Kashmir valley in winters. Review on Patnitop

I had an occasion to visit the kashmir valley in the month of February 2004. After my visit to Mata Vaishno Devi I started for pahalgam by road at 9 A.M. with the news that snowfall had started and it was advisable to cross the Jawahar tunnel before it gets blocked. We reached pahalgam (7100 ft) at about 5.45 p.m. after encountering mild snowfall at patnitop ( 11.40 A.M.) and heavy snowfall near the tunnel ( 2.30 P.M. ). When we reached pahalgam the snowfall had already stopped in the afternoon and the few stars could be seen trying to fight their way out of clouds. The next day was absolutely like a picture postcard.

There was this valley with snow and the lidder river flowing by in a completely cloudless sky. The snow was fresh and all the tress and houses was covered with snow. We went to the golf course on a pony but could not go ahead due to blockage. In the afternoon ( 3 P.M. ) we started for Srinagar ( 4500 ft) and reached there at 5.30 P.M. and went to the Dal lake and checked into a houseboat.

The houseboat was a complete experience in itself with beautifully decorated bedrooms and the living room with bukharis heating them but early in morning the houseboats become cold if the bukharis are not replenished by wood. Next day we went to the mughal gardens and the Shankaracharya temple which were covered by snow.

The surrounding mountains was fully covered with snow and these mountains with the Dal lake made a picturesque viewing. Next day ( 10 a.m. ) we started for Gulmarg (8700 ft) as the road to sonamarg was blocked and reached there at 12.00 P.M. after passing through tall Chinar trees and encountering slippages on account of ice and snow on the Road from Tangmarg to gulmarg.

The bowl shaped Gulmarg was having about 4 ft. of snow and sking was going on. After settling down we immediately went to the gondola ( ropeway) for a panaromic view. We could not visit khilanmarg as it was blocked with about 6-7 ft snow.

The weather God continued to smile till the evening when clouds came and by night it started snowing. We slept in the sub zero temperature with bukhari and had to again get up in the night to replenish the burning wood. Next day in a mild snowfall we started at 9.30 A.M. and departed for patnitop to reach at 4.30 P.M.

Overall the trip to the kashmir valley was one of the most beautiful experience in my visit to all the major hill stations of North India. From the moment one descends down to Qazikund ( after the tunnel ) the topography changes and miles and miles of valley and fields emerge. It is difficult to imagine that there can be such a vast stretch of plain valley at 4500 ft.

While srinagar is an extension of this vast valley, pahalgam is a valley in between high mountains like manali. Gulmarg is like a bowl having a perimeter of roughly 6 K.m. situated on the Pir panjal Range to the west of Srinagar. All the 3 places are in marked contrast to each other. Gulmarg and pahalgam are completely sorrounded by tall tress and forest with snow clad mountains on the sides while srinagar provides for a totally different landscape with boats in a lake and snow clad mountain in the distance.

we faced no law and order problem in this short trip and was fortunate that even the security personnel could recognise us as tourists and did not check anything. The people were more than accomodative and at all places kept on displaying that extra hospitality needed to lessen any fear that one may have admist the bad publicity due to terrorism.

The hospitality can be summed up in one word - Outstanding . However we were advised not to go to old areas of Srinagar. The hotels were at a discount because of 14 yrs of militancy but were having a revival of tourist inflow ( Therefore better watch out for the rates in the summers and autumn). The better hotels in Pahalgam are Mount view, Pahalgam, Heevan & Pine-n-peaks. One can take an option of dastaan group of houseboat at srinagar.

At Gulmarg there is the famous highlands park and the hilltop. At all places the heating is adequate to cater to sub zero temperatures. But I suppose the Summer months would be even more beautiful experience. Almost all of the places had stopped their Bar because of militant diktats and hardly any is purchasable as there is no visible shop.

The best time to visit , I am told , is between April and October . October to December are the months for the golden leaves of Chinar trees and december to march for Snow landscape.

P.S. I did not forget to buy saffron from the floating markets on the houseboats at the Dal.