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Golden Meadows of Sonmarg in Picturesque Kashmir

  Agar Firdaus bar rōy-e zamin ast,hamin ast-o hamin ast-o hamin ast -I f there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this. The recent edition of the daily news once again brought attention to the situation in Kashmir. It featured a conversation between the news reporter Rajdeep Sardesai and residents emphasising the upcoming election rallies. The locals were asked for their thoughts on the removal of Article 371 and the change in Kashmir’s status to a union territory. The interview took place on the banks of Lake Dal, bringing back memories of my time in Kashmir. The news also covered the recent terrorist attacks in Baramulla. While the visuals were unsettling, the scenic beauty of the valley still resonated with us, evoking the feeling that heaven was right there in Kashmir, as quoted by the poet Amir Khusro. I recalled our journey through Baramulla to Gulmarg, where our adventures led to some mishaps faced by the tourists with their horse rides and others. A few peop
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Having A Soul is Being Able to Love

It rained the whole night, and we decided to walk nearby to lift our spirits. Our walk brought us across a pair of horses that belonged to a nomadic pastoral family who had settled near our residence. These horses usually roamed freely, but on this day, they seemed to be standing still and moving slowly, as if their movements were restricted. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that their legs were free but appeared to be mentally restricted. This made me ponder how often we become trapped in our thoughts, reminding me of a similar incident. My day began early on that particular day. I raced to my office cabin to start my scheduled work. My office space is a beautiful cabin with windows on both sides, providing excellent ventilation. One side of the cabin faces long fields. As usual, I opened the windows and turned on the fan to ventilate the room. Looking out into the dried fields just outside the window, I noticed burnt embers, three brick stones in a circle, and a piece of rag flying

Meadow of Flowers: Gulmarg

  The following morning, we left Pahalgaon for Gulmarg, a hill station with snow-covered mountains. Our journey included a visit to the Martand Sun temple. The temple was located on a plateau and its ruins were visible. The temple surrounded by green hills is a scenic spot. It was a hot summer day and the open hills and the piercing sun rays prevented us from understanding the details. The Martand Sun Temple is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site but also listed as a national monument by the Archaeological Survey of India. The intricate sculptures and carvings remain visible despite being destroyed by multiple earthquakes over the past 1200 years. The large flat stone steps lead to the main temple, which has a central courtyard with images of Lord Vishnu, Ganges, the Sun deity and others to complement the walls. The courtyard was in ruins and was surrounded by intricately designed pillars. During our visit, a frail woman stood near the temple with a couple of white rabbits, asking us

The Bunion Story

  A few months ago my husband said that he had a bunion, I tried correcting saying it’s a banian, a vest worn in India. As he showed me his big toe, the bone jutted a bit, it was a bony bump on the joint at the base of his big toe with a ring-like swelling around it. He pointed it out and said, ‘This is a Bunion, I do get pain and swelling sometimes but today it seems hot and feverish” ‘Did you experience this earlier? I asked worried. ‘I remember it being worse a few years ago.’ We decided to consult our family doctor, Dr. Kannade, he has been an authorized medical authority and our family physician for many years. After listening to our concerns, Dr. Kannade prescribed a few medicines. Dr Kannade is also a good friend of mine, he is a regular writer, with many of his pieces published in the Times of India. The next day, the bunion seemed to be at rest, and the hotness and swelling near the toe disappeared. Dr Kannade then ordered a series of tests to rule out gout and other factors,

The Charm of Little Switzerland at Pahalgam( Kashmir)

  Awanthipora We were ushered to our vehicle once again. We were to reach Pahalgam in three hours but the star attraction was the Saffron flower farms at Pampore, a small city close to Srinagar. The city is nourished by the river Jhelum and the climate here is ideal for growing saffron, so it is called the Saffron Capital of India. As we left Srinagar we saw many of the saffron fields lying forlorn but the meadows were green and beautiful. We were told that the fields bloom from July to October. On reaching the farm we were ushered to a huge hall equipped with a seating arrangement for sixty people. We quickly took our seats. The place was bustling with beautiful fair girls dressed in long attires with their heads covered with scarves. They had aquiline noses and fair skin with dark eyes. We were uncertain about what would be presented when a lean tall fair-skinned man exclaimed, ‘Everyone, I’m going to share something about saffron.’ The doors were closed, and suddenly a baby tumbled

Kashmir’s Captivating Beauty: An Escapade-1

  Kashmir was a far-off dream for many years as we always feared sudden outbreaks of violence. Two years ago, my husband said “Should we visit Kashmir?”. I said, ‘ Let’s visit Leh, a little away from Kashmir.’ Then, after visiting Leh and Ladakh that year, my thoughts turned to Kashmir. After the abrogation of Article 370, we heard Kashmir tours were safer. We took the 2.05 pm direct flight from Mumbai to Srinagar. The flight was a bit late and we landed at 5 pm at Sheikh Ul Alam International Airport in Srinagar. The airport was a small one and the security was tight. We stepped out to be greeted by sunny greenery and pleasant winds. We were led to a traveller and there were ten of us in it. The roads widened and we crossed places like the Laal Chowk and crowded locales. There was progress visible but we felt the city was crowded with tourists. We could now see a large lake near the road. There were small boats filled with tourists at numerous harbour spots called the ghats. Each of t

Alleppey Chronicles: Navigating the Dynamic Journey of the Pais -5

  Chapter 5-Experiencing the World: New challenges and amazing experiences Recap: The story revolves around Achutha Pai and his family in Alleppey, a place rich in culture and traditions. Following his wife’s passing, Achutha marries her friend Dindakka, who takes care of their children and manages the household. Dindakka encourages her daughter Nirmala to pursue medicine, while her sons Nagendra and Damodara focus on expanding their grocery business. Nagendra is interested in stock trading, while Damodar is passionate about travel. The family encounters challenges such as marriages and illnesses but remains united. Sarvotham, after recovering from an illness, finds a job and gets married to Neelamma. Sudhakar faces struggles due to missed opportunities, yet the family stands by each other through all difficulties. Now Read On:   Fate sure is a mysterious thing. You think you have it all figured out, and boom, it throws completely unpredictable surprises at you. ― Tamuna Tsertsvadze D