Gulzar-e-Gulmarg

I woke up at 6.30 am and the first thing I did was to open the curtains. I was astound at what I was experiencing. The beauty of that view cannot be explained but shown. I stood there for an hour, silently and slowly capturing every moment every bit of it. Beautiful snow laden mountains. Long line trees draped in snow. Never ever in my life I had this kind of window view. We reported at the assembly area , collected our skis, got the instructions and started walking to the skiing slopes near the hotel. It was very difficult to walk in the bulky and big ski boots. We got the instructions about how to wear the skies and balance on the slope. It was easy said then done. We all were struggling at first but after sometime we became comfortable. Then came the moment for which we have covered such a long distances from our hometowns and cities to the remote Himalayas i.e, Skiing. The first lesson we had was on  how to fell correctly to avoid any injuries. Then we learned  how to walk on the slopes and how to climb the slopes. It was very tiring and cumbersome. Climbing the slopes again and again is difficult job. But it comes with its rewarding moments. Whenever I stoped to catch my breath I was enjoying the views of Gandolas going to high altitudes and pine tree trails covers with snow.

Everyday we learnt new techniques of skiing and everyday it felt very difficult in the morning but towards then end of the day we felt very confident while skiing down the slopes . Falling , crashing laughing and falling again. Skiing in kashmir is the best thing I have ever done. The skiing training used to be 4 hour long from 9 am to 1 pm. At 11 am we used to have tea break which was the best time of the day. Sitting on the fresh cushioned  snow and just observing the view till our eyes can take us . This felt like heaven or I can say that this is heaven. My friend joked about Gulmarg that God must have created it on Sunday with a very good mood.

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.
If there is heaven on earth, it's here, it's here, it's here...
These poetic lines by Mughal emperor Jehangir started circling my mind when I finally saw Gulmarg.
I came to Gulmarg in January 2020 for basic skiing course at the prestigious Jawar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter sports. I always wanted to experience skiing at snow powdered slopes of Kashmir. These dream had finally come true. Moreover I was excited because I was seeing the snow for the first time in my life. My lungs were full of clean, cold and calm air with which I saw the welcoming Pir Panjal ranges of the Himalayas.

Basic skiing course is a 2 weeks training program. The training started on 18th Jan when we were taken to the local market at Gulmarg which was 800-900 meters from the hotel Royal Park where we were lodging. The market was bustling with tourists . Tall men with long beard and covered in  traditional Kashmiri Pheran welcomed us in their shops with a very hospitable smile. Irrespective of what we hear about the people of Kashmir t, they are very simple and soft-spoken. I went to one of the shops and tried   Kahwa. Kahwa is a fragrant, mild green tea made with whole spices, saffron, almonds and originally from the Kashmiri cuisine. Kahwa is a warming tea and always had hot. Using whole spices and saffron makes Kashmiri Kahwa warming for the body which suits the cold climate of kashmir. It refreshes, rejuvenates, relaxes, soothes, calms and makes you feel good. After roaming around the market for and hour we went back to our hotel.
In the hotel we were divided into various groups for the skiing training. I was given the Dhaulagiri stick, based on the Dhaulagiri mountain in Nepal. After which the equipments and gears were distributed and then finally we had dinner. I was not hungry but excited about the food we are going to have. We had traditional Kashmiri chicken with rice and chapati and methi paneer, with sewai in desert.
The rooms were very comforting . My room was the biggest one in the hotel and I was sharing it with three other members.

Snowplough , stem turn, skidded turn etc are the techniques we needed to master to pass the training course successfully. Everyone put their max efforts. Training was coming to the end.  I must say we have one of the best instructors , who were more like our elder brothers. The instructors included two everesters , north pole expeditionary soldiers, special forces operated etc. We learnt many good techniques cleared the test.

Finally it was time to bid adieu to the heaven on earth. Kashmir will always stay in my heart. The memories we made, the slopes , the snow , the people everyone have made an irreplaceable spot in my heart. Kashmir as they is the paradise on earth. "Jannat to yahi hai". The hospitality is unmatched. The love you get from kashmir and gulmarg make you feel at home.  The level and density of snow is unmatched. This is the begining of my love story with Himalayas. Bye , until next time.