Just when I thought I had seen it all in Gulmarg, I was treated to some more magnificent vistas in Pahalgam. Amidst the Lidder Valley at an altitude of over 2,700 metres above sea level, the sight of the Lidder River flanked by aromatic conifers was a refreshing change from my view of high-rises from my window back home! In Pahalgam, the Kolahoi Glacier, which is the source of water for the Anantnag district, is quite the attraction. I did notice heightened army personnel presence here owing to illegal border infiltration. Of course, I succumbed to being a typical tourist by taking a pony ride to Baisaran or ‘mini Switzerland’ as locals call it. Also worth visiting are the pristine Sheshnag Lake and the ancient Mamaleshwar Temple.
