PRAISE THE BEAUTY OF KASHMIR

Set like a jewelled crown on the map of India, Kashmir is a multi-faceted diamond, changing its hues with the seasons - always extravagantly beautiful. Two major Himalayan ranges, the Great Himalayan Range and the Pir Panjal , surround the landscape from the north and south respectively. They are the source of great rivers, which flow down into the valleys, forested with orchards and decorated by lily-laden lakes. The Mughals aptly called Kashmir ‘Paradise on Earth’ where they journeyed across the hot plains of India, to the valley’s cool environs in summer. Here they laid, with great love and care, Srinagar’s many formal, waterfront gardens, now collectively known as the Mughal Gardens . Anecdotes of four and five centuries ago describe their love for these gardens, and the rivalries that centred around their ownership. They also pat...

This visually sumptuous and robustly entertaining pics of talented Shammi Kapoor taken during the shooting of their film "kashmir ki kali" back in 1964. ( Taarif karun kya uski, “How shall I praise Him … Who has created your beauty?”) is staged as an aquatic boat-ballet on magnificent Dal Lake.

A place famous for lakes and mountains set like a jeweled crown on the map. Kashmir is a many-faceted diamond changing its character with the four seasons, always extravagantly beautiful. SPRING : March - May (Temp Min3.5oC- Max24.6oC) It comes alive in spring when nature bedecks the valley with blossom after blossom: almond, cherry, apple, peach, pears, pansies, narcissi, daises and many more. Throughout the valley thousands of fruits and flowers burst into bloom exuding and alluring fragrance. SUMMER : June - August (Min 14.4 Max30.8) In the summer the melting snow of the mountains fill the brooks and rivers with gushing water. Only a touch of white peaks on the top most crags tells the tale of winter past. Characteristic of summer are the floating gardens on the Dal lake, trout fishing, trekking in the Himalayas, golf, water sports and bird watching etc. AUTUMN : September - November (Min.2.0 Max.28.3) Summer gives way to autumn. Nature packs up for the sea...

kashmiri girls performing the traditional dance on stage.

Rich and redolent with the flavour of the spices used –cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, saffron, etc. -- Kashmiri food can be the simple meal of a family, or a 36-course wedding banquet called Wazawan. The staple diet of every Kashmiri is rice, the most preferred being the dense, slightly sticky grained Kashmir variety, which is prized in the Valley. Mutton, chicken or fish are of prime importance in Kashmiri meal and everyday cooking often combines vegetable and meat in the same dish. Mutton and turnips, chicken and spinach, fish and lotus root are also very popular combinations. Pure vegetarian dishes include dum-aloo - roasted potatoes in curd-based gravy, and chaman- fried paneer (cottage cheese), in a thick sauce. Non-vegetarian dishes are considered in Kashmir to be a sign of lavish hospitality and at a Wazwan or banquet, not more than one or two vegetarian dishes are served. Sweets do not play an important role in Kashmiri cuisine. Instead Kahva or green tea is used to wash down a me...

S rinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley at an altitude of 1,730 m above sea level, spread on both sides of the river Jhelum. The Dal and Nagin lakes enhance its picturesque setting, while the changing play of the seasons and the salubrious climate ensures that the city is equally attractive to visitors around the year. Overview of Dal Lake around Nehru Park Kalhana, the author of 'Rajtarangini’, states that Srinagri was founded by Emperor Ashoka (3rd Century BC). The present city of Srinagar was founded by Pravarasena-II, and Hiuen Tsang, who visited Kashmir in 631 AD, found it at the same site as it is today. Laltaditya Muktapida was the most illustrious ruler of Kashmir in the Hindu period, which ended in 1339 AD. King Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-70 AD), popularly known as ‘Budshah’, was a great patron of Sanskrit. Akbar captured Kashmir valley for the Mughals, who endowed Srinagar with beautiful mosques and gardens. The Sikhs overthrew the last Muslim ruler in the reign...