Travelogue: Kashmir

It gives me immense pleasure to be writing a post for FTLOFAOT, it being one of the few blogs that I most religiously follow. And who am I? I am Mahima, a blogger and writer by choice and a keen observer by nature. You’ll find my random musings at Welcome to My Paradise. I’d been meaning to write this guest post ever since Shreya first came out with the idea of having a series of guest posts on her blog. Yet I somehow never actually managed to write one. But today I finally coaxed myself to sit down and write it down in one go. So here’s a post that gives you a glimpse at the extremely beautiful valley of Kashmir as seen by Yours Truly’s eyes on her recent trip there. :)

Whoever said Kashmir is heaven on Earth couldn’t have been more right. I visited Srinagar and Gulmarg early this November for a leisure trip. And trust me when I say, winter is the time to visit Kashmir. With its multi-hued Chinar trees, snow-capped mountains and a pleasant nip in the air, the Valley does not get more beautiful than this. Period. Here I reproduce some of the pictures I clicked. You’re bound to fall in love with the place once you look at its resplendence!:)

 

The Dal Lake, one of the major attractions of the city of Srinagar, looks magnificent at dusk.

 You got to take an evening ride on a Shikara to be able to marvel at the sheer beauty of the lake.

 Snow-covered ground shrouded by dense fog in Gulmarg. It was chilly! :D

Don’t I just love the beautifully shaped leaf of the Chinar tree that is native to the Valley. It never fails to mesmerize me!

And as if such splendid beauty was not enough, the people of Kashmir are very warm and hospitable too. There is this perfectly languid and calm air about the place that just unnerves you, making you feel content and relaxed. You have to be there to revel in the magic that the entire place exudes.

Okay, now for some shopping related stuff. After all, isn’t that what this blog is all about? :D

So I found this little shop in a by-lane of Lal Chowk (the most important market of Srinagar city) that sells souvenirs such as pen stands, decorative items, little models of houseboats and shikaras, keyrings, beautiful accessories et al, all carved and hand painted by local artisans. It had me fascinated, making me look on for what seemed like a long while. I finally bought a few wooden keyrings in the shape of Shikaras and little dolls for my friends here in Delhi, and a wooden bell, and a pen stand, and a candle stand too. *grin* Have a look at the shop.

I just discovered how long this post is getting. So to cut the long story short, Kashmir is the ultimate paradise on Earth. No amount of conflict, violence or terrorist activities can ever take away the grandeur of the place. Did I forget to mention that this was my second visit to the state? That is the magic of Kashmir. It beckons you to keep coming back. I just hope this post inspires the readers to take some time out from their busy lives to just rejuvenate and unwind in the sheer majesty of the Valley of Kashmir.

 Thank you Shreya for having me over! It was a real pleasure! :)