Jannat -E-Kashmir

Heaven on Earth they say.No wonder the name serves its true weight .This year it was our time to visit and explore Jannat of Earth .Our trip had a plan of stay for three nights in Pahalgam and for four nights in Srinagar .So we had our flight from Kolkata ,our hometown which was supposed to land in Delhi from where we had a connecting flight to Srinagar .Delhi to Srinagar flight was something worth experiencing in a lifetime !Such breath taking views of the mighty Pirpanjal Range.Snowcapped peaks with a pinch of cobalt blue hues is what makes it even more mesmerizing.

Srinagar-Pahalgam

As we landed at Srinagar airport  ,we could see heaps of snow lying here and there in and around the airport ,which thrilled me immensely since snowfall and heaps of snow is what I always crave for and was also subtly my sole purpose for visiting Heaven on Earth ! Our driver Bhaiyya Khurshid greeted us warmly with his lovely smile ,and guided us through to his Innova which was our "bahana" for the rest of our journey in and around Kashmir.Kashmir is precisely a valley area surrounded in and around with the Pirpanjal range which presents a pictursque view. As we drove past the valley we stopped for a while to have some Kahwa tea .Kahwa is a typical Kashmiri drink consisting of clove ,cinnamon and other spices served steaming hot with almonds and nuts to keep one warm in the cold extremities .That was a welcome drink treat from Khurshid Bhai's end .To me Kahwa tasted more of like a typical tonic drink which helps one to keep themselves warm.I was waiting to move uphill but much to my disappointment there was no scope of going uphill since it was a vale area ,yet  what much praiseworthy and of much exuberance was the weather ,the chill ,which makes Kashmir visit worth a while .We soared towards a fairly higher altitude than in Srinagar as we reached Pahalgam .Temperature dropping below the mercury level,chunks of snow around ,slow clad huts was what Pahalgam was all about .Our room had a clear view of snow clad peaks which left us all in awe ,Nature itslef can be so captivating ! We retired for the day at the hotel only to get active for our thrilling adventure the following day.

Kanimarg-Dubyan-Baisaran valley 

So it was Day  2 for us in Pahalgam .We were ready for our thrilling adventure uphill in and through the forest of Pahalgam .We went uphill on horses through snowclad valleys with a crooked topography .White splendour was what Dabyan  Baisaran and Kanimarg was all about .Sparkling and glistening snow ,presented a pristine beauty of its own form.We stopped for some quick tit bits of hot cup noodles and then continued our journey through the rugged hills of Pahalgam .These jungles are said to have snow leopards which waits for its prey during the late night hours .We even had the opportunity to see leopard's footprints on the fresh snow clad valley of Dubyan valley .Uphill as we soared riding the horse ,mine stopped for a while to quench its thirst from a little stream that flowed nearby .That's when I realised that horse riding was not an easy deal .Through the woods as we went past by, the beam of sunrays peeked in through the dense pine trees that soared it's head high above in the sky.It was then time for us to go downhill after a short stopover at Dabyan Valley

Sinthan Top - Betaab Valley - Chandanwari - Aru valley

Day 3 for us was a day for touring in and around

Pahalgam. Kashmir has plenty or harvest for dry fruits and that is something I tried in for the first time near Betaab valley .Sumptuous berries and nuts shall definitely add a pinch of extravagant taste to your taste buds .Snow clad rocks and stones lay there for eons ,perpetually as a stream rumbles and rustles along .Chandanwari could'nt be reached as the roads remained blocked because of extreme snowfall and bad weather uphill .December to February usually is the best time to visit any hill station ,as one has the opportunity and luxury to witness the "Winter Wonderland" ! Sparkling snow in and around everywhere is what makes it a captivating experience .Sinthan top ,has to be reached through a valley area covered in with a layer of pristine white snow Usually these valleys turn to beautiful meadows of flowers and trees during the spring time and , Kashmir presents a different essence during the summer .Lush green valleys and tulip time is what summer in Kashmir is all about and hence mostly is considered as the season time .On our way back we stopped for some fresh apple juice which left us mesmerized besides quenching our thirst .Our dinner was to be served at Shafi Bhai ' (our tour operator ) place where we were served with our new favourite dish "Wazwan '

" , a typical

"Cashmere " as they say dish consisting of meat ball curries kebabs ,rice and chicken preparations with yakhni, a vegetable slowly cooked in with curd ,and not to mention, I just cannot forget how delicious it was Since it was our lastday at Pahalgam,| was thoroughly in a bad mood ,yet was glad that I could take back a bunch of good memories which shall remain etched in my heart forever. Pahalgam was good to me and shall have my heart.

Srinagar -

It was now our time to bid a bye to Pahalgam ,but as they say

"Never say Never "with a heavy heart with much expectation to come back over to Pahalgam, we left the place behind .As we were leaving, I realised even if I visit a decade later ,the scenario shall just be the same, the horses paving their way out of the stables with the Jhelum river flowing alongside.Also a noteworthy thing to mention -Kashmir felt extremely safe ,just not over hyped as the media portrays it to be .On our way back to Srinagar we visited a Dargah where we were blessed for our goodwill , the Dargah has to be entered in through a small cave with the belief that all that vou wish to is granted in there .It was now our time to be back to Srinagar by evening and our stay was at a houseboat in Dal Lake , From quay /ghat 7 we travelled on a Shikara to reach to our houseboat .House boat typically is standing on partially over water and partially on land Nevertheless it was one of a kind experience to stay overnight on water .Dinner was served at night with Sheekh Kebab Masala and rice along with a platter Wazwan The houseboat itself was a luxurious property which felt and gave off a vibe more of like the royals. The following day was our Time to bring back souvenirs for our home and loved ones .M.A. Ramzana store , is a beautiful souvenir shop which erves it's true purpose for the products they sell. Even after returning home I ordered plenty of goods from them for myown collection .From carpets to handicraft products, they have it all. Pashmina shawl is something that is imported abroad , though we did not have the opportunity to witness or look for any of those in its truest form and regret on that Instead we had the opportunity to get hold of beautiful

"Cashmere

" carpets woven in m=by hand which ranges from

6000 IN upto 2 Lakhs INR or more .We were fairly lucky enough to get hold of our souvenirs to bring them back to Kolkata What we didn't know of is we could get a fairly cheaper deal of handicraft souvenirs from shops near

Shalimar Bagh ,a garden which is mostly covered in with lush green grasses and neatly trimmed trees Nevertheless the stocks in there were not much up to the mark and were happy with what we already had .We visited Pari mahal ,a fortress made in by the Mughals from where the entire city of Srinagar can be witnessed .Later ,that night we were supposed to stay at a hotel and hence we checked out in the morning from the houseboat with all our luggage.

Gulmarg

The name says it all .Our car was supposed to go till a certain point from where we were to take another cab with chains on their tyres so that the car doesn't skid away while going uphill.Gulmarg itself has hotels and stays , which we were previously unaware of .It has three phases but we could only make it to the base level .Our car wound uphill carefully enough since heavy snow was there to obstruct the path Nevertheless we witnessed our last pinch of snowfall there had our lunch ,spent some quality time and was back to the base .Being a popular place, traffic was heavy amidst heavy snowfall and Indian Army is always active there at our rescuefor any kind of mishap our disturbances and soon we were back to the base from where we left our car.

The following day was our schedule to be back to our city The Indian Army is enormously active in Kashmir and has been an immense support in Gulmarg. We boarded the flight and was mesmerized enough again to witness this majestic view from above