[Car-riedAway]

Prologue: Circa 1987/88

It was a vacation all of us as a family were looking forward to. Afterall, it is an important event in every Government officer's life (read "my father") - our annual LTC sponsored vacation. We were going to Kashmir and our train was on the very next day. I could hardly sleep being overly excited to see a new place - especially the mountains, which I dearly love! But it appears that someone else could also not sleep that night! My dad's super boss suddenly decided that he wanted to visit my father's jurisdictional area and we received a call late in the night of the bomb that was planned to be dropped on us. The best part of a Government job is supposed to be the certainty (and security) in service it brings with it, the worst part is the uncertainty of one's leaves - any higher official's visit could spoil your programs anytime. What an irony, right! The trip eventually got cancelled with me sulking (and secretly cursing the man who crashed my dream).

The insurgency that started around 1989 meant that Kashmir was off the limits for the years to come.

Some ray of light?

I got married to a girl from Jammu, whose family migrated from Kashmir during the 1989 trouble. With my in-laws still having their roots in Kashmir, I was certain that I may now get the chance to fulfill my dream - so what if I don't have LTC . But I realized that marriage brings in the same level of uncertainty as a government job - sometimes your leave don't get approved because a "higher officer" doesn't want to. Having seen a troublesome exit from Kashmir, my wife was mentally scarred and couldn't muster up the strength to go back. The media reports on disturbances, even if intermittent, happening in the State did not help my case either. I thought of giving up on my dream and tried to cajole myself with other Firdaus-es (read paradises) like Manali.

However, one day, I don't know how my wife, realizing that it was my long lost dream, proposed to go on a road trip to Kashmir. Well this was the only signal I was looking forward to and within no time did I plan the entire trip:

Day 1: Delhi to Jammu (stay at In-laws place. They were to accompany us on the trip too as recognized "locals").
Day 2: Rest day in Jammu
Day 3: Jammu to Srinagar
Day 4: Srinagar local sightseeing
Day 5: Srinagar to Pahalgam
Day 6: Pahalgam local sightseeing
Day7: Return to Jammu
Day 8: Jammu to Delhi

Our vehicle: The trusted Toyota Fortuner (I have a Petrol AT 4x2)

Since the trip was close to 1900Kms and the roads were expected to be bad, I got the alignment and balancing done even though experts suggested to get it done after my return owing to the road condition in some patches between Jammu and Srinagar. This was a blessing in disguise - the alignment guy discovered 3-4 punctures (or potential punctures) and repaired the tyres. I was thanking myself for having avoided possible trouble enroute Kashmir - I haven't yet tried changing the bulky tyres myself on my Fortuner and didn't want to do it for the first time on my dream trip. Lesson learnt: Always get the tyres checked for puncture/potential punctures before any big trip

Delhi to Jammu drive was uneventful. I am quite used to the route having done the same at least 5-6 times earlier. The total time it took us was around 11 hours with three bio and food breaks. Fortuner is planted on road in high speeds and is very comfortable for my family (contrary to what people generally say about the mid-row seats).

Drive from Jammu to Srinagar

There's hell lot of construction going on between Jammu till at least Banihal and stretch near Ramban is very bad and prone to frequent traffic jams. Taking into account the unpredictability, we decided to (try to) start early. Despite all our efforts, we could only start by around 7.15 am. Google maps showed a travel time of 6.5 hrs for the trip to Srinagar. We just hoped that it was true!

What, however, followed was a mini ordeal and an indicator of what was to follow. We found a massive traffic jam in Ramban and were stuck for almost half an hour - stationary at one place - waiting for the blockage to be cleared. Thankfully there was JnK police to regulate the traffic and clear the bottleneck.

Pro advice: Unlike the Delhi-Jammu or Delhi-Himachal route, there are not many good eateries on the way so make sure that you carry enough food, fruits, knick-knacks and water, especially if you are travelling with kids. You could be stuck in jams for hours together and having cranky kids/co-travelers is the last thing you need to aggravate the already worse situation. Clean toilets are a luxury as well and this could be a problem if you have women folks travelling with you. We stopped at some road side eateries and the ladies toilets were nothing to be happy about. The only way to beat this could be to leave earlier from Jammu and hope to cover the distance in as many hours as Google suggests without getting caught in a traffic jam. Carry toilet disinfectants and soap as you may need frequent clean ups.

We reached Srinagar around 3.30 pm and our stay was at RK Sarovar Portico (near Dal gate). Dal lake is at a walkable distance (if you consider 2 kms as walkable). I got a deluxe room for Rs. 11000 plus taxes including breakfast. There's ample parking space though after a steep (almost 30 degrees) climb. We freshened up and thought of covering Dal Lake first thing! There's enough paid parking space around the Dal lake area and you could safely park your car in any of these slots. We were charged Rs 50 for an hour and half if I remember correctly. A ride in a shikara could cost you Rs 1500-2000 if you are not careful and unsee the Government authorized rates! The shikara guys may take you for a ride (pun intended) so try and bargain unless you are going with government authorized rates that are generally displayed on sign boards. The shikara ride could take you through the floating market and Nehru market both of which are recommended. You may savour meaty delights or Kahwa/tea/coffee during your shikara ride, thanks to the vendors on floating kitchens.

There are many eateries in the area and no one would be left hungry! Pro advice: If you are a fan of fish fry, your go to place should be the parking slot near Zabarwan park. In that slot, there's a stall run by a person who sells fish fry. While I do not like fish, those in my family who had it said that it was one of the best fish fry they had ever had.

I will share few photographs so that the travelogue doesn't become very monotonous.

View from the hotel (Sarovar Portico) reception area


House boats in Dal Lake


Colourful Shikara in Dal Lake


A famous houseboat that featured in DD TV Serial Gul Gulshan Gulfam


Beautiful Shikara with houses in the background on the Dal Lake


Yet another beautiful house captured in evening light


Colourful foreground and the background


A real (non-commercial) houseboat with residents


A view of the essentials of Kashmir


A cutee enhancing her beauty


View from another perspective


Yet another of the umpteen clicks

[Car-riedAway]

Day 2: Local sightseeing in Srinagar

We decided to do the usual touristy stuff by visiting the famous gardens of Srinagar. The first one in that line was Shalimar Garden. If you are going by your own vehicle, parking could be trouble as the space in the area around the park is bit cramped. Though there are few private parking spots, the space may get filled up quite fast, especially in heavy tourist season.

The tickets for 4 adults and one kid was around Rs. 120 if I remember correctly. One could make a payment using UPI in case cash is a problem. There are several eateries nearby though I would suggest the Maggi be better avoided since it tastes different in Kashmir . Pro advice: Tell them beforehand how you want your Maggi - no masala except for that which originally comes with it! My personal experience is that I found the shopkeepers a bit rude and not concerned even if you point out to them that the Maggi didn't taste like Maggi. It may be my personal experience but I did not find people smiling back whenever you would pay money or say thank you, which made me feel a bit unwanted. I want to reemphasize that it may be my experience only and probably, my face doesn't warrant a smile back!

The park is beautiful and well maintained. There's a cafeteria inside the park as well but again the desire for clean toilets remained unfulfilled. On the day we went, there were hundreds of people in the park but there was ample space for everyone. The horticulture department has done a splendid job maintaining the park. The fountains were operational giving the park a royal look.

Next in line was Harwan Garden, which is resplendent with a stream running through the one side of the park. The sound of the stream is so soothing that you would just want to relax listening to the stream flowing by. I saw people coming with home cooked food and having a meal in the shade of the trees by the stream. Reminded me of the good old days when the outings on Sunday would mean a picnic with friends and family in similar parks (albeit in not so cool weather ) There were many school kids enjoying their picnic. I was told that the stream originates in a natural reservoir just behind the park.

I could not find the authorized government parking but I saw vehicles parked on the road, which was not that busy. We parked in a nearby hotel where we also treated ourselves to some Kashmiri Wazwan. Pro advice: The meat here is generally lamb meat (as opposed to goat meat), which may have its own taste (and smell) and hence, lovers or haters. So, if you are sensitive to the type of meat, please ensure that you check with the restaurant first. For the vegetarians, you may get the humble Dum Aloo, Haaq Saag, Tamatar Chaman (paneer in red gravy) as few options that are easily available.

One thing that I found quite disturbing (again that could be individual preference) is the heavy presence of CRPF within the city. It could be probably because of the G20 meet that was planned but still it did not instill much confidence about how potentially safe the place is. The highways also have heavy army and CRPF presence, which I am sure makes the place very secure but my idea of a touristy place, that too which is supposed to be a paradise, does not feature any guns. Hats off to the Army and paramilitary for ensuring security but the heavy presence pained me as well. I do not want to discredit the beauty of the place but my emotions arise from the fact that I could never imagine a paradise like that! Leaving you with few photos to experience the two parks

The Shalimar park overlooking the nearby mountain


The beautiful artistry of the horticulture department


Lush green corridors


Operational fountains


Yet another view of fountains - in operation


Another creation of the horticulture department


Harwan park and the famous stream


Ice-capped Mountains visible from the park


View from the top - Harwan park


Another view of the Harwan park


The natural reservoir that feeds the Harwan stream

[Car-riedAway]

Srinagar to Pahalgam

As per Google maps, the drive to Pahalgam was to be around 2 hours however, Kashmir being as unpredictable as it can be, made our drive almost 3 hours long thanks to a detour due to a convoy movement. One needs to be always ready to be taken for a surprise detour/stop owing to heavy convoy movements, which happen unannounced to maintain security. We passed through the towns of Anantnag and Pompore famous for its bat factories and saffron farming respectively. Stop by to shop for any of these in case you are looking for bats/saffron. Again, we found heavy CRPF presence on the road. Your vehicle may not be allowed to stop for long duration in case a convoy is passing by and so be careful about that should you want to stop for shopping. Also, you may not find many good eating joints on the way and so keep your expectations low and vehicle filled up with necessary knick-knacks.

The drive is scenic with snow-clad mountains all around. The last 15-20 kms take you along a river (which may be Lidder river) and is very soothing. You may want to stop by near Apple farms to savour some Apple juice.

Our stay was planned at Pine and Peak (an ITC group hotel). One room was at a whopping RS 26k/piece + 18% taxes but it is one of the two starred resorts in the place as per my knowledge. We stayed there for a day and moved to Radisson Golf resorts where the room price was 28K (including taxes). Both the resorts are very good but you may need to book in advance in heavy season. Pine and Peak is strategically located at a height just overlooking the Lidder river. The river bank is approachable by walk as well but you may have to walk at least 2 kms downhill to make that happen. The Pahalgam market is also located at a distance of around 2-3 kms from the resorts. Pine and Peak also offers an evening tea program with pakoras and other savouries.

The Pahalgam market has a Swiss feel to it (though a bit crowded and not that well kept). You could shop for local artefacts, shawls and walnuts (if lucky enough to chance upon a vendor). There are few restaurants in the market but one I would highly recommend is a cafe by the name of Log-inn that serves freshly baked Pizzas, different types of trout dishes, pastries and other bakery products and what not. The best part is that any drink you order, you are given a taster sample first and the final drink is prepared only once you approve the taster sample. I did not see any hospital or doctor in the market and so you should at least carry emergency medications like for fever, pain and stomach ailments. I would always suggest carrying pro-biotics to digest the heavy non-veg that you may be consuming

Lidder river bank is easily approachable. There are rafting options available upstream, which I did not explore but did saw many people doing it. We, however, did cross over the river to go to Heevan restaurant (which appears to be the property of the owner of Pine and Peak) for a change. The touristy options are Aru valley, Betaab Valley (around an hour's drive) and Chandanwadi. Chandanwadi is around 15 kms from Pahalgam and serves as base camp for Amarnath yatra. It did have snow when we were there. It is famous for some touristy snow activities but we stayed away from all these places as we did not want to go to crowded places and rather were happy spending time peacefully at one place exploring it better.

View from our resort Pine and Peak


Beautiful snow capped mountains in the vicinity of the resort


The Lidder river - so approachable


Another view of the Lidder river - notice my Fortuner parked on the banks


River rafting in Lidder river


A foot bridge to cross over to Heevan restaurant


Closer view of the snow capped mountains in vicinity


Another view from the Pine and Peak resort


Mountains peaking through the houses in the Pahalgam market


The Pahalgam market


Cafe Log-inn in the Pahalgam market

[Car-riedAway]

Pahalgam to Jammu

The journey till Banihal was uneventful and we covered the distance in around 2-3 hours but thereafter it was the start of a new ordeal. We were stuck in a massive traffic jam starting from Banihal up until Ramban for more than 6 hours. Yes! the vehicle would be stationary for long durations in different patches or otherwise, would crawl at maximum speed of 10 kmph. Probably, it was our destiny - the truckers created a ruckus a day before our travel as they were being held up for more than 3-4 days enroute Srinagar and thus, the authorities decided to let them pass. Now, the roads are not in a good shape, which means reduced speed for the vehicles travelling uphill and hence the traffic jams at several bottlenecks. Long halts also meant people losing their patience and blocking the road by going wrong side. The police was nowhere to be seen and it was total chaos. Thankfully we had had some food at Banihal as we would find our next food stop only after 6 hours. I have already talked about the problem of clean toilets and this problem got further aggravated owing to heavy traffic jams. Prior to my visit, I had heard several people telling me that Banihal tunnel has cafes and toilets - well nothing like that I could see! Probably that was a news from the Whatsapp university.

It was all smooth after Ramban but the total time we took to reach Jammu from Pahalgam was almost 11 hours! The realization that came to me is that the path to paradise is full of thorns and only the brave should venture out for now. The construction work is not going to last before 2026 as per my knowledge and until then the unpredictability of the route would remain as it is. Hopefully, once the Ramban stretch is complete, travellers would be able to travel effortlessly.

Overall impression

No doubt Kashmir is beautiful but I do feel that it is not unmatched as is claimed by many. Places like Jispa and Spiti valley would rate equally high in my opinion (again these are my personal views). I did enjoy the ride and my travels but it was surely not that comfortable travel for my co-travellers. I would say that the road travellers would have to be prepared mentally to face the difficulties I shared for few more years before the ride could become extremely comfortable. Probably, air travel may be a good option until then but I have heard horror stories of cab operators as well so one must research that before planning their trip - there are umpteen YT videos on that topic. The other thing that was not up to my taste was the overall environment of heavy security forces deployment, which does not give you a feeling that you are at a tourist place. There's an undercurrent of tension and insecurity, which was not very comfortable to my liking. Having said the above, I would still not like all these problems to overshadow the beauty of the place. It is one of the beautiful places I have visited in India. I conclude my travelogue with some other pictures of beauty of Pahalgam

Yours truly, by the Lidder river


A floating log in the river - "Log" kya kahenge?


Someone's horsing around


The beauty of Pahalgam


Our trout fry at Cafe Log-inn


Pahalgam market trying to replicate Swiss-ish views



It is quite common to see clouds settling on mountains


Portraits of life - in Pahalgam


My cold coffee view a view at Cafe Log-inn

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[haisaikat]

It is indeed great to see another T badge TL from TBHP on Kashmir. Rekindled my memories of our 2021 Kashmir road trip (FALL in love with Kashmir | A 5500 km Innova Crysta venture from Kolkata) in a similar way as yours.

Like you explained your irony , some bit of uncertainty applied in our Kashmir trip too for which we had to let go Pahalgam touring, one of the best places of Kashmir. Early snowfall in that season caught everyone by surprise and played the spoilsport, market area was completely choked, bonus was Agra of course.

That Ramban strech is a big pain in the neck until Banihal, we faced it's tantrums during both onward and return journey and it's the single most reason my better half insists of avoiding another road trip via that road until the bypass (T5 tunnel or some flyover we heard is being constructed for Ramban bypassing) proves their worth.

Your photos came out excellent and narration kept crisp. Rated 5 stars.

[Car-riedAway]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

That Ramban strech is a big pain in the neck until Banihal, we faced it's tantrums during both onward and return journey and it's the single most reason my better half insists of avoiding another road trip via that road until the bypass (T5 tunnel or some flyover we heard is being constructed for Ramban bypassing) proves their worth.

Your photos came out excellent and narration kept crisp. Rated 5 stars.

I am so sorry for not responding earlier though I have been meaning to. Thanks for taking the pains to read through the travelogue and sharing your thoughts.

The Ramban stretch is a pain for sure. I heard that they have opened upon a flypast bridge that avoids the passage through Ramban market so may be it may have become a bit better. But it appears that we may have to wait some more for a zip through drive to Banihal.