It
is difficult to describe in mere words the beguiling
beauty of Wular Lake.
For
one, its formidable size - this is one of Asia's
largest fresh water lakes - for another, it changes
character with every few miles.The drive from
Srinagar will take you to the calm waters of Manasbal
Lake, where there is no other sound but birdsong.
Manasbal has often been described as the bird
watcher's paradise, and as your shikara glides
through this mirror of tranquillity, you will
experience yet another facet of Kashmir.
Driving
through the town of Bandipora, which has a delightfully
laid out Mughal Garden, the Wular will always
be to your left. Here and there, you will hear
women chanting some age-old ditty as they pick
water chestnuts, deftly navigating the weeds in
flat-bottomed skiffs.
Watlab
Gradually,
the panoply of the 'real Kashmir', miles away
from well-traversed areas, will unfold before
you, and you will reach Watlab. Here, high on
a hilltop is the shrine of a Muslim mystic, Baba
Shukurddin. From here, the Wular Lake stretches
away as far as the eye can see, edged by picturesque
villages around terraced breeze-rippled fields
of paddy, in a riotous burst of colour. At Watlab
there is a Forest Rest House amidst sprawling
apple orchards. You can rest here to enjoy the
sheer grandeur of the spectacular countryside
at leisure.
Achabal
Once
the pleasure retreat of Empress Nur Jehan, Achabal
(1,677 m) has a fine garden in the Mughal style,
with its own special charm and character. It was
in Kashmir that the Mughal Garden was brought
to perfection, and Achabal is one such masterpiece.
Situated
at the foot of a hill with a row of majestic chinars
framing it, the Mughal garden is a visual delight
with their stepped terraces, formal elegance,
ornamental shrubs, sparkling fountains and falling
water. Achabal is 58 kms from Srinagar, via Anantnag.
Daksum
Past
the Mughal Gardens of Achabal, with their tinkling
fountains, through the breathtaking splendour
of the springs at Kokarnag, lies Daksum.
Tucked
away in a densely forested gorge at an altitude
of 2438 m, Daksum would be completely silent but
for the Bringhi river which gushes through it.
Daksum
is a walker's paradise. Up the hills which are
swathed in coniferous trees, past gurgling brooks,
the simple, haunting notes of a flute will waft
down to you from where an unseen shepherd tends
his flock. For in the hills surrounding Daksum,
suddenly you will find yourself in grassy meadows
where sheep are taken to pasture.
Daksum
is a reviving experience -the bracing mountain
air, the solitude, the densely clad hills, and
beyond them, snow covered mountains, all contribute
to Daksum's mystique, making it the perfect retreat.
Kokernag:
Situated
in the heart of Bringhi valley, Kokernag (2,020
m, 70 kms from Srinagar), is set amidst sprawling
gardens fragrant with the bloom of thousands of
flowers. The Kokernag spring bubbles at seven
places at the foot of the forested mountain. The
water of the spring is famous for its medicinal
and digestive properties.
Yusmarg
A
two hour drive from Srinagar ( 47 kms ) will take
you to acres upon acres of grassy meadow ringed
by forests of pine, and towering beyond them,
awesome and majestic snow clad mountains. This
is Yusmarg- close enough to Srinagar for a picnic,
idyllic enough to make you want to stay for a
few days. Here are walks of every sort - a leisurely
amble along flower-strewn meadows or away to where
a mighty river froths and crashes its way over
rocks, its mild white foam earning it the name
of Dudh Ganga. Further away, a captivating lake,
Nilnag, is cradled by hills. Nearby are
several peaks-Tatta Kutti and Sang Safed
to name a couple of them. About 13 kms from Yusmarg,
a short detour away from the Srinagar road, is
Charari- Sharief, the Shrine of Kashmir’s
patron saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din or Nund
Reshi, now rebuilt after the devastating fire
of 1994 which engulfed the entire building.
Aharbal
Gradually,
the distant rumble becomes a roar as one approach
the waterfall of Aharbal, which crashes down a
narrow gorge. Aharbal is more than just a waterfall.
There
are several places to picnic in the surrounding
areas, as well as delightful walks of varying
lengths all over the hillsides. Interesting treks-one
of them to the high altitude lake of Kounsernag
at 13,500 ft above sea level-takes off from Aharbal.
Verinag
Located
80 kms from Srinagar at an altitude of 1,876 m,
the spring of Verinag is believed to be the chief
source of the river Jhelum. Construction of the
octagonal base of the spring and the arcade around
it was undertaken by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir
and completed during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Down the stream to the east lie the remains of
a Mughal pavilion and baths. Verinag can be approached
through the link road, which turns off, from the
national highway at Lower Munda.
