Kashmir in itself is a romantic's haven that it is very difficult to call any one spot more romantic than the other. All the places have a scenic divinity of their own and you can never choose a favorite among these. My next stop was a place that boasts of having 'Mini Switzerland' as one of its numerous attractions. It is one of the favorite locations of Bollywood directors. And hence I was curious to explore what Pahalgam looked like. The transport rules are quite whacked out in Kashmir. Whichever tourist spot you go to, you have to hire the local transport there to see the places around and you cannot take your respective taxi (even if it is from J&K). Since the way leading up to Mini Switzerland is quite rocky and the terrain is treacherous, we were advised to hitch a pony ride who would take us to the top. And believe me it was the wisest thing to do. The road ahead starts getting steeper and muckier promising you an absolute bumpy ride.

My pony though was quite smart. He apparently disliked muck and therefore made sure to walk along the edges of the valley (which always made my heart skip a beat) but eventually I became comfortable with him. The pony owner who was guiding the pony gave me Kashmiri lessons throughout our ride which made the journey interesting and I was also able to navigate my pony by giving him instructions in Kashmiri.

Mini Switzerland or Baisaran as it is called in Kashmir was a vast expanse of green landscape which was covered with snow in places. One could do zorbing there and for people like me who love to admire the beauty around them could make do with a cup of Kashmiri Kahwah which is a sweet tasting energizing herbal beverage that is prepared by boiling green tea leaves along with saffron strands and cardamom pods giving it a rich aroma of both the ingredients.

All the images © Shraddha Chauhan