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Srinagar ...“Heaven on Earth”

Srinagar
Why is it considered as “HEAVEN ON EARTH” by travelling enthusiasts around the world!!
Well after my recent visit to this magnificent, breath-taking and gorgeous city situated in the valley of the Himalayas I must say they were very accurate about what they said…And here’s my take on why this place is called as “Heaven on Earth”.


Location-
Srinagar is the capital city of India’s northern most state called as Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).Its situated in the Himalayan valley near the river Jhelum. The local people are called Kashmiris who’ve been living there since birth.


Climate-
The average temperature during summers is around 22 degrees and lowest about 8 degrees Celsius. In winters the temperatures may go around -4 to -19 Degrees Celsius with heavy snow fall and rains. The favorable climate for the tourists to visit Srinagar is summer around the months of April-May.


Travelling-

There are three main ways to travel to Srinagar...
Ø By Train- Srinagar has a direct railway line from Jammu City and reaches as far as Baramulla District.

Ø By Air-Many Airlines have started regular flights to Srinagar from Delhi via Jammu or Chandigarh depending upon the flight’s route schedule.

Ø By Road-National Highway 44 connects the two cities. The distance of 295 Km can be covered in approximately 5 hrs depending upon the traffic present.


Places to stay-
Being a tourist destination one can find cheap and expensive hotels depending upon their budget. The best places to stay are near the famous Dal Lake offering a scenic and magnificent view of the lake.

Places I visited-


v Dal Lake and the Gardens:
Dal Lake is situated in the heart of Srinagar with a length of about 22km starting from the Himalaya Mountains and ending in Srinagar. The view is simply exotic and breathe taking for anyone who is a nature lover.

 The Shikaras (boats) rides are also provided to the tourists by the locals so that they can enjoy the beautiful lake and also buy local handicrafts that are provided on the bazaar that is situated right on the lakes. Houseboats are the main attraction over here where tourists can stay in houses built to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Dal Lake.








Gardens include the famous “Shalimar Garden” showing exotic and rare species of flowers and trees. ChashmeShahi/ChashmaShahi is built around Mughal Gardens consisting of a natural spring that offers mineral and nutritional water continuously.
 













v Gulmarg-
     Located about 56 Km from Srinagar Gulmarg offers the pleasant beauty of mountains covered with snow throughout the year. Gondola ropeway the biggest ever in Asia offers travelling from the plains up to the peak of the famous mountain the Nanga Parbhat.







There are total of Two Phases to travel.
Phase 1-It’s a plateau which offers tourist facilities like skiing, snowmobiling and skating. Hotels are located to provide tourists to stay and enjoy the place as long as they can.













Phase 2- It’s the highest point of the mountain and temperatures range from 10 degrees Celsius to -19 degrees in winters with continuous rain and snowfall.


The tourism Ministry offers a local guide who will help you in showing the best location and views that are around this mountain.









v Pahalgam-

Pahalgam is a small town located in the northern sector of Kashmir in the Lidder Valley offering beautiful landmarks and glaciers. 

 It is also a part of the annual Amarnath yatra that takes place every year. 
 Tourists from all over the country and world come to see the famous mini Switzerland as named by the locals over there.
The main attraction Kolohoi Glacier situated near the Lidder Valley was the biggest glacier in Kashmir claimed by the locals.
  As its size shrinks every 10-15yrs the length is decreased gradually.
 It is also the main resource of many Himalayan lakes and streams which bring fresh water all year round.

.

Main mode of transportation is by horses only.

 












v Sonamarg-
 Sonamarg is a small hill station located near Ganderbal district in Kashmir. It is situated at a height of around 2700 meters above sea-level.
It is an 84 kms drive from Srinagar through the Leh-Ladakh highway.4 kms drive from Srinagar through  Leh-Ladakh highway. 





The Sonamarg name came from local languages meaning “Meadow of Gold”. It houses the Sindh Mountains, Machoi Glacier and Amarnath Peak.

The Zoji La near Sonamarg is also a passageway to the splendid and sparkly rooftop of India Leh.

The mode of transportation is done either by Tata Sumo vehicles provided by the Tourism Department or by horses.


Last but not the least...




v Lal Chowk-
Lal Chowk is the city’s main centre where Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru hoisted India’s flag in 1948 and was meeting point for all the political parties. It was named by the Left-Wing Activists when they were fighting Maharaja Hari Singh.



It is also the main shopping centre for Kashmiri Handicrafts, clothes, dry-fruits, souvenirs etc.




v Exotic Dishes-
The best exotic dish I ever tasted was the Kasmiri wazwan considered as the unique dish of Kashmir. It is popular throughout Kashmir and consists of Lamb and chicken with rice and curry. It is mostly prepared during Kasmiri festivals.




v Conclusion:
After a 5 day tour I can finally say that Kashmir is definitely a place you shouldn’t miss. The landscapes, exotic dishes, mind-boggling scenery etc etc is something worth going for.
Due to my short visit I may not be able to write about other amazing places in Kashmir, but the above ones are definitely the best ones I’ve ever seen.

What they say is true…..
Srinagar is definitely “HEAVEN ON EARTH”…….






   

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