One day, I got an unexpected call from my brother-in-law Sunil. Manoharan, we are going to Kashmir. It is a package tour of Glance India. It is the cheapest. The question was whether you will come. If yes, he also gave me the phone number to contact Haseena, the agent of Glance India. Although I had the opportunity to visit various states of India officially many times, I did not have the chance to see Srinagar, the capital of kashmir. I had the opportunity to visit Jammu twice. But I did not have the chance to visit Srinagar. I immediately called Haseena. I did everything as she told me to pay the money immediately and inform my Aadhaar number. This is how the unfortunate occasion of visiting Srinagar came. Although I had visited Jammu and Kashmir twice before, for some reason I did not have the chance to see Srinagar.
The trip was scheduled to start on September 14, 2022. The tour company had suggested rearding the clothes we shall take through the newly started WhatsApp group. It also came to light that there was a group of 22 people with us. On SEPTEMBER 14, 2022. I was supposed to leave for New Delhi on an 8.15 AM Indigo flight. My wife Lekha, Sunil, and his wife Sheeba reached the Kochi airport on time. We met Nazir, who was appointed as our tour guide. Nazir, a handsome and well-mannered soft spoken young man, . He had already arrived at the airport early in order to receive everyone in our troop.
When our flight to Kashmir took off from the runway at exactly 8.15 am, I never imagined that five days of immense joy awaited us. After landing at delhi, we would have to catch a flight to Srinagar.
Writer in Pahalgam
Pahalgam
The Indigo flight to Srinagar departed from Delhi at 4.30 PM. The plane reached @ Srinagar airport at exactly 6 PM. While looking at Srinagar airport, some historical events that have determined the fate of our country flashed through my mind. In 1948, the Pashtuns who came via Baramulla with the help of the Pakistan army approached Srinagar airport but could not capture it. History says that the Pashtun rebels who arrived in Baramulla with the help of the Pakistan army spent three days looting, killing, raping in the town. This paved the way for the King of Kashmir, Hari Singh, to join the Indian Union and for the Indian Army to land in Srinagar. The arrival of the Indian Army was an event that changed the fate of Kashmir. If the rebels had captured Srinagar at that time, the Indian Army would never have been able to win that war. This airport decided the fate of Kashmir. That is why Kashmir remains a part of India even today, which is a historical fact. It is to be remebered by every Indian that Mr. Biju Patnaik, who later became the Chief Minister of Orissa state, landed the Indian Army at this airport, which was a historic event.
The hotel in which we stayed the next 5 days was in the city. Since Nazir was a frequent visitor to Kashmir many times, he had arranged a traveeler vehicle to transport us to the hotel. A sumptuous dinner had been arranged at the hotel. Fish from the Dal Lake in Kashmir was a main dish in the dinner.
In Pahalgam Pahalgam
Nazir had said the previous day while having dinner that breakfast would be ready at exactly 8 am and that we should have to start our journey to Pahalgam at exactly 8.30 am. During te breakfast, we met all 22 people in our group in the dining hall. Visakhan, who had come from Thiruvananthapuram as a single person, two retired teachers who were friends from Kayamkulam and their husbands were some of them. Sebastian and his wife, who had retired from BSNL, their son Arun and his wife, their friend Sarala, daughter Archana and their friend Devarajan, then the bank managers Lovely and Sahador Sanju were also part of the tour programme. We left for Pahalgam at exactly 9 am.
A beautiful picture of Pahalgam
At Avanti Swami Temple In the car, Nazir explained the proposed events of the day. First, an 8th century temple, then a market where you can get dry fruits, an apple orchard, then Pahalgam. This was our programme. The first thing we visited was the Avanti Swami temple. It is a very beautiful Vishnu temple built by a king named Avantiraman in the 8th century. It was destroyed during the ascent to Islam in the 14th century. It is located on the banks of the Jhelum river. After taking some photos, I went to the dry fruit market.
In Pahalgam
Vishakhan captures the beauty of the river
At the dry fruit market
Anantnag district is home to saffron cultivation. After travelling for a while on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, we enter Anantnag district by taking a left turn. The shopkeeper seemed to be expecting us and welcomed us. All dry fruits are available here. You can eat as many as you want as sample. It seems that a few people took advantage of it. Kashmiri tawa is also provided free of cost. We spent about half an hour there. I bought some fruits. After half an hour, We went to the apple orchard.
On the way, Icould see a different sight in Anantnag. There are many shops selling cricket bats on both sides of the road. Ananth nag in KASHMIR is the place where Willow cricket bats are exported to the united kingdom. This is an industry that provides employment to about 50,000 people. I remembered my little granddaughter who plays cricket. When I requested Nazir to stop here on our return journey w so that i could buy a cricket bat, Nazir readily agreed.
In the apple orchard
Apple orchards could be seen on both sides of the road. September is the time for apple harvesting. All the orchards have been plucked. We stopped our vehicle near an apple orchard. Nasir told us that it was worth seeing and taking pictures. There was a woman selling apple juice right in front of the farm. We got down, took pictures and had apple juice. the apple industry is the backbone 0f kasmir economy.Jamm and kashmir produces around 2 million tons of apples annually.
Then to Pahalgam.
Pahalgam is a switzerland
Another beautiful photo
In Pahalgam
We reached Pahalgam at around 1:30 PM. After having lunch, we first went to Chandwari Valley, where the Amarnath Yatra begins. We left our vehicle there and took another vehicle for the journey. It had not been long since the Amarnath Yatra began. We saw its remains.
Pahalgam is a wellknown hilltown and tourist resort in south kashmir famous for scenery.
Pahalgam is a tourist destination located on the banks of the Lider River, 45 km from Anantnag. It is at an altitude of 2200 feet. The movie Betaab starring Sunny Deol and Amrita was extensively shot around pahalgam and the nearby valley is named as betaab valley. We went to see it after Chandanwari which is asmall scenic spot near pahalgam best known as a snow point and as the starting point for the amarnath yatra route. It is known as Mini Switzerland. This land is so beautiful. The natural beauty that makes us feel like there is heaven on earth is there. Wherever we look, there is a dazzling beauty. We do not know how the hours pass. There is no doubt that every moment spent there will conquer our minds. There is no doubt that the goddess of nature is beautiful here at any time.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that there is no one who is not mesmerized by the beauty of Pahalgam. By the time we had seen the Betabwali, it was past five o'clock. Many of our groupmembers still felt reluctant to leave this place. Pahalgam is one of the busiest tourist destinations in Kashmir.
Pahalagam is like a beautiful picture.
We left Pahalgam at 6 pm. As I said earlier, I bid farewell to Anant Nag after buying a cricket bat. We returned to our accommodation at exactly 8 pm. Dinner was ready, so we went to our room.
A photo with a girl who came with a bird during a visit to an apple orchard In the apple orchard
Avantiswamy Temple
Comments
Post a Comment