Baramulla is the third largest city in Kashmir after Srinagar and Anantnag and is situated on the banks of the river Jhelum. My uncle’s posting was in Baramulla, and he had arranged for us a fabulous trip to Kaman Post. Our joyrider for the day was Shafi, who had a thorough knowledge of the place. Shafi mentioned that the best walnuts come from Uri. There is a special variety of walnut that is called Kashmiri Kagazi Akhrot, which is basically in-shell Kashmiri walnuts. He also mentioned that Baramulla is famous for apples and baba ganoush.
We were moving along with Jhelum. My uncle asked Shafi to stop halfway so we could take some pictures. Jhelum was in her full glory. The din of the water was so strong that we could barely hear each other. Jhelum was surrounded by mountains and a dense pine forest. She was like a carefree young woman who knew her path and was confident about reaching her destination. Some of the best pictures that we clicked were here, thanks to the clear weather and a mesmerising Jhelum. One of the perks of travelling with my uncle was that we were able to see the Uri NHPC dam from within. The Uri-II power station is a run-of-the-river scheme to harness the hydropower potential of the river Jhelum. It is located very near to the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan. The engineers gave us a fantastic overview of the power station. It was my first visit to a power station, and I was in awe of how electricity is generated, stored, and later transported to the remotest corners of India. No wonder Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described the dams as the temples of modern India. This project is a run-of-the-river (ROR) hydroelectricity type. ROR utilises water’s natural potential energy by eliminating the need to burn coal or natural gas to generate the electricity required by consumers and industry. Because ROR lacks reservoirs, people continue to live on or near the river, and existing habitats are not flooded. In the end, humanity benefits from the continuous evolution of technology that supports sustainable and harmonious living with nature.
After a fruitful knowledge session with the NHPC engineers, we started our journey toward Kaman Aman Setu. Kaman Post, named after the late Lieutenant Colonel Kaman Singh Pathania, MVC, is the first post of the Indian Army on National Highway 1A, the Baramulla-Kaman road, which leads to Muzaffarabad in PoK. Kaman Post is one of the major attractions for visitors. The post is especially popular for its view across the Line of Control. On April 7, 2005, the then-Indian prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, flagged off the first cross-LOC bus service — titled Karwaan-e-Aman, or peace caravan — that connected Srinagar to Muzaffarabad. Later, the cross-LOC trade, established as a barter trade, began on October 21, 2008, across two routes — Salamabad (Uri)-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot. Traders on either side of the LOC were permitted to exchange 21 mutually agreed items. We were greeted by the Indian army. The captain gave us a detailed overview of Kaman Aman Setu. I especially liked how they dissolved jam in hot water and created a tasty beverage for us. The young captain was a gracious host and was kind to take us to the picture spot where we got ourselves clicked and framed.
As destiny had it, our next stop was Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi, Parampila, situated on the banks of the river Jhelum. As per Sikh historical texts, the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, conducted religious discourses while seated on a Thara (a stone platform) with five Muslim fakirs. The sacred stone platform (Thara Sahib) from which Guru Sahib held discourses with those five Muslim fakirs is still present and well preserved inside the Gurdwara. As I touched the Thara Sahib, I felt a rush of divine energy in my body and tears of gratitude started flowing through my eyes. Never in my life had I anticipated a visit to Kashmir, let alone a Gurudwara of such spiritual and historical importance. The blessings of Guru Maharaj made my Kashmir travel a piece of light, love, history, and stars glued together to experience the spiritual magic of the Divine.
The temples in Kashmir are under the protection of the Indian Army. Datta Mandir in Uri, Baramulla, is believed to have been built in the tenth century. Legend has it that this temple was actually built by the Pandavas during their exile. The stones used to build this temple were carried by Bheema all the way from the nearby mountains. This temple is situated on the banks of the Jhelum and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. But today, there is no Vishnu idol. The Indian army has installed a beautiful marble, Shiva. There is an interesting ‘Bheem ka matka’, which is a huge clay pot in which Bheema used to fill water from the Jhelum River for Draupadi and his brothers every day. The clay pot is at least 5 feet deep. This is considered to be an extraordinary water source as the water level never reduces no matter how much water you take out. The water from this matka is used for daily rituals. One suspects an underground source of spring which has continued to nourish the perennial matka.
Buniyar Temple, about two miles above Rampur, situated along the Baramula-Uri road on the bank of the Jhelum, is often described as the “best preserved” specimen of Kashmiri architecture. The Buniyar temple had idols similar to those in Verinag, and I felt that perhaps they all belonged to the same age. There has definitely been some movement on the idols as one can see an uncanny resemblance between the idol of Jhelum placed in Verinag and the idols present in Buniyar. History never ceases to amaze us. While connecting the dots, we may perhaps end up with a significant discovery that may focus a lot more on ancient Kashmiri architecture.
As is the case with temples in Kashmir, the Indian Army is taking care of Buniyar Temple. The officers of the first field regiment, Meiktila, showed us around. They were also kind enough to share a few nuggets from history. One of them that is etched permanently in my memory is that of the Indian tricolour in which Mahatma Gandhi was wrapped and given the gun salute by the first field regiment, Meiktila. The officers also showed us the silver crockery used for the dining out of Lt. Col. Mt. Young, DSO, Commanding Officer, and other British officers of 1 Field Regiment (SP).
Our next stop was the temple guarded by BSF jawans, the temple of Mata Shelputri. The main entrance of the shrine is close to the road. This beautiful temple is surrounded by four mighty Chinar trees. Some big wild trees also form part of this complex, and it is said that in the entire Kashmir valley, these types of wild trees are only seen in MataShailputri Shrine. Within the premises is a holy spring, inside which stands a marble temple like the one at Kheer Bhawani, with a marble icon of Mother Shailputri facing towards the south. The BSF jawans are doing a fine job of not just guarding the temple but also ensuring that the prayers are conducted on time with all rituals in place. They say that a place reverberates with the vibes of the people who inhabit it. If the temple of Mata Shelputri gives you goosebumps, it is because the jawans have ensured that the divinity and sanctity of the place is never compromised. I felt blessed to be a part of the congregation that sang devotional songs in honour of the Goddess.
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