SO, why should someone visit kashmir ? well, for ,one , it is the Paradise on Earth, as Kashmr's famous guest Mughal emperor jehangir termed it all those centuries ago and another famous guest , George Harison of the Beatles ,reiterated a few decades ago. and Harrison was only writing about his stay in a houseboat on the Dal lake !
if you want to experience the perfect blend of natural , spiritual and cultural heritage, head to Kashmir and lose yourself amomng the majestic Himalayas, sparkling ,lakes ,virgi meaows, and embrace the rich history, an exploision of culture, tradition , craft and hospitable people. and there is no restriction to when you can visit and when not .
come in spring when kashmir burst into a riot of colors and millionsof flowers carpet the landscape and soak in the magical sight of almond blossoms at Badamvaer, the garden in the foothill of the majestic Hari Parbat Fort in Srinagar, built by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1597; walk through the mesmering Tulip Garden, Asia's largerst, on the shores of Dal or the impossibly green Mughal Gardens not far away .
come in summer and walk through the virgin meadows and gardens and trek along mountans paths in Gulmarg, Pahalgham ,Baderwah, Kishtwar, and Sonamarg;go rafting , paragliding and camping ; spend a few unforgettable nights in a houseboat on Dal; take a shikara ride on the lake;take in the calm of Wular and Mansbal lakes ; soothe your eyes at Chashm -e- Shahi and feel your blood rush at Verinag ;see the sparse landscape of ladakh ,as if designed by a modern - day minimalist, and its crystal clear high- altitude lakes ,which are among the few zero - pollution lakes on the planet, such as Tulin; go meditating in its monasteries; walk down the streets of Srinagar , Leh , Ladakh which littered with history and its artefacts ; join hundreds of thousands of pilgrims on their way to the Amarnath Cave shrine in the deep Himalayas .
come in autumn in autumn and watch the chinnars turn fiery , the field golden and the meadows lush ;go fishing , trekking,hiking and rafting ; watch the peasants harvest the golden paddies.
welcome the first snowfall with friends over a barbecue and a cup of kahwa (the local tea brewed with honey , cinnamon, cardamon, and saffron), or Nun Chai (salted tea served from a samovar);
go skiing in Gulmarg or try walking on frozen lakes ; watch the valley as it is carpeted while
And while you are on here, you can stay in luxurious hotels and huts in Srinagar , Pahalgham ,Gulmarg, and elsewhere; watch Kashmiri craftsmn weave their magic on pashmina shawls, carpet , woodwork, embroidery and paper machie;feast on the sinfully rich royal cuisine, Wazwan , redolent ,with flavour of cinnamon , cardamon , cloves and saffron .
so with so much, and a lot of more, on offer, how can someone stay away from Kashmir?
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