“If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here “…. this is how the great Urdu poet Amir Khusrau described Kashmir . Kashmir is blessed with lush green meadows, snow capped mountains, crystal clear streams, lakes and picturesque landscapes evoking this very same sentiment in the minds of any traveler to Kashmir . Its natural beauty has been described in innumerable works of literature and memoirs apart from it being showcased in multiple films.
Let me start my series on Kashmir with a general roundup and then get into each of the places in detail in following episodes.
How did Kashmir get its name?
Legend says that an ascetic by name Kashyapa reclaimed the land from a lake leading to the place being called Kashyapamar and later Kashmir. The word Kashmira is also believed to denote “got from water”.
Visiting Kashmir
Visiting Kashmir can be an experience like no other. Be it the blooms of varied hues and the green meadows in spring or the snow covered white landscape of winter, Kashmir has a special appeal in every season .
From the houseboat stay and a shikara ride on Dal lake, to the Mughal and Tulip gardens and the bustling streets of Srinagar ; to a pony ride on the calm and peace of the meadows of Pahalgam ; to the gondola ride and snow of Gulmarg, Kashmir offers a variety of tourist opportunities. To do some justice to each of these experiences, I will be dealing with them in separate episodes. For now, I will just leave you with some pictures of the natural beauty of Kashmir….
The Dal lake and shikaras
Meadows of Pahalgam
Snowcapped Himalayas
The Mughal gardens
The ski slopes of Gulmarg
Now that I have given you a visual idea of what to expect in the the upcoming episodes of this series , let me take you through few unique experiences which are common to most parts of Kashmir.
The mustard fields, saffron and apple orchards are a unique draw of this place and let us have a look at them.
Mustard fields
The mustard fields are very special to Kashmir and vast areas of yellow can be seen even from the flight making one wonder what it is?
Yellow fields interspersed with green as seen from the flight
The mustard flowers announce the onset of summer and all along the highways, they provide a beautiful sight against the snow capped mountains. Mustard is of high economic value to the locals too.
The yellow carpet of mustard flowers
In a mustard field along the highway
Saffron
Another specialty of Kashmir is the saffron. Saffron gives a golden color and a distinctive flavor to food. Used widely in Kashmiri cuisine, it is one of the most expensive spices in the world and is called Red Gold. Selling at 3 to 3.5 lakhs per kilo, it is costlier than precious metals.
It comes from the orange red stigma of the purple flowers of the saffron plant. It takes thousands of flowers to make one gram of saffron. Earlier on saffron was widely cultivated in Kashmir but now, it is mainly restricted to the Pampore area. It has to be delicately handled and is mostly handpicked by women.
Saffron
The harvested saffron flowers. Note the orange red stigma…
Dry Fruits and Nuts
Dry fruits and nuts have a special place in several local dishes and are used extensively. Markets in Kashmir are flooded with such dry fruits and nuts. The more popular ones are walnuts, almonds, apricots and figs.
Walnuts
Kashmir’s blush…the apple orchards
Known popularly as Kashmir’s blush, the apple trees droop with the red fruit bringing cheer to the farmers of the valley from August to October . Kashmir accounts for more than 70% of the national apple production . Sopore town is known as the Apple town of Kashmir.
Visiting Kashmir in April, one can see the trees full of white apple blooms. A visit to an apple orchard is an addition to the routine tours. Fresh apple juice is served here. Some pictures…
Apple orchard
Walk through an apple orchard (click on the video)
Kahwa
A local speciality of Kashmir, this is a drink; a tea made by boiling green tea leaves with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and sometimes roses. It is served with sugar or honey and often garnished with walnuts and almonds. Sometimes the infusion is only of the spices without the green tea.
It is prepared in a special vessel called a samovar.
Kahwa
The Samovar
Shopping in Kashmir
Besides the ethereal beauty that Kashmir posses it also offers excellent shopping opportunities to tourists. Apart from saffron and dry fruits, the region offers exquisite and culturally unique items that make for memorable souvenirs and cherished gifts.
Pashmina Shawls
You may be well aware of the famous Kashmiri shawls made of Pashmina wool. This wool is extremely soft and is obtained from the special breed of goats called Chanthangi goats. These goats are reared predominantly by a nomadic Buddhist tribe called Changpa in Ladakh, Nepal and Kashmir.
These shawls are hand crafted in traditional designs and are known for their soft texture, warmth and durability.
A traditional hand embroidered Pashmina shawl
Kashmiri Carpets
Kashmiri carpets are considered one of the best of the oriental carpets. They are hand knotted , making them durable. The designs are typically Kashmiri and are either very expensive made of pure silk or wool or made more affordable with mix of rayon and wool.
A traditional hand knotted silk carpet
Carved Walnut Wood
Several utility items made of carved walnut wood can be found in Kashmir. Intricate Kashmiri designs are carved on tables, trays, pen stands, toys and even the wall panels of houseboats !
Intricately carved walnut wood decor
Traditional Kashmiri jewelry
Bangles, earrings, anklets and necklaces, all handcrafted and in typical Kashmiri designs is another big draw among the tourists. A traditional jewelry article called Halqaband, is a tight choker made usually in silver and gold and sometimes in brass and is a trail of interlocking sections joined together with thread. It has rubies and other precious stones and sometimes mirrors studded on it. Dejhoor is a dandling ear ornament worn by brides. Women often come in shikaras to houseboats selling these items.
Traditional Kashmiri jewelry
That is Kashmir in a nutshell for you….
From next week we visit each of the unique destinations . Srinagar, the capital will be our first destination. See you next week at Srinagar…
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