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.