| Kashmir, the
beautiful valley
The legend of Kashmir says
that at one point there was a beautiful lake here, beloved of the gods.
The gods played happily by this lake till a demon began to haunt the land.
The villagers sought the help of a holy man who drained the waters of the
lake and thus created the valley of Kashmir. Is it myth, or is it fact?
Marine fossils and corals excavated in Kashmir reveal that a large lake
did once exist here!
Water, in many forms, is
one of Kashmir's charms. Lakes, rivers, springs make music all over the
valley. And majestic sweeps of forested mountains are tempered with miles
of flowering meadows.
In this breathtaking land,
fruits grow in abundance: apple, cherry, peach, pear,
plum, loquat, almond, walnut and pine nut. And you know why the gods must
have loved it here!
When the British discovered the cool of the vale, they made Kashmir
their summer resort. They were not allowed to buy land and that is
how the houseboat made its appearance.
 |
|
| Jehangir described Kashmir as a paradise on earth. The beauty of the land is breathtaking. On the upper reaches are sweeps of flowering meadows. |
Water dominates the life of the people of Kashmir. |
 |
 |
| Between July and August, an ice stalagmite forms a natural Shivling in a cave in Mount Amarnath... |
...Believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, it draws thousands of pilgrims who make the arduous journey over glaciers and steep mountain trails. |
The Valley itself is resplendent with carpets of saffron. In Pampore, near Srinagar,
the fields of this burnished gold extend as far as the eye can see. The name Pampore
is derived from Padmapur, or 'the Lotus City'. The lotus, in this case, refers
to the sublime saffron flower.
Cultivation in Kashmir
Enriched cuisines
 
|
