It's the time when Kashmir bursts into a riot of colours and millions of flowers carpet the landscape. Meadows turn emerald and the wind whispers through the majestic Pine and Chinar trees..

(photographs courtesy of Intie)

We had heavy snowfall in march. Consequently, this time around we've had a late spring. (picture courtesy: my friend, Intie)

Spring is nearly here and quite naturally it's the favourite time of the year for me. I love it when spring announces it's arrival with a fresh, chilly breeze that makes you feel alive. There's a buzz in the air! The snow dusted peaks look so fresh and so full of life.
Soon Kashmir will see a million blossoms carpeting the ground in the backdrop of some awesome chilly, yet pleasant weather and I'm looking forward to that.

Kashmir is famous for its four distinctive seasons, each with its own peculiar character and charm, each extravagantly beautiful. Spring sees a million blossoms carpeting the ground and in summer the valley turns into a mosaic of varying shades of green. In autumn the green shades turn gold, and then russet and red as the season advances. Winter presents Kashmir in an entirely different mood as the landscape becomes bare, soon to be covered by the white mantle of the first snowfall. Kashmiris celebrate the first snowfall of the season by socialising over a barbecue. They relax in the cold crisp evenings with a cup of warm 'Kahwa'... a black tea brewed with cinnamon, cardamom and honey. Also a perennial favourite is the pink coloured 'Nun Chai' made with a special salt. Rich and redolent with the flavour of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and saffron, Kashmiri food is suitable for all palate. Predominantly a non- vegetarian cuisine, it also has some interesting vegetarian options like dum-aloo and 'chaman' (cooked cheese). Among the popular non-vegetarian ones are curd based Gushtaba, chilli-flavoured Rishta and Roganjosh.

For a truly adventurous holiday try your hand at kayaking, canoeing, water surfing and angling. Angling at Aharbal is a delight for every angler with a spirit of adventure. Aharbal, a quaint little village located at a mere 3 hour drive from Srinagar city is full of freshwater rivers, streams and waterfalls. The imposing Aharbal Fall is the biggest waterfall in the area and a sight to behold. Finish your holiday with a round of shopping in the local markets for gorgeous handicrafts.

Located en route to Sonamarg, Narayan-Nag has an interesting history to it. Legend has it that the Hindu deity Vishnu created this magical place for the Pandavas who had been exiled by their cousins, the Kuravas.
Narayan Nag when translated means “Gods’ Own Spring”. Truly, the place has natural springs scattered all over it. What amazed me were the ruins which in no uncertain terms must have had a splendid grandeur in their times. I could make out large rooms, a temple and even some huge bathtubs made up of stone which looked more like mini swimming pools to me. I fail to understand how such elaborate construction could have been carried out in this pristine, untouched place. But then, I guess it wasn’t hard for Vishnu !