Jammu and Kashmir

The beautiful mountainous landscape of Kashmir valley, numerous shrines of Jammu and the remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture of Ladakh, justify the exclamation of Emperor Jahangir, �If there is ever a heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.�
The northernmost state of India is home to many beautiful valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, Chenab Valley, Poonch Valley, Sindh Valley and Lidder Valley. Srinagar is the summer capital and Jammu the winter capital of the state. The official language is Urdu, while the main spoken languages are Kashmiri in Kashmir Valley, Dogri in Jammu and Ladakhi in Ladakh. Most people speak at least a little Hindi.
One can arrive here by air to Srinagar and Leh or board a train till Jammu or Udhampur. By road entry is via Jammu upto Srinagar and via Manali upto Leh.
Kashmir Valley is a land of beautiful gardens like Shalimar and Nishant gardens, vast lakes like Dal Lake and Manasbal Lake, pristine streams and friendly people. Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Patnitop are hill stations offering enchanting view of Snow Mountains. Raghunath Temple, Bahu Fort, Mubarak Mandi Palace, Peer Baba, Vaishno Devi, Pari Mahal, Hari Parbat Shankaracharya Temple, Amarnath, Bhimgarh Fort and Ramnagar fort are some of the pilgrimage and historical sites.
Leh, the capital of Ladakh is famous for monasteries. Zanskar Trek is a great adventure tourism destination. Nubra Valley, Lake Moriri and Pangong Lake offer truly amazing landscapes high up in the Himalayas.

Getting Leh’d in ten days – Part 1

By sundeepm

Whenever I read about someone’s excursion to Leh, it’s a heroic story all about grit and determination. It’s about a man, his machine and the mountain. It’s about how one faces the vagaries of nature, the treacherous roads and the numbing cold. It’s like an action movie with a heavy metal background score. In stark comparison, my narration will be like a Karan Johar flick. All scenes will be in soft focus, everything will be beautiful, there will be drama and intrigue, all set to a melodious tune.

Paradise regained : Day 7, 8 & 9

By Sundar

It was 4.30 AM and hot tea was waiting for us. By the time we left Pahalgam it was 5.30 AM. Katra is a good 280 KMs away. We stopped around 8.30 AM for breakfast. A warm welcome was given to the hot paranthas. It is a shame that we did not get to taste the popular local “Rajma Chawal” during our trip.

Kashmir- Paradise regained : Day 5 & 6

By Sundar

We had a fantastic morning in store for us. We assembled at a small pier. At Rs. 300 per head many of us had a go at water surfing. We have to stand atop a small plank which is tied to a pair of ropes. This will be pulled by a motor boat taking us for a spin around the lake. With no safety gear it was a risk… but that’s the fun part.

Paradise Regained :Day 3 & 4

By Sundar

Our next stop was Sonamarg, around 83 KMs from Srinanagar. Sonmarg is situated in the Sindh valley at a height of 8950 feet. The snow clad mountains over the horizon that we got used to by now was like the clouds in the sky. Something that you could see but not touch!

Paradise Regained: Day 1 & 2

By Sundar

Some of us decided to pursue air route while some others took a more adventurous route of going by train and road to reach Srinagar. While waiting to board the flight at Delhi for Srinagar we heard “choice” words being used against Air India. Looked like some others had tasted the same medicine I had! I found out that they were also taking the tour through Sachin and were part of our larger group. I joined the group to vent out my feelings against AI. Ahh… felt good … Now I was ready for the “Paradise on Earth”.

As the plane made its descent in Srinagar, green carpeted land embraced by the beautiful Himalayas greeted us. As the plane made its final descent little cottages and the dotted cattle idly grazing on nature’s carpet came to focus. The snow on the hills was literally the icing! If my camera had “emotion feature” built-in it could have probably done justice to the scenery. I was yanked back to reality by the “ooohs” and the “ahhs”, excited voices of the children and the swaying of the necks of the passengers from one side of the plane to the other.

BADAAM VAARI (Almond Garden) – Srinagar, Kashmir

By Sahil Sethi

It was a trip to Kashmir yet again with my family last year in October’11. In september, we drove to Dhanaulti. Just after one…

Vaishno Devi Yatra – A Pilgrim’s Progress

By Nikhil Chandra

Even appointments with gods come with privilege. A pilgrim with VIP pass could bypass all number and answer his/her calling with a privilege which a poor barefoot pilgrim couldn’t even dream of. An Amitabh Bachhan has more easy access to god than a mere “Nikhil Chandra”. Perhaps gold is a precious metal even among gods…who knows why the world is the way it is.

Pahalgam – The Valley Of Sheperds

By Naman

Hello Ghumakkars We had spent three days in Kashmir and had covered Gulmarg and Sonamarg. If you still haven’t read the previous posts then…

Shikara Ride on Dal Lake

By Naman

Hello Ghumakkars Thank you people for a wonderful response to the previous post. If you still haven’t read it then click here. It was…

Sonamarg – The Meadow of Gold

By Naman

Hello Ghumakkars We had spent two days in Srinagar, and were off to Gulmarg. If you still haven’t read the previous posts then click…

Gulmarg – The Meadow of Flowers

By Naman

Hello Ghumakkars I’m back with yet another post on Kashmir.If you still haven’t read the previous posts then click here. It was our second…

घुमक्कड़ी – कुछ खट्टी…. कुछ मीठी !!!

By SilentSoul

वो दूर टैंट दिख रहा है ? वहीं रहेंगे रात |
पहाड़ी बोला – क्या गजब कर रहे हो बाऊजी, वहां तो रात को शेर तथा अन्य जंगली जानवर पानी पीने आते हैं

हमारी सिट्टी-पिट्टी गुम… अब नीचे जाने की हिम्मत नही हो रही थी…खैर राम राम करते नीचे पंहुचे। मैने बोला घबराने की बात नहीं, रौशनी देख कर शेर यहां नही आयेगा. पर विजय रहने को तैयार नही हुआ, बोला वो ढाबे वाले के साथ सो जायेगा. प्रदीप ने भी कहा कि अगर रात को बत्ती जलाते रहने से बैटरी बैठ गयी तो सुबह गाड़ी चालू नहीं होगी…. उनका बातें सुन कर मुझे भी डर लगने लगा और हमने 2 घंटे की मेहनत से लगाये टैट को 5 मिनट में खोला और वहां से भाग लिये। आधी रात का समय, कोई गाड़ी नही… कोई रौशनी नहीं..

रात 12 बजे रिषिकेश पंहुचे.. सब होटल बंद पड़े थे… बड़ी कोशिश के बाद 1 बजे के आसपास एक घटिया से होटल में कमरा मिला और अपन लोग, केंचुली मार कर दहाड़ -2 कर सो गये

1 Trisha Negi जीवदानी माता का मंदिर और अरनाला द्वीप के क़िले का परिचय

Really enjoyed reading this. The way you captured the small details and real experiences of the journey made it engaging from start to finish. Thanks!
2 Barish Shayari राजवाड़ा – इंदौर का आईना

We are best in barish shayari with epsindia.net
3 call girls Mumbai Road trip to Mathura , Vrindavan – Lord Krishna’s Place

Great info! Keep post great articles.
4 Sania Shetty Delhi – Goa – Delhi Road Trip : A quick guide

A reputable platform that helps users connect with independent companion service providers. It is recognized for its professional approach, reliability, and emphasis on quality service.
5 Maya Malhotra Delhi – Goa – Delhi Road Trip : A quick guide

A trusted platform for connecting with independent companion services. Known for its professionalism, discretion, and high standards, it is widely regarded as a reliable network offering premium, executive-level experiences and…
6 Maya Malhotra Delhi – Goa – Delhi Road Trip : A quick guide

Book the Real New Delhi model with free home delivery at a budget. So if you are looking for a perfect female service in New Delhi, then visit
7 Harsh Mahabaleshwar – WHEN no tourist has ever gone before

Unique and insightful Mahabaleshwar travel story with offbeat experiences shared.
8 k-holidays Along the old silk route – East Sikkim

Really enjoyed reading this detailed account of planning the Silk Route trip, especially the way you broke down the stay options and route decisions. The pricing discussion with homestays and…