NATURE | CREATIVITY |MOUNTAINS
Heaven on Earth or Nature’s poetry*
A trip to the mountains was a dreamlike reality
“Mountains are earth’s undecaying monuments.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne
This week’s nature prompt by Dr. Preeti Singh took me down memory lane. Kashmir’s serene scenery still soothes the soul, the sweet smell of the fresh air still fragrances the nose, and the scintillating sounds of the mountains still echo the ears. Whatever nature provides us, the mountains exemplify that thousand times.
After all, they’re the prominent, preeminent, and prestige of mother earth as the purest, pristine, and most peaceful symbols. None can match their elegance and enormity as they enhance the beauty of whatever exists around them.
The Mighty Himalayas stole a piece of my heart when I saw them for the first time more than thirty years ago. I was blown away by the majestic magnificence because they were much more beautiful than the poets had described them or the pictures had visualized.
My childhood was spent dreaming about the Himalayas, the teenage years begging my family to take me there. Finally, adulthood gave me the guts to announce I was going to Kashmir, and permission was granted to my utter surprise.
Why? It was a conference trip, and my father wanted me to present my research in front of academic audiences. Our department used to send the largest delegation to the annual history congress held in different cities of India, and I was able to visit a few iconic places as a participant.
Everyone was super excited about the trip, and for the first time, no one was worried about the performance or showed nervousness about facing criticism for our papers. Only plans were hatched on how to see all the sights near Srinagar while attending the conference without making it too obvious that sightseeing would be our primary focus.
Our journey from New Delhi to Jammu was uneventful, and then we had to take a 12-hour bus ride to reach Srinagar. I had severe motion sickness and a splitting headache, but that could not stop me from singing all the Bollywood hits at the top of my voice to the annoyance of our professors.
When requested to stop; we continued singing “what a beautiful view it is; this is Kashmir” (one of the most popular songs of those times). Oh. It was so much fun. A week-long trip was nothing but magical, and the hospitality of the hotel staff was outstanding.
We attended the sessions, presenting papers, making connections, and extracting information about recent research trends until 4 pm. Then, it was time for us to go to the major attractions within the city.
The Srinagar university campus was gorgeous and was flanked by two famous lakes-Dal and Nigeen. On the first day, we went on the shikhara (Kashmir boat resembling a gondola), imagining ourselves as the leading ladies of Bollywood, dipping toes in the water and singing romantic songs.
The Mughal gardens were the top priority, especially for their light and sound shows. Shalimar garden, or Abode of Love, was built in1619 and is shaded by Chinar trees (Platanus orientalis) with lush gardens receding towards the snow-capped Himalayas.
Dressing up in the Kashmiri attire was the touristy ritual we enjoyed the most that day.
Nishat Bagh, another garden with twelve terraces (representing the Zodiac signs) filled with flowerbeds, trees, and fountains, was also a sight to behold-regal, royal, and resplendent.
After finishing the conference, it was time to take day trips to the nearest attractions. Pahalgam was an hour’s journey by bus, and then we were treated to lush green meadows, tall trees, and sparkling streams. There were lots of shops selling Kashmiri shawls and saffron; both are famed products of Kashmir. I don’t remember how much we spent in the meadows or trekking now; everything is saved as a beautiful memory of fun in the Himalayas.
Gulmarg (Meadow of Flowers) was next on our list; it is a spectacular town near Srinagar and a famous ski destination. For me, it was a memorable treat to the eyes with its flowers, fruits, and mulberry trees. Trekking was exhausting, so a pony ride was a great solution to witness the mountains closely.
Astounding beauty can be seen everywhere; words fail me to describe the ethereal sight- was it a dream or reality? I ask this question a lot.
I came fully understand why the fourth Mughal emperor, Jahangir (1569–1627), uttered this phrase:
Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.
“If there is a paradise on Earth, it is here; it is here, it is here.” English translation. (English Translation)
© Fatima Imam (All Rights Reserved)
This post is written in response to Dr. Preeti Singh’s latest prompt about the mountains:
Sincere thanks to the editors of Reciprocal Sahil Patel Dr. Preeti Singh and Yana Bostongirl for their constant support. ❤️❤️
All the entries have been impressive and please visit all of them if you can.
Elder Taoist post took us to Alaska:
Marianne O inspired us with a fable about the mountains and took us to three marvellous adventures here:
Joyce Nielsen’s mountaineering skills were a treat to read:
William J Spirdione’s post was a combination of great facts about the mountains and scenic views:
*I wish I had better pictures. So sincere apologies for the old and faded pictures. Forever grateful to everyone for your precious time and generous support. Stay blessed, motivated, and live your life to the fullest. ❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏
Get alerts when I publish: https://faimam.medium.com/subscribe
Support my writing and get access to unlimited stories by becoming a member and clicking this link: https://faimam.medium.com/membership