Welcome to Paradise
on Earth - Jammu & Kashmir
Set
like a jewelled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a multi-faceted
diamond, changing its hues with the seasons - always extravagantly
beautiful. Two major Himalayan ranges, the Great Himalayan Range
and the Pir Panchal, surround the landscape from the
north and south respectively. They are the source of great rivers,
which flow down into the valleys, forested with orchards and
decorated by lily-laden lakes.
The
Mughals aptly called Kashmir ‘Paradise on Earth’ where they journeyed
across the hot plains of India, to the valley’s cool environs in
summer. Here they laid, with great love and care, Srinagar’s many
formal, waterfront gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal
Gardens. Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their
love for these gardens, and the rivalries that centred around their
ownership. They also patronized the development of art & craft among
the people of Kashmir, leaving behind a heritage of exquisite
artisanship among thes people and making the handicrafts of the land
prized gifts all over the world.
Kashmir
is a land where myriad holiday ideas are realised. In
winter, when snow carpets the mountains, there is
skiing, tobogganing, sledge-riding, etc. along the gentle slopes. 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. Golfing at
2,700 m above the sea, water-skiing in the lakes and angling for
prized rainbow trout, or simply drifting down the willow fringed
alleys of lakes in shikaras and living in gorgeous houseboats are some
of the most favoured ones.
Where To Stay In
Paradise - Houseboats
Many
tourists are attracted to Srinagar by the charm of staying on a
houseboat, which provides the unique experience of living on the water
in a cedar-panelled elegant bedroom, with all the conveniences of a
luxury hotel. Srinagar's thousand or so houseboats are moored along
sections of the Dal and Nagin Lakes and river Jhelum, each decorated
fancifully and named romantically and even whimsically. Like hotels,
houseboats vary in degree of luxury and have been accordingly graded
by the Department of Tourism. A luxury houseboat, like a luxury hotel
has fine furniture, good carpets and modern bathroom fittings, while
the ‘D category’ (the lowest category) of houseboats, like low-budget
hotels, is spartanly furnished. Like hotels too, houseboats vary
widely in their locations. Some overlook the main road, others look
out onto lotus gardens and yet others face tiny local markets and
villages, all right in the middle of the lake! All houseboats,
regardless of category, have highly personalized service. Not only is
there always a "houseboy" for every boat, but the owner and his family
are never far away. The cost per day of hiring a houseboat includes
all meals and free rides from the houseboat to the nearest jetty and
back, as no houseboat on the lakes is directly accessible from the
banks.
How To Reach
Paradise
Indian,
Jet Airways, Kingfihser Airlines, Jet Lite, Deccan, Spice Jet, Go Airl
operate regular daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi, Mumbai and
Jammu. They leave from Delhi directly, from Delhi via Jammu, and from
Bombay via New Delhi and Jammu.
Click
for
Kashmir Tour Packages |
