Kashmir- The Heaven on Earth
Have you ever been to a place which feels like Heaven? Oh no, we are not talking about Switzerland. We are talking about the piece of heaven lying in the northernmost part of India cocooned among the Great Himalayan Range, The Kashmir. It is surrounded by the Jhelum,Chenab, Tawi, Ravi, Neelam and many more other rivers, it has the second highest range Mount K2 as well.
The surreal land of Kashmir offers beautiful verdant mountains, lush green valleys, religious shrines and remote mountains along with its culture, handicrafts and few rare species of animals. The valley of Kashmir along with rich history and political controversy also offers its visitors with exquisitely spiced native cuisines, teas, some exclusive spices and not to forget the various a-one quality dry fruits and nuts, finest quality rice, fruits and wool.
One can never run out of places to explore in Kashmir. Better to say you won’t be able to explore whole Kashmir in one visit. The land is brimming with eye-soothing landscape, serene atmosphere, amazing flora, stunning architecture, eco-friendly resorts and homestays with warm and welcoming hosts and numerous religious shrines.
Let’s give you a heads-up about some of the places which you should not miss during your Kashmir tour.
- Dal lake and Mughal Garden. Often referred to as the ‘Jewel’ in the crown of Kashmir, the Dal Lake is surrounded by the beautiful lush Mughal Gardens, house-boats and Shikara giving a tour of the markets full of lotus, fruits and vegetables.
- The vast stretches of tulip in the Indira Gandhi Tulip Gardens that will mesmerize you with its vibrant colors during the spring and is a perfect photogenic spot for many photographer.
- Sonamarg, the snow covered small mountain town surrounded by peaks, glaciers and streams.
- Gulmarg, the favorite spot for sports lovers specially those who love skiing. It is referred to as the seventh top Ski spot in Asia.
- Pahalgam, a small town often called as mini-Switzerland with mesmerizing scenic beauty that will take your breath away and provides ideal setting for hiking, trekking, rock-climbing and fishing.
- Srinagar, the summer capital city of Kashmir along the Jhelum Lake attracting tourist with its large market for all kinds of Kashmir specialities.
- Kargil, the place bearing the Line of Control (LOC) where the infamous battle between India and Pakistan was fought.
- Salimar Bagh
- Apahrwat Peak
The state of Jammu & Kashmir is rich in diverse religion and attract tourist of all cast and creeds. Some of the famous pilgrimage sites that attract huge number of tourist each year are –
- Raghunath Temple
- Shankacharya Temple
- Jamia Masjid
- Amarnath Cave, where the snow surprisingly takes the shape of Shiva Linga every year in the winter and melts away in the summer
- Vaishno Devi and many other
The sanctuaries of Kashmir is the habitat of some of the rare species of fauna like Hangul(Kashmiri Stag), Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Marmot, musk deer, golden eagle, bearded vultures and if you are lucky enough you can get a glimpse of snow leopard as well. Some of the sanctuaries you should try to cover include –
- Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
- Dachigam National Park
- Overa National Park
- Kishtwar High Altitude National Park
- Hemis High Altitude Wildlife Sanctuary
Don’t forget to buy some of the typical Kashmiri handcrafted item such as – Kashmiri Shawls, Carpets, Rugs, Woven Basket, Silver jewellery, walnut wood decorative showpieces, and not to mention some mouth watering dishes which will pop your taste buds with the flavors of the north India.
To reach Kashmir one can avail both rail and air services. Kashmir is well connected to all parts of India through railway services and those who prefer to travel by air, Srinagar International Airport serves the purpose.
Don’t waste your time in thinking plan your next trip to the lap of snow covered peaks of The Heaven on Earth. We can assure you that once you visit Kashmir, Kashmir will offer you several reasons to keep coming back for more and more and more……
You can see our another article of Tourism – Kullu Manali
