Mesmerising Kashmir-I:Pahalgam and Martand

Summers already set in India and tourists already eyeing Kashmir to escape from the heat and for a magnificent view of the valley. It is apt time to share my experience of the visit to this beautiful valley that I visited last year and will like to visit again and again. Agar Firdaus rightly said “If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here”. Kashmir is so rich in its natural beauty that no one who visits Kashmir will disagree when it is said that Kashmir is  “the heaven on earth” “the Switzerland of India” or “The magnificent paradise”.

I visited Kashmir in 2012 and it seemed like any other tourist destinations with no sign of militancy or terror except patrolling by military. We were impressed by the hospitality of kashmiri people, which added colour to that already provided by the serene beauty of the nature. There is so much to see in Kashmir that one article would never be enough. So I think it would be a great idea to tell the entire story in a series. I begin by talking about Pahalgam and the famous World heritage site of Martand sun temple.

 Pahalgam

Immediately after arriving at Srinagar airport, we drove straight towards Pahalgam. Pahalgam is located at a distance of about 95 kilometres from Srinagar. It took us about 2 hours to reach there.  Initial one and a half hour was in plains and nothing great to watch except for the saffron fields. But the journey half an hour before Pahalgam was so breathtaking with the mesmerising view of the snow capped Himalayas that it took away all the tiredness of the journey. We felt rejuvenated by the cool fresh air full of fragrance. We already got an idea of what was in store for us in Pahalgam.

Pahalgam is situated in the Anantnag district in Kashmir and is one of the famous tourist destinations in Kashmir. No wonder people from every nook and corner of India visit this place, which is no less than a paradise. Pahalgam is not a mere hill-station, it is also a recreation resort and holds importance to the pilgrims as it is enroute the holy amaranth cave. It is like going into the lap of nature to do many things. There is a popular legend that says the name Pahalgam has been derived from the word “Bail(bull)gam(village). It is believed that while going to amaranth cave to reveal the secrets of life to his consort Parvati, Lord Shiva left his bull “nandi” here in Pahalgam.

Pahalgam is situated at the confluence of the streams flowing from Sheshnag Lake and the Lidder river.  Pahalgam at a height of 2,130 m was once a humble shepherd's village with breathtaking views. It is therefore also called as “the valley of shepherds”. Now it is Kashmir's premier resort, cool even during the height of summer when the maximum temperature does not exceed 25 deg C. A number of hotels and lodges cater to all preferences and budgets, from luxurious hotels to unpretentious trekkers' lodges, including J&K TDC huts.

On reaching Pahalgam, we straight away drove towards the guest house of the fisheries department.The guest house location is the best in Pahalgam . We were simply amazed by the location. The guest house is located on the banks of Lidder river and surrounded by the breathtaking views of the snow capped Himalaya everywhere. The premises of guest house itself was interesting with raceways on one side with brown trout and the Lidder river on the other side .The surroundings of the campus was so green and everything looked like a picture postcard . We decided that we spend a day just relaxing and admiring the beauty and see the local places next day. We also decided that it will be better idea to enjoy the nature than to get ourselves tired by touching each and every point of tourist attractions.

Pahalgam has four different areas to explore: a meadow above the village called Baisaran and three scenic valleys – Betaab, Chandanwadi and Aru. Baisaran and Betaab valley can be trekked to or accessed on ponies, while the other valleys are far out and need a car ride.

We decided to visit Betaab valley. It is a large picnic area with the Lidder river flowing right through it and green, snow-capped mountains forming the backdrop . The valley got its name from the Sunny Deol-Amrita Singh hit debut film Betaab. Betab Valley is a very popular touristic destination. The valley is also a favorite campsite of travelers as it also serves as a base camp for trekking and further exploration of the mountains. A paved walkway runs around the perimeter of the meadow and plenty of trees provide many shaded spots for visitors to picnic. The valley is about 7 kilometres from Pahalgam, and is at an elevation of 8300 feet above sea level – of dense pine and deodar forests interspersed with large clearances of lush green meadows.

Betaab Valley was originally called the Hajan Valley. Post its filming of the Bollywood 1983 blockbuster – ‘Betaab’, Hajan was renamed Betaab. Since this discovery the Betaab Valley has become a film-maker’s favourite locale for romantic films.

Betaab Valley is also an Angler’s delight with numerous trout-fishing avenues. Fishing permit is required to go fishing in Betaab Valley. Whether you want to trot, canter or gallop, Betaab Valley is the right place for horse riding. The boys who hire out their horses also teach you riding. So picturesque is this Valley that it offers myriad mini locales for photography and a bunch of photographers are always jaunting around clicking away photos of visitors.

A natural inhabitant of the Pine and Cedar Forests of Pahalgam is the Brown Bear. With regular sightings in and around Pahalgam, the Brown Bear maintains a prominent presence in this region. Also visible are Monkeys who populate this area and are looking for food at the camp sites.

Betaab Valley is also a favourite campsite of travellers from America and Europe as it is also serves as a base for trekking and further exploration of the mountains. After spending nearly a day at Betaab valley, we returned to the town. Pahalgam has a small zoo that we saw enroute. Besides , there are Shiva  temples dating back to the time of Pandava kings. The town also has a small market buzzing with tourists . The otherattractions near Pahalgam are chandanwari, Baisaran, aru valley and Tuliyan lake. We did not visit all due to shortage of time. Besides due to exceptional snowfall in 2012, the road to chandanwari was still not fully open. It would, however , be pertinent to briefly mention about these places .

Chandanwari, is situated at a distance of 16 km from Pahalgam, lies at an elevation of 2,923 m. Famous for its snow bridge, this location serves as the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra that takes place every year, from July to August. With a fairly flat terrain linking Chandanwari to Pahalgam, the location is easily accessible by car.

Baisaran, situated 5 km away from Pahalgam, is a lush meadow enveloped with dense vegetation. The meadow is dotted with thickly wooded forests of pine, and provides a view of the beautiful snow-clad mountains that surround it from all sides. Resembling European resorts, this huge and undulating meadow serves as a good campsite.

Aru is a resort village, located at a distance of 11 km from Pahalgam. Lying at an elevation of 2,408 m, this meadow leads to the famous trek via Lidderwat, extending to Kolahoi Glaciers (36 km) at an altitude of 3,400 m. Travellers visiting Pahalgam can reach this village by travelling on a motorable road or walking along a mountain path.

Tulian Lake is located at an altitude of 3353 m, 11 km away from Baisaran and 16 km from Pahalgam. This snow-covered lake is surrounded by peaks that rise to a height of more than 300 m above its shores. Tulian Lake is set along a trek route via Baisaran, and thus can be reached by hiring ponies from near the centre of the town.

Martand

While heading towards Kokarnag , we visited the famous Martand sun temple .Martand Sun Temple is the magnificent temple  constructed as a dedication to Sun God by  King Lalitaditya of Surya (Sun) dynasty of Kashmir. The temple is an architectural marvel an epitome of the skill and hard work of the Kashmiri Pundits.The Martand Sun Temple is located in the Anantnag district of Kshmir on a plateau overlooking the town . The temple was completely destroyed by Sikandar Butshikan in early 15th century. It took one year for Sikander Butshikan to fully damage and destroy this Martand temple. The temple is in ruins now but the ruins itself are interesting to watch.

Martand holds a very high place in the world's great architectural designs and is considered to be not only an example of the Kashmiri architectural skill but also has pride of having been set up at a prettier spot than those of Parthinan, Taj Mahal and St. Peters. A representative of all such great buildings and monuments or a combination and sum total of all the qualities, the ruins of the huge temple stand in a square field with snow-capped mountains as its backdrop. This temple has been built with strong and square limestones and exhibits the pillars of Greek pattern. Martand temple is said to be a mirror of the art and skill of Kashmiri Hindus. This way Lalitaditya should not be considered only a founder of a vast empire but also a founder of art and skill of Kashmiri Hindus for six centuries.The first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited this place in 1700 and preached to the hindus about Sikhism.

OSTIA ANTICA

 Ostia Antica

 

Originally a colony of Rome, Ostia grew to become the major port of the city. It was situated on the mouth of the Tiber, the word Ostia meaning mouth. The town's growth started in the late Republic, but expanded rapidly under the Emperors Claudius and Trajan. The town was deserted after Rome's fall in 476 AD, and the buildings fell into ruins which were in turn covered by sand and mud from the Tiber. The ancient town remained farmland until excavations took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and now most of the old town is uncovered, giving the visitor an idea of what life was like in an Ancient Roman commercial town during the height of the Empire.

 The main attractions at the Ostia antica are the forum, ancient apartment buildings, the baths and the Piazza of the Corporations and the amphitheatre. The Forum, with its Capitol and the temple are magnificent. I found the amphitheatre amazing .It has been excavated almost as it existed. The Piazza of the Corporations, behind the theatre, preserves the offices of trade guilds or merchants from various parts of the world, each office identified by its mosaic floor. The ancient apartment buildings that are very well preserved were the home of the poor dock workers living in large apartment buildings. These buildings can be explored to one storey in height, with narrow stairways and corridors leading to small rooms. There are also the remains of more wealthy houses, such as the House of Cupid and Psyche, with very rich marble decorations. One gets a feel of how these people lived 2,000 years ago. There also is a small museum that contains the main finds from the excavations, ranging from cult statues to small bits of sculpture.

There are other attractions in the vicinity of the excavation site .The ancient warehouses and docks are well preserved and look very much like those of the 19th century. Ostia Castle is close to Ostia Antica. It was built in 1483 by Giuliano della Rovere, who later became Pope Julius II. Much of the building material consisted of bricks pilfered from Ostia Antica.

 

Ostia Lido beach

Ostia beach is located about 30 kms west of Rome's historic center. It is the longest and most popular beach because of its proximity to Rome .The beach stretches over 10 kms from the mouth of the Tiber to Capacotta. Ostia Lido has more than 50 private beach areas along the sandy coastline and I was told that it can accommodate more than 50,000 Roman beach-goers on Sundays during summers.  The beach definitely is not as glamorous as beaches in Europe, but it is good for a break from the crowd of Rome.  The beaches are known for their dark sand something that I saw in Kovalam beach in India. While most of the beaches are private beaches, where there is an entry fee and user charges for availing facilities like beach chairs, lockers etc , there are public beaches too. But there are no barriers to stroll around in the private beach areas too. Since, Ostia Lido is just about half an hour drive on the local Ostia lido train form Pirammide station , people from every nook and corner of Rome head towards Ostia Lido during summers making it very crowded. I visited Ostia beach in early May, when summers just set in and the beaches had moderate crowd and few isolated stretches too.

There are plenty of good seafood restaurants, and of course a lot of ice-cream parlors selling that creamy and delicious ice-cream that Rome is renowned for. Like any seaside town, Ostia has a bubbling nightlife, of the decidedly commercial variety. The beaches have the usual sites typically seen on any developed beach like people sunbathing, beach volleyball, sand sculptures. There are plenty of vendors selling beach wears, sunglasses, sun screen lotions .I also spotted a few masseurs too. The beaches are located near sand dunes and very much like dessert –dry and wild. No palms, not much greenery. The beaches are family beaches but some amount of nudity is tolerated. I could spot many women going topless too. In nutshell, a good time pass and a welcome break from Rome’s crowded street after a visit to Ostia antica’s ruin, which may be tiring on a sunny day.

 

My Rome Diary -4

Castle Angelo, Piazza venezia and piazza novona are three monuments that needs to be mentioned , which covers most of the places worth mentioning that I visited. Rome full of monuments and ruins with unique history. I need many more visits to cover all that .

Castel Angelo

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo. It is a towering cylindrical building initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the Popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. Hadrian's ashes were placed here a year after his death in 138 AD, together with those of his wife and his first adopted son, who also died in 138 AD. Following this, the remains of succeeding emperors were also placed here.

 

Ponte Sant'Angelo, is the beautiful bridge on river Tiber that facing the castle .It was also called the Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius, meaning the Bridge of Hadrian. The bridge dates back to 134 AD and was build by Hadrian, to connect the Tiber, from the city center to his newly constructed mausoleum. The bridge is now solely pedestrian, and provides a photogenic view of the Castel Sant'Angelo. In times past, pilgrims used this bridge to reach St Peter's Basilica, hence it was known also with the name of "bridge of Saint Peter”. In 1535, Pope Clement VII allocated the toll income of the bridge to erecting the statues of the apostles saint Peter and Saint Paul to which subsequently the four evangelists and the patriarchs were added to other representing statues Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses.

 

 

Piazza Venezia

Piazza Venezia is a big square with lots of hustle and bustle with people from every nook and corner of Rome. It has Monument of Victor Emmanuel and Palace of Bonaparte.

The Altar of the Fatherland which is also known as the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II is another eye catching building in Rome .The monument was built in honour of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. It occupies a site between the Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill. The monument is built of white marble, and features stairways, Corinthian columns, fountains, an equestrian sculpture of Victor Emmanuel and two statues of the goddess Victoria. Even if one doesn’t have this monument in ones itinerary, one does come across this monument because of its central location. The white marbles provide it a shining look that catches attention of anyone and one is instantly inclined to take out the cameras to click the building.

Looking down from Il Vittoriano towards Piazza Venezia, one  can see the Palazzo Venezia on left. The building that gave the square its name and was built between 1455 and 1464 by cardinal Pietro Barbo who went on to become pope Paul II. It is one of the oldest civil Renaissance buildings in Rome. The palace was used as a papal residence until pope Pius IV handed the building over to Venice, who used it as their embassy. In 1916 the Palazzo Venezia was acquired by the Italian government. Benito Mussolini used the building as his headquarter and addressed the people from the palace's balcony.

On the right of the Palazzo Venezia is another palace, the Palazzo Bonaparte. It was named after Letizia Bonaparte, mother of Emperor Napoleon I.

Piazza Navona -Fountain of the Four Rivers

The main attraction of Piazza Navona is the trio of fountains that adorn the square. The central and largest fountain is the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). It was constructed between 1647 and 1651 on request of pope Innocent X.. The fountain features four figures, each representing a river from a different continent - the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata. The statues are at the base of a rock supporting an obelisk. It was exciting for me to see the Ganges in Rome.