Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-06-14
|KASHMIR VALE
FULL OF CHARM
srinagar Is a Lovely Place for
a Vacation.
Prepared BY National ososrspAlo Society,

~ the vale Kashmir, one of the
famous garden spots of the
world, beckons to the vacatlonists Of
India. It's wooded hillsides don a
new green which is reflected In the
clear, blue, placid streams of the
valley; and houseboats are put in
order for busy season.
The Vale of Kashmir lies among
the lower Hlmalayas, north of the
Indian Punjab. One reaches Srlna-
gar, the summer capital of the ma
tive state known as the domain of
the Maharaja of Jummu and Kash-
mir, over long route by rail and
motor From Bombay one travels
northward by trains, via Delhi and
Lahore, the Rawalpindi. one of the
chief army posts of British India.
There the way to beauty opens.
Almost at once on leaving Rawalpin-
di the motor road begins to climb.
Up and up through the deodar-clad
slopes of the lower mountain the
road twists and turns, the heated air
of the plains grows cool and invig-
Grating, until. when travellers make
their first overnight stop at Tret,
they feel captiyated by joyous hol-
iday spirit.
Everything seems amusing and
interesting. Ruffled punkas swing
from the ceiling, though you may
have no need for them. Your deft
and turbaned servants patter bore
footed about the rooms, unrolling
your bedding on the stringed char
poys, the fairly comfortable beds of
India. Even the not-too-bad food
served by the bungalow cook is
matter for hungry jest. Lovely,
lovely world, with a summer of
Kashmir ahead.
Native chauffeurs Are Speedy.
The road from Rawalplndi to
Srlnagar is well-built motor road,
some 200 miles long, and 1t lies
through the mountains north of the
Pr Panjal pass. Snowy peaks rise
high above you. The rushing waters
of the icy streams chatter noisily be-
low. Hairpin turns In the road make
you catch your breath and curl your
toes, for the ways of the native
driver are his own and without fear,
and, also, you have not the knowl-
edge wherewith to express your
feelings.
Soon, from the first travelling sa-
hib, you may learn to say, "Ahista,
ahistap But you never succeed In
making an Indian chauffeur drive
slowly, slowly.
II Is possible to make the trip
to Srinagar In day, but not ahista !
Quite the contrary. You spend two
nights In dak bungalows (rest-
houses) along the way. the second
at Baramula. which lies at the edge
of the great depression known as
the Vale of Kashmir.
From Baramula one can go the
rest of the way by boat, up the
Jhelum river; but you may prefer
to drive. The last 35 miles lie across
a level stretch, the road borderer on
either side by slender poplars.
The people passed along the way
are quite different from those one
sees in India. Ekkas and tongas, the
; two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicles
of the country draw aside to let you
pass.
The Vale of Kashmir is q level
valley about 80 miles long and aver
aging about 20 miles In width. It
lies, a great oval surrounded by
; mountains green with deodar and
spruce on the lower reaches and
white with snow until well into the
early summer. Skies of an incred-
ible blue complete color scheme OF
, fairy loveliness. Throughout the
valley winds the curving line of the
River Jhelum, along the banks of
which straggle the streets and ba-
zaars which form the ancient city of
Srinagar.
Quaint Scenes In Srinagar.
Seven curious bridges span the
, river, and along the shore quaint old
! wooden houses lean sometimes at a
rakish angle. Many Of the city
streets end in wide stone steps lead
Ing down to the rivers edge. These
stairways are usually animated
scenes Of native life. Here the laun-
dry men wash the clothes; here
the women come to fill their wa
ter jars. Children tumble and play
about, and goats and cows ramble
freely among them all. From the
overhanging balconies lengths of
dyed pashmlna hang out to dry. All
is colorful and gay.
Also there Is the interesting river
; life. A large part of the popula-
tion of Srlnagar lives afioat Odd,
: long pointed boats, called dungas,
with superstructures hung with
mats of woven reeds, are the only
: homes which thousands of Kashmlris
ever know. Sleeping quarters with
In, kitchen of sorts open to the
eyes Of all, few pots Of brass or
copper, and poor KashmIris house
hold Ia nannlato