Kashmir

Set like a jewelled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a many faceteddiamond, 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.RajTaringini 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.

General Information

Adventures & Sports

Golf
Gulmarg also has one of the world's highest green golf courses, as well as a clubhouse, which is a historical building in its own right. For the would-be golfer, there are golf sets on hire, pros to instruct one in the game, and temporary memberships. Naturally, these facilities are available to players as well, except that serious golfers usually carry their sets along.

River Rafting
A range of rafting options is available on the Indus and its major tributaries. The best stretch for professionally guided runs in white water is on the Indus between Spituk and Saspol. Beyond Saspol, the river becomes difficult and funning it requires technically skilled participants and careful organisation. Upward of Spituk, the Indus has the easiest stretch up to Karu, ideal for basic training and for day-return "scenic floating" for amateurs.

Trout Fishing
Fishing is big business in Kashmir through spring and summer. The British introduced the brown and rainbow trout to the streams of Kashmir, where they have thrived. At the same time they introduced the system of anglers reserving ' beats' on their favorite river. Reservations for beats should be made before one arrives in Kashmir, through an Indian Government Tourist Office or directly to the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar.

Trekking
Trekking possibilities include short, daylong walks up and down mountain slopes to visit isolated villages or monastic settlements, or across a ridge to enjoy the sheer beauty of the lunar mountainscape. Or long, trans-mountain treks involving weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness. For example, the trek from Lamayuru in the Indus valley to Darcha in Lahaul across Zanskar takes nearly three weeks. Most of the established routes traverse the Zanskar range, which separates the Indus valley from separates the Indus valley from Zanskar.

Aero Sports
J&K Tourism has introduced Paragliding at Sanasar and Jammu. Equipment can be hired from the tourist office in Jammu city. May, June and September, October are suitable months for paragliding at Sanasar, situated 19-km from Patnitop with a good approachable road and transport links. One can reach Sanasar from Jammu via Kud and Patnitop by bus or taxi.

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Excursion

Dal Lake
The world famous water body has been described as Lake Par-Excellence by Sir Walter Lawrence. It is the Jewel in the crown of the Kashmir and is eulogised by poets and praised abundantly by the tourists. the lake is 6x3 Kms and is divided in four parts by causeways known as Gagribal, Lokut Dal,Bod Dal and Nagin. 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.

Wular Lake
It is difficult to describe in mere words the beguiling beauty of Wular Lake.

For one, its formidable size - this is one of Asia's largest fresh water lakes - for another, it changes character with every few miles.

Watlab
Gradually, the panoply of the 'real Kashmir', miles away from well-traversed areas, will unfold before you, and you will reach Watlab. Here, high on a hilltop is the shrine of a Muslim mystic, Baba Shukurddin. From here, the Wular Lake stretches away as far as the eye can see, edged by picturesque villages around terraced breeze-rippled fields of paddy, in a riotous burst of colour. At Watlab there is a Forest Rest House amidst sprawling apple orchards. You can rest here to enjoy the sheer grandeur of the spectacular countryside at leisure.

Achabal
Once the pleasure retreat of Empress Nur Jehan, Achabal (1,677 m) has a fine garden in the Mughal style, with its own special charm and character. It was in Kashmir that the Mughal Garden was brought to perfection, and Achabal is one such masterpiece.

Situated at the foot of a hill with a row of majestic chinars framing it, the Mughal garden is a visual delight with their stepped terraces, formal elegance, ornamental shrubs, sparkling fountains and falling water. Achabal is 58 kms from Srinagar, via Anantnag.

Daksum
Past the Mughal Gardens of Achabal, with their tinkling fountains, through the breathtaking splendour of the springs at Kokarnag, lies Daksum.

Tucked away in a densely forested gorge at an altitude of 2438 m, Daksum would be completely silent but for the Bringhi river which gushes through it.

Daksum is a walker's paradise. Up the hills which are swathed in coniferous trees, past gurgling brooks, the simple, haunting notes of a flute will waft down to you from where an unseen shepherd tends his flock. For in the hills surrounding Daksum, suddenly you will find yourself in grassy meadows where sheep are taken to pasture.

Kokernag
Situated in the heart of Bringhi valley, Kokernag (2,020 m, 70 kms from Srinagar), is set amidst sprawling gardens fragrant with the bloom of thousands of flowers. The Kokernag spring bubbles at seven places at the foot of the forested mountain. The water of the spring is famous for its medicinal and digestive propertiesa.

Yusmarg
A two hour drive from Srinagar ( 47 kms ) will take you to acres upon acres of grassy meadow ringed by forests of pine, and towering beyond them, awesome and majestic snow clad mountains. This is Yusmarg- close enough to Srinagar for a picnic, idyllic enough to make you want to stay for a few days. Here are walks of every sort - a leisurely amble along flower-strewn meadows or away to where a mighty river froths and crashes its way over rocks, its mild white foam earning it the name of Dudh Ganga. Further away, a captivating lake, Nilnag, is cradled by hills. Nearby are several peaks-Tatta Kutti and Sang Safed to name a couple of them. About 13 kms from Yusmarg, a short detour away from the Srinagar road, is Charari- Sharief, the Shrine of Kashmir’s patron saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din or Nund Reshi, now rebuilt after the devastating fire of 1994 which engulfed the entire building.

Aharbal
Gradually, the distant rumble becomes a roar as one approach the waterfall of Aharbal, which crashes down a narrow gorge. Aharbal is more than just a waterfall.

There are several places to picnic in the surrounding areas, as well as delightful walks of varying lengths all over the hillsides. Interesting treks-one of them to the high altitude lake of Kounsernag at 13,500 ft above sea level-takes off from Aharbal.

Verinag
Located 80 kms from Srinagar at an altitude of 1,876 m, the spring of Verinag is believed to be the chief source of the river Jhelum. Construction of the octagonal base of the spring and the arcade around it was undertaken by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and completed during the reign of Shah Jahan. Down the stream to the east lie the remains of a Mughal pavilion and baths. Verinag can be approached through the link road, which turns off, from the national highway at Lower Munda.

Shalimar Garden

Shankaracharya Temple
It is located at 1100 ft. above surface level of the main city on the Shankaracharya hill. The Shiva temple, as Kalhana believes, was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C. and, as such, is the oldest shrine in Kashmir, though it is not certain if the temple exists in the same form as it had been built more than two thousands years ago. The first repair of the temple is believed to have been undertaken during the reign of Lalitaditya in the eighth century A.D. According to the historian Shrivara, Zain-ul-Abideen conducted second repairs of the temple after it had been damaged in an earthquake. The third time repair was undertaken during the Governorship of Sheikh Mohi-ud-Din when the temple is believed to have been named as Shankaracharya. Dogra ruler, Maharaja Gulab Singh, constructed stone stairs upto the temple. In 1925, the temple was electrified. The temple, besides a prominent Hindu religious place, is of great archaeological importance. The temple commands a magnificient panoramic view of the Srinagar City.

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Traditional crafts

Chain Stitch And Crewel Furnishings
Because of the high quality of embroidery done on wall hangings and rugs, Kashmiri crewel-work is in great demand throughout the world. Chain stitch, be it in wool, silk or cotton, is done by hook rather than by needle. The hook is referred to as aari, and while maintaining the same quality, hook work covers a much larger area than needle work in the same amount of time.

All the embroidery is executed on white cotton fabric, pre-shrunk by the manufacturers. The intrinsic worth of each piece lies in the sizes of the stitches and the yarn used.

Tiny stitches are used to cover the entire area - the figures or motifs are worked in striking colours; the background in a single colour, made up of a series of coin sized concentric circles which impart dynamism and a sense of movement to the design. Stitches ought to be small, even sized and neat. The background fabric should not be visible through the stitches.

Crewel
is basically similar to chain stitch. It is also chain stitch done on white background, but here the motifs, mainly stylised flowers, do not cover the entire surface, and the background is not embroidered upon.

Wool is almost invariably used in crewel-work and colour schemes are not as elaborate as in chain stitch. This fabric is available in bolts, and is sold by the length. They make excellent household furnishings, being washable both by hand or machine.

To make Papier Mache, first paper is soaked in water till it disintegrates. It is then pounded, mixed with an adhesive solution, shaped over moulds, and allowed to dry and set before being printed and varnished. Paper that has been pounded to pulp has the smoothest finish in the final product. When the pounding has not been so thorough, the finish is less smooth

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Shopping

From the amusing trinket to a collector's item, you'll find it all in Srinagar. Row upon row of shops filled with handicrafts line the streets. The array is awesome. There are objects to suit every pocket, for the variety within each craft is wide.

While top-of-the-line products cater to the discerning, some handicrafts cater to the buyers with a modest budget. To the uninitiated, the difference between two shawls may be negligible and hardly worth the enormous disparity in price. However, the dealer knows exactly what he has in his showroom, knows how much skill, labour and material has gone into its fabrication, and so accordingly structures the price.

Kashmiri handicrafts are prized everywhere for their exquisite craftsmanship. Kashmir carpets, in both wool and silk with their Persian design, are a lifetime investment and the shoppers’ selection range from the simple to the most extraordinarily intricate patterns handed down the generations.

Then there are papier-mâché items ranging from jewellery boxes to mirror frames, a range of intricately carved walnut wood furniture and accessories, stone jewellery boxes, beautiful woollen shawls, crewel embroidery on furnishing material sold by the meter and more.

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Getting There

By Air
Indian Airlines operate regular daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and Jammu. They leave from Delhi directly, from Delhi via Jammu, and from Bombay via New Delhi and Jammu. Jet Airways also operate daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi as well as Jammu. Indian Airlines has its city office in the Tourist Reception Centre, while the Jet Airways office is close by.

Srinagar airport is 14 kms from the city. The taxi ride to the Tourist Reception Centre costs about Rs.250/-. Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates special coach services between the airport and the city.

Indian Airlines: Airport Office Tel. : 2430334, 2430163 City Office Tel. : 2450256, 2450247

Jet Airways: Airport Office Tel. : 0194-2433035, 2433007 City Office : Dhanji-Bhoy Building, Sherwani Road, Srinagar-190001, Kashmir, India. Tel. : 0194-2480801-06.

Note: All foreigners are required to register themselves at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, at its Airport counter.

By Rail
The nearest railhead for Srinagar is Jammu Tawi (305 kms) where trains arrive from Delhi, Calcutta, Pune, Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Ahmedabad, etc. As with flights, train bookings have to be made well in advance. During the holiday season, additional trains operate to and from various parts of the country.

It is also possible to travel by taxi from Jammu to Srinagar in about 8 hours. The cost is Rs.2100/-(Tata Sumo) & Rs.2400/- car taxi. If you are travelling alone, it is worth enquiring at the taxi stand in the Tourist Reception Centre, Jammu (Tel 2546266) about the availability of taking a shared taxi at an approximate cost of Rs.460/- per head in car taxi Rs. 300/- per head in Tata Sumo.

Local Transport

Coaches
The J&K Tourism Development Corporation (J&K TDC) and the J&K Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) operate luxury coaches for tourists. For reservation and bookings contact:

J&K TDC Booking Office, TRC, Tel. Nos. 2457930, 2472644, Fax: 2457927/2476107. J&K SRTC Booking Office, TRC, Tel. No. 2455107

Tourist Taxis
Taxis for local sightseeing as well as long journeys out of Srinagar can be hired from the following Tourist Taxi Stands mentioned below:
Tourist Reception Centre Tel. No. 2452527, Nehru Park Tel. No. 2453657, Dalgate Tel. No. 2472146 and Lal Chowk Tel No. 2474898

Other Transport
The most widely used local transport is the Mini Bus, which operates, all over the city as well as the suburban areas on fixed routes. Auto rickshaws are also easily available from all points in the city on negotiable rates.

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Hotels & Accomodation

Grand Palace Hotel
Palace Road, 2456701-03 2453794

Ahdoo's Hotel,
Residency Road 2472593, 2471984 2455251

Akbar Hotel,
Kohankhan Dalgate 2455407, 2452916 2474547

Broadway Hotel
M.A.Road
Website : www.hotelbroadway.com 2459001-4 2459004 2800-3500

Centaur Lake View,
Chashmashahi 2475631-33, 2475131-33 2471877

Imperial Lake View,
Nehru Park 2452805

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Kashmir - Adventures, Sports, Excursion, Traditional crafts, Shopping, Hotels & Accomodation of Kashmir in India