stdClass Object ( [ID] => 28935 [post_author] => 50 [post_date] => 2013-04-24 10:05:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2013-04-24 10:05:48 [post_content] => KASHMIR – the word is known the world-over due to the luxurious “Cashmere” wool obtained from a specialized breed of goats and even to some extent because of a song by Led Zeppelin. That’s my earliest memory of it, anyway. But amongst those more in the know, this Himalayan, “Alpine” region of South Asia is famed for its natural beauty and historical trade routes. Kashmir’s scenery and climate made it a traditional tourist destination for the region’s royalty and nobility. The 17^th century Mughal Emperor Jehangeer referred to Kashmir as a “paradise on Earth”. [caption id="attachment_28936" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Pahalgam Valley, pic: KennyOMG (Wikimedia Commons)"][/caption] Kashmir continued to be a popular tourist spot for Indians and eventually Western tourists. George Harrison learned to play sitar there in the 1960s aboard one of the famed Kashmiri houseboats on Dal Lake. The Kashmir Valley was legendary among the Western counter culture of the time as part of the “Hippy Trail”. Then, in the 1990s, began around 20 years of armed and bloody conflicts in the region. That understandably put a stop to tourism in Kashmir. But in recent years, as tensions have cooled, tourism and religious pilgrimage has boomed, straining local infrastructure and threatening Kashmir’s legendary nature. I posted about that for Asian Correspondent nearly one year ago. Now the government of Jammu And Kashmir State is banking on eco-tourism as a way to fuel the industry while preserving what makes Kashmir an attractive travel destination. From PTI:

Taking a cue from Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir is set to promote eco-tourism which will give tourists myriad experiences of the countryside while helping locals living in remote areas. Under the eco-tourism project, the state would promote adventure tourism, trekking, water rafting, bird watching, fishing, night camps, forest camps, wetland visits and wildlife education.

[caption id="attachment_28937" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Dal Lake, pic: Varun Shiv Kapur (Flickr CC)"][/caption]   Although Kashmir boasts typical attractions for wealthy tourists, such as golf courses and one of the largest tulip gardens in the world, these attractions are hardly unique in and of themselves, though their surrounding scenery most certainly is. The special things about Kashmir are its history, culture and stunning nature. The idea is that Kashmiri tourism should not only showcase this, but also help to preserve it.   From an AFP report:

In a bid to protect wild animals and promote tourism, the Indian state of Kashmir announced this week the opening of an eco tourism campsite. The northern region of India, Kashmir, has launched the first-of-its-kind eco-tourism campsite where tourists can expect to be closer to the region's wildlife. The campsite is made entirely out of natural materials, principally wood and grass.

Kashmir highlights:

• Dal Lake – an enormous urban lake in the state’s summer capital of Srinagar, surrounded by gardens and hotels and home to legendary houseboats.
• Pahalgam – a popular tourist town on the banks of the Lidder River, with resorts, treks to the Kolahoi Glacier and not far from the Amarnath cave.
• Gulmarg – 52 km (32 mi) from Srinagar, a small town and hill station offering white water rafting, skiing and snowboarding.
• Tulian Lake – 4,000 meters (13,000 ft.) above sea level, one of several high altitude lakes featuring clear, pollution-free waters in picturesque destinations.
• Hari Parbat – a hill overlooking Srinagar, featuring a Moghul fort with recently restored gardens, Hindu and Sikh temples as well as Muslim shrines.
• Sonamarg – the “Meadow of Gold”, a hill station and stunning valley dotted with tiny villages and a fantastic place for trekking amongst lakes and rivers. [caption id="attachment_28938" align="aligncenter" width="654" caption="Sonamarg, pic: Mehrajmir13 (Wikimedia Commons)"][/caption]

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