the kangri with burning coals under their poncho type garments to provide them warmth. Kangri is hand made mostly in the village households, thus generating a small amount of seasonal income for people. in the above picture we captured a kangri seller he is from the village and has come on with a bunch of kangris on his shoulder to sell them.



A little shepherd boy driving cattle home, the scene depicts a typical Kashmir village where in evening a little boy is bringing his flock of sheep home. during winter's children have long winter vacation & they also do household chores.

cricket bats "Made in kashmir"
 The cricket bat is a famous product made in Kashmir, the kashmiri willow is used to manufacture these bats. on the way to pahalgam you will see some small factories which manufacture the bats, later these bats are sold in Kashmir and in other parts of India. In the above pic a young man is showing us a newly made cricket bat.
floating market in Dal lake.


 The everyday vegetable market which starts early at dawn for few hours, farmers of the lake come with their loaded boats filled with veggies. it's a nice sight to make your morning beautiful.  visit us again for more pictures of kashmir for more information about kashmir ladakh tour drop us a mail  at  info@kashmir-ladakh-tourism.com

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Kashmir, a better times

  Kashmir a better times

"There was once a paradise", said the old man, "where everyone wanted to live a peaceful life", then unfortunately it became a war ground, more than two decades of civil war has badly hit kashmir. it had drained the resources and hindered growth. there was fear and containment left in the heart of tourists. since past few years peace has prevailed in the valley, tourists are coming back to kashmir to enjoy it's beauty and wild valleys. now it is in the revival process a new beginning, a new life for the people and a new start for tourism.

kashmir has been an iconic place for shooting of movies in the 60's and later became famous with British families, who came here to spend their holidays.  The valley changes it beauty simultaneously with every season starting from the cold winters when it is covered with the shroud of snow and frost, people bear the cold in the hope of a better spring season. it reminds me of  a verse from Shelly's poem. "if the winter comes can spring be far behind". Winters slowly gives way to spring, it comes in full gusto flowers bloom and the mustard fields spread like the yellow carpet. Then the summer months fill the lakes and streams, people  eat fruits like watermelon & apples to keep their cool. again a seasonal change happens in September when it is time for autumn to shed the leaves of trees and dip them quietly in the lakes. Bright colored trees of autumn turn bare and sickly in cold winters, In every season nature shows its glamor and grandeur in kashmir. The bedazzling and bewildering valleys of kashmir remain a strong & succinct subjects of beauty for the observer, the fresh and crisp air flows from the meadows and tall pines while the streams, apple orchids, pink almond bloom and rice fields form a part of its rich diversity.



on the way to pahalgam



Pahalgam and Gulmarg

Pahalgam and gulmarg are the two definite valleys which people visit. Pahalgam is a beautiful valley covered with tall mountains and river lidder runs through it. during hot summer's it provides as a refreshing & relaxing spot for the people of srinagar. adjacent valleys of aru and chandanwari provide breathtaking natural landscapes, wild charm and green forest lanes are immaculate with rows of pines and spruce. Beetab valley and Baisairn valleys are the reminiscent of the old bygone era in which English people used to amuse themselves in the pleasure of hunting and chasing wild bears, angling trout from the cold water streams and shooting the birds for a delicious meal. The mountain valley of lidderwat is accessible by a short trek from aru village. It falls on the trekking route to koholoi mountain the highest peak in kashmir.

For the golf enthusiasts gulmarg golf course is a cocoon filled with rich greens, wildflowers and adjacent old church. who wouldn't like to play a game of golf in this blissful environment where valleys and green meadows will give you the company and encourage you to be more close to nature. Gulmarg is a valley located high up in the mountains covered with tall pine and fir forests. This valley is known for large number of snowfalls. Every winter gulmarg hosts a number of events and winter sports activities, the skiers love to ski on the slopes of gulmarg. Gondola or cable car is a famous tourist vehicle, it ferries tourists high up in the affarwat mountains and from there they can enjoy some good views of the distant mountains and valleys.During all the winter months gulmarg is covered in thick snow but the hotels remain open for ski & adventure buffs. Summers provide a great views of the valley when the meadows turn into green carpets and sheep's graze in them. wildflowers grow along the paths and plants bloom everywhere. Gulmarg is most visited place in kashmir open throughout the year for tourists.


A beautiful view of gulmarg meadows in autumn


Sonmarg valley

The valley of sonmarg is a four hours drive from srinagar. tourists love to visit sonmarg because it offers some of the best views of villages and sindh river on whose banks this valley is located.It is also a favorite destination for the pilgrims going for amaranth cave pilgrimage. In winters it is cold and many hotels are closed there. So in summer months it receives the more amount of people who enjoy its cool weather and beautiful sights.The thajwas glacier is easily accessible by walk or pony ride, snow remains there almost for a year. Sonmarg was very beautiful and praised since older times and still now it has kept that unsurpassed charm which flourishes in its deep forests and ravines. a tour of sonmarg can be completed in one day, There are various activities which can be done at sonmarg like horse riding to thajwas, sightseeing tour to zero point on zojilla leh highway. trip to baltal the starting point of yatra. fishing in sindh river. there is a also a very beautiful park maintained by Jk government. to make a happy day in sonmarg don't forget to play in the cold water. besides this sonmarg is a very good place for photography and hiking.


Srinagar city

Srinagar, A very historic city in the heart of kashmir has seen many things changing from the local government to the partition of the nation. This city was formed on the banks of Dal & river jehlum. Many shrines and temples were erected in its different towns which signified the brotherhood of Hindu & Muslim communities living harmoniously in its lap. Today the city of srinagar is a hideout for many people who seek spiritual guidance. There are lots of Sufi shrines to visit also the Masjid of nowhatta which is one of the old mosque there. The shrines of shahi hamdan the spiritual guide and a Sufi saint who came to kashmir in earlier days. These shrines depict the faith of kashmiri people and are important for their religious duties. The Islamic architecture of these shrines is amazing with old world charm. Carved out of wood these holy places have stood witness to the cultural and religious metamorphosis of folks. Hazratbal is another historic holy shrine having the relic Plenty of devotees come here every friday to offer mid day prayers. So avoid going there on Friday you will face lot of crowd. Srinagar city has lots of markets where you will find different and unique merchandize, you will also find shops of tailors where they made custom clothing like made to measure and ethnic clothing's. you should visit these shops to get yourself a smart phiren or shalwar kameez.
Paddling a shikara in dallake

Enjoy A Pure Kashmiri Hospitality in Houseboats

Worried about accommodation in kashmir? there are some good hotels on boulevard road and in other posh locations of city like raj bagh, nishat, etc. Now five star hotels branded by the names of taj, lalit are also running in kashmir. If you don't have a bulgy pocket & don't want to stay in these high branded hotels, i would suggest you to stay in houseboat for at least one night to get the real feeling of kashmiri traditional hospitality. The service and food served in houseboats are great. these boats are moored at once place and remain stagnant, you have to ferry across the lake in a small colorful shikara to reach to a houseboat. generally the crossing is free if you are staying in one of the boats. A shikara trip of the lake can be a great highlight of your kashmir valley tour, you will closely observe the life of lake dweller's how they raise their children and how they manage to live on the waters.

Houseboats with flower lawns




Friday, October 17, 2014

A traveller's journal of srinagar kashmir

Song of Spring

A typical spring in kashmir is a pleasant season when the things suddenly come to life after a long winters. A new hope of life arises with the sun glimmering through the dusky clouds and snow covered peaks. Spring here can't be portrayed in words it is only actions and images of nature. the rich smell of roses which bloom in different shades throughout summers or the flight of  a bulbul bird drapes among the leaves of Chinaar to escape from the cold showers. The blooming buds of flowers awake on the roar of a thunder.

Flower Mughal Gardens Of Kashmir

Since earlier days of my life i have been attracted by flower gardens, I remind the time going picnic with my school or a family excursion to a near by garden. Living in Srinagar kashmir there is no dearth of lovely gardens. Immaculate flowers adorning the boundaries of the carpeted garden, When in youth I and my friends skipped the school and found our ways to the garden, so i could say i have many attachments to the gardens of kashmir. The first garden i will take you today is nishat garden.. It is called baghi nishat by the locals. Everyone can visit it from morning till evening, there is only a small entrance fess applicable. while entering the garden a traveler is greeted with different range of flowers, and canals of water are flowing swiftly under the chinar trees. one could see lots of fruit trees in this garden mostly peach, plum etc. It is a terraced garden each terrace with different design of flower beds or depicting twelve patterns of zodiac.


Shikara's in the Lake

these wooden canopy boats  ferry tourists across the lake to houseboats, a shikara ride is a very nice experience to enjoy  culture and lifestyle of the people living on the lake.








Srinagar

A view of tulip garden srinigar

Historical places in srinagar city


About Srinigar


   
   
   
Area
2228Sq.Kms
Area under forests
380 Sq. kms
Latitude
Latitude: 34.08 N
Longitude
Longitude: 74.83 E
Altitude
1730 metres above sea level
STDCode
0194

A View of Nishat Bagh

A dive through gardens & parks

A drive through srinagar will take you by many parks and gardens, each richly decorated with beautiful flowers throughout all the seasons. during the evenings these small parks gather a large amount of local crowd who come here with their kids to enjoy & unwind. some of the few parks to visit in srinagar are
Nehru park- it is located on a small island in Dal lake, next to the boulevard road you can reach there by a shikara and enjoy your day there.activities like swimming,water skiing & boat riding can be done from there.
Pratap park- this park is located centrally in busy lal chowk. students from near by colleges,govt employees love to visit here. for many decades it has been a epicenter for many protests.
Duck park- it was build lately on the road which connects hazratbal via nishat, also called foreshore road. duck park is beautifully located on the banks of dal, and there ares some large ponds on the other side of the park. the peak of Mahadev looks more clearer and close from this park.
Dachigam national park: This beautiful wildlife park is located 22 kms from the city center of srinagar. it is curtained by lofty green zabarwan mountains, and the sarband lake which covers it's one end. mountainsides below the tree line are heavily wooded. Most of this consists of broad leaf species. Interspersed between these are alpine pastures, meadows, waterfalls and scrub vegetation. black bears, snow leopards, wild wolves, moose, are always on prowl here.


Spring Bloom in Kashmiri Garden

 

Things to eat around srinagar

Srinagar is a delight for food lovers with its splurging restaurants, food joints and local cuisine shops and stall, which can be found abundantly on every street, the smoke coming out from the barbeque shops selling mutton kebabs. The other delicacy which is mostly found in winter time is called Harisa.
 wazwan

Verinaag Spring

The famous spring of verinaag is located in Anathnag district. As "naag" means fresh water spring in the local dialect. People go there to drink it's water and contemplate on it's beautiful structure which was made by the mughal prince jehangir. a garden next to this natural spring which is of pre-Islamic religious significance yields beautiful colorful flowers which sway beautifully in the light summer breeze. verinaag is approximately 78 kilometers south-east from Srinagar. it is a nice place to go and spend your day there.









   

There are many more places to see in kashmir but it requires more time and patience, kashmir is all year round destination so come and discover kashmir with us.