On
visiting the Valley of Kashmir, Jehangir, one of the great Mughal emperors,
is said to have exclaimed;
"If there is paradise anywhere on earth, it is here, it
is here, it is here."
There are some place on earth, which forces you to think twice before you
head for the place to spend your holidays. Kashmir is one such place - where
you may not want to go to spend your off hours.
Once the most favoured destination of India, Kashimir has now been
transformed into a horror place by the terrorists.
Kashmir is under fire since the late 80s. Be it day or night or any season
of the year, the people of Kashmir continuously stays to live in fear.
Thousands of people massacred and killed; thousands made homeless, thousands
were orphaned.... the list of terrorism was endless in the valley till
recent past. But, the peace process practiced by the central and state
government has retained some of its luster, much of it is still to be
restored. Leaving few of the places, which are still sensitive, the whole of
Kashmir is open to the Domestic and foreign tourists to travel. The tourism
depart of the state has taken all the required steps to provide safe and
secure travel to the tourists from all over the world.
Today, Kashmir is on its way to attain the lost luster.
Being one of the selected few travel destinations of the world, the luster
of Kashmir has started magnetizing tourist from all the parts of the world.
If you too are heading towards Kashmir, than you should be aware of all the
travel requirement required for your travel to Kashmir.
Kashmir has a everything for every visitor. The glorious crown of India is
complete with its own history and mystery, art and architecture, culture and
tradition, language and literature and religion and ritual that is distinct
in itself. In this once peaceful valley with its peace-loving and friendly
people, Buddhism reached the climax of its glory, Hinduism expanded its
philosophical frontiers into Shaivism and Shaktism and Islam achieved a new
meaning and practice.
Some handy travel tips for the tourists
Visas
& Passports
These are the most important travel documents required to visit any country
in the world. One need to have a visa to step into the land of India. It
must be received in advance.
Currency Exchange
You can exchange money at the airport upon arrival. Credit cards are
accepted at the finer hotels, restaurants and retail stores.
Clothes
Do carry some warm clothes as Jammu & Kashmir is situated at very high
altitude. The climate of the region is chilling in winters ( somewhere,
below 0 degree) and the summers are quite pleasant, though colder than other
parts of India.
Language
The common people of J&K speaks either of these languages - Kashmiri,
Dogri, Pahari, Hindi. A few % of people can also speak English. It would be
advisable to contact a travel agent before you land on the land of India,
who can help you on this regard. This will solve all your language problem.
Health
The climate of Kashmir is very healthy, consult your doctor before leaving
for Kashmir, India. Often foreigners are vulnerable to illness in foreign
countries. The following shots are recommended. Hepatitis A & B.,
Malaria, Influenza, Typhoid are some common illness in India. People with
Hypertension and Heart problems are not recommended to travel to higher
altitudes. If you are traveling to Kashmir, India, than ask your doctor for
some preventative medicine. While in India it is a good idea to drink only
bottled or boiled water.
