Surroundings of Village Kathsoo:----------
Friday, September 9, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
"Pahalgam- paradise on earth"
Pahalgam is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district in India's northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a popular tourist destination, and every year, many tourists visit Pahalgam.
Pahalgam is not a mere hill-station. It’s a recreation resort. Its like going into the lap of nature to do many things - one of the best - that "do-nothing". You want to have a romantic trip with your beloved, want to get together with you family, and have what they call a 'quality' family time, you want to do those little interesting things with the family and kids, like take a pony ride, just picnic next to a beautiful river, just lie down under the sun next to your 'hut' with fresh breeze blowing, and read a book, or have a game of cards. Go to a cosy market and have a cup of coffee, or eat normal not-cooked-at-home food, or shop some of the exquisite of Kashmiri handicraft.
Well, that's what Pahalgam used to be. The new resurrected Pahalgam is a little more commercialized, albeit the same beauty. You could take rides in a new children part, or raft down the river Lidder. Golf is still there - the Pahalgam club with its table-tennis rooms, mini-golf and cards room missing
HOW TO GET THERE?
Pahalgam is accessible from road, unless you can find a way to travel in a copter. There is, of course, no railraod either. If you are driving from Jammu, you can decide to go to Pahalgam some 45 kms before Srinagar (at Khanabal). Or you can fly into Srinagar, or drive first to Srinagar and then drive to Pahalgam - which is 96 kms away. It can take 2-3 hours.
Don't bank on the copter ride unless you are kin of a VVIP. There is no commercial service.
GEOGRAPHY
Pahalgam is located at 34°01′N 75°11′E / 34.01°N 75.19°E. It has an average elevation of 2740 metres (8989 feet).
DEMOGRAPHICS
As of 2001 India census, Pahalgam had a population of 5922. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Pahalgam has an average literacy rate of 35%, lower than the Indian national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 49%, and female literacy is 17%. In Pahalgam, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.
TOURIST ATTRACTION
The town of Pahalgam (Village of Shepherds) offers breathtaking views. One can just relax in one of the many hotels in Pahalgam, or trek on some of the many mountains. One can trek to Lidderwat, Kolohoi Glacier or to Sonmarg. Snow skiing is an attraction during the winter months (from December to late February/early March).JKTDC offers tourist cottages at very reasonable rates for a leisurely stay at Pahalgam.
Pahalgam is also the entry point for the famous Amarnath Cave, a holy site for Hindus.
KOLAHOI GLACIER
Kolohoi Glacier, situated up the Lidder Valley, just below Mount Kolohoi, is currently a hanging glacier. It is basically hollowed out from global warming, the Asian brown cloud, and local environmental factors associated with mountain hydrology. According to the mountaineers from Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM) in 2008, the glacier has receded by half since 1985. The glacier is not safe to study because it is hollow and in places has 200-foot-deep (61 m) crevasses. The sounds of cracking can be heard from either side of the ice field, which indicates an imminent collapse. The preferred method of approach for viewing is to take the right side. This approach offers less boulder fields on the approach, and the occasional goat/horse/cattle herder can be approached for cheese and Kashmiri tea on the way. Reaching Kolohoi, trekking up the Lidder Valley, you will encounter some of the most difficult terrain in the western Himalayas, but the views are breathtaking.
WILDLIFE
Wild bears still roam much of the area, and local villagers are on constant alert for their presence. Due to the constant threat of illegal border crossings, the Indian army is always patrolling the area and is on constant high alert. As the local population can’t carry firearms, this has saved the bears from being hunted to extinction. With the abundance of fresh trout in the rivers and local farm animals, they have plenty to eat. Monkeys also populate the area, most monkeys are quiet and shy, but given an opportunity they will steal food from visitors; campsites.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
About "Kathsoo" ( My village )
Known as "Kathsoo" or "Kathsu"
Situated near the banks of River Lidder. An offshoot from the Lidder river known as Bach Kol passes through this village making it abundant in water.
On western side of the village is another irrigation canal called Daddi Canal, which is the second largest canal in the Jammu and Kashmir. The main road bypasses it, although there is also a link road which connects the village with the main road and bisects the village. Besides the abundance of water, there is also an abundance of beautiful landslides.
STD Code - 01936
PIN code - 192401
Veh Reg Code - JK-03
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