The Kashmir Diary
This is a journal written by a visitor. A journal is a series of diary entries that tell about a series of events.
31 May - We were so excited. Finally, my children and I were in the aeroplane - to the Paradise.
From the plane window we could see the beautiful Kashmir. My kids were excited to see the snow-covered peaks from the aeroplane. The trees were growing bigger as we landed.
Oh! The freshness and happiness of being at the Srinagar airport! I couldn't believe it!
In the cab, I was recollecting childhood memories. The city looked just the same! Just a couple of flyovers!As I pointed towards Lal Chowk, my daughter reminded her little brother of the movie Holder.
was lost in a beautiful memory when the children sovamed, "Shikaras! Dal Lakel! We jolt checked in and dumped out luggage in the hotel and asked the tab driver to take us to Shalemmar Garden It was drizzling and we had the local macroods with the sizzling kehwah in a copper kettle and cups)
Back to the hotel at night, I told my kids about my childhood experience of Sonmarg, the glacier-how we got caught in a snowstorm when we had wisted the glacier 25 years ago.
1 June-Early moming with the cameras and our binoculars, we were in the cab. The chinar trees lining the meandering roads was a spectacle for my children. All these years I had been telling them of the beauty of the place and today they were seeing it by themselves, feeling the freshness of Kashmir, the warmth of its people, the taste of its delicacies. Soon we saw the glacier. I was aghast to see how low it had come. As we got down to take pictures we realised, It was a limestone rock that looked Ike a glacier. What a beauty!it were at the base of the glacier, ready for the trek. Lush green meadows, after sheep grazing in thers growing everywhere, ponies relaxing eadow w and in the spen - it was breathtaking! People were playing on the glacier, Some were sipping hot tea with local nacks, but we were admiring Nature-its splendours! It started jizzling and soon we were back to the base, in our cab, back to our hotel in Srinagar.
2 June-Around 9 in the morning, we were at the haunted Pari Mahal. What a view! A bird's-eye wew of the lake, mountains and the city. The place is said to be haunted and no one is allowed to stay there past five in the evening. We saw the Mughal gardens. What lavish life these kings led! In the evening we enjoyed wazwan - the special Kashmiri non-vegetarian, multi course meal. My kids were amazed at the warmth and cooking skills of the Kashmiris.
3 June - Our shikara-ride and shopping day. We hired a shikara market did not exist earlier. What fun - rowing, shopping, resting, eating, and drinking.
We saw the sunrise and we were in the shikara till sunset. My daughter was eyeing everything through the camera lens and capturing the moments forever.
The precious handicrafts of Kashmir, were the children's treasure hunt.
4 June - Early morning we checked out and set out for the resort at Pahalgam. The film destination! Our resort was on the banks of the famous River Lidder. The cascading, freezing water, the serenity and beauty of nature, was a soothing experience. I found some old shops that existed 25 years ago. Memories flooded me! My children hopping to buy Kashmiri embroidery stuff, papier maché, walnut wood carving stuff, leather stuff... the list is endless and so was their list of gifts for their friends. Again at night, we spread out the priceless prized treasures; looking in amazement at the craftsmanship.
5 June -This was perhaps the most endearing experience that we had- Arru Valley. We were in a dreamland, There were trees, animals, birds, the was cloudyerfall mountains, snow-covered peaks, shepherds, Sometimes it absolutudy then it was sunny. I don't have words to describe what we saw awe of Nature.
June-Back to Srinagar airport. We didn't want to leave the place but we had to. I relived my childhood memories and my children had a unique experience.Back home, my daughter asked me Mom why do people go to foreign zestinations for trips? This place is better than the best." I nodded my head with a smile and a satisfaction in my heart that I could take my children to Kashmir.