Wular Lake and its मगरमछ

वुल्लर, Wular Lake, lying between Sopore and Bandipore, is the largest lake in India(some claim it to be the largest in Asia. However, I have my doubts. There just seem to be a lot of lakes staking claim to that title!!!). Surrounded by towering mountains, the lake measures 16kms long and 10kms wide. The size of the lake varies depending upon the season. Fed by the river Jhelum, it acts as a natural flood reservoir. The jade green water of the lake is not stagnant, but flows at a sleepy pace as the Jhelum enters the lake from Srinagar and flows out towards Pakistan.

This river link proved to be a convenient waterway for insurgents making a beeline to Srinagar. They would enter from the Pakistan side and merge with the populace in the villages dotting the banks of the lake, or sneak onward to Srinagar piggybacking on the Jhelum. As a result, the lake and the surrounding mountains became a hotbed for militant activity.

The presence of such a large lake warranted the need to bring in the Navy to help patrol the waters and curb the militant traffic. The call was answered by the Indian Navy's Marine Commandos, Marcos as they are better known. Also known as the Frogmen(no doubt because of their mascot) in the Indian Navy, these very, very, very young officers and sailors were tasked with the tough job of clearing out the lake and the surrounding mountains of terrorists.

The Frogmen have not only secured the lake, but also the villages on the banks of the lake. The lake, and the river are no longer used as a terrorist's waterway. In fact, they are so good at it, they have begun branching out into the mountains, patrolling and scouring for militant hideouts(out of sheer boredom I guess...the militants have a real tough time with these guys around). Their performance has warranted a much more sinister name(by the media...and I guess by the militants themselves). The Crocs of Wular Lake. They cannot be differentiated from the locals(I would say one or two looked like militants themselves!!!) if not for their uniforms. We had trouble recognizing them as Naval officers. We had to be told that they were officers of the same Navy that our dads belong to.

Meenakshi and Ameeta aunty, giving the militants a run for their money? ;)

We Come Unseen, the very fitting motto of the Crocs of Wular Lake.

And did I mention that they are young? Very young??. So young that they were embarrassed when we referred to them as "uncle", or even "भैया "! It was humbling to know...to actually see these guys(of our age group by the way) to be putting their lives on the firing line, man their posts, guard the front and sleep on hard beds of rock and soil just so we can sleep easy on our comfortable beds(with air-conditioning, I might add). And when on patrol, they survive on a ration of three-bars-of-chocolate-a-day. I did know this...but it is a shocker when seen in the context of the threats they face every day.

Allow me ask you this...do you think you can eat three chocolates a day and guard this land against an almost invisible enemy in some of the most difficult terrain on the planet for a salary of Rs. 25,000?! I think not!! These guys are not in it for the money...there's something to these guys that sets them apart from the rest of us...

Did not intend to take you on a guilt-trip(hell, that's the last thing you want on a vacation)! It's just that...it was...is...very humbling to know this first hand. Makes you...want to think twice...about...you know...stuff(Wow...that is very clear!)

Unknown soldier, We salute Ye!

Cleaning Up

I don't think you need any telling as to who said this...

"I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague and we are the cure."

You may ask yourself why would anyone quote Agent Smith here. I am sure there are those of you who don't need any explanation, and I am sure you understand where this is going. As for those who require some explanation, well it is so frustratingly obvious I am going to keep it short.

Why would anyone want to spoil this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

or this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

this maybe?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Seriously. I think some of us go looking for places like this just so that we can fuck it up! I've heard of Mt. Everest being treated as a junkyard by climbers, but never did think much of it...till I saw the garbage and the on Apparwat. You name it, its there...plastic bags, bottles, beer cans, even beer bottles. There were shards of glass in the snow by some jerks who broke the bottles here. Dumb fucks I tell you!

It may not count as much, but it's a start. We just picked up some of the garbage that we could get a hold of on the way back...

Lets keep the garbage where it belongs...in the bin!!! It is definitely not too much to ask!!!

Going Topless...

It was decided that we ought to get away from the crowds and search for untouched, unblemished, clean snow away from the cable car landing. We hiked over jagged rocks, through nooks and crannies between boulders with edges just tantalizing enough to give you a rush as you squeeze through. Soon we loose sight of the crowds as we clamber on, sometimes on all fours, keeping our bodies close to the rocks so that we don't accidentally slip.

I realised soon(late?) enough that a tiny mistake at this altitude and without anybody around except the four of us , had the potential to mess up the trip real bad(though I suspect we'd get a kick out of it...literally too, if you know Shiroor uncle!). Of course, we never really showed it. I mean, with Karan and Aanj around, you really can't feel worry...add Arjun to the mix and you have a hilarious cocktail that can give you the feeling that nothing really can go wrong...the confidence, to make you feel that you can do just about anything they can do...even if you are on a mountain ridge that's 13400 feet high and packed with another few feet of snow that you really have no idea of knowing is stable or not!

We came across an army post, which by the looks of it, was designed to be manned all year. Pale white and hemispherical, it was deserted when we reached it. Karan spied pairs of skies and at once started wondering if the army would let us "borrow" them. The little detail that skiing on the ridge where we were, surely meant a long flight to the bottom(inexperienced as we were) didn't seem to dissuade him.

The thing about the mountains, especially a range such as the Himalayas, is that the more you walk in a particular direction you begin to see peaks that you didn't notice a mere hundred-two hundred meters back. Snow tipped ridges begin to pop up in between the seemingly crowded peaks on the horizon. This furthers, your sense of the mountains being giant monoliths hiding behind wisps of clouds and your frustratingly inadequate vision!

A lone figure, vaguely familiar, was coming towards us at an angle. As it caught up with us, we realised that it was Bharath uncle(who was not breathless by the way) which really put us in awe of him cuz we(atleast I) didn't think that the uncles would follow us over a terrain that would really challenge your knee-caps and rusted joints! It seems he on a completely different path, in the opposite direction that too, trying to discern the path to a village deep between the peaks when he spied us making a beeline for the ridge. I believe he said something like, "What are these bloody fools upto?!? इन नमूनों को कभी अकेले नहीं छोड़ना चाहिहे!!!".

And he did chase us down!

At the ridge, the combined exhilarating effect of being with pals, seemingly alone high up in the mountains(read-rarefied atmosphere) with snow into which your feet just sinks into, kinda makes you wanna do things you wouldn't normally do. Some people would be content with having a snowball fight, or make snow-angels. We wanted to go topless!

Yup. I don't quiet remember whose idea that was, but I thank my stars that atleast we didn't agree on something like going to the edge and maybe take a peek(jump off??? Which was a real possibility since the snow didn't really look reassuring).

The rest is, as you can see, in the pictures!

Aanj says that I ought to be reported for abuse to Google for these pictures. ;)

Muscle Men! No points for guessing why I am not in this picture! Oh, and to the fairer sex, Aanj doesn't need to flex. ;)

...aaand you might ask if it was cold. Honestly, I don't quiet remember!

Fight!!!

Simply put...it.is.breathtaking, I say this in the truest sense of the word. Plus I'm a lil' outta breath cuz the air is slightly on the thinner side here.

The glee is evident on all our faces as we take in the view complemented by the large doses of fresh clean mountain air.

Shiroor uncle and Ameeta aunty huddle up...

Rao uncle and Meenakshi aunty huddle up...

While we guys pose around...aaand...

...just when everything seems nice and peaceful...

WE GET BUSY!!!

...its every man for himself!!!

That goes for the women too!

Shiroor uncle on a roll there...

...and the snowballs just seem to bounce off him!

Anushree decides to make a snowball fit for a cannon!!!

Wonder which poor soul she's targeting with that...

Gulmarg Gondola

अप्पर्वत, Apparwat at an altitude of 13400 feet is accessible by the Gulmarg Goldola Lift. Set up with the help of a French construction company, and run by the J&K State Cable Car Corporation Ltd., the total travel time to the top is 30 minutes which is split over two phases.


A very very rare picture of Anushree without her trademark "head-tilt"!

The first phase takes close to 10 minutes to cover and lands you at कोंग्दूर, Kongdoor at an altitude of 10500 feet. As you come out of your car, you can feel the chillness of the wind in your face and any doubts of it being a bad idea to bring sweaters and jackets to Srinagar in the summer heat is dispelled! You are taken aback because in the warmth of Gulmarg you have had to lug around your sweaters and jackets.

That's Karan and Moi...


Four buddies crammed into a sardine can of a cable car...there just has to be some goofing around! Aanj protecting his eyes from the glare bouncing off Karan's head!


The longer second phase takes a good 20 minutes to reach the top. And if you did not feel the cold at the end of the first phase, I guarantee you, at the end of the second phase you will feel it!

Looking down...


Along the ride you can spy goats, cows and village folk dotting the mountainside. Even low houses made of mud bricks can be seen hugging the ground. Groups of school children play on patches of ice, chasing goats or just running downhill. The higher you go, the more of the surrounding mountains comes into view. You are held in awe of the snowy peaks and the raw nature of these mountains. Here, the weather is in a constant state of change and suddenly you are reminded just how small you are in the scheme of things...


And at last....we hit snow!

Gulmarg

गुलमार्ग , "The Meadow of Flowers" is an hour-hour and a half ride from Srinagar. At 2500 meters it is nestled in the lap of the Himalayas. A popular tourist destination, it is within miles of the Line of Control, and is hence protected by the army at all times. The only difference is that the presence of the army is unobtrusive and there is only a single check post where frisking of tourists is done. The village is inhabited by hotel employees and guests and people manning the Gulmarg Gondola, which is the cable car project of Gulmarg. There are no permanent residents at Gulmarg.

Gulmarg experiences heavy snowfall during the winters, which makes it a popular ski resort. The snow line is within reach of a short cable car ride during the summer months. The snowcapped hills seem to form the walls of a bowl into which green meadows bedecked with flowers of vibrant hues of white, purple and yellow make you spin.

By the way...Thank you Meenakshi Aunty for the wonderful pictures of the flowers and plants you took on this trip. They are really beautiful!


Meadows as wide as the sky, with clouds of flowers and tall grass.

There are two routes to get to the Gondola by road. Luckily for us the shorter route was closed(We suspect it to be a ploy by the locals to force us into taking a donkey ride to Gondola across the fields). Our driver fortunately knew of this and said that there was a longer route around the meadow to the Gondola...and so we went. Another stroke of luck came when the ladies wanted to take a breather from the stuffiness of the jeeps.

This is when we decided to walk down into the fields and among the flowers. After a few snaps we decided to run across the meadow and let the jeeps catch up further down the road. Now I've always imagined what it would feel like to be able to run unhindered. This obviously is too difficult to do so in the cities.

...and so we ran!

We ran like we never did run in our lives. Through the grass, leaping over thatches of flowers...even though marshy patches, splattering mud all over(thankfully none of us slipped and fell into the muck!). Eventually we did run out of breath. But this would be for a minute or two...and off we would go, running again!

the aftermath...

Yep, our shoes did take a beating that day. In fact Karoo's sole started giving way!

Aanj got the worst of it...splattered mud upto his arms...


At the end of it all...it was worth it!

Dal Lake & The Mughal Gardens

परी महल, literally "Palace of the Fairies". To get to it you have to go up a mountain accessed by a road bordering Dal Lake, in very much the way Marine Drive borders the Arabian Sea at Mumbai. The lake is crowded with traditional Kashmiri houseboats known as शिकारा, though the further you move away from the center of the city, towards the Mughal Gardens, the lake becomes more visible and tranquility sets in. An effort is on to keep the lake clean at all times with the help of modified boats. You can even see people engaged in the cleaning drive, rowing out into the middle of the lake and picking out plants and water lilies from the surface.



Pari Mahal is a five tiered palace cut into the the face of the mountain. It is bordered on three sides by towering hills while the fourth is open to the Kashmir Valley. The entrance to the palace is on the second tier. Though dilapidated at places, the gardens and streams at each level bring out the period of the palace. There is an army post within the palace since the Governor's Residence is in plain view from this height. Though a notice outside the palace says "Photography Prohibited", it is not enforced to the letter. At the top most level one can have a taste of mineral water that actually has minerals, considering we are in the mountains. The water is obviously chilled.

Trees with mushroom heads! My compliments to the gardener...and also to the Mughals who chose this site. The view is amazing!

Dal lake and the Governor's Residence...


Other Mughal Gardens located in the vicinity are चास्मेशाही, "The Royal Fountains" and निशांत बाघ , "The Garden of Spring", which is by far the largest of the three. The water from the streams and fountains of Chasmeshahi when take fills up the stomach. I couldn't help but smile when I overheard one person remarking "यह पानी नही, दूध है! दूध!".

A sip of water from this water is truly filling. Its like eating a small piece of cake!

Aanj on one of his hair wetting sprees...

The spring water at Chasmeshahi is fed throughout the gardens by way of channels such as these...

And all around you have breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains...