Head over hills

Photographer Jagadhish Raju shares his experience with us, and transports us to the serene locales of Kashmir and Tuliyan Lake

I had wanted to visit Kashmir ever since I saw the movie Roja by Mani Ratnam, which was shot in the pristine locales of the state. I am a professional photographer who loves to travel, but my work kept me busy for a while. One day, I’d had enough and wanted a getaway, so my friend Ganesh Toasty and I decided that Kashmir would be perfect — especially since the place is underrated and the landscapes haven’t been explored much. Ganesh was keen to train his lens on the lovely people of this place.

I decided to visit the little-heard-of Tuliyan Lake, which can be reached by trekking for those used to it, or on horseback. Since my friends and I aren’t fit enough, we decided to ride on horseback for nine hours to reach the location. I had seen a picture of it somewhere and I remember thinking that it looked like heaven on earth — with mountains, snow, water, and grass. We could lie down on the grass and do nothing forever. We saw various landscapes and climates on the way. It drizzled, it rained, it was sunny, and it snowed — sometimes we were very near to death but we made it to the lake and back. Despite all the hardships, I got lost in the beauty of the place and it has taken me a month to recover! It was the most memorable and adventurous thing I’ve done.

For the trek, we were armed with just two loaves of bread, three pieces of kuboos, some mixed pickle, and two bottles of water for the four of us, including the men who led the horses. On the way, we discovered that one-half of a loaf was missing, but the rush to reach our destination made us forget all about the food. On our return journey, our guides took us to a shepherd family’s tent where they served us pink chai and a unique kuboos-like roti. The food in Kashmir is very different. The best I’ve had there would probably be chicken curry at the New Delhi Dhaba in Srinagar and Kashmiri kahwa at the Palestine Restaurant in Pahalgam.

The locals are extremely friendly and helpful. If you visit a shop or restaurant more than once, you are part of the owner’s family. That’s exactly how we were treated. I would request pictures with the locals and the kids. The kids there are lovely and share whatever is given to them. It isn’t an experience you’ll find anywhere else. Also, do research offbeat places to visit rather than the regular tourist affair. Don’t miss out on Dal Lake, Nigeel Lake, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and of course, Tuliyan lake. Besides Dal Lake, all the other places were pristine, calm, and serene.

I’d love to visit Kashmir again but the next on my list are Khardungla pass, Leh-Ladakh, Kasol, Manikaran, Bali, and Greece. The list goes on

(As told to Kaavya Pillai)