My uncle was amused that although Abid was a local boy, he had still not visited Verinag, where the Gods reside. My uncle thought of Verinag not merely as the Gateway of Kashmir but as the Stairway to Heaven. He had chalked out a day in the travel itinerary for Verinag. Verinag is about 78 km from Srinagar and lies in Anantnag district. Verinag also known as Vernag, is the spring from which emerges the Jhelum. It is unique in the sense that most of the rivers originate from glaciers, but Jhelum has the distinction of emerging from a spring.
In local Kashmiri parlance, Nag means spring. Once upon a time, at the foot of the Pir Panjal mountain range, a small, shapeless pond drew the attention of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, who fell in love with the crystal blue waters so clear that a grain of poppy-seed would be visible until it touched the bottom. Jahangir had directed that the depth be measured, which was approximately 54 feet. After his accession, Jahangir ordered the building of the sides of the spring round with stone. The magnificent architecture boasts a garden with a canal. The water has a limpid clarity and one can see the fish swimming in it. A thick cover of pine trees surrounds the octagonal tank. The reflection of pine trees in the crystal blue water creates a picturesque setting. It is akin to a rhythmical painting that manifests in nature. In my mind, I would describe the experience as heavenly, but in all honesty, the entire experience of visiting Verinag leaves you numb. You are both awed and fearful of nature, which can nourish and perish in the click of a moment. A beautiful spring transforms into a magnificent river, which over its course can be devastating and nourishing. Clearly, human potential is infinitesimally small in comparison to the vastness of the universe.
The garden in Verinag is one of the most beautiful gardens you will see in Kashmir. Jahangir’s love for Verinag is still visible in the form of the ornate arcade surrounding it. It wasn’t only Jahangir who fell in love with Verinag. My mum too felt a similar sense of attachment. In fact, she exclaimed that Kashmir is heaven because of its rivers that form an extensive network of water nurturing the alluvial soil of Kashmir. Due to this, Kashmir has an excellent climate for horticulture and floriculture. She drew her hands closer in Namaste mudra and thanked the Almighty again and again for making the visit to Kashmir possible. In her words, “I would never have realised the power of the Divine, had I not seen Verinag for myself.”
As we strolled on the lawns around the springs, a few Kashmiri girls got hold of me and my mum and asked for our photographs. This was a first in my lifetime. Amidst the manicured green lawns and banks of colourful flowers, my mum and I were posing with the ethnic Kashmiri girls for photos. For a moment, that was a celebrity’s life. Outside the garden, one can quench their hunger with lip-smacking pakodas, parathas, and halwa made by Sajjad bhai. There is also provision for tea, coffee, and kahwa.
We also visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar. It was created in the memory of India’s first prime minister and contains a variety of plants and vegetation. It has a beautiful lake, which adds to the glory of the garden. The garden has an innumerable variety of ornamental plants. It is situated in the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range. It has a dense temperate forest of oak trees. The Nehru Botanical Garden is calmer as compared to its counterparts. A well-landscaped garden, it is a treasure of cedar and willow trees.
It was a day filled with overwhelming emotions. Travel truly humbles us. A traveller will always believe in magic, for the world is filled with magical moments patiently waiting to be explored by an ever inquisitive mind.
Reiseberichte 