If I have to describe my travel style in one phrase, I would say I am a slow traveller who likes covering the entire region around a place. A similar attempt was made on our trip to Bhaderwah. The only problem was, the border of Jammu and Himachal doesn’t have a public transport facility as it has been infamous for terrorist activities until very recently.

From Delhi, we took a train to Pathankot and thus began our thrilling journey to try and reach Bhaderwah via this deserted road! According to some locals and old accounts, the forested area was a popular hide out for the terrorists escaping from Doda – Kishtwar area.

The road was opened for outsiders only in 2012-2013, after ITBP carried out an operation to wipe out terrorism from this region. The Chamba-Bhaderwah state highway is the shortest road connecting Chamba to Jammu via Bhaderwah; otherwise one needs to go to Pathankot and then to Jammu. Having known this, I was also quite sure that it would be one of the prettiest roads in Himachal Pradesh, with quaint villages hidden away from the touristy trail.

According to old accounts; this road has been in existence for some years but the road used to get blocked by snow every winter. After that the militants started their activities in this region full of jungles and greenery & the entire region became too dangerous for anyone to live in. This was the area after the state border of J & K after Khundi Maral. And thus, life in this region was abandoned and subsequently, the road fell into disuse until it was repoened.

As it was a long weekend, we had booked out train from Delhi to Pathankot, with a hope that all will be well and we will find some HRTC bus. The train which was supposed to reach at 6 in the morning had been running late and finally reached Pathankot station at 8 am. I was quite certain that we had already missed the only bus for the day to Langera and by the time we reached Pathankot bus stand it was close to 9 am.

There was a huge crowd at Pathankot Bus stand in the HRTC (Himachal Road Transport Corporation) Section. Mani Mahesh Kailash Yatra was going on and that meant all the buses were heading to Chamba and Bharmour and were bursting with yatris. I knew that we had to get on a bus as soon as possible as we had a long day ahead of us before we could reach someplace. The drivers were asking everyone to not board the bus because there was no space to even stand; sitting space was another matter altogether. Distance from Pathankot to Langera was only 171 kms and we’d need lots of luck to make it anywhere with this late start!

Check : Encounters at the end of the world in Himachal Pradesh

We jumped inside a packed bus with hardly any place to step inside; kept mum so that the conductor doesn’t throw us out and stood for 3 hours hanging to the back door (quite literally). I’d known from previous journeys that I didn’t really need to go to Chamba and that the diversion for the Chamba – Bhaderwah road is at the lake/dam much before reaching Chamba town and alighted there (I think near Bathri.)

We crossed the road adjacent to the lake on Ravi River on foot as that was suggested to be the short cut. There were no vehicles plying on that route and we felt like we have the lake to ourselves. We walked across the bridge to reach the other side and quickly made it across while the vehicles have to cross a tunnel to reach here! The sun was quite hot here and we tried to walk in the shade. As soon as we were out on the main road, our hunt for hitch-hicking began.

Check : Hitchhiking in a truck : Stories from Nakee La

We got lucky when a shared taxi passed through and it dropped us approx. 10 kms; we paid 20 rupees each. It was an interesting conversation with the local ladies from Chamba in the taxi; they told me about a Rajasthani guy who was setting up a Rajasthani food shop selling Dal-baati-choorma (traditional Rajasthani food) during the summer season and how everyone in Chamba went crazy about it!

We walked for some time and then a car stopped to give us a ride. I spotted a signboard that denoted that we were inside Churah valley now as this area of Himachal Pradesh is called. A Himachali couple was driving to someplace and while the wife wasn’t keen, the husband decided that we can be given a ride. After around 4-5 kms, the wife had her final say and the husband had to drop us near some shops. We understood his predicament and thanked him profusely for trying!

We walked into one town after this, (maybe Manjir village) and there was a pick-up leaving; I ran and asked him to stop. He asked us to hop in and dropped us to a bridge from where the road bifurcated to some other place. On the way we passed the sizeable town of Salooni with a pretty PWD rest house in the middle of the town. The Salooni PWD Rest House is said to have been built in 1908.

Also read : Top Experiences and Places to Visit in Barot Valley

There were 3 locals too who were waiting for the HRTC bus to Sanghni. It was already around 4 pm and I was getting jittery; we were in a valley and the light was less because the clouds had taken over the proceedings. We were glad though to have made it this far; now we were to catch a bus for the 2-3 villages on the border of Himachal – Kihar, Bandal, Sanghni and Langera were the names of the villages and a signboard specified the distances from where we stood.

I was aware that for staying options there was a PWD Rest House in Kihar, an old British era PWD Rest House in Bandal (Bhandal village) and maybe a homestay in Sanghni. We had already crossed the pretty PWD rest house located in Sundla. My happiness knew no bounds when we spotted the bus coming from the other side. There was another lovely homestay near Kihar overlooking the valley that I saw from the bus itself.

With only a slight idea of where we can get down to stay for the night, we boarded the bus. Conversations with the locals started flowing which ensured that we knew about the stay situation at these villages. We got to know about the caretaker in the colonial PWD Rest House built in 1930 in Bandal and we decided to try our luck there. The bus was going till Sanghni but since the locals suggested Bandal has better views and also has a  stay option; we got down in Bandal and started looking for Lalu!

Next day, we also got to know that there is a 2 room PWD Rest House in the last village, Langera of Himachal on the Chamba – Bhaderwah State Highway Road. The fact that it was acting as a office/residence for Himachal Police department got known to us later and we were glad we took a chance to make inquiries in Bandal.

It was 5 pm when the bus dropped us at Bandal. Having hardly eaten anything during the day, we were famished. But the first priority was to secure our place of stay for the night. The village kids escorted us to the Bandal PWD Rest House which was at an uphill climb of approx. 500 meters from the main road. And as the situation is with most PWD Rest Houses in remote villages, it was shut and the caretaker Lalu was supposedly at his home in the village.

The PWD Rest House in Bandal was a beautiful affair; a lovely old building. We threw our heavy backpacks in the lawn surrounded by pretty wildflowers and waited for somebody to come. The sun was setting and it was becoming a matter of concern. In the meantime, we managed to find one ‘didi’ who had come to take the cattle out for their daily fill in that part of the village. She was carrying a mobile phone and we convinced her to call someone in the village who would pass on our message to the caretaker. As we had no network on our phones, we were entirely dependent on the message being communicated by the villagers.

And well, that’s the beauty of Himachal Pradesh! In a village which doesn’t understand tourism, word spread like forest fire and the caretaker was at the PWD Rest House in the next ten minutes. The locals here care about outsiders and make sure to help in every possible manner. We asked him the rates, and as usual he quoted the official rate of Rs. 500 and opened the normal room for us (Not the fancy VIP room!).

It had been a long day and we were very keen to rest but the hunger pangs had started to play their games. We walked to the place where the bus dropped us – having seen the only dhaba in town – an authentic chai shop based in a tiny wooden hut. It was a small and very cute wooden structure and an old man was managing it. I wasn’t quite sure if he understood my request of making masala chai with ginger and other spices. Some locals had also joined in and gave instructions to the old chachu.

Read : First Tryst with Pangi Valley : Sural Bhatori

We sat there, soaking in the mountain air and savouring steaming cups of chai. And when the chai turned out to be so good; I got buns from the nearby shop and asked chachu to make omelettes for us by mixing onions, green chillies and ginger. The chai shop was right in front of the drinking den for the local youth. There was also an alcohol shop adjacent to the chai dhaba and villagers were roaming around buying their quota for the evening.

Some guys invited us to see their drinking den which was a hanging wooden structure in the greenery with an endless valley view! The omelette was really tasty and we wondered about the availability of dinner at the PWD Rest House. Then we noticed Lalu was also around and he confirmed that we can have dinner at the PWD Rest House itself.

Once everyone was done drinking for the evening and were off to their homes, we were inquisitive to see how it looked like. From outside it was a small dingy room and we felt like detectives on a mission to unravel the mystery! The den was the coolest place to enjoy a drink or two. With a small thatched roof, 4 wooden chairs and a piece of wood which acted as a table, it was open on 3 sides with an amazing valley view. Feeling jealous of the village youth, we resumed our walk across the village to the PWD Rest House.

And thats exactly the thing about travelling in the midst of nature. We were as fresh as a fiddle in spite of having been on the road for the entire day! Isn’t that what you also yearn for? Happy to report that these joys are available in aplenty on offbeat roads!

Our arrival had caused a camaraderie in the village and people were coming to say hi to us! I’d gone for a little walk and saw lush green meadows and some houses on the other side of the valley with a stream flowing in the midst of all the greenery.

Lalu did not appear to be a very friendly man at the outset, but we somehow managed to convince him to serve us dinner in the VIP sitting area (as we couldn’t convince him to let us stay in the VIP room). What we got as our room for the night, was amazing. The washroom was as big as the room (and that’s the best thing about these colonial structures). The only problem was a big black spider which was happily resting in the washroom; when the caretaker was asked about the same, it was found out that the spider ruled the bathroom and doesn’t really trouble people – as long as it is left undisturbed. Haha!

Read : Solo travelling to the last frontier of Sach Pass

A short walk away from the PWD Rest House Bandal was the FRH (Forest Rest House) complex which was connected to other buildings through an old wooden bridge. Leaves were fallen on the bridge and with the wind blowing it felt like a scene from a movie!

And next to the bridge was a stream where the villagers came to fill their water pots. The bridge looked timeless with the pristine setting of the evening and kids roamed around and played happily. The view was surreal and we patted ourselves to have managed to find this beautiful place after a long day on the road. We sat down to enjoy the after-sunset colours and walked back to the PWD Rest House just before it became dark.

I spotted a signboard denoting ‘Gamgul Siahbehi Wildlife Sanctuary’ at the bus stop in Bandal and asked the locals about it. It is a high-altitude wildlife sanctuary with animals such as barking deer, snow leopards and the elusive musk deer. Although we wanted to spend more time chatting with the villagers, we realised it was best to rest given that we had another long day waiting for us.

The next day started early as we had no idea about how we were to reach Padhri pass – the entry point to Jammu & Kashmir. It was a surreal morning sight with mist in the valley and the sun slowly shining through the clouds. The weather was nice and cold even in the month of August and the PWD rest house in Bandal was turning out to be a dreamy place to stay with these stunning valley views from our room itself!

No local transport plies on the route from Bandal to Bhaderwah and we were completely at the mercy of the locals to find a way to our destination. The fact of the matter was that there was no village on the way after crossing Langera, and therefore the opportunity of landing a ride was minimal. All set to try our luck, we bade goodbye to the PWD Rest House caretaker Lalu and sat at the tea shop to have our fill of tea and omelette.

We ate as much as our stomachs allowed us to eat since lunch seemed to be a rare possibility as we weren’t sure where we would be by lunch time. In the best case scenario, we could have hoped to reach Padhri Pass Top by lunch. Keeping an eye on the road to find a ride, we stuffed ourselves with the tasty breakfast amidst the lovely surroundings.

Before we could start getting impatient, the moment we walked to the road the bus to Sanghni came! We quickly hopped on to the bus to only realise that this bus was only till Bandal. But luck was ours that day and in no time we found a pick-up headed to Sanghni. They were buying grains from villagers and were going to sell them somewhere for a profit. I gave them 20 Rs. for the ride which they refused to accept.

Sanghani also seemed to be a very pretty village and had a pristine stream flowing next to the main road. We let the guys know that we were looking to reach Kundi Maral check post and no sooner had guys dropped us in Sanghani; they found another ride for us! As informed yesterday, there was indeed a homestay in Sanghani; an old wooden house made in the Himachali village style.

We had a plan! You might ask what was that! Ha ha, it went like this – Stand in the middle of the road and stop whatever vehicle that comes on the way to shorten the distance we were supposed to cover.

That done, we were now on a lone forested stretch of around 30 kms of no roads and were hoping to be lucky again. In the meantime, we saw some villagers were negotiating with a local carrier driver to drop them inside the forest so that they could collect fodder for their cattle. It felt like we have struck gold. The driver wasn’t keen to drop us, but we requested the villagers and climbed at the back of the vehicle to experience one of the bumpiest rides of our lifetime.

Check : The Goodness of Strangers : Curfew in Kashmir

Gujjars were sitting in the open air carrier and were heading to the jungle. Without any thought we requested them to drop us till wherever they were going – as that seemed to be the only plausible way to reach our destination. They were apprehensive at first, but asked us to jump right on the carrier and on the bumpy way we went! We were going past the last village of Himachal Pradesh, Langera that was around 10 kms from Sanghani.

It was a pristine setting; lush green surroundings with a stream flowing in the valley below and the road disappeared as soon as we crossed Langera village. The pretty PWD / FRH building was visible from afar, and indeed it was occupied by HP Police. There did not seem to be any homestay in Langera but I remember looking at the village and wishing if I could stay in the uncluttered beauty for a few days! There were a lot of trees in the village that had been cut for wood. I could see the logs scattered in Langera village.

When I say that one should visit the roads less travelled by / or rarely travelled by in this case, I say that with a reason. While our full concentration was on gripping the iron bars on the sides of the vehicle to save us from falling –

Once in a while we would glance at the beautifully green valley, the pristine blue sky, and the chirping of exotic birds in this place which seemed no less prettier than heaven.

We crossed the 14 km stretch chatting with the locals and understanding their way of life. We got to know that these are some of the richest nomads, they have land in Chamba which is their summer home as well as Pathankot which acts as a winter home for them as well as their cattle. The fact that these people were so well to do financially, yet so humble reinstalls my belief in humanity time and again.

Back to the road and now we were within walking distance of Khundi Maral Check Post. We tried to reason with the kid driver to drop us to Padhri Pass and charge us some money from us, but he pointed to the Gujjars and said they need to go back to Langera. We walked toward the check post and saw that the check post was closed. There was a small dhaba and shop adjacent to the Khundi Maral check post.

We had started the day at around 8 am and I couldn’t believe our luck to have made it here by 10 am! But could we get luckier was the big question, as we were at the doorstep of the most remote stretch of the journey, inside Jammu & Kashmir now!!!

The HP police guys had gone to their camp and one of them came and asked us a few questions. I knew better than loitering around and we just registered our names in their notebook and quickly walked ahead before the police guys could ask us what we were up to! We were in J & K now and quite close to Padhri Gali as that was only around 15-20 odd kilometres away. It had happened once on the check post at Mahe Bridge, Changthang – Ladakh and that was a part of Failures on the Road – Stupidity in Changthang, Ladakh

There was a middle aged Gujjar couple just 2 minutes walk away with their young grandchild and we began talking. They told us that the land where the police camp is located is owned by them and that they have given it on lease. I also vaguely remember that they said even the Khundi Maral check post area is owned by them that they have given it on lease. They told us about their lives in Pathankot and how they migrated in summer and winter with their cattle. We also realised we couldn’t afford to let our guard down as Padhri Gali had seen militant activity in 2000 according to media reports!

The last ride before we could reach Padhri Gali pass was with a group of locals from Jammu who had come here just for a road trip and were going back from the same route. As soon as the car crossed Khundi Maral Check Post, I pounced on them and requested for a ride. There were three men in the car and even though the first look wasn’t comfortable, I figured it was only around 10-30 am and a relatively safe time. We sat in the car and immediately noticed that one of the men was drunk!

They also made some small talk with the Gujjars and then decided to buy ghee and paneer from the Gujjar nomads who are settled on this route in their make-shift huts. We had no option but to rely on a hitched ride to drop us till the end of the forest as we knew it was impossible to get a ride in this forest which hardly saw any traffic – and too dangerous to walk our way through.

We crossed the last police post of Himachal Pradesh – Khundi Maral Border check post in the shared ride. This border was guided by the ITBP till 2012 due to the terrorist activities and was given to the Himachal Govt. only after peace reigned. It wasn’t the most pleasant ride as one of the guys was drunk and was very keen to talk on the Hindu- Muslim subject. As soon as we made a few turns, a black top road appeared as the car sped in the remoteness.

Check : Walking around the Famed Meadows of Sonamarg & Thajiwas Glacier

Nevertheless, we were very lucky to have found a ride before it was too late and heaved a sigh of relief as soon as we crossed the forested trail and made our way to the Padhri Gali meadows. We thanked them profusely and rushed towards the meadows. There were many typical Gujjar huts that looked embedded in the earth on the meadows on the right side of Padri Gali Pass. I could also spot a newly built mosque on the meadows near the Gujjar huts.

Padri Gali (Padhri Pass or Padhri Gali)

Padri Gali is the highest point on the Chamba – Bhaderwah road and is at an altitude around 3000m. This pass is useful for pilgrims who cross it every year during the Mani Mahesh Kailash Yatra near Bharmour-Hadsar-Kugti. Padhri Gali is a gorgeous collection of meadows with a pleasing shade of green and has gorgeous views of Bhaderwah valley as well. It snows a lot in the winter at Padri Pass and that also means the road access is blocked.

There were a 3-4 very basic dhabas making fried and oily pakoras but they did not seem to have any options for lunch at all. In fact, they were so ramshackle and so badly managed that we decided to skip lunch altogether! What a far cry from the perfect dhabas of Himachal Pradesh, where rajma chawal usually wins your heart. The garbage and rubbish around the dhabas meant we didn’t even bother about chai at Padri Gali.

There were a lot of locals out for a picnic and were occupying leisurely spaces on the meadows. It was so nice to see entire families frolicking and enjoying with their kids. Horsemen walked around offering their services and some kids and men liked their hike to a nearby hill on the horse for only 50 Rupees! Such a simple life. A few locals asked us where we were from and asked for some selfies to be clicked. We lazed and lied down and slept in the green stretches and watched the kids run around trying to catch the sheep!

Sheep huddled in the view point hut made by the Bhaderwah Tourism Development Authority rendering it useless to be used by tourists. Anyway, that did not have a roof. Some parts of the meadows were pristine and had a steady growth of wildflowers while the more accessible parts were littered with plastic even though there were at least 5 dustbins around. It was disheartening to see but we continued exploring and walking to all the nearby meadows and clicked a few shots of the cloudy Bhaderwah valley.

We were only 40 kms away from Bhaderwah and had plenty of options in the form of shared taxis and mini buses to reach Bhaderwah. We were in our happy zone after trying our luck for 2 days and enjoying the greenery felt just the right thing to do. And what happened after we got down from the meadows? As if on cue, another vehicle presented itself and the gentleman was more than happy to drop us to Bhaderwah.

There have been days on journeys when I have stood in one place for six hours waiting for a ride which never appeared. So, I agree when Shantaram says ‘Luck is what happens to you when fate gets tired of waiting!’

What was waiting for us in Bhaderwah?

‘I woke up as the sun was reddening; and that was the one distinct time in my life, the strangest moment of all, when I didn’t know who I was – I was far away from home, haunted and tired with travel, in a cheap hotel room I’d never seen, hearing the hiss of steam outside, and the creak of the old wood of the hotel, and footsteps upstairs, and all the sad sounds, and I looked at the cracked high ceiling and really didn’t know who I was for about fifteen strange seconds. The road is life.’  

~ Jack Kerouac

Stay tuned to read more on the adventures in Bhaderwah and Patnitop.

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We decided to try our luck and asked the prices; it came as a big surprise when the managed quoted the cheapest room for Rs. 700 in JKTDC Hotel Maple (the new property). We saw the wooden rooms in JKTDC Hotel Alpine and were satisfied with a 1200 Rupee price after discount. I had faint memories of staying in the JKTDC huts in Patnitop on a previous visit with the family (more than a decade ago!) It was quiet and peaceful and the sun felt nice with the breeze blowing in the greens surrounded by pine and deodhar trees.

We were travelling on a remote road that crossed the border from Himachal Pradesh to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) which meant almost zero availability of public transport. It was the Chamba – Bhaderwah road that is quite famous as well as infamous with regards to terrorism in the region. This road had been built many years ago but traffic had only recently been allowed. Bhaderwah is popularly known as mini Kashmir and I was very keen on making it to this remote land with a fabled past. After having had a glimpse of the unexplored Bhadarweh region solely depending on hitchhiking and walking, we wanted to spend some time relaxing.

Coming from Himachal rather than going from Jammu, we were aware of the fact that we need to be really lucky to complete this journey in the stipulated time. As luck would have it, we ended up finding rides in the most random vehicles – the most epic of which was covering a 10 km stretch at the back of a pick-up with locals on their way to collect fodder from the forest. It was the bumpiest of the rides amidst the most picturesque landscape.  (I am saving this epic story for some other time).

We woke up early one morning in Bhaderwah and a quick decision meant we were in a bus bound to Jammu that would drop us on the highway near Batote. The recently opened Chenani – Nashri tunnel meant that Patnitop wasn’t on the regular Jammu to Srinagar highway anymore and we would have to struggle a little bit to reach here. The struggle was worthwhile though when the bus stopped at Baggar for the famous rajma chawal with anardana chutney liberally topped up with desi ghee! It was priced at only 60 Rupees and we ate like crazy. Earlier, the rajma chawal of Peerah (near Ramban) used to be the regular lunch on this road but Peerah was not on the way this time.

Check : Waltzing to Happiness on a Houseboat in Srinagar

After reaching Batote, we were told that shared autos would ply to Patnitop. I observed proceedings for less than a minute, and understood that the locals wanted me to book an entire taxi auto till Patnitop. The distance from Batote to Patnitop was hardly 12 kms. They quoted some absurd prices and as usual we started walking out of the main town towards the road to Patnitop. Among one of the basic rules for successful hitchhiking is that one needs to go outside the town for better chances of a vehicle stopping.

An auto came and dropped us 2 kms since he was headed on the same route. After waiting for a few minutes, a tattered old van came along. It screeched to a halt when we stood on the road and asked for a ride. They were pilgrims and were returning from Machail Mata yatra. The car had reasonable space for us to sit and I loved chatting with the kind people about more details of Machail Mata and Kishtwar. Within no time we were dropped in Patnitop and the air had become much cooler than it was in Batote.

We human beings are mostly cribbing about the imperfections in our respective lives. Amidst these imperfections, there are experiences when life feels just so perfect that you don’t feel like changing a thing. Such lucky experiences do happen once in a while with each one of us and these are the happy times that are etched in our memory forever. 

Patnitop is a delightfully beautiful hill station and is peacefully set on an elevated hillock. It remains among the lesser visited hill stations of North India, and is not crowded compared to Manali, Shimla, Nainital or McLeodganj. Even though we had expected a lot of Delhi crowd in Patnitop, it was a pleasant surprise to meet families from Jammu and Punjab taking weekend breaks in this nature’s paradise.

As soon as we reached Patnitop, the first instinct was to just soak in the blindingly green landscape. This quaint hill station is endowed with meadows surrounded by thick forests of deodar, cedar and pine trees. It was the month of August and the entire valley was painted with varying shades of green. We were told that the landscape is a riot of colors in spring while in winters there is occasional snow. It is important to note that Patnitop is an all weather destination and that the road to Patnitop from Jammu is in excellent condition with good connectivity.

Also check : Do yourself a favour! Go to Landour

Accommodation options are available in plenty in Patnitop and we decided to stay in the JKTDC Hotel as we deserved this basic luxury after hardly spending any money on travel in the first part of our vacation. Our room overlooked a massive forest on one side and the road hidden with deodar trees on the other. The bright sun during the day felt very pleasant.

I immediately caught hold of my camera and off we went for a leisurely walk. First, we went to the meadow where one could see families on day picnics, lazing on the huge grasslands which are in plenty in Patnitop. We continued walking and crossed the Youth Hostel building. It was located in a delightfully green space surrounded by trees. Somewhere along the way, we also crossed a dhaba / café / restaurant located on the right.

The walking trail continued and we continued with it too. After a few minutes of walking, our eyes were spellbound by a green meadow! There were also a few old buildings that comprised of the Patnitop Club at one point of time. We met a few locals who were carrying supplies and cylinders to prepare a feast. It was a fabulous location of a picnic! They invited us too but we figured that things weren’t ready yet and it was just out of courtesy rather an an actual invite.

The light was perfect and we sat on the benches. The road took a U bend near the meadow but there were hardly any vehicles so that didn’t bother us. There was a walking trail that went through the forests and upon asking we were told that it went to the Naag Devta Temple. And then the locals joined in giving us their recommendations.

Naag Temple : It is a tiny wooden temple with immense mythological value. It is said to be over 600 years old, and is believed to be the place where marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place.

Natha Top : It is popular for being snowed out even in summer and is popular for Indian families for snow sighting. It is located only at a distance of 10 kms from Patnitop on the road to Sanasar. One can walk to the top of a peak at Natha Top for a spellbinding view of the mountains.

Sanasar : We briefly toyed with the idea of going to Sanasar which is located at around 19 kms from Patnitop, but gave up since we had little time. It is an offbeat location and has JKTDC huts in a meadow surrounded by huge conifer trees as well. There is a lake at Sanasar that has enchanting views of the surrounding Himalayan mountains.

Sudh Mahadev Temple : A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva with an interesting story of a real Trishul of the Gods in the temple. I can’t remember the details shared by the locals but the fact is that we were in no mood to try and visit any other place except enjoying our time on that meadow.

One can spend days soaking in the breathtaking views of the the Pir Panjal range from Patnitop. The forest trails lead one to places where time stands still and calm prevails. The sun had started setting effectively signalling the start of golden hour for my photography mind. The meadows shined in that incredible light and we sat at different places to savour the moments. After all, it is important to slow down and enjoy the time that you have rather than just hankering to go to different places.

Read : Slow Travel in Kausani, Uttarakhand

Evening ensured that we were surrounded by mist, lending an air of mystery to the entire landscape. After having a chai at a stall on the road; a funny looking man tried to sell us some whisky from the wine shop. We tried local delicacies at the restaurant and after eating too much went for a walk in the fog amidst the lush green lawns lit by beautiful warm lights. The area is kept clean and well maintained by Patnitop Development Authority.

Our room was nice and comfortable with a lovely sitting area overlooking greenery. We would have loved to go to Sanasar and experience the solitude there but it was not to be! Our train was in the evening and we woke up to the sound of chirping birds. We went to the local café located on the way to the Youth Hostel near the meadows. He made super tasty aloo paranthas and tea (ginger masala chai).

After that we started on our way back from Patnitop to Jammu, and instantly got a ride from a couple driving to Jammu, but we got down midway as we had to buy the local Patisa in Kud. Kud used to be a popular stop among the food lovers during earlier days, but the charm was missing this time (the new Jammu-Srinagar highway bypassed this region, which meant reduced traffic on this route). From past memory, I bought patisa and halwa from Prem Sweets in Kud.

We did not feel like trying our luck at the handful of food joints still open, as they did not look very promising. After having our fill of patisa, we made a move. It was a bustling scene with celebrations of Independence Day in full swing. Having returned from the quiet environs of Patnitop, we did not quite enjoy the hustle bustle and hurried our way to reach the main highway in a local mini bus. It was so crowded that we thought we would get squished!

By the time we reached the highway, we were famished and had to eat something at one of the dhabas lining the highway. After a safe lunch of veg biryani, we set out again to try our luck and requested the toll booth guys on the highway to help us get a ride till Jammu. Now when I look back at it, we were favored by our luck all throughout the trip. In less than 15 minutes, the toll guys helped us board a mini bus to Jammu station. Reaching Jammu station and waiting in the air conditioned room, we were already missing the mountain cold and the misty evenings.

About Patnitop: Patnitop (2000m) is located in Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir on the way from Udhampur to Srinagar. Distance from Jammu to Patnitop is around 110 kms. Patnitop has pleasant weather during the summers and one can enjoy snowfall during the winter months of January and February. Patnitop is a perfect destination for people seeking to enjoy the quietude of nature and breathe in the fresh air.

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Although 25 photographs of this epic highway would hardly suffice, yet I try to present a photo story that gives a fair reflection of the journey for the traveller. The photographs are a mixture from many journeys, some beginning in Srinagar and some culminating in Ladakh, and some other times to far off places in my dreams. There have been times that Zoji La has given me shivers and other times it just passes by without a fuss.

Check : 7 roadtrips for adventure junkies in India

Srinagar – Leh Highway : In 25 Photographs

Read : Waltzing to Happiness on a Houseboat in Srinagar

Check : Walking around the Famed Meadows of Sonamarg & Thajiwas Glacier

Read : Amarnath Yatra from Baltal – A Travelogue

Read : Walking into the past along the frozen Indus in Ladakh

Also check: The Goodness of Strangers : Curfew in Kashmir

Thinking about a road trip to Ladakh? Also check : Romance of the Manali-Leh Road

Read : A comprehensive guide to Spiti

Check : Into Unknown Ladakh – Turtuk

Check : A Photo Essay from Ladakh

Also check : Khardung La in Winter : Part 1

Read : A Winter in Ladakh : Masked dances at Spituk Monastery

Now that you are almost in Leh, it makes sense to … Top Cafés and Restaurants in Leh

This was a fun post to make, especially with checking out so many albums from past journeys. One can try seeing sights like Hall of Fame Museum, Pathar Sahib Gurudwara and the optical illusion at Magnetic Hill close to the highway itself before reaching Leh.

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After spending a productive afternoon exploring the meadows and the scenery around Thajiwas Glacier, it was time to do something else. Later when I sat at a dhaba in the rain, sipping nun chai and savouring Kashmiri bread with a generous lathering of butter; I drew a blank about where to go next. A chance encounter with a taxi driver had resulted in me staying at a local family’s comfortable home in Shitkadi, a small village near Sonamarg. Overly delightfully tasty freshly made Kashmiri Kahwa the locals suggested that a short trek to Basmai lake could be undertaken but that would cost too much since I was alone.

It was another problem when the police officer wouldn’t let me walk past the barricades in Sonamarg. The phones weren’t working and someone had to go and call Altaf Bhai (the guy’s home I was staying in Shitkadi) to get me out of there. At dinner-time, it was understood that I could go on the Kashmir Great Lakes trek that began in 2-3 days. I quickly realised that Baltal wasn’t too far away and asked the locals if I could go to the Amarnath Yatra.

Also read : 2016 : A Year of Consolidation, Fulfilment and Paving the Way for a Lifetime of Travel

The Planning

A permit is required for anyone who wants to go to the Amarnath Yatra, and of course I had none. The locals suggested that some people without permits have done it in the past and if an intelligent excuse was made, the Jammu & Kashmir Police would let me through. I was told to not try the honest approach and instead say ‘My other friends have gone ahead yesterday and the permit paper has gone with them.’

Did it work? The execution

I slept well in the night and had been advised to leave early for Baltal in the morning. The family provided me chai and chapati for breakfast and I set off with my backpack. It was a cloudy morning as I walked to Sonamarg and waited for a shared taxi. A short drizzle made a good omen for the journey as a local jeep dropped me at the Yatra entrance at Baltal.

Want to read another adventurous account? : Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar

From the road, the first entrance was around 1 km. I instantly met my ‘fellow yatris’, 2 jolly guys from Indore. They had made it in a convoy from Jammu; stealthily passing Srinagar in the night. It was steadily drizzling and my raincoat problem was solved when a flimsy raincoat was bought from a local guy. There were many tents scattered at Baltal for pilgrims to stay, ranging from as little as 100 Rupees to 500 Rupees. There was a huge lane of bhandaras from various parts of India welcoming pilgrims. We rushed past it because there was a rumour that entrance to the yatra may be stopped because of the bad weather.

A gaggle of horsemen gathered and tried to get us interested with hiring a horse for the uphill journey to the holy cave. They were from all parts of Jammu & Kashmir; from Rajouri, Doda, Anantnag, Kishtwar. Due to less rush, the prices that were initially quoted as 1000/- came down to 200-300 Rupees! Rain had made the surface slippery and we kept walking. We reached the main entrance gate at around 9 am – 930 am, and a small crowd of pilgrims was seen waiting. The rain had steadily increased and bad news was in the offing.

My small hike to the Thajiwas Glacier was a nice way to get prepared for Amarnath Yatra.

Entry for the day had been closed and my fate without the Amarnath Yatra Entry Pass was not known yet. We turned back and were welcomed wholeheartedly by the Bhandaras. The rain had increased and hot breakfast of paranthas and chai was lovingly presented at Sirsi Haryana Bhandara. It had turned incredibly cold and the leaking tin roof made us search another accommodation option. The nearby Chandigarh Bhandara was even more generous; there was a huge tent for staying and we were given 3 blankets.

It was strange to see utterances of ‘Jai Bhole’ and ‘Jai Shiv Shankar’ from Muslim mouths along the way. In the bhandaras, (Offerings of free food for the pilgrims) it was the same story the other way round; Hindu workers were feeding Muslim horsemen as they would feed the pilgrims. 

Rain continued, we slept for some time since we had nothing else to do. The phones weren’t working either. The Indore guys had their Amarnath Yatra pass done months in advance. I was in a quandary, what if the police guys decided to not let me move ahead and asked me to turn back without the permit? It would essentially mean much ado for nothing. I decided to focus on the tea, coffee on offer and clouds floating by for the moment.

Most of the day was spent sleeping in the warm and cosy blanket. Dinner was splendid, there was Rajasthani choorma with ghee for dessert. I stuffed myself with repeated helpings and thanked the kind hearts of the numerous Bhandaras who were all doing this for free for the pilgrims.

Read : An insider’s guide to Cafés & Shopping in Shimla

After waking up sharp at 6, we were at the gates at 7 am next morning. The pony wallahs  at Domail had surrounded us again and we had managed to say no to them again. The two Indore guys had no problem whatsoever at the security check. I was told to stand aside, the Jammu & Kashmir Police Officer looked like a muslim and sternly asked me why I did not have a permit? I told exactly as I was instructed, the entire J & K security team checked my bag, looked deep into my eyes only for the Chief to take me aside and say

                               “Go and don’t tell anybody!”

Some excerpts from the diary written on the trek :

The trail was full of slush after the rain, great scenery on view. Weather clears a bit as we climb higher. Brari Top at 4000m, maybe the highest point of the Amarnath yatra trek is at 4300m. There are Bhandaras along the way at every 1-2 kms. Amarnath yatra base camp is located on snow. The Pahalgam – Chandanwari track joins the Sonamarg – Baltal route at a place called Sangam.

Now I am walking on the Kali Mata track, stupendous views of the snow covered peaks. Strong army movement and presence, supposedly they are in charge of the yatra’s security and well being of the pilgrims (or is it CRPF?). The local horsemen say that due to lesser tourists, prices of horses for pilgrims have come down to 300/-, in high season they can go as high as Rs. 3000/- and Palkis (for elderly pilgrims) for Rs. 12000/-.

A short distance has also to be covered on snow which hasn’t melted yet. First sight of Amarnath Cave. There are lots of shops selling prayer paraphernalia. They were all owned by Muslims who sang of Lord Shiva’s praises while urging the pilgrims to buy their wares. It was heartening to see sturdy Muslim men carry old and crumbling Hindu pilgrims toward the divine cave, some were even helped on their shoulders. For many Indians from the plains, the path to the holy cave was made even better with generous doses of Kashmiri hospitality. We kept our bags at one shop and also brought some prasad to be presented at the cave.

Read : Waltzing to Happiness on a Houseboat in Srinagar

We reached at around 1130-12 noon. Quite hungry and mild AMS (Altitude mountain sickness) too. Beautiful steps lead to the holy cave, security check at the start. Cameras, bags, mobiles etc are not allowed with the pilgrims and are kept by the security personnel. We were told to come back within 1 hour. The natural ice shivling inside the cave has melted. There is tight security inside the cave too. Some guards explain the history and significance of the cave to me.

I remembered the kind hearted homestay owner of Losar – Spiti, who had helped me in the winter and made an offering dedicated to them.

On the way down the stairs, a policeman shows us two white pigeons on a roof. Seeing them is supposed to be auspicious, I can’t exactly remember the story that he narrated. Also because the clouds were closing in and it had already started drizzling. I was not sure how long my 20 Rupee raincoat would hold on for. We quickly cascade down the stairs and head to the most crowded bhandara for lunch, to start our return journey as soon as possible.

There are a lot of sadhus and pilgrims at the bhandara, as also Kashmiri horsemen, even the shop owners are welcome to eat there. The bhandaras are meant for everyone who is assisting in the yatra, all distinctions of Hindu & Muslim are forgotten.

I wonder if the Amarnath Yatra will prove to be a way for Indians to understand Kashmir better. In hindsight, Kashmir seems to be that piece of a jigsaw puzzle that has no solution. On my journeys, it has been consistent – All human beings are good and want peace and happiness. Kashmiris are indeed very friendly and I had a great time being helped in troubled circumstances. 

We collect our bags and begin our walk back at around 130 pm. It has stopped raining. The Indore boys are beginning to get slower; they opt to sit for a while where the paths bifurcate – one is a walking path hereafter and the other meant for horses. After all, their target is to only reach the camp/Bhandara at Baltal for the night and move to Srinagar and Jammu thereafter, on the next day. They ask me to move ahead, saying they will join me shortly.

Read : 7 roadtrips for adventure junkies in India

I notice a few dhoti-clad old men from Maharashtra, who are walking barefoot for the pilgrimage. I wait for a while for them to join me, but choose to move ahead when I don’t see their sign for the next 20 minutes. It is frightfully cold, I didn’t know it earlier but the Amarnath Yatra trek is a high altitude and most of it is over 4000m. I keep plodding with my backpack, hardly able to click pictures with the dslr because of the constant smattering of raindrops.

Every once in a while I look back to see the views that had gotten even more spectacular. After crossing some Bhandaras, I come upon a crazy sight : Punjabi Bhangra music is playing at a bhandara and men are dancing away! Incredible India, for sure!

Progress is quick, the sun has began shining in the far distance drying the muddy trail and making it easier to walk. I opt to drink some kahwa at a dhaba at Brari top to give myself a breather and also to relax the shoulders from the weight of the backpack. It is a lovely walk, even more so because of the lack of other trekkers on the route.

An apple seller on the route sells me some apples mixed with salt. Gives me much needed energy. I reach the bhandara at 5 pm and thank the staff for all the help. I am informed that the Jaipur Bhandara is one of the biggest of the Amarnath Yatra. Over a cup of chai, I inform the officials to let the Indore guys know of my arrival (whenever they reach).

I am pleased by the turn of events today, everything has worked in my favour. It has been an excellent way to prepare myself for the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek. I try to find a ride to Sonamarg. With no luck, I labour my way to the road till Baltal on the highway. It is still daylight and a ride duly comes. Local Kashmiri songs in the shared taxi make my heart sing.

Sunset brings a variety of colours on the horizon when I head to TRC Sonamarg to check if there’s a cheap room available. I am not keen on troubling the Shitkadi family today, especially when its approaching dark. I call my family to inform them of my whereabouts and the successful completion of Amarnath Yatra.

Important Facts :

Trekking distance from Baltal to Amarnath Cave : 14.50 kms

AMS can be an issue and prior acclimatisation is recommended before embarking on this trek.

Medical facilities are available en-route.

BSNL mobile network works on the entire Amarnath Yatra Trek.

A pass is mandatory for the Amarnath Yatra Trek.

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Now I can safely say, with regards to the effort vs reward ratio, the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek offers scenery and landscapes like none other, plus there are the LAKES!

Presenting some of the best photographs from Kashmir Great Lakes Trek.

Day 1

Day 1 began at Sitkari and ended at Nichnai after ascending the meadows of Shekdur through a birch forest. We had chai at a dhaba on a place called Table Top. It started drizzling after an hour or two of beginning the trek and a water stream or nallah continues till the Nichnai campsite. The rain has caused the proceedings to get quite cold. There is a herd of sheep with a shepherd in the rain, and that creates a beautiful traffic jam. Near the campsite, it is nice to notice sheep and goats playing with the horses. The light in Nichnai is beautiful when it stops raining and snowy mountains around look inviting!

Day 2

Day 2 Aligning earth’s heartbeat with mine at Vishnusar Lake. Morning clouds and it is very cold at 6 am. We have breakfast and tea and leave for Vishansar Lake (both spellings are right) at about 8-830 am when the sun comes out. I realise that both my shoes and jacket are still wet after bearing the brunt of the rain yesterday. It is a non-stop uphill climb to Nichnai pass that is at 4100m. There are beautiful views of the other side from the pass; of colourful wildflowers in blue, red, yellow, white on the trail. We cross numerous glacial water streams on our descent. It is a happy case of serendipity when we encounter a bakarwal with a few sheep grazing on the banks of the Vishansar Lake in the evening.

Day 3

Kishansar and Vishansar (Vishnusar) Lakes as seen from the top of Gadsar Pass. It is a surreal moment in the night when some of us are gazing at the stars and suddenly we sight a blazing meteor go past us in the sky! We are speechless and don’t know how to react at the stunning speed at which it goes across the sky. In the morning we start at 8 am, and pass Vishansar Lake and keep climbing to Kishansar Lake. These are both glacial lakes and I am unable to spot a water source for both these lakes. There is no reflection in the waters of Vishansar Lake but the waters of Kishansar Lake are fabulously still.

Continued…

A place where I slept during lunchtime on the trek. Memories.

Day 3 or 4

My favourite lake of the trek – Gadsar (sar means lake.)

Day 3 It is a steep climb to Gadsar Pass (4150m) and both the lakes are visible from the top of the pass at about 1030 am. The views are lovely from top of the pass; the valley widens and 2 small glacial lakes are visible. It is a riot of wildflowers on the descent; and interspersed with the flowing streams dotted by sheep and goats resembles a proverbial paradise. We encounter a hut of a bakarwal from Rajouri and he invites us to his home. We cross Gadsar lake and head to the campsite near Gadsar Post of the Indian Army.

Day (do you even care!)

So cheesy, but even the guides were going crazy here!

Day 4

A shepherd dog had started barking on the other side of our campsite and we ran helter-skelter to save our lives!

Day 4 I remember it as being the easiest day of the entire Kashmir Great Lakes Trek. I get my camera battery that I had given for charging at the army guys at Gadsar Post. The campsite is akin to sleeping in the middle of a herd of sheep; since we are surrounded by shepherds. Once we start walking, it is a steep climb – first through a snowy path and then through a field of strawberries. The scenery is lush green and after 2-3 hours when we reach the Satsar Post; it is drizzling and gets quite cold.

The trail crosses multiple lakes and Satsar Post is a pretty site surrounded by yellow wildflowers! After an hour or so, we reach a place called Mangandop. The sheep grazing in the hilly grasslands, surrounded by clouds and high mountaintops with snow on them presents an alluring sight. The visibility is quite poor and a short drizzle begins. It is a long and arduous climb to Zaj Pass as the terrain is quite rocky. There is a little chunk of snow on top of the pass. Sunlight peeps in through the clouds and the pristine sight of the two lakes – Gangabal and Nandkhol Lake are visible. The descent is beautiful especially with the sight of these lakes! When we reach the campsite in the late afternoon it is a pleasing sight to see local Kashmiris playing basketball on the banks of the lake.

Day 5

Clicked from the classily named Zaj Pass (Locals also spell it as Zach Pass).

Day 6

Aimless walks by a lake in Kashmir.

Day 7 

Playing basketball, cricket and football on the banks of Nandkhol Lake remains an everlasting memory as do Kashmiri songs and dancing with the cooks and helpers.

Day 7

It was one of those speechless moments. Local Kashmiris camped by the lake and enjoyed angling and their time away from the curfew.

It was easy to forget the troubles of the valley while on the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek and I was astounded to see colossal ruins of 8th Century Hindu temples in Naranag.

Hope you like this photo-story, I may do a day wise post of this fantastic trek soon. Interested folks can email me if they are looking for a local Kashmiri operator (who helped me on this trek.)

A few of my personal favourites among memorable posts, other than Kashmir : 

Autumn Colours in the Himalayas

Failures on the Road – Chapter 1

Romance of the Manali-Leh Road

Stunning experiences from the most remote monastery in the world

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The ladies of the house had given me cup-fuls of chai and I had drank them with morsels of chapatis. Sindh river flowed past the houses of the village, it was a pristine atmosphere. Men went out to pray in the nearby mosque and the sound of azaan reverberated in the Kashmir valley. Sitkari is only 3-4 kms away from the resorts of Sonamarg but felt like a world apart.

I didn’t really have any plan for the day or the next two weeks (before my return ticket) and was shown a green mountain near the road to start my uphill walk towards the famed meadows of Sonamarg. A horse grazed in a circular shaped meadow that was flanked by towering trees.

Read : Leh-Ladakh : Amalgamation of Cultures

As soon as I was on top of that particular mountain, I came upon a sight of the full splendour of Sonamarg, endless green vistas with horses grazing nonchalantly. It seemed as if I was watching a wallpaper, it was almost picture perfect with an occasional sumo breaking the timelessness of the landscape. The weather was sunny with a cool breeze blowing and I was glad to have carried the jacket with me.

The far away mountain peaks seemed to be playing hide and seek but clouds were dominating the proceedings. A white structure in the meadows seemed very appealing and I later learnt that it was the TRC dormitory owned by JKTDC. I instantly wondered how amazing it would feel to actually stay in that place which looked like a dream come true!

Read : A Roadtrip Without a Plan: Destination No. 1 Khajjiar

I was enjoying my walk when 2 horses began to follow me through the birch forest. It was a moment of bother but I changed my path and they went on their merry way too. I came upon a cute little hut that provided a vantage viewing point of Thajiwas Glacier (3000m) and surrounds. It must have been made by JKTDC and was a lovely wooden structure complimenting the natural scenery around it.

Thereafter I started descending towards the main road to Thajiwas Glacier that came from Sonamarg and within no time received a ride from a guy who was going on a two wheeler. He was quite surprised to see a tourist during the troubled times of the curfew. Two unruly kids started running behind our motorcycle and asked us to stop; they were adamant that I take a pony ride towards the Bajrangi Bhaijaan glacier! (I didn’t know the famous Bollywood movie starring Salman Khan was shot near Thajiwas Glacier.)

Also check : Romancing the monsoon in Corbett

It was quite surprising that the kids wouldn’t let go inspite of the local guy telling them to buzz off, we were finally at the last point of the road. More kids clamoured to get hold of me, although I clearly told them I had been to Thajiwas Glacier earlier and wasn’t keen on going especially due to the inclement weather. I crossed the bridge with water from the snow melt of the glacier thundering below. A mosque was visible under the trees in gorgeous meadows.

As I walked ahead, a few houses of the tribal Gujjars were visible. Colourful headscarves worn by women provided a pretty backdrop while men and kids played cricket. A few streams flowed nearby. It was easy to forget all about life that happened less than six hours away. The curfew seemed like a figment of my imagination. I got an invitation to have tea with the Gujjars after the end of the cricket match.

Read : A long weekend in Mussoorie – Explorations & Walks

The glacier was beckoning to me. I paid heed to the winds and started walking towards it. The horsemen and pony guys were back again. Before I could get a chance to say no, it started raining. All of us ran to the shelter of the dhabas after crossing the narrow bridge. The rain came pouring down and created thundering music on the flimsy tarpaulin, which promptly gave way after holding out for some time.

I was lucky to get a ride in the rain till Sonamarg with a local Kashmiri family and as the weather cleared, the views got incredibly beautiful! The proverbial icing on the cake was provided when the dhaba I was eating food at, made a fresh cup of Kehwa (Qahwa) for me (not a pre-mix powder). I have ever since been searching for hand made Kehwa powder.

That day it wasn’t just a walk to the ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan Thajiwas Glacier’; those 2-3 hours reassured me and prepared me for an epic trip. I was to later pay my obeisance to the gods at Amarnath Yatra and had a fantastic Kashmir Great Lakes Trek after that.

Read : An expert guide to Shimla

Could you relate to my experience? Have something to share from your own? I would love to know. Thanks.

For other posts on Kashmir : Check This

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Read Part 1 : Here

The gentleman dropped me near Ganderbal because circumstances near Saura weren’t exactly calm; he couldn’t leave me on the road amidst trouble. CRPF vans and armed men with huge rifles (or Ak-47s?) patrolled the streets and I felt really crazy. What was I doing here? But now I was in the middle of it all and there were no two ways about it. I decided going ahead was a better plan than going back.

Life boils down to simple ‘yes or no’ dilemmas, in troubled situations like this.

Nary a shop was open; there were a few bakeries that sold naan and Kashmiri bread in baskets. People wore a forlorn look on their faces, some queued up outside a half open meat selling shop. I hung around the road in hope but hope is a precious commodity sometimes and doesn’t come easily. With hardly any vehicles on the road, I would literally have to hitchhike my way out of there.

The air was fresh and I walked on the road, it was better than standing in one place and letting doubts creep into my mind. Two-three private cars didn’t bother stopping, they were in a rush and perhaps rightly so. After what seemed like an eternity, an angel appeared – It was tottering, in the form of a three wheeler luggage auto, painted brightly red. The tiny front cabin was already full and there were vegetables piled up in the open air carriage. A cobbler from Rajasthan was the sole inhabitant in that generous space, he lent me a hand to jump in.

Read : Autumn Colours in the Himalayas

It must have been one of the most uncomfortable rides I’ve ever had. I had to delicately find a way to sit while balancing my backpack and keeping the vegetables intact. We had hardly covered 3 kms before a customer stopped short our journey. He had agreed to buy all the vegetables in the auto. I had somehow reached Kangan and continued walking.

An old man on an activa (or scooty) gave me my next ride. The distance was only a kilometre or two, but the old man gave me a lesson that day. He told me even the smallest distance is important for me. In retrospect, that line meant a lot. I was close to Manigam on the intersection of the Bandipore road and suddenly it felt a lot better. This was Ganderbal district and things here weren’t as bad as they were in other parts of Kashmir.

Broken glass lay scattered on the road as I walked – lush rice and wheat fields on my left even as the Sindh river flowed unperturbed on the right. The mountains presented a pretty silhouette as seen from the fields while I was quite surprised by the army officers asking me to reconsider my decision and go back (Funny they said that now that I was out of harm’s way).

Read : Stunning beauty of Kashmir, in pictures

This was the first time I had taken the cell phone out of my pocket after the airport. I happily clicked a picture or two and smiled at random Kashmiris walking like me to get to nearby villages.

A smile has the unknown power of making everything worthwhile, sometimes. Now I know, when. 

A religious cleric’s car stopped, he was called Haji Sahab and he offered to drop me farther ahead on the road to Sonamarg. The driver said that they haven’t helped any locals yet offered me a ride. I didn’t understand what that meant and chose to keep mum. They asked me loads of questions on Kashmir and what I felt and how I would like it to be. I think I gave them answers that they wanted to hear; I was left off near Gund and the driver even found me another ride toward Gagangir.

It must have been 11 or 12 noon by then. I brought some local apples for 50 rupees and watched a bakery turn out a round of Kashmiri bread. The aroma that wafted around had home wrapped all around it. Women travelled in the shared taxi and it was a big relief when I was told 20 rupees would be charged. It told me life was normal in Sonamarg and maybe I could go ahead on a trek to Amarnath and the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek.

The fairytale wasn’t over yet. The share taxi stopped midway and relayed us to another taxi which then relayed us to another. So finally after hitching rides with almost 10 vehicles, I had triumphantly marched into Sonamarg. It was a Tavera SUV and the driver was an ardent Salman Khan fan. I sang matching the tunes of a popular song, it broke the ice between us. He asked me to sit back and let the other people alight in Sonamarg.

Read : Trekking in Kashmir : The twin lakes of Tarsar Marsar

Immediately he asked me if I had called my folks back home and took me to the only working STD PCO in Sonamarg. In our chit chat, I had happened to mention I was hungry. The next instance was to help me begin an eternal love affair with Kashmiri bread. We drove to a small tea stall, where Kashmiri locals gathered for ‘nuun chai’ (salt tea) and crisp bread, generously lathered with butter. I hungrily gobbled two pieces while gulping chai after chai.

Oh, and he didn’t bother taking money from me for it. Then, as I mentioned the trek – it was decided that I was better off staying at a local’s home in Sitkadi village. My apprehensions were put to rest when I met the guy, he was warm and welcoming.

I felt as if I was in a dream; in the curfew and troubles of Kashmir, the locals had managed to make a solo traveller arrive unscathed with a mixture of rides and here I was in a tranquil village by the banks of Sindh river lazing in a 16 room home, less than 6-7 hours after landing in Srinagar. In retrospect, I think I was plain lucky!

Also read : Travel memories of 2015

Fairytales come true. Kashmir wins. Peace wins. Someday Kashmir shall get all the love it deserves. 

Ah, its time to quote one by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

‘Jo hum pe guzri so guzri magar shab-e-hijraan
Hamaare ashq teri aaqbat saanwaar chale…’

Translation : 
We went through hell, but all right.
Once this evening of separation is over,
Our tears would have,
Cleaned you for your next life.

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It was the early hour of 7 in the morning and the Tourist office was deserted (usual, you would say). I lingered around to see someone rushing toward me, ‘Don’t you know, yahaan haalat theek nahi hai.’ Translation : Don’t you know, current conditions are not favourable for travel? I was mildly disturbed to see my worst fears of the curfew coming true. This was the trouble of the 8th July case of Burhan Wani.

And so began my 2 week long ‘holiday’ in Kashmir in the curfew of July-August 2016.

The curfew means buses and shared taxis in Srinagar aren’t working. I am surprised to see people camp at the airport lawns in an effort to go back. I feel jittery walking out of the covered confines of the airport. There is a deafening silence even though there are many people around me. It seems like a sign of things to come. Momentarily, I consider going back.

I am in Kashmir without a plan (as always!) and have realised its better to cross Ganderbal and reach Sonamarg to find a way to be on the Great Lakes Trek.

The first person I speak to outside the airport tells me I should seek the army’s help; we all know how that goes. He told me to drop all plans of going to Yousmarg through Charar-I-Sharief and confirms that getting to Sonamarg is a better plan. I have a brief chat with him and in the course of the conversation we develop a little camaraderie; he already knows of my love affair with Kashmir and the culture and food and gestures me to sit in his Maruti Van. He asks me a few questions about Kashmir to know how much I know about local transport in Srinagar.

He has come to pick up someone at the airport and offers to drop me at the TRC (I still think he’s trying to fool me and there will be shared taxis running from TRC (Tourist Reception Centre) to Kangan. (How wrong was I!)

Of course, I can book a personal taxi and travel at 11:30 in the night when the curfew is relaxed and the army convoys ensure everyone’s safety on the Srinagar-Leh highway. How can I tell anyone how terrible it would feel to travel like a thief in the night in one of the world’s prettiest places? Where will I spend the day, hiding from whom? Will I be able to bear the deathly hush for some 16 hours? As if I wanted to reach Sonamarg like a man on a mission. I choose to sit in the Maruti Van.

They ask me to hide while passing the police check-post, thats when I realise the enormity of the entire thing. Am I not supposed to get out of the airport on my own? I wondered for a bit if this was the right thing I was doing; especially after my huge folly in Garhwal Himalaya. If the airport was deafeningly silent, here on the streets the quietness has an eerie feel attached to it.

It is almost 7:30 – the army is everywhere, there are no civilians on the street and yet huge trucks and jeeps stand proudly with grenades on top. There is a solitary chaiwallah’s shop that is open, the army are enjoying their morning cuppa on a cloudy start to the day. I can’t help but think, ‘I had just come to roam around. Oh no, not again.’

The air hangs heavy in trepidation. Nobody utters a word in the Maruti Van too, apparently they have spotted stones on the street and were worried. Thankfully, I have no such trouble and adore the houses of Srinagar when we pass the TRC.

When they finally speak, it is muffled laughter and conversation in Kashmiri – they say they have been wondering whether to think of me as stupid or brave? My heart beats a thousand drums, I cannot respond and am nearly in shock. The TRC is empty and completely devoid of any people and the shared taxis turn out to be a figment of my happy imagination. I nodded when he said its better that I come with them to their home, which would be good for me as it was close to the highway.

I had looked into their eyes and saw kindness, you have to trust someone in times like this and I don’t know yet if I have made the right choice. We are driving in the small lanes to avoid the stone pelters. Wait, what… A chill ran down my spine whey they said that, ever so nonchalantly. But their eyes give it away, they are as frightened as I am.

Stone pelting incidents are apparently commonplace here and the protestors don’t spare the local cars too. From conversations over the years, it seems tourists were not a target of these attacks.

That made me feel better. I am not alone in this. It is very funny how we humans hold on to anything that gives us hope. I even roll down the window just a wee bit and deeply inhaled the air; air for which two nations had been at loggerheads for almost 7 decades. Did it feel pure and pristine? I don’t know, I was too worked up in my brain to even notice.

We are at Nowshera; I am asked to get down in front of a home with my bag (Thankfully, I have only one backpack). The gentleman of the house is summoned and informs me I must cross Kangan and be far on the highway before 9 AM. That is supposed to be the time when the stone pelting really begins. I shudder at the thought of so much trouble but the gentleman asks me If I have faith in God and Kashmir? I say, I have faith in man. He smiles.

Read : Waltzing to Happiness on a Houseboat in Srinagar

Stunning beauty of Kashmir, in pictures – Part II

I see that the taxi guy gets paid Rupees. 2000/- by the guy whom he has come to pick up. That is more than flying from Delhi to Srinagar.

I am admonished by the lady of the house when I obliviously bring my shoes inside their house. I beg for forgiveness and am ushered into a room with a solitary window. A gamut of emotions runs in my head, I want to get out of here but I do not where and how. I don’t even know if I am being taken a prisoner in this house. They have just left me alone in the room and no one has come to even try and make a conversation.

Just as I am beginning to get restless, the gentleman (owner of the house – Mohd. Afzal) appears with a cup of tea and asks me if I have eaten anything since morning. I nod in denial. He asks his son to bring some biscuits. I nearly burst out crying in the process of dunking the biscuit in the slender cup of the sweet tea and before the biscuit touches my lips. I am hungry and want to have ten cups of tea but I don’t. He asks me to stay at his home for the night and pay a nominal fee. His plump kid is trying to recite some math tables and I realise the wretched truth of life in Kashmir.

I demand to leave and am firm and adamant that I want to get to Sonamarg. I figure in my mind that if I let them know I am scared they won’t let me go. Soura is only 3 km away, I am told. The taxi guy joins in too and tells me to stay here for the day and leave the next day. I lie about having a trek starting tomorrow.

 If you Pray Somewhere in this world – Something good will happen. ~ Hafiz.

Afzal Bhai is genuinely concerned and offers me any kind of help I may require. He asks me to verbally promise I will come back to his home on my way back. The plump schoolboy is summoned; his father asks him to scribble the address on a piece of paper and put down their phone number on that (Even though no mobile phones in Kashmir are working).

The lady of the house tells me to come back if I am stuck on the highway or in case of any trouble. I ask them to fill my empty water bottle, Mohd Afzal has said he will personally drop me to the highway at Soura.

We are supposed to go on a motorbike and the taxi driver has already warned Afzal, ‘If any stone pelting happens, shout tourist tourist and they would let us go.’

Did I get to Soura and finally to Sonamarg?

Nothing mattered that day. My faith in humanity was restored. Kashmir love.

————————————————————————–

“Now that all your worry has proved such an unlucrative business,
Why not find a better job.” – Hafiz.

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I had spent the night gazing at the framed views of Nun-Kun peaks from a little village in Suru Valley called Parkachik. While hitchhiking in a truck from Padum to Rangdum, the lunch break had enabled me to speak to a lady from New Zealand who promptly offered me a seat in the cab that she was travelling in. It was the 13th of August and I was fully charged by the break in Padum after making the epic solo trek from Darcha to Padum.

Read more on that here :

Doing the unthinkable – Solo Trekking to Zanskar

A journey to Phugtal in pictures

Lamas at Phuktal Monastery

Stunning experiences from the most remote monastery in the world

I was in no mood to spend the night in Kargil even though I had to get to Srinagar by the 15th to be on a trek that was beginning on the 16th. I was also aware of the gravity of travelling on the 15th of August and ideally wanted to be safely away on a houseboat.

The lady had to show her passport at the check post at Parkachik and that gave us the opportunity to enjoy views of the twin peaks of Nun & Kun. There was only one available room at the JKTDC Rest House in Panikhar and I had offered it to her saying I will go somewhere else.

After that we had got talking; she was a big fan of Shivya’s writings – I told her I was Shivya’s online acquaintance and a travel blogger myself. The taxi guys hadn’t left yet and we asked them to take us to Parkachik so that we may try our luck at the JKTDC Rest House there. It was nearly 5 in the evening and no room here would have meant going to Sankoo or Kargil which wasn’t a very pleasurable idea. We were in for a big surprise though after finding 2 rooms and a jolly caretaker who made tasty food. The rest of the evening was spent admiring the glorious views of the Nun Kun massif. 

We woke up at 5 am to witness the beauty of sunrise, I was happy when the first shared taxi for Kargil came at 6. After a quick breakfast in Kargil, I went to the taxi stand only to find out that a transport strike had been called for and no buses or taxis were going to ply. It was 14th August and almost 9 o’ clock; I didn’t know what to do. The locals weren’t helping either.

After buying some tea leaves and apricot oil from Kargil Market, I sat in a local sumo with locals from Kargil and we were supposed to be dropped near a check post on the highway for 20 rupees each. Instead, everyone was stopped by unruly youth before we could get far, I was on the outskirts of Kargil. I chose to walk my way out of Kargil.

A river flowed on the side of the road and it was quite hot with the full force of sun as the clock approached noon, I tried to amble along in the shade of the tall poplars which were planted beside lovely houses located in the middle of lush green fields. Apricots hung from the branches of the trees and some found their way to my hands. There was a forest check post nearby and I was asked to go there and try my luck. I was loving 2015.

After chatting with the officers for a bit and watching cars and trucks zip past, I finally got lucky when a truck stopped. I hoisted myself and made some space to sit as there were already 3 people inside. The truck people belonged to Srinagar. Like most people in Kashmir they hated the army and spewed venom whenever they saw someone in a uniform.

The scenery was breathtaking, a clear stream from Pakistan joined the river. We passed the sizeable town of Drass in the afternoon and there was distinct quietness on the street, a traffic jam at Zoji La killed some time before the mesmerising green grasslands of Gumri took my breath away. In a never ending expanse of green; horses, cows, sheep and goats grazed while Kashmiri shepherds chatted near their prettily coloured tents.

From the barren landscapes of Kargil to the green paradise of Kashmir.

It was almost 4 when we reached Sonamarg; I was quite hungry and expressed a desire to be dropped at a dhaba in Sonamarg. I was asked a cool 300 rupees for the hike, that was a new one for me. Usually if someone wanted money for the ride, they used to ask beforehand. This being a special day of a taxi strike in Kargil Taxi Union, I paid the money without any fuss and thanked them profusely for the help.

Devotees to the Amarnath Yatra seemed to be crowding every place in Sonamarg, I had a quick thali and stood on the road again. Srinagar was only 80 kms away (2 hours) and daylight in these parts lasted till 730 in the evening. I was lucky again when a shared taxi took me in and asked for 150 Rupees till Kangan. I said yes, it was time to speed along with the roaring Sindh river for company while the pines beckoned.

I admired the pretty villages on the other side set in alpine scenery while Kashmiri folk songs had me in a happy mood. A quiet tear escaped my eye, I had lost my heart yet again on the road. It was an overwhelming experience to travel with locals who were keen to acquaint me with the nuances of culture and history of Kashmir.

It was mesmerising to feel like a Kashmiri among the chaos of the market in Kangan. Another shared taxi ride took me to Srinagar while the dusk scenes whizzed past across the verdant rice fields of Ganderbal. It was almost dark when the taxi dropped me near TRC (Tourist Reception Centre) in Srinagar; I was keen to make my way to Dal Gate No. 7, still apprehensive of staying on land as it was 15th August the next day and also because the New Zealand lady had given me the contact of a budget houseboat owner.

I had struck a deal with the houseboat guy for Rs. 800 per day including all my meals, tea, qahwa and also transfers from land to the houseboat in a shikara. I have known travellers to be smart charged by the houseboat owners and thats why opted to fix the rates in advance. 

After more than two weeks of being without a network, free wifi at the houseboat made me dizzy with happiness. I connected with the world on social media and posted my updates on Facebook, instagram and twitter. The houseboat was new and my room had the aroma of fresh pine.

There was the viewing area or balcony to begin with, here I was supposed to take off my footwear so that the carpeted floor of the houseboat wasn’t spoiled. Inside was a drawing room with a television leading to two bedrooms on either sides. The bathroom was clean and I was happy with continuous hot water supply. My bedroom window was covered by flimsy curtains and opened up to a vast expanse of greenery in the middle of Dal Lake.

After a quick welcome with a Kashmiri qahwa chai (Also : Kehwa or Kahwah or Kahwa) – traditional tea enjoyed without milk in Kashmir, many elders joined my host for the evening, conversations flow while they smoke hookah. Inevitably the talk turns to Kashmir and insurgency of the 90s; the oldies narrate how Kashmir is a profitable business for all parties concerned and why nobody really wants a solution!

A cool breeze blew across the Dal, dinner was a simple home cooked meal enjoyed with Kashmiri songs that my host played on his mobile. The bed was comfortable and the weather was just perfect for me to dive into the warm and fuzzy blanket and let myself be taken away into the world of dreams.

I woke up to the call of the muezzin and sound of the azaan, Srinagar seemed pretty quiet and I was even more glad to have made the decision to not stay on land. So, here I was – Living like a king on a houseboat for 800 rupees and news came the next day that the army had roughed up an outsider on the eve of Independence Day. I thanked my stars. 

Kids played and laughed while geese swam and cackled in unison. There was a pretty house  right in front of my balcony where the geese congregated. I had great pleasure watching the proceedings of local life on Dal Lake while savouring breakfast of tea with Kashmiri bread. There was no possibility nor any desire to go anywhere else but be on the Dal.

I had made some local friends while chatting up and they offered to take me on a round to see more of Dal Lake; nobody had any work today because everything was closed. Srinagar’s loss was my gain – there was no morning market that day but sellers knocked on my window asking if I wanted any saffron. There was a furniture seller too, who wanted to offer me a special discount on items made from the Kashmiri speciality walnut wood.

It was a delightful experience to see how locals made the lack of space in Srinagar an opportunity and houseboats were born. Life continued like on land, there were shops selling daily use items on Dal Lake. Kebab sellers would come floating and offer their delights. I spent the day washing clothes dirty from the earlier trek to prepare myself for the Tarsar Marsar Trek. 

The palpable tension in the air dissipated as evening came; Independence Day was soon forgotten and life came back to normal. Next day, I left in the morning, brought pears and explored the downtown area of Srinagar near Khayyam chowk and TRC before joining my partners for the glorious trek that began in Aru near Pahalgam.

I made promises to the houseboat owner to come back after the trek ended and stay on for a longer period, alas that was never to come. The sight of men in uniform was too much for me to handle after the tranquility of being alone while trekking and I took a flight as soon as I could.

Also check : Stunning beauty of Kashmir, in pictures – Part II

Gulon mein rang bhare baad-e-naubahaar chale 
Chale bhi aao ke gulshan ka kaarobaar chale….
 How I wish flowers take new colours! 
And the breeze brings fresh winds of change. 
I plead you, come to me now, my love, 
Maybe, if you come, my garden may bloom again. 

~ Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

The astonishing play of clouds and sun resulted in an evening to remember walking on the fringes of the sparkling waters of the lake. 

Thousands of sheep wandered about the grasslands, for their fodder. This was the land of Gujjars and Bakarwals, the nomadic cattle herders who made their living selling milk, butter and wool.

The long winter had ended and the sun’s warmth meant the snow melt has caused this hollow bowl shaped plain to retain all the water and turn into a veritable green marsh. This stretch also didn’t have any shepherd’s homes although there were many sheep grazing and also being sheathed. 

I can barely believe my eyes when I look at these pictures. Static, pristine waters as if it was a painting made by nature.

Obscured by clouds, a mix of green and blue colours. It is a glacial lake caused by snow melt and the thin, clear line is the inlet for water to flow in.

The remoteness of Kashmir means that we can be sure of these places never becoming the new Pangong Tso. Did you notice the small, round patch of green near the water? We travel to find our own sweet paradise.

Fabled landscapes in Kashmir. A carpet of wildflowers, gorgeous noble steed walk on the banks of a lake beneath blue skies. This is heaven, indeed. 

Clouds rise from the valley beneath us. Kashmir is beautiful on treks, not too difficult, not too easy. Just right. 

Gorgeous silhouettes in magical Kashmir. Kolahoi peak is visible in the far distance (Kolahoi Glacier.)

Read : Travel memories of 2015

Walking on these glorious grasslands with fresh oxygen aplenty. The absence of mobile networks is a welcome break. You don’t spot a soul for miles together, leaving you to savour the beauty of nature.

Colourful wildflowers grow on the trail to a mysterious lake high into the mountains.

The world is their playground. Happiness is infectious, they thought my furry hat to be my real hair and that I was a dangerous bear! Haha. 

Does this house remind you of the movie ‘Highway?’ If it does, I would love to hear from you.

Raat yun dil mein teri khoyi hui yaad aayi,
Jaise viraane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaye,
Jaise sehraaon mein haule se chale baad-e-naseem,
Jaise beemaar ko be-wajhe qaraar aa jaaye.

Last night your faded memory came to me
As in the wilderness spring comes quietly,
As, slowly, in the desert, moves the breeze,
As, to a sick man, without cause, comes peace.

~ Faiz.

Read : Trekking in Kashmir : The twin lakes of Tarsar Marsar

I wipe my tears as I finish this post. Milton must have referred to Kashmir when he penned down ‘Paradise Lost.’

Also check : The Goodness of Strangers : Curfew in Kashmir

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