P O L A R O I D S

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Capturing Kashmir: A Poetic Journey

Kashmir. A land filled with mystery.

Kashmir. A land filled with conflict.

Kashmir. A land of long history.

Kashmir. A land of political contradict.

There are hundreds of travelogues of mesmerised people about Kashmir. But the place deserves thousands. It is a place that has been attributed with many titles, “the crown of India”, “heaven on earth” and many others, yet it deserves to be ascribed with more. The place has been scorned with innumerable bloodsheds; politicians, bureaucrats, soldiers, and common men fought repeatedly to regain its control and reclaim its soil, yet Kashmir remains the solace of peace, it remains peacefully resting on the lap of Nature – tired, scarred, wounded, and fractured – yet remaining as the Jannat that everyone seeks. Kashmir prevails, undaunted. Kashmir survives, emerging stronger.

This account is of my travel to Kashmir in the winter of 2022, which remains engraved as one of my most cherished memories, forever. This account has been designed not in the usual way, but rather as poetic snapshots of those memories, the colourful pictures that still echo in my brain as I recollect my visit.

E X P O S U R E – I

Bota/Buta Pathri. Gulmarg.

34.0610° N, 74.3790° E

Misty white ground down below,

Above the bright blue sky uncovers.

Walking on a frozen lake,

With silence resonating in the air.

The wintery valley hibernates,

Undisturbed by some travellers here & there.

A short stroll on the snowy road,

            The sleepy bird looks weary and rarely whispers.

Here where the State ends,

            Yet the path to eternity continues, forever.

Bota/Buta Pathri is a quaint location 10 km from Gulmarg. It lies near the border of India and Pakistan. A silent, yet unexplored mountain village, alerted by armed army personnel everywhere, of its delicate location. Wind still blows, bird still chirps, trees still grow, and flowers still bloom. Only the men and women stay alert, day, and night.

E X P O S U R E – II

Gondola phase I & II, Gulmarg.

34.0183° N, 74.3460° E

Brown meadows, waiting for snow

The barren branches waving

Dreaded horses whipped and pulled through

And overcrowded lodges quaking.

Some clinks, some bams!

Some thwacks, some bangs!

Some sighs, some nays!

Some dongs, some yays!

The valley shivers with sound waves!

Misty mountains all watchin’

The mountain crows flying high

Above the snowclad trees are callin’

To bid the dusty crowd goodbye.

Up, up and above it went!

The jingle jangle ropeway car!

Whoosh! The fierce wind ascent!

The ground’s gone down so far!

We are reaching for the stars!

That land above is so quaint

Those milky mountains are so pure

These frail people fail here to taint

This heaven, ten thousand feet above, is here to endure.

In the oldest club around smokey bukharis* we dine –

The Christmas night was a night divine.

Gulmarg Gondola is one of the world’s highest cable car services for tourists. It connects Gulmarg Valley, one of the most visited and gorgeous Kashmir towns to Apharwat (at Phase 2), located at an elevation of over 13,000 feet. You arrive amid the clouds, literally. The hypnotic views are bound to make you a believer, not of god, but of the graceful, enchanting Nature. The views will take your breath away, again, quite literally. It is advised not to stay more than a quarter of an hour here, due to the thinner atmosphere. Though, I can spend a lifetime here, and those moments are inscribed for eternity. I visit there often, in my dreams, where we ascend above worldly limitations.

*Bukhari: a wide cylindrical fire chamber at the base in which wood, charcoal, or other fuel is burned and a narrower cylinder on the top that helps in heating the room and acts as a chimney.

E X P O S U R E – III

Drung waterfall, Drung.

34.0386° N, 74.4087° E

Water freezing off its fall

Icy breeze making us shiver,

The untrained hut shelters

From the starlit sky

And,

Until the dawn breaks

Sleep gives away to thoughts

Of destiny.

It was a long hard night

As the heat reduced to minimality

We trembled and quivered

And was shaken and shuddered

Waiting for the sun to bathe us till

Eternity.

As the morning came, at last!

And the water froze in its fall, some more,

the green pastures of shepherd’s valley

welcomed us,

with its hues of posterity.

Drung waterfall is located near Gulmarg, on a short distance from the Tanmarg tehsil, and provides a mesmerising view, of where the water freezes forming enchanting ice formations on the hill terrain. Temperatures, even during the daytime, are sub-zeroes, and while this gives you an absolute scenic spot for witnessing the frozen fall, it gives you the chill, quite literally, to your core. The yet-to-develop resort, located near the fall, unfortunately didn’t have the means to battle the chilling nights, and staying there for the night, was a bad decision. It’s unfortunate, considering the locality of the place, away from the crowds, with a clear view of the sky and the constant burble of the nearby waterfall creating a sensory tranquillity.

E X P O S U R E – IV

Aru Valley, Pahalgam.

34.0939° N, 75.2652° E

Green meadows,

Grey slopping hills

Snow-clad mountain tops

River flowing through the terrain

A few sheep grazing idly around

Couple of men hiking on horses above

Amidst, a few busy tourists clicking amateurish pictures

Those peaceful melodious mountain tunes resonating in my mind,   

As my eyes feast on visuals of the grandeur diorama

My brain ensnares these moments, framed with adoration, this gift of Nature, forever.

Aru Valley, located in the Anantnag district near Pahalgam, lies quietly by the banks of the Lider River. Much unexplored and hence untouched by the toughened crowds, this pristine place offers the best this earth has, a gateway to the clouds, the place where land meets the heaven. Surrounded by pasturing gazing lands and bracketed by mighty mountains, Aru shelters a muffled village in the valley with warm and welcoming people, a few shops and inns, and a full dosage of captivating nature.

E X P O S U R E – V

Hajan aka Betaab Valley, Pahalgam.

34.0541° N, 75.3644° E

Tall stands the willow tree

Some red and some brown

The land below is white with snow

As it’s the middle of winter!

The river, Lider, flows across

With a small bridge in the middle

And the silent snow, falls in peace

As it’s the middle of winter!

Rest and walk, silently,

Don’t squattle and quarrel like some do

Respect the place, you see around you

And enjoy the blissful winter!

This is where the camera rolled

And songs were shot, and love unfold

This is where the snow felt soft

Amidst the misty winter!

Hajan Valley, also known as the Betaab Valley after a popular Hindi-language film has been shot here, is another popular tourist spot in the Pahalgam area. It is a large, fenced area with walking trails, pony-trails and light trekking roads to assist you in roaming, around. Peace can be found here, but the tourist distractions, uncontrolled littering, and noisy chattering may set you off the mood. With the sudden snowfall, it looked like a fairyland, a place where dreams materialize as nature.