A King's Resort - Gulmarg, Kashmir

Gulmarg, 52 km away from Sirinagar, is a small hill-village, situated in the Northern India State of Jammu and Kashmir in a subsidiary range west of Himalayas. The area is very closed to the disputed border of India and Pakistan. During 1990s the surrounding areas were politically restive until 2003 when the two countries agreed to cease fire. It does not have any permanent residents and all people must leave the hill by nightfall except tourists and those who work for industry of tourism. The population as at 2001 was only 664 and 99% were male.

Gulmarg used to be a resort for kings like Mughal Jahangir and Yosuf Shah Chak of 16th century. It was called Gaurimarg by Shepherds in early age, which was the name of Lord Shiva's wife. It was changed to Gulmarg, meaning "Place of Roses" by Emperor Yosuf who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes blossomed with colorful wild flowers. And in 19th century, it was a favorite summer holiday destination for British stationed in India . With an altitude of 2700 m and being nested within the imposing Himalaya Peaks, it received heavy snowfall in winter, and covered with countless colorful wild flowers meadows rolling for an area of 3 sq.m. in summer. While in autumn, hills are flourished with golden hues. The extreme contrast of 4 seasons appear as a fantasy set in a film, and in fact it has been the venue of several films.



Tangmarg at the mountain foot is the station to meet your guard, to change your shoes and to hire and board on a jeep. Each jeep would usually stuffed up to about 10 people and take about 25 minutes to reach the top. All drivers must be very experienced and careful as vehicles has to crawl up the hilltop with metal chain on wheels on narrow pathway. The last jeep has to leave the hill top before sunset and there will not be any more service after the hour.



The resort peaks are more than 3800 m in height and are accessible by an aerial gondola, which boasts to be the highest and longest cable car project in Asia. Workers were clearing the snow off the roof of gondola station.



Snow kept on falling and gondola station building hardly could be seen from far. Workers kept on clearing the snow off the roof of gondola station, as the station was nearly all covered up by continuously falling snow.



The snow is thick, soft and fine, offering fabulous white scene of Gulmarg.



We paid 750 rupiah each to experience this wonderful fun for almost a day, in the snow world, The package was inclusive of one local guard, two helpers for each sledge plus shoes and jacket, and the priority for a jeep solely carriage us up the hilltop, without other passengers.



The young local guard was a student of age 21 and he took care of me like a son to a mother. He told us that Kashmir desperately needs the support of tourists to survive.



Sledges was the only convenient means of transport to approach the gondola station and riding sledges was indeed a great fun.



The hill is not merely a mountain resort of exceptional beauty, it also is the location of the highest green golf course in the world.



The buildings at hilltop were almost abandoned due to long period of war and turned into just a resting area without utility.



The green house was the only rest area on the hilltop that sold hot coffee or tea and has only two washrooms for tourists. Do not surprise when seeing yellow spots on the white snow surfaces as many males answered their nature calls in the open air.



The ski exercise was introduced to Gulmarg in the year 1927 by two British Army Officers who were also the founder of the ski club in Gulmarg.



Gulmarg became a popular skiing resort for many Westerners lately. Its slope of Afarwat Hills of Pir Panjal Range at Himalaya Chain claimed to be the longest and highest ski slopes in Asia. The ski lifts covered a total distance of 5km.



The thick coniferous forest in snow presented the most breath taking winter scenery.



A spectacle of snow covered mountains was within touching distance.



Entire hill was guarded by the army at all times but the initial unease was quickly eroded as the local people including the army were very very friendly and warm welcoming to all tourists.



Both sides of the narrow pathway are gorgeous trees decorated with snow.



The beautiful forested hill slopes.



Snow-covered fir trees became the main object of winter white on the hill slopes.



We tried to capture as much as possible, this marvelous view of scenery as each tree has its own posture and beauty.



A screen of nature beauty which one can hardly see in other parts of the world.








Heavy snow fall the night before and while we were going down the hill, snow storm started again.



Shepherd villages inside the mountain valley.



This is the best part of nature on earth we've ever seen.



Our eyes traveled onwards with our 4-wheeled vehicle and never wanted to take away from these wonderful site of the nature.



The entire journey towards and return from the hill station of Gulmarg was exposing their best view of their fairyland, naturally.



It is a land of fantasy, no wander the rulers of the past made it as their royal resort.





A pure land on earth, charming with exceptional beauty.



The peak season to witness this fantasy is within December to April.






Immersed in these few miles of breath taking winter scenery, we temporarily forgot who we were.









There was a rail to hill resort from Jammu but services terminated in winter.







Horse carriages with wooden wheels are the common means of transportation at Srinagar as well as this famous Jammu shopping site.



Vast expanses of flat rice fields and streams interspersed with picturesque villages.





A serene living quarter.



A big bungalow house constructed as per own design costs about 30-50 thousand US dollars only but to own a house in Kashmir must be Kashmiri. Outsiders or non-citizens are not permitted to own houses in Kashmir.



Houses along the way between Srinagar and Gulmarg are of great architecture. There is always a spiritual corner along the road, where drivers stopped and paid little donation and received some rice or grain to be blessed for safety on road.



(1) Biggest fruits and vegetables center where trucks lined up for transportation of good. (2) Wood logs at furniture factory providing demands for local and export.