Day5 (Tuesday, 23rd October): Srinagar
And, we were in “Heaven on Earth” by 12:45PM. We got the first taste of what’s it going to be like with a temperature of 14 degree centigrade. Mr. M was our driver, and the best part was we got a Chevrolet Tavera as our drive for the next 7 days (Make My Trip says Tata Indica if its 2+1 people). Our booking was in Peacock Houseboat for the first day, which was in Nigeen Lake. On the way we told our driver to stop at a good restaurant and the result was one more culinary delight, some of the best Roti/Naan. The restaurant (forgot the name, mostly it’s called Streams/Trendz or something like that…will update when I get it correctly) was on the sides of Dal Lake. At around 3PM we were in the Houseboat.
Nigeen Lake is connected and a part of Dal Lake and more serene. Dal Lake is beautiful but bursting with crowd during tourist months. In local words “Foreigners stay in Nigeen Lake”. The houseboat was cozy with a calm Manager who made us comfortable in the next 30 minutes or so. Kahwa (Kashmiri Green Tea with Cinamon, Clove, Cardomom, Ginger and Kesar!!!) was the welcome drink and I fell for it. Sipping a hot cup with a surrounding/weather like that is true Nirvana.
We went for a Shikara (a small boat, with roof top famous in this part of the world. If you have seen any old Hindi movies shot in Kashmir, you can’t miss them) ride (Fixed price, Rs. 300 per hour) and it was as amazing as it can be. On your way, other Shikara’s called as mobile shops will come to you, with a thing or two to sell ranging from Tea/Kesar to Pashmina shawls. These may not be the best buys, but good enough I would say. Also we saw few vegetable being grown on lake in few patches (My Analysis – at few places, its little shallow and you have few water plants grown thick. Over that these vegetables are grown) and people call it floating gardens.
Back to the boat house and it really started getting colder by 5:30PM and we confined ourselves in the boat. As suggested by our host we took bath in the evening itself. His rationale was as it’s our first day in the valley, next day morning we will not be able to get up early and get ready. Next day it was Sonmarg and we decided to start by 8AM. The original itinerary was Kashmir sight-seeing, then to Pehalgam and back by 26th for Sonmarg. As 26th was Id, Mr. M wanted to be at home if possible and we re-arranged a bit to accommodate. Dinner was planned in Houseboat, which had a makeshift kitchen outside. Another simple but awesome dinner of Pulkas, Paneer, Dal/Chawal and Veg. Gravy. Is it the food that we are stumped by or the warmness of it in the cold? Answers later.
Night was pretty cold with around 4-5 degree centigrade. We saw a new technique to fight the cold here. The boat manager gave 2 temperature sealed bags with boiling water. You need to keep them inside blanket!!! which keeps you warm.
Day6: Srinagar/Sonmarg/Pehalgam
We thought we will be ready by 8AM. I got up at 6:30 and out to see how the lake looks. All I could see was thick cloud of snow, which only got less by 7:30AM. Now I know how tough it is to get up at that hour and get ready.
A nice breakfast of Parota and curd plus 2 helpings of tea, we were ready to start by 8:30AM. Sonmarg is 45 KMs from Srinagar. River Indus is with you for some distance. Sonmarg was uneventful except for my son puking everything out on the way. Altitude sickness sets in and you need to drink lots of water consciously to avoid it (This realization from blogs about Ladakh). Few minutes of rest, re-hydration and son was lighter and ready to start. We were in Sonmarg by around 10AM. Sonmarg translated in English is “Meadow of Gold”. It’s on the way to Ladakh, through Kargil.
What a nice place and we could see the snow though from a distance, for the first time. There are Pony rides available to the glacier, jeep rides till half distance to the glacier (Thajiwas Glacier); but need to bargain a lot for the deal. You can’t take your vehicles (even if it’s JK registration) up to the point, only the vehicles from Sonmarg are allowed. We chose to walk to the distance as per the advice by few blogs/people we visited in KB. The walk of around 4KMs is easy and worth the effort as we get to appreciate the surroundings. The jeeps take you only half distance.
As this was only the start of winter, glacier had receded back and the pony people were taking the tourists where ever there is a little snow. We also went till we got a bit of snow to play and came back walking again. Though exhausted, it felt good and my son was also able to do it. We were back by 3PM.
Next destination was Pehalgam, where we were to stay in Pine Palace Resorts. Sonmarg, back to Srinagar and 90+ KMs to Pehalgam from Srinagar. On the way, in the dimming light we could see the saffron fields at Pampore after Srinagr, Cricket bat making units near Pahalgam, but pushed them for the return journey. Food was at a small place near Srinagar, which as usual was TASTY!!!
At the hotel by 9PM, to our dismay we found it to be sub-standard, but a little bit of shouting made the manager to change our room to a deluxe one, which we were really entitled to. Pahalgam was really cold and colder than Srinagar, night was -2°C. As per Kashmiris, “If Kashmir is heaven on earth, Pahalgam is Jewel of Kashmir”. How true…
Day7: Pehalgam
Breakfast was fried kind of Parota’s and we wanted to take it slow. Baisaran (which is called Mini Switzerland) and Betaab valley (where the movie Betaab was shot) was selected. Baisaran is uphill and taking the Pony is the best option. Started by 9AM, took 2 Ponies for Rs. 1000 and the up/down journey was done in 3-4 hours. The ride on ponies here makes you a believer, the valley is so steep and I was able to remember nearly 100+ gods from all religions. Jokes apart, it’s an experience for lifetime.
Baisaran was like the golf course at Ooty with Himalaya in the backdrop. Son enjoyed the Zorbing.
Next was Beetab valley and we had Lidder River with us, which looks rustic and nice along the way for some distance. A walk on the banks of the river is highly recommended. Betaab valley is good but just like Baisaran (My view - So many places, are all valleys and look one and the same). Chandanwadi and Aru village are the other attractions which we didn’t visit. Like Sonmarg, to visit these places, you need to hire local taxi. The rates are fixed and displayed at all places and it’s on higher side. Take taxi for a place and then bargain for other places with the driver, it works. Betaab valley is 7+ KMs, Chandanwadi is another 5 KMs from there and Aru is 10+ in a different direction.
Some shopping at Pehalgam and the day was closed.
Day8: Pehalgam/Srinagar
The day started lazily with better Parota’s and then it’s time to head back to Srinagar. First was was an apple orchid on the way. Few orchids charge an entry fee and charge some more to take photos. Usually drivers will know few orchids where they get a free entry ask them and go there. August/September is peak apple season. For visitors like us who come in October, orchid owners keep few trees untouched. At the peak season, you can also pick the apples yourself (around Rs.100 per Kg, as per Mr. M). If you taste the apples here, you will never eat one in Bangalore. The best of the apples are usually exported or go to cold storage for off season marketing.
Avantipur ruins are also on the way, a compound of around 2-3 hectares and were done in 20 minutes.
There are many cricket bat making industries on the way and we get amazing willow here. The tree is cut in sizes and kept for seasoning for years. Then once its seasoned (7+ years?) they make the bat/fix a handle and fancy stickers. Kashmir willows come after England willows in terms of reputation. We got a bat for my son at Rs. 200 without bargain, which is around Rs. 500+ in any shop I have asked in Bangalore. Again depend on your local driver for a good place to buy.
Near to Srinagar, on the way there is a place called Green Tunnel where we have trees bent on the road on both sides, which looks like a tunnel. As the time of the year was Autumn/Winter, the tunnel was more red/yellow than green.
October is the time of Saffron and we visited saffron fields at Pampore, some 10 KMs before Srinagar. Saffron flowers are purple in colour and the saffron is the stigma of the flower. There are so many shops on both sides which sell saffron and other dry fruits.
We then checked in at Centre Point hotel, which is at the heart of Srinagar, near Dal Lake and the markets. The hotel looks old fashioned from outside but once you are inside, it’s a nice place with nice people around. We were made comfortable with 2 room heaters, electrical blankets (blankets that are with heat pads, run with electricity and make for a cosy sleep).
Evening was devoted to shopping with Lal Chowk and other markets with a walking distance of 1 KM from the hotel. The markets are nice places to spend time around with no clue of which is a genuine product and which is not.
Dinner was Rice/Rajma. Till date this is the best Rice/Rajma combination that we had. Rajma is grown in Kashmir and the variety is different (It’s little small). In the word of cook, it’s the water of Kashmir which makes the Rajma’s that tasty.
Day9: Srinagar
The day was to be taken easy in the morning and to end with Srinagar sight-seeing in the evening. Roamed around a little bit for the morning and started after lunch for the sight-seeing. The itinerary was Shankaracharya Temple, Chasmashahi Garden, Nishath Garden and Shalimar Garden.
Shankaracharya Temple is a small one with a serene atmosphere with heavy army presence. The gardens are with the Mughal architecture (Different levels with different theme and flowers). The flower varieties in the garden were amazing and I could only guess the bloom months of May/June/July. Tulip Garden was missed as this was off-season, May-July being the season.
Again some more shopping in government approved shops (courtesy Mr. M), where the prices are little steep, but you get guaranteed materials with a proper explanation of what’s hand woven, what’s machine made. One more interesting thing there was : all the guys in that shop had “Mungaru Male” movies “Anisuthide” as their ring tone and could talk few words in Kannada. The reason? The owner was getting married to a Kannada girl in November!!! As we were Kannadiga’s and the last customers for the day, we were given few percentages off on the purchase. The world is small indeed.
Dal/Rice/Pulka’s and end of the day.
Day10: Srinagar/Gulmarg
The last on the list was Gulmarg. We were off by 8:30AM and Gulmarg is also around 50 KMs. Translation of Gulmarg is “Meadow of Flowers”. Jhelum River gives us company along the way. The last 12 KMs to Gulmarg are the most scenic with hairpin curves. Gulmarg doesn’t have people settled there and is mostly an Army settlement with Ski Resort and the like.
We have cable cars to the peak called “Gandola” which takes us to the glaciers (Affrawat Glacier) in Gulmarg. It’s in two stages (Rs. 300+Rs. 500), second stage ending in the peak covered with snow. The weather there is unpredictable and most of the times in the evening the Gandola rides are stopped for the second stage. The rides start around 9:30-10AM and the chances of getting to peak is more if you are early.
We checked in Nedous Hotel which was started in 1920’s. We met a couple from Bangalore there who were enjoying the bright sun. The sad story was Gandola’s were closed from last 2 days for Eid. The suggestion from the couple was to take ponies to the peak as weather was clear. Got a recommendation from them of Mr. J and went ahead with the ponies (2 ponies for Rs. 1500). Went to the peak, played in snow for an hour and returned as happy as possible. There are many people on peak helping with “crash course on skiing”, but don’t fall prey (We didn’t as we got few stories from tourists we met in KB).
Back by 3PM, had Palak Paneer and Roti’s in the hotel. The Paneer is homemade and fried in ghee to give a very different flavor. We also got to talk to the hotel people and were amazed to know few of them are in that hotel from 40+ years. The top ticket item to stay for that time was the hotel treats them as one of their family. They showed us hotel Highland a few yards away where the movie “Bobby” was mostly shot. One of them when came to know that we are going back the next day and didn’t get to ride Gondola’s, offered a stay at their home!!! We reasoned him that it’s the call of duty and the bookings back home that’s making us to leave that place. His constant appeal to us was to stay a minimum 3 days to soak in the serenity of Gulamrg.
Gulmarg is full of flowers (They grow everywhere in different colours) in May-July. November to February is Foreign Tourist season as per the locals when the place is covered in snow and Skiing activities are at the peak.
Day11 (29th October): Gulmarg/ Srinagar/Mumbai/Bangalore
The last day on the tour and it all ended in a jiffy. Started from Gulmarg at 9:30AM, reached Srinagar at 11:00AM, went through 3-4 rounds of security checks and checked in at 12:30AM. (After check in of luggage, you need to identify them once again before putting it in the plane and you get some more tokens) The flight (Indigo) was at 2 PM to Mumbai and reached Mumbai by 4PM. The next flight was at 8PM and my son’s questions kept us busy all the while. One word of caution, Mumbai domestic Airport is the worst if you want to eat something there. Don’t have much choices, Srinagar was better. (We learnt it the hard way as we were not hungry in Srinagar)
The taxing on the runway was 15 minutes and the pilot was very jovial about it (He said something like I will take you for a jolly ride for about 15-20 minutes on the ground as we have to cross few terminals before the runway). The best part here was we almost started 30 minutes early as all checked in early. The takeoff was 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Reached Bangalore at 9:30PM and home at 11PM. What a journey it was!!!
I know you are as interested to know the political scenario of Kashmir and about the people there, and I am more interested than you to tell the story. It’s the subject for my next blog...
And, we were in “Heaven on Earth” by 12:45PM. We got the first taste of what’s it going to be like with a temperature of 14 degree centigrade. Mr. M was our driver, and the best part was we got a Chevrolet Tavera as our drive for the next 7 days (Make My Trip says Tata Indica if its 2+1 people). Our booking was in Peacock Houseboat for the first day, which was in Nigeen Lake. On the way we told our driver to stop at a good restaurant and the result was one more culinary delight, some of the best Roti/Naan. The restaurant (forgot the name, mostly it’s called Streams/Trendz or something like that…will update when I get it correctly) was on the sides of Dal Lake. At around 3PM we were in the Houseboat.
Nigeen Lake is connected and a part of Dal Lake and more serene. Dal Lake is beautiful but bursting with crowd during tourist months. In local words “Foreigners stay in Nigeen Lake”. The houseboat was cozy with a calm Manager who made us comfortable in the next 30 minutes or so. Kahwa (Kashmiri Green Tea with Cinamon, Clove, Cardomom, Ginger and Kesar!!!) was the welcome drink and I fell for it. Sipping a hot cup with a surrounding/weather like that is true Nirvana.
We went for a Shikara (a small boat, with roof top famous in this part of the world. If you have seen any old Hindi movies shot in Kashmir, you can’t miss them) ride (Fixed price, Rs. 300 per hour) and it was as amazing as it can be. On your way, other Shikara’s called as mobile shops will come to you, with a thing or two to sell ranging from Tea/Kesar to Pashmina shawls. These may not be the best buys, but good enough I would say. Also we saw few vegetable being grown on lake in few patches (My Analysis – at few places, its little shallow and you have few water plants grown thick. Over that these vegetables are grown) and people call it floating gardens.
Back to the boat house and it really started getting colder by 5:30PM and we confined ourselves in the boat. As suggested by our host we took bath in the evening itself. His rationale was as it’s our first day in the valley, next day morning we will not be able to get up early and get ready. Next day it was Sonmarg and we decided to start by 8AM. The original itinerary was Kashmir sight-seeing, then to Pehalgam and back by 26th for Sonmarg. As 26th was Id, Mr. M wanted to be at home if possible and we re-arranged a bit to accommodate. Dinner was planned in Houseboat, which had a makeshift kitchen outside. Another simple but awesome dinner of Pulkas, Paneer, Dal/Chawal and Veg. Gravy. Is it the food that we are stumped by or the warmness of it in the cold? Answers later.
Night was pretty cold with around 4-5 degree centigrade. We saw a new technique to fight the cold here. The boat manager gave 2 temperature sealed bags with boiling water. You need to keep them inside blanket!!! which keeps you warm.
Day6: Srinagar/Sonmarg/Pehalgam
We thought we will be ready by 8AM. I got up at 6:30 and out to see how the lake looks. All I could see was thick cloud of snow, which only got less by 7:30AM. Now I know how tough it is to get up at that hour and get ready.
A nice breakfast of Parota and curd plus 2 helpings of tea, we were ready to start by 8:30AM. Sonmarg is 45 KMs from Srinagar. River Indus is with you for some distance. Sonmarg was uneventful except for my son puking everything out on the way. Altitude sickness sets in and you need to drink lots of water consciously to avoid it (This realization from blogs about Ladakh). Few minutes of rest, re-hydration and son was lighter and ready to start. We were in Sonmarg by around 10AM. Sonmarg translated in English is “Meadow of Gold”. It’s on the way to Ladakh, through Kargil.
What a nice place and we could see the snow though from a distance, for the first time. There are Pony rides available to the glacier, jeep rides till half distance to the glacier (Thajiwas Glacier); but need to bargain a lot for the deal. You can’t take your vehicles (even if it’s JK registration) up to the point, only the vehicles from Sonmarg are allowed. We chose to walk to the distance as per the advice by few blogs/people we visited in KB. The walk of around 4KMs is easy and worth the effort as we get to appreciate the surroundings. The jeeps take you only half distance.
As this was only the start of winter, glacier had receded back and the pony people were taking the tourists where ever there is a little snow. We also went till we got a bit of snow to play and came back walking again. Though exhausted, it felt good and my son was also able to do it. We were back by 3PM.
Next destination was Pehalgam, where we were to stay in Pine Palace Resorts. Sonmarg, back to Srinagar and 90+ KMs to Pehalgam from Srinagar. On the way, in the dimming light we could see the saffron fields at Pampore after Srinagr, Cricket bat making units near Pahalgam, but pushed them for the return journey. Food was at a small place near Srinagar, which as usual was TASTY!!!
At the hotel by 9PM, to our dismay we found it to be sub-standard, but a little bit of shouting made the manager to change our room to a deluxe one, which we were really entitled to. Pahalgam was really cold and colder than Srinagar, night was -2°C. As per Kashmiris, “If Kashmir is heaven on earth, Pahalgam is Jewel of Kashmir”. How true…
Day7: Pehalgam
Breakfast was fried kind of Parota’s and we wanted to take it slow. Baisaran (which is called Mini Switzerland) and Betaab valley (where the movie Betaab was shot) was selected. Baisaran is uphill and taking the Pony is the best option. Started by 9AM, took 2 Ponies for Rs. 1000 and the up/down journey was done in 3-4 hours. The ride on ponies here makes you a believer, the valley is so steep and I was able to remember nearly 100+ gods from all religions. Jokes apart, it’s an experience for lifetime.
Baisaran was like the golf course at Ooty with Himalaya in the backdrop. Son enjoyed the Zorbing.
Next was Beetab valley and we had Lidder River with us, which looks rustic and nice along the way for some distance. A walk on the banks of the river is highly recommended. Betaab valley is good but just like Baisaran (My view - So many places, are all valleys and look one and the same). Chandanwadi and Aru village are the other attractions which we didn’t visit. Like Sonmarg, to visit these places, you need to hire local taxi. The rates are fixed and displayed at all places and it’s on higher side. Take taxi for a place and then bargain for other places with the driver, it works. Betaab valley is 7+ KMs, Chandanwadi is another 5 KMs from there and Aru is 10+ in a different direction.
Some shopping at Pehalgam and the day was closed.
Day8: Pehalgam/Srinagar
The day started lazily with better Parota’s and then it’s time to head back to Srinagar. First was was an apple orchid on the way. Few orchids charge an entry fee and charge some more to take photos. Usually drivers will know few orchids where they get a free entry ask them and go there. August/September is peak apple season. For visitors like us who come in October, orchid owners keep few trees untouched. At the peak season, you can also pick the apples yourself (around Rs.100 per Kg, as per Mr. M). If you taste the apples here, you will never eat one in Bangalore. The best of the apples are usually exported or go to cold storage for off season marketing.
Avantipur ruins are also on the way, a compound of around 2-3 hectares and were done in 20 minutes.
There are many cricket bat making industries on the way and we get amazing willow here. The tree is cut in sizes and kept for seasoning for years. Then once its seasoned (7+ years?) they make the bat/fix a handle and fancy stickers. Kashmir willows come after England willows in terms of reputation. We got a bat for my son at Rs. 200 without bargain, which is around Rs. 500+ in any shop I have asked in Bangalore. Again depend on your local driver for a good place to buy.
Near to Srinagar, on the way there is a place called Green Tunnel where we have trees bent on the road on both sides, which looks like a tunnel. As the time of the year was Autumn/Winter, the tunnel was more red/yellow than green.
October is the time of Saffron and we visited saffron fields at Pampore, some 10 KMs before Srinagar. Saffron flowers are purple in colour and the saffron is the stigma of the flower. There are so many shops on both sides which sell saffron and other dry fruits.
We then checked in at Centre Point hotel, which is at the heart of Srinagar, near Dal Lake and the markets. The hotel looks old fashioned from outside but once you are inside, it’s a nice place with nice people around. We were made comfortable with 2 room heaters, electrical blankets (blankets that are with heat pads, run with electricity and make for a cosy sleep).
Evening was devoted to shopping with Lal Chowk and other markets with a walking distance of 1 KM from the hotel. The markets are nice places to spend time around with no clue of which is a genuine product and which is not.
Dinner was Rice/Rajma. Till date this is the best Rice/Rajma combination that we had. Rajma is grown in Kashmir and the variety is different (It’s little small). In the word of cook, it’s the water of Kashmir which makes the Rajma’s that tasty.
Day9: Srinagar
The day was to be taken easy in the morning and to end with Srinagar sight-seeing in the evening. Roamed around a little bit for the morning and started after lunch for the sight-seeing. The itinerary was Shankaracharya Temple, Chasmashahi Garden, Nishath Garden and Shalimar Garden.
Shankaracharya Temple is a small one with a serene atmosphere with heavy army presence. The gardens are with the Mughal architecture (Different levels with different theme and flowers). The flower varieties in the garden were amazing and I could only guess the bloom months of May/June/July. Tulip Garden was missed as this was off-season, May-July being the season.
Again some more shopping in government approved shops (courtesy Mr. M), where the prices are little steep, but you get guaranteed materials with a proper explanation of what’s hand woven, what’s machine made. One more interesting thing there was : all the guys in that shop had “Mungaru Male” movies “Anisuthide” as their ring tone and could talk few words in Kannada. The reason? The owner was getting married to a Kannada girl in November!!! As we were Kannadiga’s and the last customers for the day, we were given few percentages off on the purchase. The world is small indeed.
Dal/Rice/Pulka’s and end of the day.
Day10: Srinagar/Gulmarg
The last on the list was Gulmarg. We were off by 8:30AM and Gulmarg is also around 50 KMs. Translation of Gulmarg is “Meadow of Flowers”. Jhelum River gives us company along the way. The last 12 KMs to Gulmarg are the most scenic with hairpin curves. Gulmarg doesn’t have people settled there and is mostly an Army settlement with Ski Resort and the like.
We have cable cars to the peak called “Gandola” which takes us to the glaciers (Affrawat Glacier) in Gulmarg. It’s in two stages (Rs. 300+Rs. 500), second stage ending in the peak covered with snow. The weather there is unpredictable and most of the times in the evening the Gandola rides are stopped for the second stage. The rides start around 9:30-10AM and the chances of getting to peak is more if you are early.
We checked in Nedous Hotel which was started in 1920’s. We met a couple from Bangalore there who were enjoying the bright sun. The sad story was Gandola’s were closed from last 2 days for Eid. The suggestion from the couple was to take ponies to the peak as weather was clear. Got a recommendation from them of Mr. J and went ahead with the ponies (2 ponies for Rs. 1500). Went to the peak, played in snow for an hour and returned as happy as possible. There are many people on peak helping with “crash course on skiing”, but don’t fall prey (We didn’t as we got few stories from tourists we met in KB).
Back by 3PM, had Palak Paneer and Roti’s in the hotel. The Paneer is homemade and fried in ghee to give a very different flavor. We also got to talk to the hotel people and were amazed to know few of them are in that hotel from 40+ years. The top ticket item to stay for that time was the hotel treats them as one of their family. They showed us hotel Highland a few yards away where the movie “Bobby” was mostly shot. One of them when came to know that we are going back the next day and didn’t get to ride Gondola’s, offered a stay at their home!!! We reasoned him that it’s the call of duty and the bookings back home that’s making us to leave that place. His constant appeal to us was to stay a minimum 3 days to soak in the serenity of Gulamrg.
Gulmarg is full of flowers (They grow everywhere in different colours) in May-July. November to February is Foreign Tourist season as per the locals when the place is covered in snow and Skiing activities are at the peak.
Day11 (29th October): Gulmarg/ Srinagar/Mumbai/Bangalore
The last day on the tour and it all ended in a jiffy. Started from Gulmarg at 9:30AM, reached Srinagar at 11:00AM, went through 3-4 rounds of security checks and checked in at 12:30AM. (After check in of luggage, you need to identify them once again before putting it in the plane and you get some more tokens) The flight (Indigo) was at 2 PM to Mumbai and reached Mumbai by 4PM. The next flight was at 8PM and my son’s questions kept us busy all the while. One word of caution, Mumbai domestic Airport is the worst if you want to eat something there. Don’t have much choices, Srinagar was better. (We learnt it the hard way as we were not hungry in Srinagar)
The taxing on the runway was 15 minutes and the pilot was very jovial about it (He said something like I will take you for a jolly ride for about 15-20 minutes on the ground as we have to cross few terminals before the runway). The best part here was we almost started 30 minutes early as all checked in early. The takeoff was 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Reached Bangalore at 9:30PM and home at 11PM. What a journey it was!!!
I know you are as interested to know the political scenario of Kashmir and about the people there, and I am more interested than you to tell the story. It’s the subject for my next blog...
