Mission Kashmir 2014 - Day 04
Srinagar – Shankaracharya – Chashma-e-Shahi – Nishat Bagh – Gagangir – Bij
Behara – Pahalgam
We left at 6:50 AM for Shankaracharya since we found out that would be the
only place open at 7 AM. Checking in with CRPF, we were astounded to find the
huge number of steps we had to undertake to reach the temple plinth. I surely
lost my breath several times – the view was blocked with the heavy fog – and
while returning, I felt my bronchial tract not behaving properly.
As we put in the gear, the CRPF jawans came running to stop us. We stopped
worried about something we might have done wrong but they politely requested us
to take a Tiffin for their colleagues posted downhill. We gladly took their
Tiffin from Top to Bottom & I kept guessing what that peculiar smell was
(surely that wasnt paratha or achar). As we approached exit, my brother guessed
it right – it was probably eggs or omelettes. After handing over the Tiffin, I
heaved a sigh of relief at having been able to control my hunger.
As we proceeded towards Chashme-e-Shahi, expectingly the road was blocked
due to counting going on at Centaur Hotel and on persistent requesting, the JK
Police warned us in a complete filmy style ‘If you utter another word, I will
put you behind bars for one day without charge on suspicion under the T Act’.
Fortunately, an Army man came to our help and directed us to go around the
blockade in a inverted-square-C fashion via the Lalit. We had to request the
policemen at 2 more barricades and they let us go. A tough one came at the
entrance of the Royal Spring – the JK Policeman asked us straight ‘Daru Hai?’
My brother affirmed. The cop seized them and we didnt know for sure if we would
get it back. On asking, he confirmed he would not. We explained that the weather
required us weaklings to get a small sip of the liquor otherwise we would not
survive. He relented and gave us our bottles back for a fee. My brother nodded
at me and I fished out a 100 INR note. He felt glad. We drove on.
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| Chashma-e-Shahi |
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| The barren Chashma |
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| Nobody except 3 of Us |
While visiting the Chashma-e-Shahi,
we constantly kept reminding ourselves that the nearby park Dara Shikoh is aptly
named because this is the place where the eldest & favorite son of Shah Jahan
‘Dara Shikoh’ (also the more deserving heir prince to Mughal Throne) was killed
and buried on instructions of Aurangzeb (in consultation with his sister
Roshanara). Since I’ve known this, I watch Roshanara’s grave everyday during my
morning walk with a different perspective. The Spring and then the Nishat was absolutely deserted without a single
soul. My brother exclaimed – you would not be able to visit these gardens with
only 3 of us here ever. The barren-ness of Nishat left us little wish for
Shalimar and we re-fuelled to get on our way to Sonamarg.
As we inched north, landscapes became prettier with snow capped higher
ridges. I started checking the election results to keep us informed if we would
need to turn back sooner. As we crossed Ganderbal, the results came out in
accordance with the wishes of the majority junta – PDP.
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| Foggy Icy Dal Lake |
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| Shikaras flowing over Dal |
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| Gagangir |
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| Detour to Gurez before Ganderbal |
A heap of villagers beat our windows as we crossed Gagangir – we relented.
They sold their horse trips, sledge trips and ATV rides. We had decided that we
would turn around from here. On the way back, the euphoria of PDP victory was
even more evident as we kept driving steadily through the barrage of people and
party workers. The turn to Gurez enticed me constantly but better sense
prevailed and we didnt take the detour to Gurez albeit I stopped to take the
picture and promised to return.
We crossed
through Srinagar and took the awkward out-of-nowhere left from Bijbehara to
Pahalgam. As confirmed by Sunnyji, it was supposed to be a good route and after
the first kilometer, it proved to be so. The final leg of that road connecting
with KP road was shown as a trail by the GPS but gladly the cops’ and
villagers’ advise was true and we joined the main road to Pahalgam just before
the deserted Amarnath Camps.
My brother had
returned here after 17 years and his elation fell through his mouth. I also
felt much better due to the sunshine after the gloominess of Shopian, Pulwama,
Srinagar, et al. After visiting Pahalgam Hotel and Mountview, we decided to go
in for a suite at Pahalgam Hotel. My friends, I could now dedicate an entire
blog on Pahalgam Hotel (please check my review on tripadvisor). Our stay there
was one of the best stays I have had in my life so far in India. The amenities,
the service, the food, the views – and above all, the gentleness of the service
staff combined with the value and respect they provide you is what made our
stay different. This respect of a Customer is what we crave for, in this
country, and do not get – especially in peak seasons. Abroad, in developed as
well as developing countries that I have travelled, you get that respect that a
Customer should get – whether it be a Hotel or a Showroom.
