Travel Agent In Kashmir

Kashmir is known as heaven on earth. In the seventeenth century the Mughal emperor Jahangir set his eyes on the valley of Kashmir. He said that if paradise is anywhere on the earth, it is here, while living in a houseboat on the mesmerizing Dal Lake. If there is ever a heaven on earth, its here, its here, its here. In Jammu and Kashmir the most important tourist places are Kashmir, Srinagar, the Mughal Gardens, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Jammu, and Ladakh.

Set like a jeweled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a many-faceted diamond, changing its character with the seasons - always extravagantly beautiful. Three Himalayan ranges, Karakoram, Zanskar and Pir Panjal - snow-capped, majestic, frame the landscape from Northwest to northeast. Great rivers flow down from these mountains into the valleys below, forested with wild orchards and lily laden lakes.

Kashmir is awesome grandeur, serenity, and a wild profusion of colour. The Mughals, who celebrated beauty, planted their symmetrical gardens and added a further dimension to the valleys of Kashmir. They also left behind a heritage of exquisite artisanship among the people, making the handicrafts of the land prized gifts the world over.

Kashmir is a land where myriad holiday ideas take shape. In winter, when snow carpets the mountains, skiing, tobogganing, sled-riding are popular sports. In spring and summer, the honey-dewed orchards, rippling lakes and blue skies beckon every soul to sample the many delights the mountains and valleys have to offer. Golf at 3,000 meters above the sea, water-skiing, sailing and angling for prized rainbow trout or simply drift into dreams down the willow fringed alleys of lakes in gorgeous houseboats. The possibilities are endless.

Climate In Kashmir
The seasons are marked with sudden change and a year can be roughly divided into six seasons of two months each:

1. Spring - From March 15 to May 15.
2. Summer - From May 15 to July 15.
3. Rainy Season - From July 15 to Sept. 15.
4. Autumn - From Sept. 15 to Nov. 15.
5. Winter - From Nov. 15 to Jan 15.
6. Ice Cold - From Jan. 15 to March 15.

Kashmir was one of the major centre of Sanskrit scholars. According to the Mahabharata, the Kambojas ruled Kashmir during the epic period with a Republican system of government.Kashmir was once a Buddhist seat of learning, perhaps with the Sarvastivadan school dominating. East and Central Asian Buddhist monks are recorded as having visited the kingdom. In the late 4th century AD.

According to legend, Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in the 14th century BCE. During one of his hunting campaigns he reached the Tawi River where he saw a goat and a lion drinking water at the same place. The king was impressed and decided to set up a town after his name, Jamboo. With the passage of time, the name was corrupted and became "Jammu".

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, Chenab Valley, Poonch Valley, Sind Valley and Lidder Valley. The main Kashmir valley is 100 km (62 mi) wide and 15,520.3 km2 (5,992.4 sq mi) in area. The Himalayas divide the Kashmir valley from Ladakh while the Pir Panjal range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the Great Plains of northern India. Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas. This densely settled and beautiful valley has an average height of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea-level but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 5,000 metres (16,000ft).

Kashmiri cuisine includes dum aloo (boiled potatoes with heavy amounts of spice), tzaman (a solid cottage cheese), rogan josh (lamb cooked in heavy spices), yakhiyn (lamb cooked in curd with mild spices), hakh (a spinach-like leaf), rista-gushtaba (minced meat balls in tomato and curd curry),danival korme and of course the signature rice which is particular to Asian cultures. The traditional wazwan feast involves cooking meat or vegetables, usually mutton, in several different ways.

Alcohol is strictly prohibited in most places. There are two styles of making tea in the region: nun chai, or salt tea, which is pink in colour (known as chinen posh rang or peach flower colour) and popular with locals; and kahwah, a tea for festive occasions, made with saffron and spices (cardamom, cinamon,sugar, noon chai leaves), and lipton tea.

Tourism forms an integral part of the Kashmiri economy. Often dubbed "Paradise on Earth", Kashmir's mountainous landscape has attracted tourists for centuries. Notable places are Dal Lake, Srinagar Phalagam, Gulmarg, Yeusmarg and Mughal Gardens etc. However, the tourism industry is severely affected by the insurgency.

In recent years, Ladakh has emerged as a major hub for adventure tourism. This part of Greater Himalaya called "moon on earth" comprising of naked peaks and deep gorges was once known for the silk route to High Asia from the subcontinent. Leh is also a growing tourist spot.

The Kashmir Houseboat and the Dal Lake are widely associated with Srinigar and are nicknamed "floating palaces", built according to British customs. The houseboats are generally made from local cedar-wood and measure 24–38 metres (79–125 ft) in length and 3–6 metres (9.8–20 ft) in width and are graded in a similar fashion to hotels according to level of comfort. Many of them have lavishly furnished rooms, with verandas and a terrace to serve as a sun-deck or to serve evening cocktails. They are mainly moored along the western periphery of the lake, close to the lakeside boulevard in the vicinity of the Dal gate and on small islands in the lake. They are anchored individually, with interconnecting bridges providing access from one boat to the other. The kitchen-boat is annexed to the main houseboat, which also serves as residence of the boatkeeper and his family.

Dating back to the 3rd century BC, founded by Emperor Ashoka, Srinagar grew on both banks of the river Jhelum in the heart of the Kashmir Valley. It is the state capital and lies 900 kms north of Delhi. The Dal Lake is its waterfront. Between the lake and the mountain ranges are the Moghul gardens, Shalimar, Nishat and Chasm-e-shahi.

The oldest and largest of mosques of Kashmir are also in Srinagar. In the heart of the city, rises the 304 meters high Shankaracharya Hill also known as the Throne of King Solomon. It offers a panoramic view of the city, the valley and the Pir Panjal range. On the north-eastern side is Hari Parbat, another sacred mount which has a fortification built by Emperor Akbar in 1592, surrounded by fragrant almond orchards. A Durga temple stands nearby at Chareshwari. Then there are the Pather Masjid, built in 1620 by the Empress Nur Jehan, the Madani Masjid built by Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin, the poet-musician-ruler of Kashmir, the single greatest influence on the artistic heritage of the land.

Within motorable distance of Srinagar, are the following places:
Avantipur - Famous for its sulphur springs and Moghul summer palaces.

Martand (on the way from Srinagar to Pahalgham) with a 7th century Vishnu temple built by King Lalitaditya Muktapid. Martand is also famous for its hot springs with curative powers. A surya (sun) temple built by Lalitaditya lies in ruins 3 kms. away, revealing a definite Roman influence with Bengali Pala architecture.

Kokarnag - 70 kms. away in the heart of the Bhringi valley - has springs flowing at an altitude of 2,000 mts. said to possess miraculous curative powers. The remains of a pavilion and baths built by the Moghuls can be seen at Verinag, 80 kms. away from Srinagar. The Jhelum has its source here.

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary, has the Himalayan black and brown bear, musk deer and the Kashmiri stag hangul.

Burzahom - the remains of a settlement dating back to 2,500 BC.

Pahalgham - Unspoilt by the ravages of progress, 96 kms. east of Srinagar, nestled on the banks of the river Lidder lies the quaint village of Pahalgham. The serious angler’s delight, even amateurs manage a fair catch of rainbow trout from the rushing streams with bustling schools of fish. The large brown bear is a natural inhabitant of the thick pine an fir forests that cover the mountainside. Pahalgham has a golf course at 2400 mts. above sea level and is well equipped as a base for trekkers. Camping equipment, ponies and porters are readily available. Kolahoi glacier is the popular destination via Aru, a charming meadow. Pilgrims bound for Amarnath stop at Pahalgham, their first point of worship.

Gulmarg - India’s finest ski resort, Gulmarg, 53 kms. from Srinagar, is known as “The Meadow Of Flowers”. It also has the distinction of offering the highest natural golf course in the world at 2890 mts. Mid-December to March, Gulmarg becomes an exciting winter sports resort. Skiing, tobogganing, ski-bobbing, are some of the activities offered here, with instruction and equipment facilities.

Sonmarg - Gateway to Ladakh, at an altitude of 2740 mts. with brilliant forests of sycamore and alpine flowers, silver birch, fir and pine, Sonmarg is a golden meadow of enthralling beauty. Three lakes, Kishtawar, Vishensar and Gangatal can be viewed from the snow-covered Nichinai Pass. 20 kms. east of Sonmarg is the Zoji-la Pass at 3540 mts. which leads into the Ladakh plateau.

Jammu City is also known as "City of Temples" as it has many temples and shrines, with glittering shikhars soaring into the sky, which dot the city’s skyline, creating the ambiance of a holy and peaceful Hindu city. People of Jammu speak mostly Dogri, Poonchi, Gojri, Kotli, Mirpuri, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu.

The city name figures in the ancient book Mahabharata. Excavation near Akhnoor, 20 miles (32 km) from Jammu city, provides evidence that Jammu was once part of the Harappan civilization.

Home to some of the most popular Hindu shrines, such as Vaishno Devi, Jammu is a pilgrimage tourism destination in India. Amar Mahal Palace (a castle type) now a Museum. The majority of Jammu's 2.7 million population (even though the matrix on the right indicates a population of 369,000) practices Hinduism, while Islam and Sikhism enjoy a strong cultural heritage in the region. Due to relatively better infrastructure, Jammu has emerged as the main economic center of the state.

Kargil district is nestled in the Himalayas, giving it a cool, temperate climate. Summers are warm with cool nights, while winters are long and cold with temperatures often dropping to -40 °C (-40 °F) with recorded temperatures of -60 °C (-76 °F) in the tiny town of Dras, situated some 56 km (35 mi) from the Kargil town.

Much of Kargil population is inhabited by the Burig and Balti people of Tibetan origin (converting from Buddhism to Islam in the 16th Century) and have intermingled with the Dard, Mon and other Aryan people. The mainly Muslim Dards inhabit the valley of Drass and speak Shina, a small number of Buddhist Dard, known as Brokpa, inhabit the Dha-Hanu region near the Lamayuru monastery. Some Arghons and Shina are also settled in Kargil Town.

Kishtwar, the upland valley in the north-east corner of Jammu region, lies ensconced among the picturesque folds of the Pir Panjal and the Great Himalayan Ranges.Shepherds or Bakkarwals move through the streets of the valley. The area is drained by the Chenab river system which, flowing in from neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, enters the area through Paddar, home of the famous sapphire mines. Paddar, Dacchan,Marwah, Wadwan and Cahtroo are major valleys of Kishtwar.

Nagseen full of scenic beauty, is located on the east of Kishtwar town, which is surrounded by forests. This place has been named after the Budhist Preacher Nagseen.

Cherhar is beautiful village 4 km from main area Kishtwar.The most famous river "Chenab" flowing its north side. Name "Cherhar" is combination of two kashmiri words "Cher" and "Har" Cher means Apricot and Har means summer. In early time Cherhar was famous for Apricot in summer season. Dachhan Is a part of Marwah Niabat. From here, the route originates for high mountains of Bramah, Vaishno, Mahesh,Hudh Mata Shrain, and Sickle North. It is rich in trout fish.

Paddar The area with rich wild-life is full of natural beauty. The famous sapphire/ruby mines are located in this area.

Leh was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Leh with an area of 45,110 sq km makes it the second largest district after Kutch, Gujarat in the country in terms of area. The town is still dominated by the now ruined Leh Palace, former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace. Leh is at an altitude of 3524 meters (11,562 ft). National Highway 1D connects it to Srinagar in the northwest.

Leh has for centuries been an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and also between India and China. The royal palace, known as Leh Palace, was built by King Sengge Namgyal (1612–1642), presumably between the period when the Portuguese Jesuit priest, Francisco de Azevedo, visited Leh in 1631, and made no mention of it, and Sengge Namgyal's death in 1642. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, and the stables and store rooms are located on the lower floors. The palace was abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in the mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus.

Road
Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads both of which are subject to landslides and neither of which are passable in winter when covered by deep snows. The National Highway 1D from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus, and the lower but landslide-prone Rohtang Pass near Manali.

National Highway 1D
The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. Srinagar-Leh road typically remains open for traffic from June to October/November. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 3,505 m (11,500 ft.) high Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

Leh-Manali Highway
Since 1987, the 473-km Manali-Leh road has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. Open for traffic from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m to 4,570 m. There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes (but incorrectly) claimed to be the world’s second highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 m. (17,469 feet). See the article on Khardung La for a discussion of the world's highest motorable passes.

Air
Leh's Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to Delhi at least daily on Kingfisher, Jet Airways and/or Indian Airlines which also provides twice weekly services to Jammu and a weekly flight to Srinagar. Connect in Delhi for other destinations.

Patnitop or Patni Top, is a hill top tourist location in Udhampur district on the National Highway 1A, on the way from Udhampur to Srinagar. It is located in the Shiwalik belt of the Himalayas, and is in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The river Chenab flows in close proximity to this location.

Origin of the name Patnitop is a distortion of the original name of "Patan Da Talab" meaning "Pond of the Princess". In olden times a pond existed in the meadows and the kings princess often used to have her bath there. Part of the pond still exists near the youth hostel. It may be that the British had difficulties recording an English spelling of an Indian name correctly in their revenue records. Over the years the name changed from "Patan Da Talab" to Patnitop.

Paragliding Joyrides at Patnitop Now you can enjoy the thrill of flying, at Patnitop. The paragliding joyrides rides are conducted at Dawariyai, 2 km landmark, on the Patnitop-Sanasar road.You can ask for paragliding, at the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) barrier.

High Flying from Natha Top Take off is from Natha Top and landing at Kud.The flight can be from 15 mins to an hour depending on the wind conditions.

Sanasar is the name given to the two small villages of Sana and Sar in Jammu province, India.

Tandem Paragliding Joyrides:-Introduced by "Extreme Hmalayan Adventures" Sanasar offers Tandem (pilot & passenger) paragliding joyrides. The low flying ride, take off area, is near the parking lot, with a flight path over the lake of Sansar, to landing in the meadow, below. The 'over a minute' short flight attaining an altitude of 150-200 feet, makes it one of the safest, enjoyable paragliding experience, in India.

Shank Pal Templeis located on the Shank Pal ridge at an altitude of 2800 mts and is a 5 hr moderate trek. The 400 yr old temple, is dedicated to Nag Shank Pal. No mortar has been used, to join the stones of the temple.

Shanta Gala is a pass on the Shanta ridge and offers the view of the Panchari valley on the other side of the ridge. The pass leads to the Lander area.

Surni Kund is a small pond on the high Shank Pal ridge.2 K\km from the Shank Pal Nag temple, it is a 7 hr demanding trek from Sanasar.

Sonmarg or Sonamarg is a town of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Situated at 87 km from Srinagar, it is a popular tourist destination. Sonamarg, which means ‘meadow of gold’, has, as its backdrop, snowy mountains against a cerulean sky. The Sindh meanders along here and abounds with trout and mahseer, snow trout can be caught in the main river. Ponies can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier a major attraction during the summer months.

A close by excursion is to Baltal, 15 km north of Sonamarg. This little valley lies at the foot of the Zojila, only a day's journey away from the sacred cave of Amarnath. Trekkers can also reach the starkly splendid roof-top of the world – Leh, by crossing over the Zoji La pass.

Wular Lake (also spelt Wullar) is a large fresh water lake in Bandipore district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River. Fish from Wular Lake make up a significant part of the diet for many thousands of people living on its shores and elsewhere in the Kashmir valley. More than eight thousand fishermen earn their livelihood from the lake, primarily fishing for the endemic Schizothorax species and the non-native carp.
The Kashmiri sultan Zain-ul-Abidin is reputed to have ordered the construction of the artificial island of Zaina Lank in the middle of the lake in 1444. The lake sustains a rich population of birds.

The Zanskar Range is a mountain range in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that separates Zanskar from Ladakh. Geologically, the Zanskar Range is part of the Tethys Himalaya.

Much of Zanskar's vegetation is found in the lower reaches of the valleys, and consists of alpine and tundra species. Most impressive are the meadows covered with thousands of edelweiss. At the foot of the Gumburanjon mountain blue poppies can be found. Crops including barley, lentils, and potatoes are grown by farmers at the lower elevations, as well as apricot trees. Domesticated animals such as the yak, dzo, sheep, horse, and dog are found in the region.

Among the wildlife that can be found in Zanskar are the marmot, bear, wolf, snow leopard, kiang, bharal, alpine Ibex, wild sheep and goats, and the lammergeier.

Shalimar Gardens, is a Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Lahore, modern day Pakistan. Construction began in 1641 CE (1051 AH) and was completed the following year. The project management was carried out under the superintendence of Khalilullah Khan, a noble of Shah Jahan's court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. The Shalimar Gardens are located near Baghbanpura along the Grand Trunk Road some 5 kilometers northeast of the main Lahore city.

The site of the Shalimar Gardens originally belonged to one of the noble Zaildar families in the region, well known as Mian Family Baghbanpura. The family was also given the Royal title of 'Mian' by the Mughal Emperor, for its services to the Empire. Mian Muhammad Yusuf, then the head of the Mian family, donated the site of Ishaq Pura to the Emperor Shah Jahan, after pressure was placed on the family by the royal engineers who wished to build on the site due to its good position and soil. In return, Shah Jahan granted the Mian family governance of the Shalimar Gardens. The Shalimar Gardens remained under the custodianship of this family for more than 350 years.

Kashmir's economy is centered around agriculture. Traditionally the staple crop of the valley was rice, which formed the chief food of the people. In addition, Indian corn, wheat, barley and oats were also grown. Given its temperate climate, it is suited for crops like asparagus, artichoke, seakale, broad beans, beetroot, cauliflower and cabbage. Fruit trees are common in the valley, and the cultivated orchards yield pears, apples, peaches, and cherries. The chief trees are deodar, firs and pines, chenar or plane, maple, birch and walnut, apple, cherry.

Historically, Kashmir became known worldwide when Cashmere wool was exported to other regions and nations (exports have ceased due to decreased abundance of the cashmere goat and increased competition from China). Kashmiris are well adept at knitting and making Pashmina shawls, silk carpets, rugs, kurtas, and pottery. Saffron, too, is grown in Kashmir. Efforts are on to export the naturally grown fruits and vegetables as organic foods mainly to the Middle East. Srinagar is known for its silver-work, papier mache, wood-carving, and the weaving of silk.

Tourism in the Kashmir valley has rebounded in recent years and in 2009, the state became one of the top tourist destinations of India. Gulmarg, one of the most popular ski resort destinations in India, is also home to the world's highest green golf course.

The Amar Mahal Palace is in Jammu. Which has now been converted into a Museum. It was built in the nineteenth century for Raja Amar Singh, a Dogra king by a French architect. The palace was donated to the Hari-Tara charitable trust by Dr. Karan Singh for use as amuseum. It has many exhibits including a golden throne weighing 120 kg, Pahari miniature and Kangra miniature paintings, a library of 25,000 antique books and many rare art collections.

The palace was the last official residence of the Dogra Rajas, Suryavanshi Rajputs, and a large collection of portraits of the royal family are also on display in the Museum.

The Amar Mahal Palace was planned by a French architect, in 1862. However, it was not built until the 1890s. Maharani Tara Devi, wife of the late Maharaja Hari Singh (son of Raja Amar Singh) lived in this palace till her death in 1967. Subsequently, her son Dr. Karan Singh and his wife Mrs. Yasho Rajya Lakshmi converted the palace into a museum to house rare books and works of art, with the objective of “Encouraging artistic talent, to establish fine arts centre and to collaborate with other like minded institutions for promotion of Indian arts”. For this purpose, they transferred the palace property to a trust named as the “Hari-Tara Charitable Trust”.