SURAJ NANDREKAR
Continuing from where I left last Saturday. We discussed how Dal Lake was polluted and stinking, besides the heavy traffic in Srinagar and narrow roads.
The next day was our trip to Gulmarg; we had to strike off Pahalgam and Sonmarg from our itinerary due to Amarnath Yatra; there was heavy traffic in Pahalgam as there was no point visiting teh place for just four hours.
As per Jammu & Kashmir police, tourists have to leave. Pahalgam by 2 pm since after that, the roads are open only for Amarnath Yatris. The arrangement will stay in place for the next two months.
So we decided to visit Gulmarg instead. which the locals said was equally beautiful, provided we get the tickets for the Gulmarg-Gondola Cable Car tickets.
We made efforts to book the tickets online but all in vain. The tickets were full, and we felt dejected.
Just then, my friend suggested we seek help from my IAS friend Sanjeev Gadkar. We discussed this with him, and he immediately as his colleague Mr Jagdish to help, who did the rest, and we were through for our journey the next morning.
Our tickets for the Gondola ride Phase I was at 11 am, and we left the hotel in a cab which cost Rs 2800/- (sedane) around 9 for the 60 km journey.
As we left Srinagar city, the scenes on the way to Gulmarg were simply breathtaking. The mountains, greenery, rivers, and narrow ghats were amazing.
Gulmarg’s beauty…
As we reached Gulmarg, the scenes were even more mesmerising.
Nestled in the Pir Panjal Range in a cup-shaped valley, Gulmarg has been especially touched by nature’s splendid hand and is a place the gods would love to visit. This magnificent tourist destination in Kashmir Valley is great for a family, honeymoon and snow adventure sports lovers.
Dubbed one of the best skiing destinations in India, Gulmarg is adorned with lofty snow-capped mountains, lush greenery, small lakes, and a large variety of flowers.
A holiday in Gulmarg promises to be a memorable one, with several sightseeing opportunities in tourist places like Khilanmarg, Tangmarg & Ferozepur Nallah.
You can also take a spiritual tour to famous religious sites in Gulmarg, like St. Mary’s Church, Baba Rezi Shrine & Maharani Temple. Another interesting activity that you should try is visiting the 18-hole Golf Course, counted among the highest golf courses in India.
The Gondola ride…
Our first aim after reaching Gulmarg was to reach the Gondola Cable car phase 1, where we had to collect our phase 2 tickets also. However, we were in the parking lot, and the counter was around 1.5 km.
From here, we had to take an EV autorickshaw and reach the place, which cost us around Rs 400 (expensive?)
We collected tickets for Phase 2 also and made our way to board the Cable car. However, the queue was huge, and our turn came after around an hour or so.
The Cable car is an inseparable part of Gulmarg’s identity; these Gondolas or cable cars take you atop alpine woodlands and snow clad peaks.
The ride has two parts, namely Phase 1 and Phase 2. The Stage Two is at a very high elevation and exotic locales such as Nanga Parbat and LOC are visible from here. It is claimed that at a height of about 3979 metres, this is amongst the highest cable cars on the planet.
All said and done, the fact remains, countless travellers unanimously agree that next to skiing, the Gondola ride is the best thing about visiting Kashmir.
At the very first phase itself, we were floored by the beauty; though there was no snow, the scene was the ambience.
We did some photo shoots and all stuff and then proceeded to phase 2which is at a higher level of about 14000 ft or 3979 meters from sea level. People with blood pressure and heart disease may have some issues, but nonetheless, it is manageable.
As we moved out of Cable Car and walked towards the snowclad mountains, we felt a bit of uneasiness in breathing, but after a few minutes, we were acclimatised to the weather conditions.
Here we were amidst the clouds, the snow and at a short distance of the Line of Control with Pakistan.
This had to be one of my most memorable trips. Having toured even Europe and places like Norway and Sweden, Kashmir is heaven on earth.
Gulmarg’s beauty is what dreams are made of, and the unsuspecting visitor here leaves with an unforgettable soul-stirring experience.
Shankaracharya Temple…
The next day we had to leave Srinagar by evening, but as I said earlier, no tourist vehicles were allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway after 2 pm. We had to make a move before noon.
So we woke up early morning and called an auto to take us to the Shankaracharya temple atop the hill just behind our hotel.
The auto charged us Rs 600, and it took us about 20 minutes to reach the top, from where we had to climb 252 steps to reach this mesmerising piece of architecture.
There was heavy security at the entrance, and we had to go through the mandatory checks before our climb.
After about 15-20 minutes of climbing up the stairs, we reached the top, and we could see the entire Srinagar city and a picturesque view of Dal Lake.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Shankarcharya Temple is amongst the top religious attractions in Srinagar.
It is named after the great philosopher Shankarcharya, who once visited Kashmir. The Hindu temple enjoys a strategic location from where devotees and tourists can see a panoramic view of Srinagar City.
The temple which is also known as Jyeshteshwara Temple, is accessible by a staircase of 252 steps and is visited by a large number of Hindu devotees during the Amarnath Yatra season.
Architecture of Shankarcharya Temple
Shankaracharya Temple has a 20-foot tall octagonal base that supports the square building. Inside the temple, there is a small and dark chamber which is circular. The ceiling is supported by four octagonal pillars that surround a basin where the Shivalinga encircled by a snake is established.