Sunday, Jun 01, 2025 23:15 [IST]
Last Update: Saturday, May 31, 2025 17:35 [IST]
It is really a pity, nowhere do we find, even a passing reference, in any newspapers or magazines, of the lullaby sung by chenars, sonorific music of cascading streams, or any nostalgic outbursts of the breathtaking reflection of waxing moon in the calm water of Dal Lake, or of lofty mountains laden with eternal snows that surround the valley, or of bewitching landscapes that welcome the eye wherever one goes, or of lovely serpentine rivulets or of unruffled lakes with translucent waters or of deep blue skies, evergreen forests, unending white sheets of snow of winter or fragrant flowers and succulent fruit of summer the description is endless like eternity . The Paradise of Emperor Jahangir (hamin asto) as if does not exist today. What a tragedy! What a shameless mockery of Nature’s beauty!
In 1912, Sir Francis Young Husband, a British resident, being impressed by its scenic beauty, wrote about Kashmir;
“The beautiful grace with its purple hills and varied contour, its dancing seas and clear blue sky, produced the graceful Greeks. But Kashmir is more beautiful than Greece. It has the same blue-sky and brilliant sunshine, but its purple hills are on a far grander scale, and if it has no seas, it has lakes and rivers, and still the more snowy mountains. It has, too, a greater variety of natural scenery, of field and forest, of rugged mountain and open valley. And to me who have seen both the countries, Kashmir seems much more likely to impress a race by its natural beauty”.
The grand valley of Kashmir is an oval plain perched at an average height of about 6000 ft, and entirely surrounded by the lofty, snowy outer ranges of the Karakoram and Himalaya. Sometimes by the beginning of October upto the end of May there is a continuous snowy peaks around and visible from the valley Nanga Parbat, Haramukh, Amarnath, the Panjal range and Kazi Nag. The valley is watered by the Jhelum and its tributaries, which find an outlet in the gorge at Baramula and finally join Chenab and Indus in the Punjab.
The cultivation of saffron is an ancient industry. The floating gardens of Dal Lake, on which vegetables are grown with astonishing vigour, are made of long strips of the lake reed. Among the fruits, the mulberry, bitter cherry, plum, apple, sour, grape, walnut and pomegranate are indigenous, however, the apricot and peach are spread all over the valley since their introduction. Amongst the forest trees, the chenar is the special glory of Kashmir.
The pleasant months in Srinagar are April, May, June, October and November. The spring season is usually showery and snows set in little before Christmas. Although the cold in winter is sometimes severe, the winter in Kashmir has its own charm and glory. It makes one feel poetic howsoever hard his heart might be because it twangs the string of his inner core.
Srinagar, erroneously derived from Suryanager and 5250 ft above sea level, is the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is beautifully situated in the Centre of the valley. Srinagar is divided into two parts by the River Jhelum.
The city, crisscrossed by the canals, was built by the Raja Pravarasan in the sixth century A.D. A fine view of the city and neibhourhood can be obtained from the top of the Takht-i- Sulaiman (Throne of Soloman), 6263 ft, where there is a fine stone temple, of which the greater part dates from the 8th century. The Hari Parbat, an isolated hill on the northern outskirts of the city is surrounded by an extensive wall, surrounded by the Fort built by Emperor Akbar at the end of the 16th century.
The Dal Lake, which is close to Srinagar, on the northeast, is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Beginning from the east side of the lake is the Nishat Bag, the floating gardens. The terraces in this, the flights of steps ascending then, and the water falling down then presents an exquisite spectacle and affords delightfull ghimpses of the lake.
About 2 ½ Km further on is the Shalimar Bagh, built by Jahangir, who lived in the summer months with Nurjahan. A detailed description may be had in the accounts of Bernier. In crossing the lake to the west side a magnificent view of the mountains behind these two gardens is obtained. Beyond a tiny Island with Chenar trees lies the Nasim Bagh, a delightful, fine park-like expanse closely planted with magnificent Chenar-trees. Since it is well raised above the lake it catches the breeze, whence its name is derived. On the way back to Srinagar is passed a village with a large mosque, called Hazrat Bal, the name as such has been derived from a hair of the Prophet Muhammad preserved in the mosque. Further is a fine view of the picturesque Hari Parbat, from which the Nasim Bagh canal leads to the Dal Gate.
The eastern plank of the lake may also be reached on foot. Having started from the Munshi Bagh, the road leads south of the Takht-i-Sulaiman to the edge of the lake. Further on from here is the Peri Mahal, containing numerous fountains and ranks, although dried up now indicating that it was originally a water palace. Beyond are vineyards, and then, higher up, the Chasma Shahi, a small formal garden of the usual Mughal Plan.
The Nishat Bag is about 3 Km further from here, 8 Km in all from the Munshi Bagh and Shalimar is around 3 Km beyond that. Starting once again from the Dal Gate and turning to the left the Mar Nulla leads through the Northen side of the city of Srinagar to the west of Hari Parbat and the Anchor Lake. Beyond the Dilowar Khan Bagh the canal passes under a series of bridges and balconied houses, and presents some of the most picturesque views. From outside the Dal Sluice gate the Tsont- i- Kul or apple.
Canal leads past the Chenar bagh, a great resort for houseboats, to the river opposite the Sher Garhi, affording varied and beautiful views all the way.
The temple of Pandrethan lies about 5 Km from Srinagar by road, about 18 ft square and 30 ft high, appears to have been built in the Centre of a small stone tank. The beauty of the temple lies in its proportions, in the excellent sculptures of the interior, and the trefoil - recorded arches and roof which form the chief characteristics of the Kashmiri style. The temple was built about 900 A.D. and dedicated to Siva. Still on the northern side of the rank are some broken remains, including a square pillar with figures on each side of it.
The motor road up the valley from Srinagar, which forms part of the Banihal Route, can reach Anantnag, Martand, Verinag and the Lidder Valley. If the visitor proceeds by foot up the river at a distance of about 23 Km near Karapur reach the Temple of Prayer, a tiny temple, only 8 feet square, is an excellent preservation and complete and gives a good idea of what the beauty and elegance of the larger temples must have been. It is constructed of eight stones only, and is dedicated to Siva. It dates from 9th century A.D.
At a distance of 9½ Km above Kakapur is Avantipur, once a famous city and the capital of king Avantivarman, who reigned from 855 to 883 A.D. He had built several temples but amongst them only two are extant—one, a smaller one with its sculptured plinth, its handsome gateway and well-pre-served peristyle, is now one of the most striking and interesting monuments in Kashmir, is Vishnu-Avantiswami, near village of Avantipur and another, a larger is Siva- Avantiswara situated at a distance of about a Km along the road to Srinagar. On the main road to Khamabad about 16 Km further on is Bijbehara, a good encamping ground, and then 3 Km by road in Anantanag, the second town in Kashmir, and originally the capital of the valley. The springs in the town present a picturesque sight, and the Wazir Bagh, to the south of it, is exceedingly pretty place to spend a night to appreciate its beauty. From Anantnag, one can proceed as far as Pahalgam, a favourite summer resort, with a number of hotels in the backdrops of the pines. On the way one passes the ruins of Martand, which stand isolated on an elevated plateau above the valley. The temple, the largest in Kashmir, is the finest example of the ancient Kashmiri style of architecture, which is remarkable for its quasi-classical features, was derived from the earlier Indo-Hellenistic art of Gandhara and the North West. Though its date is not certain, there are good reasons to ascribe it to the reign of Lalitaditya. In the 8th century A.D., it was most probably built for the worship of the Sun God.
About 11 Km from Anantnag is Achibal, an excellent camping ground for visitors, is a beautiful spot with streams and cascades, groves of magnificent Chenars, and the old pleasures garden of Jahangir. From Achibal a road goes to Verinag, which is also accessible from the Banihal Road. Here lie the celebrated springs, the source of the River Jhelum, which rises in an Octagonal tank in a garden at the foot of the Banihal Pass (9763 ft). This particular spot was a favourable haunt of the empress Nurjahan. Therefore, one of the recesses of the enclosure round the tank bears an inscription by Jahangir. About the 3 Km east of Martand, on the Pahalgam Road, is Bawan, an excellent spot for picnic under the foliage of Chenars. 15 Km up the Lidder Valley is Ishmakam, an old burial ground, from which a fine view is obtained. Pahalgam (8500 ft) a favourite resort is 21 Km further on. 11 Km up from Pahalgam is Chandanwari (10,500 ft), from where it is a 9 ½ Km stiff climb to Shisha Nag (13000 ft), a fine sheet of water covered with ice till the month of June. The Amarnath cave, a famous resort of pilgrims, is about 18 Km from Shisha Nag. From this point further on is the Kalahari glacier.
Gandarbal, a small village, is 14 Km by road from the Nasim Bagh, in the Dal Lake. From Gandarbal the stages up the valley are - the Kangan (18 Km), to Gund (21 Km), to Gagangair to Gund (21Km), to Gagangair (11 Km) and Sonamarg (11 Km). From Kangan a detour may be made North to the temples of Wangat (13 Km), perched on an exceedingly beautiful situation above the stream, present the most picturesque of all the ruined temples of Kashmir. The scenery along the route from Gund onward is extremely charming, and the torrent pass, in which small snow glaciers will have to be crossed early in the season, leading upto Sonamarg, is exquisitely beautiful. Sonamarg (8500 ft), with lovely meadows in and around, was once, during the British days, the Chief Snatorium of Kashmir. The next stage Baltal (9282 ft) is at the foot of the Zojila pass (11,300 ft) which leads to Dras, and thence Leh, the capital of Ladakh (now a separate Union Territory). From Baltal, in the spring or early summer before the snow bridges have melted, the cave of Amarnath may be reached.
Gulmarg (or Meadow of Roses) is situated at a distance of about 45 Km from Srinagar and can be reached by buses. Though Gulmarg is a lovely spot at an elevation of 8,500 ft, with golf, tennis, polo and other amusements, it is somewhat rainy. Above it is the ridge of the Firozpur pass and Apharwat Mountain, 14,500 ft. The fine, snowy peak of Nanga Parbat (26,600 ft) nearby can be beautifully seen from here.
Sir Walter Lawrence, who lived in Kashmir for a few years as the settlement commissioner of the state, wrote in 1895, “The valley contains nearly everything which should make life enjoyable. There is sport, varied and excellent, there is scenery for the artist and layman, mountains for the mountaineer, flowers for the botanists, a vast field for the geologist, and magnificent ruins for the archaeologist. The epicure will find dainty fruits and vegetables cheaper here than perhaps in any part of the world, while the longer can pass delightful days of dolce far niente in the neat houseboats moored under the shady chenar-tree.”
In fact, nothing has changed within hundred years. Kashmir is still there in all its pristine glory, in all its beauty and in all its magnificence and charm baring its motherly breast in all its tenderness beckoning us to hug and give us solace, at least for a moment in its motherly lap and thereby to lull us to comfortable siesta from the din and bustle of this temporal world provided we need to give up our meanness and acquire eyesight which could look beyond the backwaters of religion and politics. Let us accept its invitation and go into its lap and forget our artificially structured difference and distinction and restore its glory once again. If we could shun our dogmatism, prejudice and frenzy only then will Nature open new vistas before us. If we could give up our petty interests and small gains only then will this, world be a heaven and every man our brother. It is never too late! Better late than never!
(drpkchhetri7@gmail.com)
