Paradise on Earth' is what aptly fits its description. This land with the mystic Himalayas and the enticing Dal Lake and the sinuously winding Jhelum have a spellbinding effect on the people all round the world. The culture in Kashmir reflects the influences of Hindus, Muslims and the Buddhist who have contributed to the philosophical, religious, literary and artistic enlightenment. Despite the tremendous invasions on Kashmiris, they have retained their culture and simplicity.
General Information
Temprature :
10 to 30° C. Low Temperatures in winter
Rainfall :
529mm
Best Season :
March to October
Capital :
Srinagar
Languages :
Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi & English.
The splendor of the Jhelum river meandering through the foot of the Himalayas is a awe-inspiring sight. The Shikara's in the Dal Lake are a unique experience. Other lakes include Manasbal Lake, Nagin Lake, the famous Dal lake, Wular Lake, and the Liddar river are other places of tourist attractions. Kashmir houses many beautiful garden -Shalimar, Nasim Bagh, Nishat Bagh, and Chashme - e - Shahi. The valley also is a treasure house of temples and mosques of diverse-architectural styles.
The stone temples of Avantipur, Shankaracharya temple, Martand Temple and the Hazratbal Mosque are places worth visiting.
The heart of the vally,Srinagar, the serene surroundings of Pahalgam, the snow-kissed mountains of Sonmarg and the flower laden ranges of Gulmarg all have a captivating effect on the onlookers. Kokernag, Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary, Yusmarg and Daksum are other places of tourist attraction. The mystic yatra to the Amarnath caves is a unique experience.
Attraction
DAL LAKE - The fabled sweet water lake is one of the most well known tourist destinations of Kashmir. The lake is an intricate waterway divided into three parts - Gagri bal, Lokut Dal and Bod Dal, by a series of causeways. It is the Jewel in the crown of the Kashmir and is eulogised by poets and praised abundantly by the tourists. The lake is 6.4 km long and 4 km wide. The Dal Lake is host to world famous Shikaras and Houseboats which vie with each other with eye catching names. Dal Lake changes its moods and scenery throught the day and after every few kilometers. It is lined with world famous Boulevard road.
Two small islands within the lake are popular picnic spots. Sona lank (silver island) and Rupa lank (gold island) which are also known as Char Chinar because they both have 4 Chinar trees on them. Tourists can enjoy Shikara rides, Kayaking and canoeing, Angling ( a license is required), or they can stay and experience Kashmiri hospitality aboard the numerous houseboats.
MUGHAL GARDEN
There are numerous large and small gardens or "Baghs" scattered in and around Srinagar. With terraced lawns, cascading fountains, bright colourful flowerbeds with the panorama of the Dal in front of them - the three Mughal Gardens of Chesma shahi, Nishat and Shalimar are the Mughal Emperors' concept of paradise and are today very popular places for picnics and excursions.
GULMARG - Gulmarg's -aka "meadow of flowers'- legendary beauty, prime location and proximity to Srinagar naturally make it one of the premier hill resorts in the country. It is located in the Baramulla district of Kashmir at an altitude of 2,730 m. Gulmarg is 56 km southwest from the capital city of Srinagar and is close to the Indo-Pakistan border. A huge cup-shaped lush green meadow, Gulmarg looks like something out of a fantasy, and in spring, the green meadows are dotted with colourful bluebells, daisies, forget-me-nots and
buttercups.
PAHALGAM - World famous hill station is 45 Kms. from the District Head Quarter at Anantnag and located on the banks of river Lidder at an altitude of 7200 ft. from sea level. Pahalgam is one among the five tehsils of Anantnag district and tehsil head quarters are located in the main town of Pahalgam. Once a great tourist puller and favourite place for shooting of Bollywood films is perhaps the best health resort in the country. Pahalgam also serves as base camp for the famous Amarnath Ji Yatra.
Amarnath
Amarnath is 145 km east of Srinagar in Kashmir and is considered to be one of the major Hindu Dhams. There is an ice Siva-linga here that changes size with the seasons, and also as the moon waxes and wanes it becomes bigger and smaller. On the full moon day the linga is about 6 ft high. Each year on the full moon day of July-August (Sravana) when the Siva-linga attains its maximum height there is a festival at this cave temple. It is said that Lord Siva first appeared on this day. more >>
Jama Masjid - The Jama Masjid at Nowhatta, in the heart of the old city, is the other important mosque in Srinagar at which thousands of people congregate for the Friday prayers. This exceptionally beautiful Mosque is built of wood and has about 327 wooden pillars, with some more than 40 feet in height. Each of these pillars has been made from the trunk of a single Deodar tree. This mosque has been burnt down thrice, but each time it has risen from the ashes more magnificent than before. The present mosque is credited to Aurangzeb, who reconstructed it around 1665.
Vaishno Devi Yatra
The Yatra begins at Katra and pilgrims have to cover 13 km. of terrain on foot to reach the Darbar. One kilometer away from Katra, you would find Banganga, place where Mata quenched her thirst and at 6 km., the holy cave at Adhkawari.
Valleys
Lidder Valley
Inarguably the best of the Kashmir valleys, this valley resembles Scotland in many aspects. Lidder valley is full of lush meadows, glaciers and snow-covered peaks stretching over 40 miles. The valley starts at Kolahoi glacier and includes the well known places like the Amarnath cave, Pahalgam etc. The whole valley is breathtaking and draws visitors to its magical beauty. It is also very important from the trekkers’ point of view.
Sindh Valley
The largest tributary of the Kashmir valley, Sindh sports beautiful scenery with diversified features. The valley is also the chief trade route between Kashmir and Central Asia. The Sindh valley begins at Gandherbal and ends near Baltal at the base of the Zojila Pass
Lolab Valley
Lolab valley has its own charm and is an eyecatching, small, compact region. It has green rice fields, fruit orchards and beautiful meadows. The valley is about 16 miles long and 3 miles broad, and lies about 50 miles off north of Sopore.
This valley is the fruit bowl of Kashmir and produces most of the exotic and famous fruits of Kashmir. There are good camp sites all along the way from Patalnag, Kambrial, Magmarg to Drass. It is advisable to visit the valley before July or after August, as it becomes quite hot during this time. There are well laid out routes along the valley to facilitate the trekkers.
Wangat Valley
This is a small valley, no more than 6 miles from end to end. It has some spectacular sights, and stands out on its own among the valleys of Kashmir.
