Pahalgam-The
Valley of Shepherds
At the confluence of the streams flowing from the river Lidder and Sheshnag
lake,
Pahalgam was once a humble
shepherd's village with breathtaking views. It
is in Anantnag District and about 96 Kms from Srinagar. This place is an
angler's delight and even an amateur can catch a rainbow trout from the rushing
streams. The large brown bear is a natural inhabitant of the thick Pine and
Cedar forests. Pahalgam has a golf course at 2400 meters above the sea level.
Pahalgam is base camp for the pilgrims of Amarnath. On Road to Pahalgam one
comes across the beautiful Lidder Valley with important spots of Mattan and
Aishmuqam.
Pahalgam is situated at an altitude of 2,133 metres amidst lofty deodars, fir,
pine, junipers and many other conifers. The place gets lively during the tourist
months of the summer, as well as during the weeks before the Amarnath Yatra, as
the base for a big annual pilgrimage to a cave of an ‘ice-lingam’.
There is something about the pure and re-vitalizing air of Pahalgam. Perhaps
dense pine and cedar forests make it oxygen rich. Limited accessibility combined
with limited telecom connectivity make it an ideal getaway from the grind of
daily life and professional stress.
Pahalgam is an ideal place for an adventure sports enthusiast. It offers
wonderful treks, skiing, mountaineering and camping sites. Facilities for
roller-skating, table tennis, badminton and cards are available at the Pahalgam
Club. One can take a temporary membership at the Pahalgam natural golf course
Around Pahalgam
are many places of interest. The most beautiful of huge,
undulating meadow of Baisaran, surrounded by thickly wooded forests of pine.
Hajatl, on the way to Chandanwari is an idyllic spot for a picnic. Film goers
will recognize it instantly as it has been the location of several movie scenes.
Pahalgam has within it no fewer than eight tiny villages, one of which is Mamal.
There is a Shiva temple here, generally considered to be Kashmir's oldest
existing temple dating to the 8th century.
HOW TO REACH
By Air - The nearest Airport
is in Badgam Distt.
By Rail - The nearest rail
head is at Jammu.
By Road - Bus service is
available from Srinagar and Anantnag. Taxis can be hired from Srinagar at
pre-fixed rates. The J&K Road Transport Corporation runs daily sight seeing
tours from Srinagar. Assistance is available at Tourist Reception Centre,
Srinagar.
WHEN TO GO
The best time to visit Pahalgam is during summers between May to
September.
WHAT TO SEE
Betaab Valley
Enroute to Amarnath, there is a valley known as BETAAB VALLEY.
It has
got its name from a Hindi Indian hit movie “BETAAB”. The film was
picturised in this beautiful valley. Located at an altitude of 2530
meters above the sea level, this picturesque valley has all that which
can attract you to its beauty. This place can’t differentiated from
heaven as it is calm, quite, diverse from rest of the polluted world.
The eye catching sapphire like waters, the green fields, the meadows
(The “Deodar trees*”) add to the charming beauty of this heavenly
valley. Horse riding, AAB JUNG (A Kashmiri word meaning “playing with
waters”) and enjoying the beauty will surely be a delightful way to
enjo
Chandanwari (16km:
2,923m) -
It is famous for its snow bridge. Situated 16-km from Pahalgam,
Chandanwari is the starting point of
the Amarnath Yatra, which takes place every year in the month of Sawan
(Rain). It is famous for snow sledging on
a snow bridge.
Taxi cabs can be hired from Pahalgam for a roundtrip. The trip takes
about four-five hours on a semi-road that has the Lidder river
meandering on the one side, and lofty, snow-capped mountains on the
other. Some people prefer to do a day hike to Chandanwari.
At Chandanwari, the Sheeshnag river is captivating with its sheer
force and clear waters. You can get an opportunity to do sledge riding
and get up to some heights, upto the fifth point which is also a route
that yatris take to reach the Amarnath Cave. "Snow fights" is what
people generally indulge in here before they sledge back down. Many
prefer to sip a cup of tea of snack at the near by
dhabas.
Hajan, on the way to Chandanwari is an idyllic spot for a picnic.
Filmgoers will recognize it instantly as it has been the location of
several movie scenes.
Baisaran (5
km: 2,438m) -
Pine forests dot this meadow which presents a
picturesque view of the snow-clad mountains.
The snow
covered Tulian lake at an altitude of 3353 m is 11kms from
Baisaran. 5 kms from
Pahalgam is a lush meadow surrounded by
hills and covered
with dense vegetation. This
region looks very similar to European
resorts
and is a good campsite.
Pine forests dot this meadow which presents a
picturesque view of the
snow-clad mountains
. The snow covered Tulian lake at an altitude of
3353
m is 11kms from Baisaran.
Thp most beautiful of huge, undulating meadow
of Baisaran, surrounded
by thickly wooded forests of pine.
The most beautiful of these is the huge, undulating meadow of
Baisaran, surrounded by
thickly wooded forests of pine. Hajan, on the
way to Chandanwari, is an idyllic spot for a
picnic. Filmgoers will
recognize it instantly as it has been the location of several movie
scenes.
Sheshnag Lake (27
km: 3,658m) -
The waters of this greenish blue lake are
covered with ice till June.
Sheshnag is a charming mountain lake located about 27 km from Pahalgam,
in Jammu
and Kashmir. Situated at an altitude of about 3,658 m above sea
level, the waters of this greenish blue lake is
cold and clear. The lake
is only two day hike from Pahalgam and back. The waters of Sheshnag are
covered with ice till June.
Sheshnag derives its name from its seven peaks, resembling the
heads of
a mythical snake. Legend has it that, Sheshnag Lake is the place where Lord
Shiva left his Nandi on
his way to Amarnath
Cave.
During summer,
large numbers of tourist camp at the lake-side.
Sheshnag Lake
The King Serpent, Sheshnag Lake in the state of Jammu &
Kashmir is situated almost 27 km from Pahalgam at an altitude of 3,658
m. The waters of this greenish blue lake are covered with ice till June.
One passes through the lake at the time of pilgrimage to the Amarnath
Caves.
Panchtarni (40
km)
-
It is the confluence of five streams and gives Panchtarni its name. A good camping site. Panchtarni
is the last halt on the Amarnath Yatra and is 14 Km from Sheshnag.
The
journey to Panchtarni is over the Mahagunas Pass, which is 14000 ft or
4276 m high. Pilgrims can then descend to Panchtarni, which is situated
in a valley and can stay overnight in the tented camp in the meadow. A
confluence of five rivers can be seen at Panchtarni.
Amarnath Cave
-
Pahalgam is the base for the religious trek to the abode of
Lord Shiva.
A narrow spiralling path from Panchtarni leads
to the Amarnath Cave. The massive ice shivlingam is visited
by thousands of pilgrims between July and September. Amarnath
CaveAmarnath
- One of the holy trinity, Shiva is a living god. The most sacred and
most ancient book of India, the Rig Veda evokes his presence in its
hymns, Vedic Myths, rituals and even testify to his existance from the
dawn of time. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret
of creation in a cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them, a pair of doves
eavesdropped on this conversation and having learnt the secret, are
reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. The
annual yatra to Holy Amarnath Cave, situated at 14000 ft. above sea
level, is organised by the Jammu & Kashmir State Government during the
month of July and August.
The intending pilgrims are allowed to perform darshan from Ashard Purnimashi to Shravan Purnimashi which course
spreads over a month or sonside the main Amarnath cave lies
an ice stalagmite resembling
the Shiva
Linga, which waxes during May to
August and gradually wanes
thereafter.[2] This
lingam is said to grow and shrink with the phases of the moon, reaching
its height during the summer festival.[3] According
to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of
life and eternity to his divine consortParvati.[4] There
are two other ice formations representing Parvati and Shiva's son, GaneshaThe
trek to Amarnath, in
the month of Shravan (July-August) has the devout flock to this
incredible shrine, where the image of Shiva, in the form of a lingam,
is formed naturally of an ice-stalagmite, and which waxes and wanes with
the moon. By its side are, fascinatingly, two more ice-lingams, that of
Parvati, and of their son, Ganesha.
Aru (11
km: 2,408m)
-
This charming meadow can be reached by walking
along a mountain path. The river Lidder disappears at Gur
Khumb and reappears after 27 mts,
Aru is a grassland surrounded by a gorge on one side. Aru is a
beautiful shaded valley of the Lidder river.
Encircling and
protecting Aru, are the conifer spread mountains with occasional
flash of high, snow-covered peaks rising against the blue sky. The
one of the most beautiful hill resort of Kashmir is still, serene
and idyllic.
There are small hamlets of wood-and-stone houses, some of them in
the typical Gujjar-shepherd style with flat roofs, squat and backed
against the hillside. A tranquil and serene meadow, Aru is situated at a distance of
approximately 107 km from Srinagar. Traveling to Aru is the perfect way
to take a break form the pollution, dust and stress of city life.
Towering at a height of approximately 2408 meters, it follows the
shepherds' trail to the high Kashmiri meadows.
Aru is on the shepherd's trail to the high Kashmiri meadows. While
on your visit to Aru, you will often encounter with the
Biblical-looking Bakerwal or Gujjar herds people - lean, saturnine
men, beautiful, dark-eyed women and children, fierce dogs with
burning yellow eyes, living in their log huts with their flocks of
sheep and goats, on way to the higher pastures for the summer. This
most ideal hill station is abundant with melodious river, rising up
from the gorge and misty mountain ranges.
The little village of Aru is actually the first point from Pahalgam
on the way to Lidderwat and the Kolahoi glacier. If you brimming
with energy and zest then you could ride to the Lidderwat meadow, 11
kms away from here, making an interesting day walk from Pahalgam. Or
you could trek for 24 kms to the Kolahoi Glacier at 3,200 metres.
You can also spend the whole day unwinding. Walk in the hugging &
whispering woods with the sun shafting in. You can also stretch out
on pine-needles, bask in the honey-glow of the sunset. And when you
sleep, let peace lull you in its soft arms across the high meadows
of Kashmir's Aru.
The melodious chirrup of birds, the gentle touch of the breeze, the
blue sky, is all that you may find at Aru. Aru is far away from the
routine urban life, with meadow bordered on one side by a ravine of
the Lidder River. A little stream also flows past in the green-gold
grass
Lidderwat (22km:
3,408m)
-
A beautiful camping site set among dense forests.
Starting point of the trek to the Sindh Valley. THE LIDDER valley forms the north-eastern corner of the Kashmir vale.
It has a pleasant and mild look and a calm and peaceful atmosphere is
radiated from sober forest-covered slopes and woodlands which border
this valley. 
The word 'Lidder' is a corruption of lambo-dari which means a goddess
'long-bellied'. The main stream receives a number of tributaries from
both banks. The first mountain torrent rises from Shisheram Nag and
carving a deep gorge round the Pisu Hill, flows past Thanin or
Tsandanwari on to Pahalgam. At Tsandanwari another tributary rising from
Astan Marg- a stream of pure water mainly from springs- joins it on the
right. Near Pahalgm a torrent rising from the snout of Kolahoi glacier,
receives a tributary from the Sona Sar lake near the Kolahoi valley, the
water from the Tar Sar lake joins it on the right at Lidderwat, and a
stream from Katri Nag near Arau, enters it, the whole volume of water,
swelling and flowing with rapidity to join another stream at Pahalgam.
It is this stream rising from the Kolahoi glacier, which is called
Lambodari. It passes through Lidderwat which means Lambodarwat (Lambodar's
stone) where in olden days the god Ganish must have been worshipped, and
it is also here that the tributary from the sacred lake of Tar Sar joins
the Lambodari.
The Lidder irrigates a large rich tract of alluvial soil and for
miles from either of its banks one can see a green sea of rice-fields
during the summer. Occasionally, the white wings of terns in the fields
throw the greens of the fields into bold relief. The aqueducts full of
glacial water infuse life everywhere and we hear the rush and flow of
water all along. Acanal has been opened from the Lambodari at Ganishpor
to water the Mattan Uder (plateau). This canal is called Shah Kol.
Tarsar Lake
(34 km: 3,962m) -
It can be reached from Lidderwat. There
are delightful camping sites and flower meadows at Sikiwas,
24 kms from here. To reach the nearby Mansar lake one has to
cross a 243 mts high bridge. 
Tarsar lake is about 34 Kms. at an altitude of 3,962m from Pahalgam.
The lake has beautiful surroundings with route filled with graceful
flower meadows. The lake is situated in the high mountains about 25
Kms from the town of Tral. It can be reached from Aru and Lidderwat.
There are delightful relaxing sights and flowery meadows at Sikiwas,
24 kms from here. To reach the nearby Mansar lake one has to cross a
243 mts high bridge.
Tarsar is a picturesque high altitude lake located on a high
mountain in Pulwama
District, Jammu
and Kashmir. It is at an altitude of 3,962 m above sea level.
Tarsar is about 2 km long and 1 km wide. It is about 25 km from the
town of Tral and 3 km from Nagberan.
Tarsar is famous for its scenic beauty.
Tarsar is also
a trekking destination from Srinagar.
Tarsar and Marsar are
the only lakes in the district and have close relation with the folk
of Kashmir.
Tarsar can be
approached by road from
Pahalgam,
35 km away
Kolahoi Glacier
Kolohi (1,467
m) - Base for a three-day return trek to the Kolohi Glacier.
Kolohoi Glacier
, situated up the Lidder Valley, just below Mount Kolohoi,
is currently a hanging glacier.
It is basically hollowed out from global
warming, the Asian brown cloud, and local environmental factors associated with
mountain hydrology. According to the mountaineers from Jawahar Institute of
Mountaineering (JIM)in 2008, the glacier has receded by half since 1985. The
glacier is not safe to study because it is hollow and in places has 200 foot
deep crevasses. The sounds of cracking can be heard from either side of the ice
field, which indicates an imminent collapse. The preferred method of approach
for viewing is to take the right side. This approach offers less boulder fields
on the approach, and the occasional goat/horse/cattle herder can be approached
for cheese and Kashmiri tea on the way. Reaching Kolohoi, trekking up the Lidder
Valley, you will encounter some of the most difficult terrain in the western
Himalaya, but the views are breathtaking
Wild
Life
Wild Bears still roam much of the area and local villagers are on constant alert
for their presence.
Due to the constant threat of illegal boarder crossings the
Indian army is always
patrolling the area and is on constant high alert. As the
local population can’t carry firearms this has saved the bears from being hunted
to extinction. With the abundance of fresh trout in the rivers and local farm
animals they have plenty to eat. Monkeys also populate the area, most monkeys
are quiet shy but given an opportunity they will steal food from visitors
campsites.