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Kashmir
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Paradise on Earth |
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 Set
like a jewelled crown on the map of
India, Kashmir is a many face teddiamond,
changing character with the seasons -
always extravagantly beautiful.Three
Himalayan ranges, Karakoram, Zanaskar
and Pir Panjal - snow capped, majestic,
frame the landscape from northwest to
northeast. They are the birthplace of
great rivers which flow through the
kashmir valley. Raj Taringini the
chronology of the Kashmir Kings written
by Kalhana eulogises the beauty of
Kashmir as follows: "Kasmira Parvati
Paroksh; Tat Swami ch Maheswara".
Meaning Kashmir is as beautiful as
Goddess Parvati manifest; and its owner
is Lord Shiva Himself" And the Mughal
Emperor exclaimed "Gar Bar-ru-e-Zamin
Ast ; Hamin Ast ,Hamin Ast Hamin Asto.
Meaning if there is paradise on this
earth : This is it, this is it, this is
it.
Srinagar is
at once a collection of images: a
son-et- lumiere that tells the story of
the love of the Mughal emperors for this
paradise vale; deep green rice fields
and river bridges of gardens in bloom
and lakes rimmed by houseboats; at once
summer capital of the state,business
centre and holiday resort.
Srinagar is
as much imagination as it is fact,for
every season offers new vistas to this
city of great antiquity. Spring breathes
life again into a frozen world and the
air is heady with the fragrance of a
million flowers that blossom on trees,
shrubs and creepers.Summer heightens the
effect and autumn is poignant in its
colours of warm introspection. Winter
brings with it snow,sometimes the Dal
Lake freezes and beneath a leaden sky,
roasted chestnuts turn the atmosphere
aromatic with the promise of warmth and
comfort.
The river
Jhelum and the Dal and Nagin lakes
dominate Srinagar and its life and
activities.Here lush wild gardens of
lotus and waterlily flower amidst
bustling lanes.By the lakeside spread
the gardens of the Mughals in patterned
beauty.And the people move with a
tranquillity borne of a history laden
pulse of activity.
IF legends
are to be believed, the Kashmir valley
was once a lake as large as a sea and
here lived an abominable demon who was
killed after most of the lake had been
drained with the collective help of
Brahma's grandson, Kashap and the
goddess Parvati.She wasfinally stilled
the demon by dropping upon him a
mountain and thereby crushing him to
death.This legendary mountain is no
other than Hari Parbat, Srinagar's 'Takht-i-
Sulaiman' hill that forms the famous
backdrop to the city.
General Information
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Best Season : |
March to October |
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Temperatures (Average) : |
10
to 30 degrees cent. Low
Temperatures in winter
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Clothing : |
Light/Medium wollens in summers
to Heavy wollens in winter
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Rainfall: |
529mm |
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Languages : |
Kashmiri,Urdu,Hindi,English
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Food: |
Every sort of vegetarian and non
vegetarian food is available in
multiple cuisines to suit every
budget. Restaurants of all hues
and shades are available all
along the Boulevard road. and
other major spots. Foods suits
all budgets and tastes.
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Travels : |
Registered travel/tour operators
are available. |
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Others: |
Tariffs are subject to change
without notice and Cheques are
not accepted.
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More Kashmir
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Srinagar
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Gulmarg -
Phalgam - Verinag - Kukarnag
- Yousmarg -
Sonmarg -
- Manasbal Lake -
Wullur Lake - Amarnth
Yatra |
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Jammu -
The
City of Temples |
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Romantic
green meadows, majestic mountains,
bewitching lakes and valleys..... yes ,
Jammu has the uncanny ability to
surprise you at every turn. Tucked
snugly between glittering 'Shikhars' on
ancient temples and holy shrines perched
atop hill sides, lie the most
picturesque scenes you can ever imagine.
But, these fascinating places have to be
discovered . Quietly, gently, patiently.
For when they do reveal their inherent
beauty, you will indeed be swept of your
feet. in fact you won't believe your
eyes.
Temples And Shrines: Among the
temples in the city, the Raguhnath
Mandir takes pride of the place, being
situated right in the heart of Jammu. It
consists of a cluster of temples which
makes it the largest temple complex in
Northern India. The inner sanctums of
the temples contain gigantic statues of
Gods and Goddesses and numerous
'lingams'. It contains representatives
of almost the entire Hindu Pantheon,
which makes it a rare sight to see. The
famous temple of 'Bawey Wali Mata' is
inside the Bahu Fort, where every
Tuesday and Sunday, pilgrims through and
jostle one another to worship the
Goddess. A little further away, on a
hilltop opposite the Bahu Fort, is a
lovely sport overlooking the river Tawi,
where a temple dedicated to Mahamaya has
been constructed.
It is said that if Bawey Wali Mata is
the presiding deity of Jammu, the Dargah
of Peer Badhan Ali Shah (Peer Baba) is
the other shrine that protects its
people from mishaps and evil spirits. A
friend of Guru Gobind Singh, Per Baba
lived all his life on milk alone and was
500 yaers old when he died. On
Thursdays, you can find Hindu & Sikh
devotees vastly out numbering their
Muslim brethrens at this shrine; such is
the faith that people have in Peer Baba.
Most VIPs make it a point to visit this
Dargah when they come to Jammu. The peer
Kho ave Temple, overlooking the Tawi
river, the Panchbaktar Temple and the
Ranbireshwar Temple are the other
well-known Shiv temples in Jammu. Each
has its own legend, its devotees and
specific days of worship. In
Ranbireshwar temple, there are 12 Shiv
'Lingams' of crystal measuring 12" to
18" and galleries with thousands of
Saligrams fixed on stone slab. Peer
Mitha is another famous shrine in Jammu.
Peer Mitha was a contemporary of Ajaib
Dev and Ghareeb Nath. Both saints were
very famous. 'Mitha' means the sweet one
for this Peer would accept nothing more
than a pinch of sugar from his devotees.
Other sinificant temples are the Laxmi
Narayan Temple and Panj Mandir in the
posh Gandhi Nagar locality of Jammu.
Forts And Palaces: On the
opposite bank of the Tawi river at an
upland plateau, is situated the majestic
Bahu Fort. Looking at the Fort, one can
imagine the wars fought, invasions
prevented and yes even the grandeur the
royal family must have enjoyed once upon
a time. Today, the Fort is surrounded by
Lush green terraced gardens, waterfalls,
and followers of just about every kind
and color. A favorite picnic sport for
the city folk, you can hear a lively
chatter all day long on weekends.
The Amar Singh Palace is a sight to
behold. This grand Palace reminds one of
a dreamy French castle, with sloping
roofs and tall towers. Now open to
tourists, the Amar Mahal which has been
converted into a museum, houses the
city's finest library of antique books
and paintings. An entire series of
miniatures on the epic Nal-Damayanti can
be seen in the museum. |
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 The
itinerary of the average tourist to
Ladakh begins with a tour of Leh ,
ancient capital and present day
principal township of Ladakh. It
invariably includes day return visits
to a selection of monasteries located
along a stretch of the Indus valley,
between the spectacular monastery of
Lamayuru in the west and the prestigious
establishment of Hemis in the east. Some
take to trekking along the lateral
valleys, especially in Markha, but few
venture out of the confines of the
Central Indus Valley which represents
Ladakh's heartland.
However, during the last decade a
gradual change in the tourist's
perception of Ladakh has come about,
thanks to growing mystique of the
Himalayas and a burgeoning interests in
adventure tourism worldwide. As a result
of this change in perception there has
been a steady increase in the number of
tourists to the Western flank of Ladakh
which comprises several river valleys.
Chief among these are the spectacular
valleys of Suru and Zanskar, nestling
along the foothills of the main range of
Greater Himalayas ; the smaller lateral
valleys of Drass and Wakha Mulbek, as
also of Chiktan (Still in the restricted
zone) constitute important subsidiaries.
Drained and formed by the southeastern
tributaries of the high Indus, these
valleys constitutes the district of
Kargil.
Buddhist Monasteries
An emissary of king Ashoka brought
Buddhism to Ladakh as early as the 3rd
century B.C. Beginning with a belief
that rejected idol worship, and
worshipped the Buddha in a symbolic
from, Buddhism eventually began giving
shape to the Buddha and depicting him in
statue, murals and paintings. Of these,
Ladakh has a rich variety. The ancient
Buddishist monasteries, or gompas, hold
immemorial treasures: frescoes, images,
tankhas, and rare manuscripts.
Ladakh has 12 main monasteries and some
5,000 lamas. Most of the famous
monasteries are easily accessible from
Leh.
Hemis Gompa:
Ladakh's biggest monastery, it is 49
Km from Leh on the Leh Manali road. The
monastery contains quite a few gold
statues and stupas decorated with
precious stones. It has superb
collection of tankhas, including one
which is supposed to be largest one in
existence and is exhibited only
once every 11 years.
 Thikey
Monastery :
En route to Hemis Gompa, the Thikey
monastery provides a panormic view of
the green Indus valley from its vantage
point atop a hill. It has chambers full
of statues, stupas and tankhas. There
are 60 resident lamas and allegedly
nunnery.
Shey Palace And Monastery:
Also on the way to Hemis Gompa, and 15
Km from Leh, is the summer palace of the
erstwhile Raja of Leh. Set upon a hill,
and houses the largest golden-topped
victory stupa, the monastery has a 2
storied statue of the sitting Buddha,
wrought of copper and gold, that leaves
the sense breathless. Since the
monastery is exclusive.
Sankar Gumpa:
Just 3 Km from Leh is the monastery,
that has a formidable collection of
miniature statues of pure gold and a
number of exiting paintings. It is well
- Lit and may be visited in the evening
as well.
Spituk Monastery:
Just before Leh on the Srinagar - Leh
road , on the hilltop overlooking the
Indus, the Spituk monastery boasts not
only of some prized tankhas, but of a
chamber with enormous statues of Kali,
whose faces are unveiled but once a
year. The chamber contains an ancient
collection of face masks too. It is
recommended that you visit the monastery
on the puja day.
Fiang Gompa:
The monastery of the red sect of the
Buddhists. Fiang Gompa lies 20 Km short
of Leh on the Srinagar-Leh road. The
monastery possesses some exquisite
statues and tankhas.
Alchi & Likir Gompa:
These two monasteries are to be
found near Saspol on the Srinagar-Leh
road. They house a great deal of
gigantic clay statues of the Buddha in
various forms. The primary attraction of
theses monasteries is however, their
1,000 year old wall painting, which make
a visit more than a worthwhile.
Lamayuru Monastery:
On crossing Fatu-La, the highest
point on the Srinagar-Leh road, if you
take a winding that descends into the
Indus valley, a sudden bend in the road
will reveal a strange village with a
monastery atop it.
This is Lamayuru , Ladakh's oldest
monastery. These are fascinating caves
carved out of mountainsides.
Mulbekh Monastery:
The village of Mulbekh, on the way
to Namika-la, has a unique sight: a huge
image of the Buddha carved out of rock
on the right side of the road. Its
monastery is perched on the high rock
over the village and the valley. It has
some prized relics. |
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Kargil - Zanskar - Drass - Fairs &
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