Mission Kashmir 2014 - Day 05

Pahalgam – Aru – Chandanwadi – Betaab – Pahalgam 

Our day started early and I had to literally pressurize the restaurant staff to serve us our breakfast. Due to the cold, entire staff was lazy to wake up and work before 9 AM. The food was absolutely delicious and breathtaking (true to its reputation) – and we overate through the dosa, poha, parantha, cutlet and baked beans till our stomachs started aching.

 

Frozen Lidder

Gutted Block at Pahalgam Hotel
where the movie Khamosh was shot in Fall 1984

Our Bukhari bellowing out White Smoke
No, The Pope hasn't been selected

Meditating at Top of the Aru

Leg indicates it belonged to Equine family
Though I believe it is difficult for any single carnivore
to eat up so much in a Single Night

Like Amitabh Bachchan handles Ranjeeta

We decided to return from this point
Onwards there were no Human foot prints only these

Our Horse at first Step to Amarnath Trek

Ruin of the Bathing Slide of Sunny Deol

Driving to Aru was a lesser experience than climbing the Hilltop. The last para from the title song of the movie ‘Satte Pe Satta’ haunted us while I gathered in the views. Our moment of the day came at Chandanwadi where we got the opportunity to drive our beloved SX4 over snow right upto the first step of Amarnath trek.

Betaab Valley, not to our liking, has been commercialized with an army of ‘Guides’ selling their services. Contrary to the folktales, I strongly believe the original structures from the movie are either the ones that stand rotten in a corner or have vanished. Soon finishing our day-trip, we returned to a dose of the Great Russian Drink with hot served snacks as we decided to extend our stay there for a day. We decided to have our dinner there only for the tandoor breads that we had been missing all through our trip so far.