“I AM IN KASHMIR – HEAVEN WILL HAVE TO WAIT”

When the opportunity arose to take Jennie with me to experience beautiful Kashmir, I jumped at the chance.  As we entered the airport I saw a T shirt which said, ‘I am in Kashmir, Heaven will have to wait’. I was glad to be back. But, I really should have taken more notice of the old adage – “don’t go back, you’ll be disappointed!” – for disappointed I was.

I certainly haven’t had the same good feeling about Srinagar this time as I had when I was last here in 1980.  Back then, it was a very attractive place full of half-timbered houses with orangey-red brick infill and thatched roofs. The Jhelum River, which meanders through the city, the large Dal Lake with its myriad timber houseboats and a couple of other minor lakes which lie in the shelter of the mountains, made this a truly idyllic place  – “Paradise on Earth”.

So why was I here in Srinagar way back in 1980?  I was here for work, if visiting a place like this could ever be called WORK.  At the time I was working in Nepal on the Nepal-Australia Forestry Project.  My driver and I drove across from Kathmandu in a 4 ton truck to collect 2 tons of apple seed and some walnuts – as you do!  Why?  Once safely back in Nepal, these seeds were to be dispersed among various community nurseries which our Project was supporting. We were attempting to introduce a new activity and potential cash crop for the villagers concerned.  It took us 5 days of driving each way but it was well worth it for the experience, the scenery and, of course,  the seed.  Although I didn’t actually drive the truck at all, I “drove” every inch of the way.  It was a nerve-wracking experience travelling that ‘Grand Trunk Road’ with cars, trucks, buses, push carts and the odd camel or two, not to mention people and animals, all coming at you from every direction, at any and every speed and often on the wrong side of the road.

These days Srinagar is a dirty, dusty place and Dal Lake is highly polluted from the hundreds of house boats which discharge effluent straight into it.  This has resulted in a huge weed problem that has to be tackled by giant floating weed cutters as well as individuals who cut the weed for their own purposes such as feeding to their animals.  The saturation of the place by military and local police certainly doesn’t help the ambience either.  So, unfortunately Srinagar is not the wonderful place I remember it being back in 1980.  Others I know who visited the place back then, and those who did the ‘overlander’ London-Kathmandu adventure, would, I think, also be disappointed.

Some things have not changed, like the markets with the fresh fruits and vegetables, much of it grown in the valley.

Farmers still come to town in their horse drawn drays.

 Public road transport is colourfully decorated buses.

But there are also some things that have changed for the better – especially the Moghul Gardens.  (Photos in a future blog.) These gardens were difficult to find on my first visit. They are now on city maps, and sign-posted! They’ve also been renovated. This is particularly for the benefit of the domestic tourist trade which is growing at a very fast rate due to the rising affluence of India.  Few foreign tourists visit Srinagar nowadays as most Western governments have travel advisories suggesting that you don’t visit the area! Mind you, I didn’t feel unsafe at any time even though I spent three days out in the countryside where I didn’t see another westerner – so the advisories must be working for most people.

So that’s my impression of Srinagar now.

DY  for “jtdytravels”

Photography  ©  DY of ‘jtdytravels’

More of our travel photos on flickr.com/photos/jtdytravels