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Set like a
jewelled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a multi-faceted
diamond, changing its hues with the seasons - always extravagantly
beautiful. Two major Himalayan ranges, the Great Himalayan
Range and the Pir Panjal, surround the
landscape from the north and south respectively. They are the source
of great rivers, which flow down into the valleys, forested
with orchards and decorated by lily-laden lakes.
The
Mughals aptly called Kashmir ‘Paradise on Earth’ where they
journeyed across the hot plains of India, to the valley’s cool
environs in summer. Here they laid, with great love and care,
Srinagar’s many formal, waterfront gardens, now collectively known
as the Mughal Gardens. Anecdotes of four and five centuries
ago describe their love for these gardens, and the rivalries that
centred around their ownership. They also patronized the development
of art & craft among the people of Kashmir, leaving behind a
heritage of exquisite artisanship among thes people and making the
handicrafts of the land prized gifts all over the world.
Kashmir is
a land where myriad holiday ideas are realised. In
winter, when snow carpets the mountains, there is
skiing, tobogganing, sledge-riding, etc. along the gentle slopes. In
spring and summer, the honey-dewed orchards, rippling
lakes and blue skies beckon every soul to sample the many
delights the mountains and valleys have to offer.
Golfing at 2,700 m above the sea, water-skiing in the lakes and
angling for prized rainbow trout, or simply drifting down the willow
fringed alleys of lakes in shikaras and living in gorgeous
houseboats are some of the most favoured ones. |
