Kashmir’s Betaab Valley

Betaab

“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.” – Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

This post I will write about the memories that warmed me up, ones of extreme cold that brings back fond memories of companionship, friendship, bonding over small talks with complete strangers and of the fragrance of Kashmiri Kahwa. When I was planning to write this post, I was thinking of how I am losing the habit of writing on paper, the habit of writing down sentences to weave into stories and essays, so I wrote this post on my diary first. It made me realise how I missed the joy of watching ink spread on paper. I haven’t given anyone a card with a handwritten note, my grocery lists have moved to Whatsapp, I do not write in a diary anymore and all the writing is limited to MS Word and Excel spreadsheets. The only habit that still remains is doodling, I doodle on my office notebooks, on my colleague’s hard copies but I hadn’t put pen to paper in a long time. Going through the pictures of Betaab valley brought back pure nostalgia. 

Betaab

Previously known as the Hagan Valley or Hagoon, it was renamed into Betaab valley after the blockbuster Betab was shot here. 

Betaab

Approximately 15km from Pahalgam, Betaab is easily approachable. You can hire taxis that will pick and drop you from your hotel or homestay. 

Betaab

Just before you descend down to the valley, you will come across a group of vendors offering boots on rent. Our taxi driver had informed us beforehand to agree on Rupees 50 per pair, and so we did. 

Betaab

Snow can make walking on a trail trickier, you never realize how deep into a crevice the snow goes. 

Betaab

Looks like a wallpaper. 

Betaab

Web of hope

Betaab

….frail snow, like a memory fading into the distance.” – Murakami

Betaab

Happy spot

Betaab

Feels good to have solid ground under my feet

Betaab

The Raven that refused to sing

Betaab

View from my temporary window to the world

Betaab

Wooden rustic houses lining the meadows

Betaab

Hide and seek with Sun and shadows

Betaab

Lidder snaking away 

Betaab

Living off the land where the parameter of success is not the materialistic happiness.

Betaab

Snow as beautiful and frail it appears is ruinous

Betaab

Settlement of cultures

Betaab

Growing up

Betaab

Beyond the point is Chandanwadi

Betaab

Few from the bunch

Betaab

Bubbling away

Betaab

Bonding over the winters – a shared commodity

Betaab

Kashmiri Kanger – earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers used by Kashmiris

Betaab

Vector

Betaab

While the group faces North I go South

Betaab

On the same page

Betaab

I could hear absolute silence…

Betaab

You can hear absolute silence, water bubbling over the rocks, ice crunching under your feet, snow-clad winter landscape glistening under the harsh sun – that has been Kashmir to us. The poetry of landscape lived by many and experienced by few.  

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Anu Sandhu Bhamra
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“hear absolute silence”; yes! that’s the first thing I “hear”. There is so much music in the silence! Lovely photos.