Kashmir Beauty That Bedazzles
Kashmir, the earthly paradise is one of the most beautiful regions of India. Situated at an altitude ranging from 1585 m to 1829 m above sea level, the paradise is surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. The Pirpanhjal ranges have separated the valley from the plains of India, while the Naga hills stand on the northeast behind Ladakh. Kashmir is a land of really amazing beauty, in fact its beauty is incomparable. Since ancient times, Kashmir has been a popular place and it is mentioned in the epic Ramayana. Kashmir was the summer resorts of the Mughal emperor Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. The Mughal rulers used to visit Kashmir to retreat from the heat of the plains. They developed the art of their formal garden pattern to its greatest heights in the gardens of Kashmir- Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh and Chashmashahi.


Travel Attractions of Kashmir
Srinagar Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir is located on the Dal Lake and the Jhelum river. Srinagar is situated at a height of 1,768 m above sea level, spreading over 37.8 sq. km. Today a modern city, Srinagar is adorned with nicely decorated lakes and gardens. Apart from an important tourist destination, Srinagar is also famous for the legendary handicrafts of Kashmir like woollen pashmina shawls, carpets, silks and oak furniture.

Dal Lake : Dal lake, the beauty of Kashmir, is a sweet water lake which consists of a maze of intricate waterways. The 6 km long and 3 km broad lake comprises Garriwal, Lakuti Dal and Bera Dal. The Lake Nagin is also the part of Dal Lake but it is separated by a floating garden. Within the lake are two little islands - Sona Lank (Silver Island) and Rupa Lank (Gold Island), which are popular picnic spots. A leisurely cruise on the lake by Shikara is a wonderful experience. The floating hotels and the houseboats are other attractions here.

Nishat Bagh : Nishat Bagh, the largest of the Mughal Gardens, is sandwiched between the Dal Lake and the Pir Panjal mountains. It was designed by Asaf Khan, the brother of empress Nur Jahan in 1633. The garden follows the traditional pattern of the Mughals, that is a central channel running down a series of terraces. There are fountains, gardens of fruits and flowers and trees like Chinar, Cypris and Cedar.

Shalimar Bagh : 3 km north of Nishat Bagh, the Shalimar Bagh was laid on the Dal Lake in four terraces. The Shalimar bagh was built by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir for his wife Nur Jahan in 1616. During the Mughal period the topmost terrace was reserved for the emperor and the ladies of the court. From May to October, the Son-et-Lumiere (sound and light show) arranged by ITDC recreates the scene of Mughal Durbar.

Nasim Bagh : Situated at a distance of 5 kms from Shalimar Bagh, the Nasim Bagh is the oldest Mughal Garden in Srinagar. Built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1586, the Nasim Bagh is the garden of the morning breeze. The gardens have no fountains or fruit and flowers, however, this deficiency was filled by the royal Chinars brought from Persia.

Hazratbal Mosque : The white shiny mosque lies on the western shore of the Dal Lake. The Hazratbal mosque is famous for its stunningly beautiful setting with the snow capped peaks as a backdrop. Built in Mughal and Kashmiri architectural style, the mosque has a dome in Ottoman style on the top. The mosque contains a sacred hair of Prophet Mohammed's beard, kept in a glass case.

Shankaracharya Temple : The temple is said to have been built by Jhaluka, son of Emperor Ashoka in 200 B.C, but the present temple was built by a Hindu during the reign of Jehangir. The temple offers superb views of the Srinagar town as well as the Kashmir valley.


Excursions
Gulmarg : Gulmarg meaning the Meadow of Flowers, is located at a distance of 52 kms from Srinagar. Situated at an altitude of 2730, Gulmarg is an excellent trekking base and in winters it serves as a premier skiing resort of India. Gulmarg is also known for one of the world's best 18-hole golf courses.

Pahalgam : About 95 kms away from Srinagar, Pahalgam is a hill station situated at a height of 2,130 m above sea level. The town lies at the juction of the Sheshnag and Lidder rivers and is surrounded by lofty snow-capped mountain peaks. Pahalgam is an ideal base for short day and longer treks to the Kolahoi Glacier or the Amarnath Cave.

Amarnath : The sacred pilgrimage centre of the Hindus lies 145 kms east of Srinagar. Amarnath Cave is situated at an elevation of 3,880 m above sea level. The deity here is the ice Shivalingam, which is actually a stalagmite created by water dripping through limestone roof of the cave.


How to Reach
By Air : Srinagar Airport is located at a distance of 13 kms from the town centre. Flights are available from Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar etc.

By Rail : Jammu Tawi Railway station is the nearest railhead which is 303 kms away from Srinagar. The trains link Jammu station to various parts of India.

By Road : A good network of roads connects Srinagar with Jammu and other parts of the state. The J & K Road Transport Corporation runs buses from Jammu to Srinagar.

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Leh - Scenic, Sacred & Adventurous
Leh, the district headquarters of the Ladakh district, is a small oasis in the midst of the pristine beauty of nature. Situated at an altitude of 3,521 m above sea level, the picturesque town is surrounded by the mountainous peaks of Karakoram ranges. Ladakh is bounded by Pok (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) on the west, China on the north and east and Lahul Spiti (Himachal Pradesh) on the south and eastern part. Centuries ago the region was one of the busiest markets on the old caravan silk route from China. Today, Leh is mainly a military base and a tourist destination, but wandering through the streets of the town is a fascinating experience. Since long, Leh has been the center of Tibeto-Buddhist Culture, its colorful gompas (monasteries) attract Buddhists from far and away. Leh is mostly populated by Buddhists. Ladakhis are known for their colourful dresses, with the men wearing Gaucha and women wearing Kuntop and a variety of ornate silver ornaments. In addition to this, they wear long caps covering their ears called as Perak, which are usually in different shapes and sizes and their varied shapes indicate their family heritage.


Leh Travel Attractions
Leh Palace : The palace built in the 16th century is now deserted and badly damaged. Built in the traditional Tibetan style, the palace looks like a mini version of the famous Potala in Lhasa. It was the residence of the royal family of Ladakh until they were exiled to Stok in 1830. The palace houses Buddhist wall paintings, centuries old painted scrolls and other artefacts. The Leh Palace now houses the Ladakhi branch of the Indian Government's archaeological conservation organization. The palace provides superb views of the surrounding areas from the roof.

Leh Gompa (Monastery) : The Leh Gompa is situated high above the Leh Palace. Built in 1430, the Gompa overlooks the ruins of the older palace. The Leh Gompa has a fine three-storeyed image of Buddha in seating posture.

Other Gompas : Leh, the central region of Ladakh is home to major Buddhist gompas or monasteries. Most important gompas are Lamayuru, Phiyang, Hemis and Chemrey.

Leh Mosque : The imposing green and white mosque, stands in the main market of Leh. The historical mosque was built in 1666-67, in Turko-Iranian architecture style. The mosque was built following an agreement between the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and Deldan Namgyal, the then ruler of Ladakh.

Sankar Gompa : Located couple of kilometres away from Leh town, the little gompa belongs to the Gelukspa school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is open from 6 to 8 am and 6 to 7 pm. Above the gompa is an interesting representation of Avalokitesvara, with 1000 arms and 1000 heads.

Adventure Sports : The hill station offers plenty of adventure sports like trekking, mountaineering, camping, water rafting, polo and mountain biking.


Excursions
Spituk Gompa : 8 kms away from Leh town, the gompa is perched on the top a hillock. The 15th century monastery houses many icons of Buddha and five thangkas. The Gompa has a collection ancient masks, arms and an image of Mahakal. The Spituk Gompa offers panoramic views of the Indus Valley.

Shey Gompa : Situated at a distance of 15 kms from Leh, the place is believed to have been the seat of power of the early Tibetan kings. Major attraction of this place is a 7.5 m high copper statue of Buddha plated with gold.

Stok Palace Museum : The museum located 17 kms away from Leh town, exhibits precious stones, thangkas, coins, royal crowns, royal dresses, prayer instruments etc.

Shanti Stupa : The Shanti Stupa is located at Changspa on the hilltop. It was built by a Japanese in 1985 with the aim to spread Buddhism across the world. It attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world.


How To Reach Leh
By Air : Leh Airport is located at a distance of 8 kms from the town centre. Direct flights connect Leh to Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar and Jammu.

By Rail : Jammu (620 kms) is the nearest railway station. Trains are available from various parts of India to Jammu.

By Road : Srinagar- Leh is the main road to reach Leh. The road is open between June and November and closed between December and May. The buses of J&K State Road Transport Corporation ply on this route.

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