*Those Who Have Seen the World May Have Seen Many Wonders,
But I Dare Say They Have Seen None Like These Smiling Valleys.*
6 May 2025
Today’s journey was to Sonamarg and the Kargil War Memorial.
It was a long drive, so we left Srinagar at 7:30 in the morning. About fifty kilometres later, we stopped at Taj Inn Restaurant for breakfast. The freshly prepared parathas there won our hearts.
Further ahead, we passed through a six-kilometre-long tunnel and entered Sonamarg.
Carving tunnels through mountains, cutting roads across steep slopes, widening highways, and preventing landslides in these fragile mountains of rock and earth is truly a monumental engineering achievement.
On our right flowed the mighty Indus River, descending from the high Himalayas, while we steadily climbed to greater elevations. The Indus is one of the great rivers born in the Himalayan ranges. Flowing onward into Pakistan, it quenches the thirst of millions before emptying into the Arabian Sea near Karachi. It is from this river that the names Hindu and Hindustan are historically derived. With the summer snowmelt in full swing, the river rushed downstream with tremendous force.
As soon as we reached Sonamarg, the snow-clad mountains before us captured our imagination.
Sonamarg, often translated as the “Meadow of Gold,” is a place where water, mountains, and life come together in perfect harmony. The Indus, whose ancient name ultimately gave our country its name, flows proudly through this region.
Towering peaks, snow-covered cliffs, serene valleys, and crisp mountain air—all combine to create an unforgettable landscape.
One of the pilgrimage routes to the holy Amarnath Cave begins here. The sacred Chhari Mubarak traditionally proceeds from Sonamarg before descending towards Pahalgam.
Since we had to reach Kargil and return on the same day, we reluctantly admired Sonamarg with our eyes and continued our journey.
A few kilometres ahead we crossed a small rocky pass known as India Gate.
Here the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir ends and the Union Territory of Ladakh begins.
Further ahead lay the famous Captain’s Bend, a sharp mountain curve negotiated with care. Thanks to the remarkable work of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the mountain roads have been widened, making the drive far safer and more comfortable than before.
In places, however, the roads had been damaged by heavy snow-clearing machinery, and BRO teams were actively engaged in repairing them.
Soon we reached Zoji La Zero Point, standing at an altitude of 11,659 feet above sea level.
Crossing the pass, we drove past the Zoji La Memorial and entered the Dras Sector.
To our left stood the legendary Tiger Hill, where fierce battles were fought during the 1999 Kargil War. It was here that India’s brave soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in defence of the nation’s borders.
A short distance later we reached the Kargil War Memorial at Dras.
There were only about fifteen to twenty visitors.
After registering our names, a soldier guided us through the memorial. We visited the exhibition galleries, read the history of the war, and paid our heartfelt tribute to the brave sons of Mother India who laid down their lives to secure victory.
With deep respect, we bowed before their memory and began our return journey.
It was around 1:15 in the afternoon.
Had we continued further to Kargil, we would have stayed there for the night. Since returning to Srinagar was quite manageable, we turned back.
On the return journey, another river flowing beside us caught our attention.
The Indus flows westward, yet this river flowed eastward.
Curious, we stopped and asked a security guard.
He explained that it was the Shingo River, which originates in the mountains across the border in Pakistan and flows into the Dras River. The Dras then joins the Suru River, which eventually merges with the Indus inside Pakistan.
Fed by melting snow from the lofty peaks, the river flowed with sparkling energy.
Like a lively young maiden, it seemed full of grace and vitality.
We stepped down to its banks, touched its icy water, placed it reverently upon our eyes, and drank a handful before continuing our journey.
We once again crossed Zoji La Memorial, Zoji La Zero Point, Captain’s Bend, and India Gate before re-entering the Kashmir Valley.
From Captain’s Bend, the winding mountain road below resembled a graceful serpent coiling through the valley—a scene worthy of being framed as a painting.
Our return drive was much quicker.
The road that had been completely dry in the morning now carried streams of water. Throughout the day, the warmth of the sun had melted the enormous walls of snow piled along the roadside, sending water flowing across the highway.
Even now, the snowbanks stood as high as a two-storey building.
One can only imagine what the landscape must look like in the depths of winter, when everything is buried beneath a vast blanket of snow.
The fact that the Border Roads Organisation keeps these roads open under such conditions is itself a remarkable tribute to its dedication and engineering capability.
In our eagerness to return early, we skipped lunch and drove back through Sonamarg.
There were a few tourists, but nowhere near the usual crowds. The impact of the disrupted tourist season was evident even here.
By the time we reached Taj Inn Restaurant again, it was already 3:30 p.m.
Hunger and fatigue had left us rather exhausted.
The menu offered mostly paneer dishes and Kashmiri wazwan cuisine. We were not in the mood for paneer, and the wazwan was not suitable for us, so we ordered Kashmiri vegetable pulao.
When it arrived, however, we discovered that instead of vegetables it contained large cubes of Amul paneer.
The same restaurant whose delicious parathas had delighted us in the morning disappointed us with its pulao by evening.
Perhaps, by then, we were simply putting fuel into an empty stomach.
Since there was still time, Shakeel had the car washed for ₹350 before we resumed our journey.
On the way, we stopped once more to touch the sacred waters of the Indus and offer our silent respects.
Later, we paused at Ganderbal Love Point to take a few photographs.
Passing through the bustling streets of Srinagar, we finally returned to our room at the Sonwar Circuit House at around 7:30 in the evening.
From 7:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night, this twelve-hour journey through the Indus Valley, Suru Valley, and Dras Valley had been fascinating, exhilarating, and truly unforgettable.
Punamchand
6 May 2025
सरजी नमस्कार
ReplyDeleteयात्रा वृत्तांत पढ़ते समय एक जिज्ञासा बनी रहती है कि अब आगे क्या इसी धुन में पाठक बहता चला जाता है ।आपके यात्रा वृत्तांत की विशेषता यह है कि इसकी भाषा सरल एवं शैली सुबोध सुगम है जो पाठक को अपने साथ लेकर चलती है और इसप्रकार पाठक पढ़कर ही दुर्गम,दुर्लभ यात्रा गाँठ की एक छदाम खर्च किये बिना ही कर लेता है ।
आपका जीवन टेढ़े-मेढ़े रास्तों पर चलकर बीता है उसमें अनेक स्थलों पर जाने व विभिन्न प्रकार के लोगों से मिलने के अवसर तथा उससे जुड़े अनुभवों की जमा पूंजी भी है इन सबको मिलाकर एक ग्रंथ हिन्दी,गुजराती, अंग्रेज़ी में प्रकाशित होसके तो सोने में सुगंध आजाएगी ।
अशोका के लिए यहाँ के Cardiologists ने Angiography की सलाह दी है अतः हम कर्णावती 16 /5 को आएँगे ।वहाँ
U N MEHATA में अच्छी सुविधा है या नहीं हमें कुछ पता नहीं है ।इस विषय में डॉ.बुच साहब को भी बताया है,उनके संपर्क सूत्र भी हैं ।
आप सकुशल घर आजाइए तब मिलेंगे ।
सौ.भाभीजी को प्रणाम ।