Kashmir ( A trip to heaven ) - Day 2- Goodmorning Kashmir !! - Part 1

           I am a early riser and have felt that mornings are the best part of the day. It's so calm and lovely.The best time to talk to yourself ,to hear your inner voice , see the sun rising , sound of mantras and "Azaan" which makes the moment more pious and sacred, birds chirping . how I could have missed all this in kashmir so I preferred rising early and I am glad I did that as I witnessed the most splendid dawn of my life.
           The sun was still hidden behind the snow laden mountains , and throwing a little light over the waters . The lake of tranquil waters was reflecting the tranquil sky. 

Reflections..

 Birds swimming in  the green waters of have started their day.Some were diving deep in the waters to look for their foods and the colorful small fishes were enhancing the underwater beauty . There was a variety of birds I  have never seen , ( waise bhi you dont get to see beauty in cities :( ) . I could hear the "Azaan"  in kashmiri language which was adding piousness. Lotus leaves all around me was adding more greenish shades in to that colorful mesmerizing morning. 

Dal Lake premium residents 

                                   

Sun , lake , mountains and Lotus wishing each other goodmorning

                   I could not recall any other morning as amazing as that coz I witnessed another God's wonder that day ,a pair of duck swimming towards the place from where I could hear the Azaan. Their was a small piece of land , you have to climb 2,3 stairs to reach that place.The couple in white (I could not distinguish between a she duck and he duck ,but 1 duck was following the other so guessed , they are a couple :P ) stopped in the midwaters and  waited for all people in the mosque to leave. I guess they had an idea of the time because as soon as they came , the people were done with  the morning prayers and started leaving for their place in their shikaras. When all left ,they came near that dry area and started taking water of the lake in their beek and throwing it over their body ,brushing their bodies with their beeks and putting water again. This act was repeated several time and than they stood up , shrugged water from their bodies and moved in to the dry land and rested . It was now left over to Sun to soak water from their bodies. Now I knew the reason why ducks are so white :).  Is not that amazing . 

Could you spot those white beauties taking a bath

By this time recital of Mantras could be heard from the Shanakaracharya temple on the top . I saw a women rowing the boat and making the morning more musical by the sound of the water striking with  the "patwar" . As soon as the day started rising, the activities in dal lake increased, the local people in the dal lakes started their daily chores , A vegetable seller with fresh vegetables in his boat , Some catching fish in the Dal lake for meal , some selling kurkure  kind if stuff and all on boats We spotted people taking cylinders also in the boat. 

He was catching fish and having hukka and other things in his boat :)

They carry cylinders like this 

The Sun has arrived by now and my friends also woke up so I enjoyed my must have "Steaming cup of tea". My friend opted for a kashmiri kahwa. Kahwa is a kasmiri tea .It is if 3 types - 1 is salty they have milk it is with milk  , second one is tea with dry fruits and third one is with saffron . It was time now to get ready to walk in and explore other parts of this heaven. Shanakaracharya mandir , Nishat garden , chashme Shahi , Pari Mahal , Hajrat Bal, was on our itenary .

I am just loving it :)

Kashmir ( A trip to heaven ) - Day 1 - Shikara ride and mesmerizing houseboat

Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast.

             In my early years , when I saw "Roja" , "Kashmir ki kali" and some other movies ,I use to wonder can there be a place as beautiful as kashmir. Snow laden mountains ,  magnificent flowers , lotus spread all over the lake and much more. Will I be able to visit such a place ever in my life. I am truly lucky and blessed that my long cherished dream turned in to reality , this May , when I reached kashmir.
             It is truly said about Kashmir "Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast" .This visit has rejuvenated me and I am in so much peace with myself after being in Kashmir for 4 days . This has revived in me the inner peace and strength. I could not ask for more. I still feel in Kashmir , still dream of the beautiful landscapes ,I met there .Hence sharing with you all my Tete - a - tete with kashmir .
             Well our trip started officially when we reached Dal lake and I stepped my foot in to the colorful shikara . Shikaras are colorful a little big size boats , with a comfortable sitting arrangement , they also called "Shikara Taxi". There were shikaras all over the Dal lake and numerous houseboats .

One of the Shikaras

We than headed towards our houseboat "New Bulbul" through the lanes in water. There was houseboats everywhere , lotus leaves or Water Lilly.Houseboat is a  complete house built over a large boat You will have everything in the houseboat. When I entered the houseboat, I was enthralled by the interiors . A small cute bedroom with a Kashmiri kadai bedcover, a dining room , with wooden carved table ,a small cute drawing room with TV ,Small washroom with a bathtub. Carpet was spread across whole houseboat. The wooden carving on the walls of the houseboat was so intricate and beautiful that just can't be described. 

Drawing room Houseboat

Dining Room

             After taking rest , we decided for a Shikara ride on dal lake was. So we had shikara taxi called "MayFair" at our service in few minutes with "Fayyaz" as our driver. Do you know that there is everything in Dal lake , schools , medical shops, etc. Can you believe it ? . Many people make their living by selling vegetables and other eatable on a boat. There were many houeboats all over the Dal lake some were personal too where people were living as we live in our apartments. Every houseboat has a boat  with it in which they go from one place to another in Dal lake. During our ride many people were coming to us to sell their stuff like jewellery , kashmiri hadnicraft ,flowers and so many other things . A must mention These people are trulely salesman. They will somehow infact anyhow convince you to buy their services. They have a pet dialogue "sab khaya piya  yahin reh jayega yadein sath rahegi"   :) and they are true in this also . We were also convinced by them to buy some jewellry and got ourselves clicked in kashmiri dress .

Photosession in Kashmiri dress

Fruit chat vendor on a boat

Flower vendor

          The view of dal lake from a shikara was such a great experience. We can see water all around and colorful shikaras , some were enjoying water sports also.. A kahwa during a shikara ride a must have .                                                                                
           Fayyaz told us about their marriage traditions. People in Dal lake marry during September. They  hire big boats specially used for water sports and all baratis and gharatis take a ride  in Dal lake on those boats , after that, all people come to bride's place and take marriage vows , then after a gala feast all return to their places. "Vazwan" was what I heard  was  the famous dish served during marriage.
          While he was telling us about their traditions we reached floating vegetable market.  They have vegetables gardens which float and to identify them, they hold it by some wooden pillar sort of thing. 

Floating vegetable garden

Next was a proper market of clothes , wooden handicrafts etc.  built on boats . There are two types of market one is private and the other govt where you will get discounts. We bought some shawls and bedcovers from there kashmiri wooden work was also amazing. 

Shops on Dal lake

Shops on Dal lake

By now our watch displayed half past 9 , it was time to get back to our Houseboat. After a delicious dinner in houseboat,  we wrapped ourselves in the cozy blanket ,in our cute little houseboat and slept.

Such a bliss!!

Killer looks are liked by Girls

Killer looks are liked by Girls... 

Isn't  the topic interesting , this was some heading in newspaper ,I didn't got to read the article but definitely it made me think that this kind of stuff is what most of the guys discuss about. How they can impress the girl in their neighborhood or in the college or girl in another team in office. oops! Am I thinking too much .

        I have a friend of mine who says he can write a book on how to impress a girl. Whenever we talk , he tells me a story how he impressed the other girl in past. I am not sure, if he really was able to impress a girl by applying his tips , but would love to share those interesting tips .Here are some of them , I am sure you would enjoy reading !
[All my girl friends , let me know if you know any other tip applied on you to impress you :) ]

• Good sense of humor .                                                                                                                   If you have a good sense of humor, she will definitely like your company. Well I guess, this is true and logical  to some extent . Who would  not love to spend her time, with a lively guy ,who makes every other person with him laugh.
• Don't show them that you are after them. Act as if there are more important things in life than girls.(I know actually the truth is opposite)                                                                                               Again a basic rule .."You always want the thing which is out of your reach." So If the guy is not after girls, all girls will be after him :)
• A little bit caring attitude, atleast on display.                                                                             "Let me hold your cup of tea for you ,its hot. you will burn yourself."  Will any girl be able to resist such a caring person ? I don't think so. Who would not love to have a friend ,who is so caring that he always keeps you on the side of the road, where there is no traffic.
• Be a little possessive.                                                                                                                 Just be a little possessive about her .  If you take her out , make sure that she is comfortable and doesn't feel lonely ,making sure that you give her space. Act as if you are jealous, when she talks about some other guy.
• Appreciate them.                                                                                                                         Keep praising and appreciating her. Make sure that when she makes an extra effort in getting ready for a party , you appreciate her at the same time and be little honest too . Like If you love her more in saree and she has put on a dress , tell her you look beautiful in this , but you look best in saree. or sometimes I like your hair opened or something like that :)
• Be dependable.                                                                                                                             Act such that girl have confidence in you that whatever is the problem , you will resolve.
• Stick to your rule book (May be imaginary :))                                                                                                                              Just don't agree with the girl for all that she asks ,instead go by your rulebook , put up your opinion as well.
• Sometime Use catchy liners                                                                                                           I guess apart from some exceptions , all girls like some filmy kind of lines in their praise one or the other time they won't show but definitely they love to hear .
• Last but not the least Just don't overdo anything.

These are some of the simple but basics tips that all of us know , but what I think is If you are really a man, you won't have to do any thing , girls will be impressed by you.

Would love to know your opinion on this . Please comment on this or mail me.