A TRIP TO THE HEAVEN ON EARTH

Green meadows, majestic mountains, serene lakes, beautiful gardens and valleys, the rock-cut monasteries, bewitching landscapes and above all the clean rivers whistling past you - are the words which truly describe the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Lying in the bosom of snow-clad and shining Himalayas, the valley of Kashmir has its own charm and beauty that attracts people not only from other parts of India, but also from other countries as well. And these were the natural beauties which astounded me when I arrived at the enchanting place of Kashmir, the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was my first visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the most memorable one till date.

From the New Delhi Railway Station, we arrived by the “SAMPARK-KRANTI Express ".Thereafter we went to Katra, a beautiful place on the hills enroute to the Vaishnodevi shrine. On the way to Katra, one could see the majestic bends in the hills, the clear rivers flowing by, and above all beautiful mountains on either side of the road. After reaching Katra, we first went to a hotel and after a short nap proceeded to the holy shrine of Vaishnodevi at the TRIKUTA HILLS. Ponies and palanquins are at disposal for the aged and the infirm from the base site. After an hour, we were able to reach BAN-GANGA, a place which falls on the way to the shrine. Legend has it that, Mata Vaishnodevi stopped here for a while on her way to the shrine. From the BAN-GANGA gate, there are two paths available. Continuous stairs are a shortcut, but difficult to negotiate without halt. The alternate zig-zag path is comparatively easy and one can enjoy the journey without taking any halts. Taking the zig-zag route, we reached the shrine in nearly five hours where our accommodation had already been confirmed by my uncle travelling with us. After resting for an hour, we started for the BHAWAN -i.e. the place where the cave of Mata Vaishnodevi is situated. We had to stand in a long queue for two and a half hours after which we were allowed entry to the temple. Police are on duty round the clock. The tourist inflows continue even during the night. In the morning, we began our trek down the hill. The paths are tiled and there are street lamps by the side of the track for the convenience of the pilgrims. Refreshments are also available from place to place.

The next day, at dawn, we hired two taxis and began our journey to Jammu. Travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, took us only 40 minutes. But the beauty and grandeur of the valleys and the houses below were really worth seeing. When we arrived at Srinagar Airport (situated at an altitude of almost 1730 mtrs.), we were totally taken aback by the climate in this part of the country. When the country was reeling under severe heat wave, it was so cold that we were forced to wear our woollens. While going to the hotel, we could see the people in the valley quietly moving on with their day's work. It seemed as if the tension in the valley had no effect on their day-to-day lives. Contrary to our belief, we came to know that the people of Kashmir were very friendly in nature. After lunch, we set out to visit some famous places in and around SRINAGAR.

With the help of our 'friendly' local guide, we reached the "SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE ".Within Srinagar, on its highest hill is the Shankaracharya Temple, nearly 100 ft. above the city. Devoted to Lord Shiva, it is one of the few temples where the sage Shankaracharya, stayed while on his mission to spread Hinduism among the people. The site dates back to 2500 BC. Thereafter, we went to CHESHMASHAHI GARDENS - the smallest of the three Mughal gardens in the city. Built at a height above the city (near the Shankaracharya Temple), its views are as stupendous as its layout. The next to come was the PARI MAHAL (literally the "palace of angels").Built by Dara Shikoh-the eldest son of Shah Jahan; it was originally built as a centre of Sanskrit learning. The next halt was at the NISHAT BAGH built by Empress NurJahan's brother Asaf Khan. The largest of the three Mughal gardens, it has several terraces, a central water course and the majestic view of the Dal and the Zabarwan hills. The last stop was at the SHALIMAR GARDENS, planted by Jahangir. Shaded by magnificent Chinar trees, the Shalimar is a series of stone pavillions and flowing water with paint-box bright flower beds.

The next day, we had decided to visit SONAMARG. Sonamarg is at a distance of 87 kms from Srinagar and at an altitude of 3000 mtrs. Sonamarg literally means the gold field. Here one can enjoy the beauty of the Sindh valley as well as the charming scenery of Kashmir. It presents a rare sight of the blue sky across the snow covered mountains. The river Sindh passes through this place in a roundabout manner. "Trout" and "Mahseer" variety of fish are found in large numbers here. A trek along the Thajiwas glacier during the months of summer is very enchanting. The ride on the sledge in the Thajiwas glacier would always remain a wonderful experience. The snow covered peaks, the bright sunshine and the ice-cold water of the Sindh River presents the rare combination of nature's beauty and grace.

The next day, we were yet again ready to go to another place - GULMARG, 56 kms from Srinagar. One of the premier hill resorts of North India, Gulmarg was originally known as "Gaurimarg" in honour of Goddess Parvati. The road to Gulmarg was full of cherry trees and strawberry orchards whose sight is a dream elsewhere. The tourist places in Gulmarg include the Gondola cable car and the DLF Golf course. Gulmarg also provides facilities for snow-sports such as riding a sleigh, snow-boarding etc.

The same evening, we also went to the famous "Hazratbal shrine" located on the outskirts of Srinagar at a distance of 8 km from Lal Chowk. We were astonished to see that people irrespective of caste and creed are allowed inside the mosque. Historically, the mosque has a hair from the beard of Prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam.

The people of Kashmir are generally peace loving, friendly people. Their culture is also unique. The fairs and festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Thus a visit to Kashmir is a journey of a lifetime. Its endless natural beauty has been inscribed in our minds forever. Truly, the journey is hard to forget.