Nature has endowed Kashmir with implausible beauty and is rightly called “Paradise on Earth”. Kashmir is resplendent with stunning Chinar trees that turn the entire valley yellow and red when the autumn arrives, silver lakes that turn golden at the crack of dawn, and crystal blue rivers that are sourced from the icy mountains. The beautiful scenes and the unspoiled nature provide such a mesmerizing view that a person feels that he has come into another place.
Before Kashmir became a valley it was a huge lake known as the Karewa Lake. The valley lies between the Karakoram Range and the Pir Panjal formed when the lake was drained during tectonic shift. It acquired the name of paradise on earth because of its uncanny resemblance with the garden of Eden described in religious and folk texts. The abundance of nature and natural resources make Kashmir the muse of multiple historical references in literature and memoirs.
These were the words that Amir Khusro used to describe Kashmir. He was a poet during the Maluk Dynasty when they entered through the Karakoram into Kashmir. This is the earliest reference of Kashmir as Paradise. Kashmir continued to be the favorite destination for rulers to come. The most famous of them was Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb who used Srinagar as their summer capital. A plethora of gardens was built by the Mughals that added an organized layer to the free-flowing beauty of Kashmir.
Kashmir found itself to be named differently in different places, all highlighting its unusual natural beauty and uniqueness. The name Kashmir means the desiccated land (Ka= water, shimeera= desiccated) from its formation. The Greek attempt to write the same word gave it the name Kaspeiria. Chinese monks who visited Kashmir in 631 AD called it Kia-shi-mi-lo. In Tibet, the valley is known by the name Khachal.
If anyone has doubts why Kashmir is called Paradise on Earth then the below-mentioned reasons will be able to change your mind:
1. Beautiful Landscapes
The picture-perfect landscapes in Kashmir, from the Pir Panjal Ranges to the beautiful and lush meadows and zigzagging rivers, every inch of Kashmir valley is filled with beautiful, unspoiled pieces of nature. When you look at the landscapes and how beautiful everything looks like then you get an out of world feeling.
2. Lush Green Valleys
Kashmir is full of lush green valleys and every valley is beautiful from the previous one. There are so many verdant valleys such as Kishtwar, Markha, Suru, Shyok, Nubra, Nageen, Betaab, Dha Hanu, Poonch, just to name a few that are so beautiful that any person would love going there and on top of all of that, these valleys are unspoiled pieces of nature, that echo nothing but beauty on every level.
3. Tulip Garden
The tulip garden of the Kashmir Valley is blooming in Spring and if you ever get to visit the valley in spring then you would notice the Tulip flowers blooming all over the valley, adding a splash of beautiful colors to the whole landscape. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is the only one in India and it should be on the list of the places that you must visit at least once in your life.
4. Beautiful Dazzling Lakes
Kashmir Valley is also famous for its beautiful dazzling lakes. The city of Srinagar contains the Dal and Nageen Lakes which are stunning to look at. Getting on a boat while riding towards the towering mountains on the lakes give such a beautiful gaze and justify the statement “Kashmir Is Paradise On Earth ”.
5. Warm And Friendly Locals
People of Kashmir are known to be warm and friendly people and as soon as you set foot onto their land, you will find the locals to be welcoming and greeting you. Even if you get a chance to talk with someone from Kashmir in any place in the country on any social media platform such as Omegle, Facebook, or any other similar platform such as Chatroulette even then you would find the people to be very nice and friendly. As soon as you set your foot onto the land of Kashmir valley, you will see smiling locals warmly welcoming you with love and a huge smile on their faces.
6. Delicious Cuisine
The foods and delicacies of Kashmir are also fabulous and delicious. The cuisine of the Kashmir Valley is very famous and consists of delicacies like Rogan Josh, Ghoshtaba, etc You can start your day off with a hot cup of ‘Kahwah’ followed by Yakhni and Dum Aloo along with special Noon Chai at the time of sunset while enjoying the beautiful view.
7. Delightful Autumns
If you ever get a chance to visit Kashmir in Fall or Autumn then you should visit. Apart from Summer and Spring, Autumn is another time of the year during which you should visit Kashmir and when you visit the valley in Autumn then the whole view would be different. Everything will be vibrant, the winds will be soft & energetic, and the trees will take on stunning scarlet, golden, and amber hues, adding vivid and colorful charm to the surroundings.
8. Houseboats
If you want to have an experience of a lifetime then you can spend your entire day on a houseboat. If you are not familiar with a houseboat then it is a boat that is traditionally carved by hand and usually decorated. You can get a boat ride over the stunning lakes while you are there and you can also stay overnight on a houseboat in the Dal or Nageen lake in Srinagar and believe me, it is an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
9. Adventure Hub
If you are not only about sights and want to have an adventure then Kashmir won’t disappoint you. Kashmir is the perfect place for an adventure, you can go trekking on windy and narrow, steep paths to go skiing on sky-high mountains or visit the beautiful green forests, the place has so much to offer to an adventurer in a place that is an untamed and unspoiled piece of nature.