The sheer beauty and
grandeur of the Kashmir Valley cannot be captured in plain words.
Set at the foot of the awesome Himalayas, with the splendid Jhelum river
meandering through it, this land of raw natural magnificence has enticed
people from all over the world, for centuries. Aptly referred to as
Paradise, Kashmir has been ruled by Emperor Ashoka, the Kushans, Gonondas,
Guptas, Karkotas, Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs, and finally by the Dogras in the
19th century. Despite all these invasions, the Kashmiris have retained their
traditions and innate simplicity. The major chunk of the population is
Muslim, followed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians.
Kashmir
is a land crisscrossed by umpteen lakes and rivers, each fascinating in its
own way. The Jhelum or Vitasta, as it was called, is not only the bloodline,
as it were, of the state, but also poses as the ethereal inspiration for
many songs, legends, and poems. The other notable lakes include the Manasbal
Lake, the Liddar river, the famous Dal lake, Nagin Lake and the Wular Lake,
the largest in the state. Shalimar, Nasim Bagh, Nishat Bagh, and the
legendary Chashme - e - Shahi are some of the delightful gardens, that are
to be found here.
Apart from its being the land of soaring
snowclad mountains, sparkling waterfalls, shikaras (water taxis), impressive
chinar trees, and vast fields of vibrant flowers, Kashmir is also renown for
its unique handicrafts - papier-mache, woodwork, stone jewellery, fine
Pashmina and Shahtush shawls, carpet weaving and silverware. The arts and
crafts of this region are more than 500 years old, and bear a distinct
Persian imprint.
The valley is studded with several mosques and
temples, built in diverse architectural styles. The Hazratbal Mosque, the
holiest of all Muslim shrines, the stone temples of Avantipur, the cave at
Amarnath, the most sacred Hindu shrine in the state, the great
Shankaracharya temple, the Martand Temple all add to the kaleidoscopic
appeal of Kashmir.
»
Location |
|
Situated
in the northern most part of India, Kashmir is bordered by Pakistan, China,
and Afghanistan from West to East. From South to East, the boundary of the
state touches Punjab and Himachal.
The state can be divided into
four major regions: the sub-mountain and semi-mountain plain known as kandi
or dry belt, the Shivalik ranges, the high mountain zone constituting the
Kashmir Valley, Pir Panchal range and its off-shoots including Doda, Poonch
and Rajouri districts and part of Kathua and Udhampur districts, and the
middle run of the Indus River comprising Leh and Kargil.
»
Shopping in Kashmir |
|
Kashmir possesses many specialized agricultural markets,
retail shopping centres, and associated industries. The industries have
developed from rural crafts and include handloom weaving of local silk,
cotton, and wool, carpet weaving, wood carving, and leatherwork. Such
industries, together with silverwork and copperwork and jewelry, were
stimulated by the presence of the royal court and the tourist trade but also
owe something to the important position achieved by Srinagar in west
Himalayan trade.
»
Fairs and Festivals in Kashmir |
|
In Kashmir, besides Id other important muslim festivals are
Urs at Khaneka in downtown Srinagar and Urs at Chrar-e-Sharif. The annual
Ladakh festival is held in September; the Hemis Festival features chaams
performed by the monks in elaborate masks.
Jammu celebrates Lohri
and Baisakhi in February. Every year a 3-day Jammu Crafts Mela is also
organised during Baisakhi at the picturesque Mansar Lake, 60-km from Jammu.
Bahu Mela, a major festival of Jammu region is held at the Kali temple in
Bahu Fort, twice a year during March-April and September-October.
»
How to Get there |
|
Air : Kashmir is well connected by air
with Delhi.
Rail : Kashmir does not have a
railway station and the nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi, which is 305 km from
Kashmir.
Road : It is well connected by road
to important places like Chandigarh (630 km), Delhi (876 km), Jammu (298
km), Leh, Kargil, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam. We would provide you all
India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the
intercity drives too